What makes up atoms?

Although I cannot see you

I know that you are there

The protons, neutrons, and electrons 

That flow everywhere 

First we'll look at protons 

There is a lot to learn

Not only do they weigh one gram 

But the atomic number they earn

Because they have a positive charge

They make a big impact 

Hopefully these atoms will all stay in tact 

Now we'll move to Neutrons and

As the name will tell 

Neutrons have a neutral charge 

Which treat that atom well

From there we'll discover electrons

Which flow outside in rings

These rings they call orbitals

Are quite interesting things

They come in S,D,P's and F's 

Depending on how many 

Electrons you can find in each 

Which usually.... is plenty

So now you know your particles

Hopefully I helped your studies

Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons 

They'll end up your best buddies

Solar Energy

As of now, solar energy has not yet reached the power potential we feel it can in the future. Using solar panels can be extremely expensive. Solar energy also raises the question of what to do on cloudy days, but using solar energy one has the ability to store energy for later use. Despite these issues, if we were to have a "solar revolution", on the brightest of sunny days, we could produce as much as 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of the earths surface.

A photovoltaic cell or PV cell, is one cell of a solar panel that as the name implies, converts light (photo) into electricity (voltaic). PV cells are most commonly made out of silicon but can be made of any semiconductors. A semiconductor is any material that can generate energy through light. PV cells work when light strikes the cell, a small portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor. The energy from the light to the semiconductor hits a chain of electrons and pushes one out, causing a constant flow of electrons.  PV cells also have an energy field that forces the pushed electrons a certain direction. This flow of electrons is called an Electric Current and can be used to power appliances such as calculators, cell phones, etc.

Although solar energy can be extremely expensive, I think it is worth the cost to learn more about this amazing source of energy. If we were able to generate as much power as the sun can, we could save so much money on gas bills but as of now, buying gas is much less expensive and much more reliable. If we continue to learn about what solar energy can do, however, we may be able to determine a more dependable way in which to use solar energy. As of now, it is only really available for small appliances, some houses who are willing to spend the money, and in the desert where the sun seems always to be shining.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/solar-energy/index.html

Nuclear Reactor Risk

Part One
1. Three Nuclear power plants that are placed in dangerous areas are China, Afghanistan, and Mexico. They are all very close to the red areas covering fault lines, and this could cause many problems for the citizens of these areas if an earthquake or natural disaster were to occur.
2. The plant designer obviously did not understand the extremity and danger of the risk of potential earthquakes and tsunamis. With the crisis in Japan, if the plant designers were worried about the health of the people they would most likely move the power plants in dangerous areas.
Part Two
1. I would have to say the fire risk would be the most dangerous issue related to nuclear power plants. The Callaway Plant in Fulton, Missouri is one of 47 plants in the U.S. that have this problem. If an earthquake were to occur, these plants would be much more dangerous because not only would they be releasing extremely dangerous gases but it would also fuel a fire which could destroy neighboring towns and cities.
2. The Humbolt Bay Unit in Eureka California is basically right next to multiple earthquakes. Judging by what happened in Japan, I think it is important that this plant is shut down as it is obviously an extremely dangerous place for a plant to be, as earthquakes are common there. I think this reactor is most dangerous because it is so close to many earthquakes that have already happened.

Biofuels Summary

Biomass is one renewable energy source that can be converted directly into fuel applicable for transportation, called biofuels. Ethanol and Biodiesel are the most common biofuels. Ethanol can be made from both fermentation and gasification. The process of fermenting ethanol is very similar to that of beer brewing, and even though ethanol is first and foremost an alcohol, fuel ethanol is modified to make it undrinkable. It is mostly made of starches and sugars as of now, but scientists are now developing a source of ethanol made of cellulose and helicellulose, which make up the majority of plant cell walls. Gasification involves using high temperatures and low oxygen levels to convert biomass into gas, which can then be chemically converted into ethanol and other fuels. Biodiesel is made from combining alcohol with vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking oil. Scientists are also developing fuels from microscopic algae as they produce more biomass than terrestrial plants.

Biofuel Article Link