Abstract:

This project presents the primary understanding of three different energy conversions-

1) Chemical to Mechanical Energy
2) Mechanical to Electrical Energy
3) Solar to Electical Energy
and encompasses my effort to apply the theoretical knowledge of physics to a working science model. The main aim is to scientifically analyse, various phases of physical energy conversions, in detail and exemplify them through our working models.

My experimental set up consists of 3 systems. 1st system consists of discarded household goods like pressure cooker, electronic hot plate and a handmade rotor assembly. 2nd system consists of powerful air blower and a miniature electric motor collected as spare and discarded items. Finally, the 3rd system consists of a light source (here an electric bulb) and an undersized solar panel. In the first project, I have calculated the heat energy supplied for vaporization and the mechanical work done due to the torque applied by the discharged steam. Using these values for the energy inputs and output, we calculated the efficiency of the energy converter. Throughout the report these calculations have been supplemented with detailed scientific reasoning for explanatory purposes. In the second project, I have used 2 electric motors to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy by rotating the motor shafts. The actual electrical output of 1.5 Volts then illuminates the Light Emitting Diodes. Detailed reasoning has also been provided for each step in the procedure. The third project highlights the importance of clean alternative source of energy: Solar energy. We demonstrate the conversion of Solar energy to an electrical output of 1.5 V using a solar panel. Our primary conclusions for the first system, were that the chemical energy of the fuel converts into heat energy which in turn is converted into mechanical energy and the efficiency of our energy converter is always less than 100%. For the second system, we observed the conversion of mechanical to electrical energy and hence verified law of conservation of energy. Finally, the third system illustrates the solar to electrical energy conversion. The greatest acknowledgment this project has received is by the Indian ambassador to Qatar (Mr. Sanjiv Arora), when I represented my school as its Science Club Director at the Indian community Fair November 2012 organised by ICC Qatar (5 S project competition- Institution of Engineers India). Our school team clinched the ambassador’s rolling trophy.

Acknowledgement:

I sincerely thank my high school professors Ms Rakhi Mishra, Mr. A. Ratheesh, who taught me physics for the junior and senior year and Mr. Milind Bhave who taught me mathematics in my junior and senior years, reviewing topics of conic sections, differential and integral calculus that I have applied to some sections of this project. I also thank all my physics and math professors at Brilliant Education centre. More than ninety percent of the topics mentioned in the project were taught at my high school and were referred from grade 10, 11 and 12 NCERT textbooks for Math, Physics and Chemistry parts 1 and 2. Well, I did research on these topics on the internet but have tried not to exceed the school syllabus boundaries to make my project easily comprehensible for my junior school mates.

Background:

Since the 7th Grade I have had a penchant for physical sciences. This interest was enhanced over the years as my school syllabus introduced me to more detailed and challenging courses. After participating and succeeding in the annual science fairs, I aspired to help my juniors with their science projects. As the Director of Science Club (2012-13), I created this project in an attempt to raise awareness about three different energy conversions and also to exemplify/popularize dynamic science models rather the accustomed static ones. Additional information about the subjects mentioned in the project can be browsed through the links and sources mentioned in the references.