Coal

Coal is a combustible rock made of carbon and small traces of Hydrogen, Sulfur, Oxygen and nitrogen. Coal is mainly sedimentary with the exception of rocks like anthracite coal which is metamorphic. Coal is a fossil fuel and forms over the course of millions of years. When plants are alive, they remove CO2 in the atmosphere release O2. However when the plant dies, it decomposes and all the carbon rich plant matter turns to coal. The process when dead plant matter turns into coal has many stages. The dead plant matter turns into peat and then converted to lignite and finally that transforms eventually into coal, (Sub-bituminous coal --> bituminous coal --> Anthracite).

Unfortunately over 90% of the consumption of coal in the U.S supplies coal fired power stations. This significantly contributes to global warming and the U.N climate agency's recommendation is that all coal reserves should not be used in order to prevent extreme global warming. Surprisingly, there are no laws enforcing this and the U.S exports about 2 trillion pounds of coal each year.In addition, the combustion of coal in power stations puts toxic compounds into the air such as Mercury,sulfur-dioxide, nitrogen oxide, lead, cadmium, trace amounts of uranium,and arsenic. This causes severe health issues such as destroying lung tissue, chronic bronchitis, asthma, cancer, heart disease, and brain damage through the lead and the consumption of mercury via fish. I do not know how coal power plant owners sleep at night with all these health issues they are causing in animals and people.

Natural Gas (INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS)

Natural gas, Petrol, Coal, and Gasoline is used in a very wide variety of applications in industry, commercial, residential, and construction. Natural gas is extracted from the earth through a process called Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) is a very controversial process because is emits tons of pollution severely affecting the environment.The process uses millions of gallons of water which is combined with chemicals like hydrochloric acid, formic acid, Benzene, a Carcinogen , methanol, ammonium persulfate, glutaraldrehyde and 750 other chemicals chemicals to create Fracking Fluid. This fracking fluid contains acids to dissolve rock to bacteria killing chemicals to kill bacteria living in the shale. In addition, this fracking chemical mix contaminates water that GETS SENT TO PEOPLES HOMES. Therefore, they are sent colossal water containers by the fracking companies because the municipal water supplies get contaminated. Furthermore, residents who live next to these rigs are at risk to many health problems from exposure to Radium which is highly unstable and radioactive. Radium escapes these wells and winds up in the air residents near the fracking wells breathe. In addition, the residents get cancer from all the toxic chemicals in the fracking fluid.

Contaminated tap from fracking is a highly flammable.

Funny Laugh out loud

You need to transport 1,000,000 gallons of water on trucks, Right?

Top 20 destinations before you die

COMING SOON<1 DAY

Automation (industrial series)

Automation at a car factory on an assembly line

Automation is the use of Control systems to control/operate machinery, processes, boilers, networks, aircraft, and other applications operated mainly without the help of humans. Automation is used when accuracy and quality is crucial because human labor is not as precise and error-free as robots and computers. However, the main reason why automation is used is because it lowers the cost of labor significantly and increases the efficiency of production, making the cost of the product lower and the CEO's getting more money. For example, in 1905, the first commercial automated bottle blowing machine made 720 bottles per hour compared to a crew of 12 which made 120 bottles per hour. Ultimately, this lowered the cost  from 1.80 to 10-12 cents per gross (144 bottles). This can negatively impact the economy because unemployment can increase. Nevertheless automation is used to great degrees in many factories and industries and the term lights out manufacturing refers to when 100% of labor is automated.

Pro's: Increased quality, higher output of products, less expenses, increase in speed of production, dangerous tasks for humans can be replaced (Nuclear power stations, fire, underwater), tasks beyond human ability can be addressed can be accomplished.

Con's: Initial high cost (tons of money in purchasing machinery), environmental issues in production (pollution from steel factories, uses resources). Automation can be  dangerous (the use of machines can jeopardize a workers life if they get hit by a robotic arm).  

These robotic arms are enclosed  in "CAGES" to prevent "accidents".

Quote of the month

The quotes of the month are entirely made up by Hungry Turtle and are not copied off a website.

"Intelligence is 90% Curiosity and 10% Industriousness"

Steel

Steel is a alloy made of Iron and Carbon (0.5%-1.5%) and is widely used in the construction and infrastructure because of its high tensile strength and inexpensive cost. Tensile strength measures the breaking point of a material while being pulled or stretched. Steel mills add carbon to the iron to make it stronger; this occurs because the iron molecules can not move around as much when force is applied because it is locked together by carbon atoms. Steel used to be made in bloomery furnaces for thousands of years, however the process was not efficient and until the 19 century steel was mass produced because of the Bessemer furnace. However, currently Bessemer method is not used to commercial manufacture steel because the new method that is used makes it 10 times faster than the Bessemer method.

The current method used in manufacturing steel uses a basic oxygen furnace to create steel. First, high purity oxygen blows through the molten pig iron, lowering the amount of  silicon and magnesium compounds. Then they add cleaning agents called fluxes to reduce the sulfur and phosphorus levels.

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Oil Refinery (Industrial Series)

An oil Refinery is a factory that converts Crude Oil into gasoline and a bunch of other compounds currently necessary for our modern life. A typical large refinery runs 365 days per year, employs thousands of workers, and can occupy 4000 acres of land. Modern refineries turn more than half a barrel of crude oil into gasoline and 70 years ago it was one-forth. In order to transform crude into gasoline, you have to separate it into various chemical compounds, Then they turn these compounds into Hydro Carbons and finally they add chemicals to the hydro carbons to create a vast array of products.


Separation: The crude oil gets pumped through furnaces causing it to vaporize and rise through distillation towers. The different compounds that make up crude oil are split up when they become the vapor. Since they have different boiling points and densities, the lightest compounds rise to the top and the medium weight vapors like kerosene and diesel hang around in the middle, and the heaviest compounds like residuum are at the bottom. The different compounds are already separated and sorted, so a vast array of pipes and valves collect the different compounds in the distillation towers and send them to the treatment refinery.

Conversion: The separated chemical compounds from the distillation units are transformed into intermediate components. This turns low value compounds into quality gasoline. The process uses a 1000 degree F furnace and catalysts to convert heavy elements into gasoline. The intense heat and catalysts are needed to speed up an help the chemical reaction because they break down the Hydro Carbon chains (catalytic cracking). In addition, the catalyst allows intermediate compounds to form, creating a reaction with a lower Activation energy needed.

Treatment: This is the final step before the oil gets sent off in tankers and ships. Chemists add chemicals to make the oil high performance or make sure it meets government and customer standards.

Frog (Ecology Series)

Frogs are a group of mostly carnivorous tailless amphibians and have been around at least 275,000,000 years ago. Astonishingly, the oldest frog fossil ever discovered is believed to have existed in the Permian period (before the Triassic period) due to molecular dating. The habitats of frogs are across the globe, deserts to rain forests  to subarctic regions like Alaska and Siberia. In addition, when temperatures get below freezing and ice crystals try to form beneath their skin and in their organs, some frogs survive! Amazingly, they can make antifreeze and use it to prevent the freezing of their organs. Actually, a frozen frog will stop breathing and it's heart will stop beating, clinically dead. However, when the temperature rises above freezing, the heart and lungs resume activity and the frog becomes alive, according to scientific american.org. These frogs are able to survive because the brain becomes dormant (no brain waves), there organs shrivel up releasing the water so that the cells don't die from being frozen, and they make antifreeze.



Frog calls

Turtles (Ecology series)

Turtles are are in the Animalia family and are classified by a unique cartilaginous shell from their ribs which acts as a effective shield. The earliest known turtles have been around since 200,000,000 years ago making the genius older than snakes, lizards, and crocodiles. Unfortunately, out of the 327 species currently alive many species of turtles are endangered, therefore you should attempt to protect them by participating in conservation organizations. Turtles are amniotes, which means that they do not lay eggs underwater. The difference between tortoise, and terrapin (types of turtles)is that a tortoise is a land chelonians and a terrapin (Algonquian word for turtle) is usually found in brackish waters.

The largest turtles known to exist today is the leather back sea turtle which can heave a length of  about 7 ft weight over 2000 pounds. Unfortunately, many species of Giant Tortoises which used to be around the world in prehistoric times had become extinct at the same time of the appearance of man. However, there are still a few living on the Galapagos island and can grow over 4 ft in length and weight about 700 pounds.


FUN FACTS

* turtles used to not be able to fold their necks in
* it is believed that turtles have excellent night vision due to the a high population of rod cells.
* Turtles used to have teeth which was lost millions of years ago. Now they have horny ridges on their jaws.
*Many studies have shown that turtles are better than white rats at learning to navigate through mazes. Also turtles are social animals and they rarely make screeching/high pitch calls.Studies show that turtles play with each other and enjoy it,
*Turtles have to surface and refill their lungs with oxygen. However, they can take up dissolved oxygen from the water, but only to a certain degree before they have to resurface for air.
*Temperture determine the gender of the turtle. Lower=male, Higher=Female

Prehistoric turtles

How to guide to Efficiency and Conservation part 1 (Technology series)

Efficiency is essentially getting the same bang for less buck. You can purchase ENERGY STAR  appliances and other electronic devices instead of buying conventional ones which would save electricity lowering your electric bill and CO2 emissions. Surprisingly the average family releases 28,000 pounds of Carbon per year which combines with oxygen creating 100,000 pounds of CO2 per year and this could be drastically lowered by using energy efficient devices. In addition, instead of buying tons of natural gas to heat your water, you can install a solar water heater to assist or replace your gas water heater. The physics be-hing them is very simple, sun hits a panel containing metal pipes which absorb the energy, Since heat travels from hot to cold, the hot pipes transfer their thermal energy to the water, thus heating it. Furthermore, you can install solar-panels on your roof, Surprisingly, if every person in the world had a few square yards of solar panels you could power the world.

Technology Series (Motors and Generators)

Motors and generators are fundamental in electronics. The principle behind them was discovered by Michael Faraday's in his laws of Induction. Even thought, he had shown continuous magnetic rotation by putting an magnetic wire in an electromagnetic field; Barlow had invented the first device powered by electromagnetism. In 1849, the three phase induction motor was invented which is still used today because it is the most efficient.

Motors and generators are astonishingly the same electronic device. A motor run backwards gives you a generator and a generator run backwards is a motor. For example, if you rotate the axle on an motor it produces electricity and if you run electricity into a generator the axle starts spinning ,giving you a motor. These devices work because of the induction law, which predicts how electromagnetic fields interact with an electric circuit producing EMF (measured in Volts). This states that a moving coil of wire around a magnet generates electricity. Also in terms of a motor an electromagnet gets repelled by other magnets causing it to rotate which turns an axle.

Electric Motor

Cool Song

Photo from Recording "Little Child" with the Cars Greg Hawks (center)

Just Recently, my dad had finished composing a cool CD, Pavlov's Chalkboard. He has a professional recording studio with state of the art equipment and software for recording. He enjoys composing music as a hobby and he finds it relaxing and soothing to play after he has a busy day at his job. In one of the songs, Little child I had performed the vocals. The vocals may sound unrefined and absurd but that is up for debate. It is entertaining to listen to Greg Hawks from the well known band, The Cars, play flute, keyboard, and base guitar on the song.

Below is the link you can listen to the songs and hopefully you would enjoy snippets of it. And don't forget to give me a thumb up if you like it.


The CD  (link to hear Pavlov's Chalkboard song#6+little child plz click)

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Technology series (silicon)

This diagram shows the electrons flowing into the "holes."The Back Contact is the wires that sends electrons into the grid.

Silicon is a fundamental element that is used in a almost any electronic device and more. This would include solar panels, microchips, glass, transistors, lasers, and fiber optic cables. In solar cells, it is crucial to have a semi-conducting element; since silicon is a very efficient semi-conductor it is used in all commercial solar-cells. When photons, (light, Sunlight) hit the panel converts it into electrical energy because of the PN junction. The PN junction occurs when the light (photons) come into contact with the electrons on P and N type silicon. The electrons create a negative pole where there is the most electrons and a positive pole where there is fewer electrons or "empty holes for the electrons to flow into". When the electrons "flow into their holes" the light excites them and they break free and come into contact with metal wires on the cell. Since the wire is a conductor, the electrons "jump onto the wire", thus creating a electric circuit. PS, only refined silicon can form the P.N junction because this type of silicon is not found in nature. Therefore they refine natural silicon into pure silicon; then they add impurities like phosphorus to create the junction.


Read my science/environment/tech posts. Remember that the turtle proverb says " Curious Turtles have the map to the lake of knowledge."

Nuclear Power part 3

How a Nuclear Power-plant Works.

Nuclear power plants generate electricity by converting uranium 235 to energy which turns electric generators. The Power station contains a nuclear reactor (has fuel rods), cooling tower, generator, turbine, substation, and control room. First, Uranium atoms are exploding inside fuel rods since neutrons are crashing into them creating 2000 degree heat. Tons of pipes filled with water cool down the rods so that they dont melt and so they produce steam. A huge pipe transports the steam to a colossal turbine over 50ft in length. The steam blasts through the blades turning a axle at a extremely high speed with tons of force. A gearbox makes the axle spin faster where it is connected to an AC generator. Then the power is transformed in a substation to about 140,000 to 800,000 volts and sent over transmission lines to another substation that lowers the voltage so it can be used in industry and residential areas without frying electronics and damaging machinery. P.S they step up the voltage because its more efficient to have high voltage electricity on power lines.Then huge cooling towers turn the steam back into water and pump it back to the fuel rods so that they conserve water and don't need to pay an extremely high water bill. While these processes happen employees inspect machinery and make sure a nuclear meltdown does not occur back at the control room.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology

             
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is fairly inexpensive and efficient. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe making it cheaper than gas. According to the U.S news and world report it would cost about 2 dollars/gallon if hydrogen factories were common vs about 3 dollars/gallon. Also, Hydrogen fuel cells are way more efficient than combustion engines because they can run at miles per gallon.

Hydrogen fuel cells may sound pretty complicated and exotic; however the process is quite simple. Hydrogen is pumped into a tank where it reacts with a catalyst, typically platinum which strips electrons off of the hydrogen. Then the hydrogen with  missing electrons combines with another hydrogen and when it confronts air, the oxygen combines with the 2 hydrogen to create water. Simultaneously, the electrons get sent through wires which powers electric motors turning the vehicles wheels. The hydrogen fuel cell typically generates more power than needed which is stored in lithium batteries (there more efficient than lead) so that when the car needs extra power, it can receive it.

Hydrogen factories typically use water or natural gas from which they extract hydrogen. Some plants use electrolysis to generate hydrogen; they send electricity through water which causes the hydrogen to bubble out of the tank and into collection pipes. Other plants free hydrogen atoms from CH4 (natural gas).

Hydrogen tanks in cars are fairly safe; even thought hydrogen is flammable, it would escape quickly into the atmosphere because it is 14 times lighter than area. If all the hydrogen escapes there is no fuel for a fire.

Travel hints to MACHU PICCHU

I had the chance to visit Machu Picchu in Peru, the lost majestic city from the 15th century. The "city" is built on top of the Andean mountain range about 7000 feet above sea level.  Its a mystery how the workers were able to bring those blocks of stone way up there.  It is no wonder one of the New Wonders of the World.

My mom and  I stayed in the Sacred Valley region days before so that we could gradually acclimize to the extreme elevation before heading up to Machu Picchu.  Most tour groups try to cover too much distance in a very short time so a lot of people complain about getting nauseas and headache because they had not acclimized at all. Also my hotel had complementary coco tea stations in the lobby, they say drink coco tea will help with altitude sickness.  The inkas would bite on the coco leaves between their teeth which numbs the jaw and you dont feel hungry or thirsty. The coco leaves are safe as its unprocessed.

From our hotel, we were able to take the Andean express train into Aguas Caliente, the town in 90 minutes.  From Aguas Caliente, you then catch a Machu Picchu shuttle bus that takes you up the mountain to Machu Picchu in 30 minutes.  We were able to get to the Machu Picchu before the tour groups arrive since our hotel base at Sacred Valley is closer to Aguas Caliente.  Its another 1.5 hours for the tour groups from Cusco to get into the Sacred Valley.  We were able to stay longer exploring Machu Picchu, not have to worry about getting dark, and too late for supper.  Another advantage was that my mom ordered from our hotel the Machu Picchu entrance tickets with meal plan months in advance.  You pay a $20 surcharge per ticket but its all worth it or you will need to get to the Cultural center in Cuscos and wait in line to get the tickets and you have to use them within three days.  That is valuable time that you could spend doing sightseeing.  Another reason to spend the extra $25 per person for lunch is that its a nice break to sit in the air conditioning restaurant at the Sanctuary Lodge, away from the heat and sun for a bit.  Its a nice spread for lunch and then refill your water bottle too before heading back out to the ruins.  We saw people who bagged their lunch, having to wait in line for the public bathroom, buy water and looking for a shady spot to eat lunch standing up.

Tonight in the Amazon Rainforest Peru

A few years ago when I was 8 years old, my mom and I had a sensational and adventurous 2 week vacation in Peru. We had spent 5 days in the Amazon Rainforest to experience nature at its best in a jungle with the Team at the Amazonia Expedition in the Tahuayo Lodge.  

My mom and I did a lot of research on guides and Amazon Lodges before our trip.  We found that most did not offer private guides or the lodge was not deep in the heart of the Amazon.  We did not want just day trips to the Amazon and then returning to a modern hotel in Iquitos, which would take away the whole jungle experience.   

We had the most amazing guide that taught us so much about the jungle, animals, plants, people and the way of life in the Amazon with the Amazonian Expedition.  We stayed for 5 days at the Tahuayo Lodge and Christian was our personal guide. He had exceeded our expectations and more !!! Each day after dinner, the our  guide would spend time with the us to talk about  activities for the next day. You could do as much or as little as you want.  We did everything that was available to us.  We would start our day at 6:30 in the morning to go fishing.  Its the best time because the fishes would be hungry.  Christian took us out fishing at the Oxbow Lake and I caught a fierce barracuda, pirahna, bass and catfish and then returned to the lodge after our adventure, just before noon so the chef could prepare them for lunch. All the guests said good job fishing, there is nothing like fresh fish just caught hours before, so sweet and delicious.  In fact all the meals at the Tahuayo lodge were really yummy. 

After lunch, mom and I would rest up for a couple hours either relaxed in the hammock room or just sit on the porch and chatted with other travelers.  Then at 2:00 we were off to a cultural excursion like a visit to the village to see the local children; a visit at the old medicine woman's house to learn about plants and their uses. In the evening after dinner, Christian took us out on night excursions. We spotted many creatures of the night like poison dart frog, scorpions galore, fatal hairy spiders, 2 millipedes in love; colossal 200ft tall trees (200ft tall= height of 20 floor building), and a baby cayman. We went ziplining one morning where I climbed up to the canopy singlehandedly instead of being hoisted up. I got to pet Dorilla the money on an afternoon excursion who unexpectedly jumped in our boat.  Christian took oranges from the kitchen so that I could feed it to Dorilla. 

See my part III review on the Tahuayo Lodge

why the U.S Economy is bad part 2

1: The United States is run like we have to be the big brother and help everyone.  This is okay, but only if we can afford it  otherwise we will be in debt. The United States has an incredible debt of about $18,000,000,000,000 and since our population is about 300,000,000 each citizen's share of the debt is $60,000 (18 trillion divided by 300 million) and rising because congress wastes about $2,440,000,000 each day! If we keep this up, Countries will get mad because they aren't getting their money they loaned to the U.S forcing everybody to give the government $60,000 and some people don't even have that much money. The reason why we are sky rocketing in debt is because we don't have a great economy to cover the cost of being the most generous country of the world. I am not saying that we should cut funding on helping other countries completely, but to improve our economy first like creating high taxes for outsourced products to discourage outsourcing and then start helping other countries.

U.S ECONOMY NOW STEP 1

U.S ECONOMY IF IMPROVED STEP 2

NOW WE COULD START HELPING OTHER COUNTRIES STEP 3