Is Natural Gas the Answer to all our Problems?

Although on the outside it may seem as though natural gas is the answer to all our problems, things may not be so simple. There certainly are many benefits pushing us towards the use of natural gas but one must question whether it is really worth it.

           

Some benefits include the extremely abundant supply. We would most likely never run out, for as well as it can be produced in so many ways, it also, according to the article, costs about a third less than oil per unit of energy. Oil today is extremely expensive and hard to come by, and this lowered cost and abundance might, not only help our economy, but could be a huge time-saver when it comes to production. As well as all that, the article says that power plants fueled by natural gas are much cheaper and faster to build, which would make power plant assembly. Finally, coal emits twice as much carbon into the air as natural gas, which is extremely detrimental to the atmosphere and environment, especially in the state we have already put ourselves in. In these ways, natural gas may seem to hold the answer to our biggest problems, and it may be easy to forget the obvious question of what are the bad things about natural gas? But this question may be the most important part of the controversy. It may seem impossible that something so beneficial could have negative aspects, but in many ways, the negatives outweigh the benefits.

For starters, gas tends to be an even worse greenhouse gas generator than coal. Although it may release about half as much CO2 as coal, when unburned, natural gas is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas. In the article, it says, “One molecule of leaked gas contributes as much to global warming as 25 molecules of burned gas.” So, despite the positive that when burned it is not dangerous, when left alone, which it probably would be more often than not, is just as potent as 25 molecules of burned gas.

            

Also, gas tends to leak consummate amounts. According to the article, the exact amount is unknown, but “Estimates range from 1.5 percent to as high as 8 percent,” and “Even near the low end of that range, gas can be as bad as coal.” With such huge leaks, its hard to say whether it would be safe for people to live near these power plants or even to work in them in general.

Overall, its hard to say what the outcome of natural gas would be, but why leave it to question? It would be irresponsible to allow the use of natural gas without a full understanding of the possible repercussions. At this time, it would not be realistic to risk our environment even further. 

           

The Amish Project

I honestly really enjoyed reading this article. I think that is such a hard decision for a person to make; it seems almost impossible to not rely on electronics for communication. But I also feel like it's a very smart thing to do. Sometimes the lack of involvement with our peers is frustrating, but it is really necessary to learn about yourself. I used to go to camp for a month every summer in Minnesota. It was a month of meeting new people and not always being in the bubble of Greenwich. There were no cell phones or computers at camp and we conversed with our parents using letters. It taught me that it is in fact possible to live without the advantages of electronics, and going back this summer will deplete my need for these so-called necessities again. A lot of people would not be able to handle the sense of being so far out of the loop, but if you can, you'll be a more sociable and understanding person.

The Octet Rule

Atoms, just like people, are always looking to be happy. But unlike us, their happiness comes from having 8 valence electrons, meaning 8 electrons in their outermost shell. In the first shell, atoms are able to hold 2 electrons, in the second 8, and in the third 8 as well. To be happy, atoms have two options, they can either try gaining electrons so as to achieve 8 in their second or third shell, or they can give away electrons to other atoms that need them more so as to only fill two shells rather than all three.

One day Oxygen (O) was trying to decide on an outfit to wear to school, but there was a problem. Nothing seemed to fit right! She had thought she was in perfect shape. Her protons and neutrons were looking good and she was pretty confident, until today. She looked down. "OH NO!" she exclaimed! "I completely forgot! I'm so unhappy.." What she saw when she looked down was an unfinished 3rd shell and she started to panic. She threw on her baggiest clothes, as she was extremely embarrassed about her homely appearance. Walking through school seemed like such a disgrace. She could feel people's glares on her back. "This is the worst day ever..." she thought. She first went to her best friend Nitrogen (N). "Do you think you could lend me an electron or two? I'm short two and it's making me so upset!" Nitrogen grimaced. "Well actually I just gained three from Boron (B) and I'm really not willing to give any up right now. I'm so sorry Oxygen you know normally I would." Oxygen shrugged. She understood where Nitrogen was coming from. "I'll ask around for you though!" Nitrogen offered. Oxygen pouted. "It's okay! Thanks anyway Nitrogen!" She tried to sound sincere. Oxygen was so dismayed. If Nitrogen wouldn't help her, it seemed nobody would. That is, until she saw Magnesium (Mg). She too was walking around in her baggiest clothes, sporting a frown across her nucleus. "Excuse me? Magnesium? I have a question." Oxygen introduced herself and attempted to find the words to describe her dilemma. "Well," she started. "I noticed that you too are wearing baggy clothes... and I was wondering if it's because you need two valence electrons like me?" Magnesium looked down, obviously embarrassed. "Actually I need 6. Unless I just give away two, which would probably work as well. I really just need to reach 8!" Oxygen's smile could have rivaled a hyena's. "Perfect!!" she proclaimed. "We're in luck! I need two to reach 8 and you need to get rid of two!" Magnesium grinned. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She questioned. "I don't know... Maybe? What exactly are you thinking?" Oxygen asked. "Well, I was thinking I could give you my two 3rd shell electrons! I don't need them, and I don't think anyone is likely to give up 6, so I might as well just give you mine and reach 8 in the second shell!" Oxygen looked up at Magnesium. "That's a great idea!!! Are you sure you don't mind?" "Positive." Magnesium replied. "I'd be happy to give you them." Magnesium pulled off the two electrons and handed them to Oxygen. Neither of them could help beaming at their new-found friendship and filled shells.

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