What does engineering mean to you and how does it affect your life in a daily basis?
Engineering means to take an on going problems and finding solutions that fits the requirements. It is not technically in computers or software; there are many types of engineers that work together to solve a single problem, but involves different tasks. Engineers need to think outside of the box and need to be able to multitask in order to solve a problem. It takes really brains to become an engineer because they need to know a variety of skills and be able to master it to use it in their jobs.
Everything around us practically engineered like the chair I am sitting on was designed by several engineers to satisfy my needs. Engineers work to make everything not only mechanical problems like cars or a laptop, but even the must simplest things we overlook is made by an engineer. Without engineers, we would not be as far in society as we are today.
Engineering Girl Essay
Imagine if cars can drive endlessly without stopping for gasoline. This is possible by harnessing the energy of the sun. The Sun has the source of unlimited energy and solar panels do the job of absorbing the light energy and convert the electrical energy. You might already know about solar panels, but have you ever seen on a car. This can help the wellbeing of people and the environment. This possible by preventing the release of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reduces the increase of global warming and by letting people get to where they want to go without any interruptions.
Solar power is the conversion of the energy from the sun to usable electricity. The most common source of solar power utilizes photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaics utilize a semiconductor to absorb the radiation from the sun, when the semiconductor absorbs this radiation it emits electrons, which are harnessed as electricity. Basically you attach this to a car making the electricity flow the car instead of gasoline. “Twice this year, Germany's wind and solar installations provided 59 percent of power in the middle of the day, while also providing more than a third of generation throughout the entire day. On one occasion in October, solar peaked at 20.5 gigawatts of capacity and wind reached 16.6 gigawatts, with both providing more than 436 gigawatt-hours of electricity.”* This shows how much Germany depends wind and solar energy to provide more than half in the country. The solar panel were able to provide a tremendous amount of energy without combusting demonstrating that they are capable of handle of lots of energy making it very efficient for the user. They are a silent producer of energy. There is absolutely no noise made from photovoltaic panels as they convert sunlight into usable electricity. There are continual advancements in solar panel technology which are increasing the efficiency and lowering the cost of production, thus making it even more cost effective. During operation, solar electricity power plants produce zero emissions.
Going back to the topic of cars, most car users use fuel to run it which leads to an immense carbon dioxide release into the environment. Leading to an increase of global warming which is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This will lead to the migration of many organisms north for a cooler climate and the polar ice caps have started to melt leading to the extinction of polar bears and penguins. “In 2013, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation accounted for about 27% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the second largest contributor of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions after the Electricity sector. Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation have increased by about 16% since 1990.”** USA is the leading contributor of most of the carbon dioxide emissions in the world due to the demand of transportation and electricity and a wonderful alternative is solar paneled cars. It will significantly reduce the carbon emission since there is necessity of fuel. You can help to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy. We will inevitably run out of oil, coal and natural gas. While we continue our consumption of these increasingly expensive and dangerous energy source, our national security and economy suffers. You will be able to conserve money and time since you do not have to go to the gas station. Instead of waiting in line to get your gas filled, you can keep driving straight making it. “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the average gas mileage for new vehicles sold in the United States has 23.1 miles per gallon (mpg) in 1980 to 24.7 in 2004. This represents a paltry increase of slightly less than 7% over the 25 year period.”*** This shows that people are trying to make more fuel efficient cars, but they are not noticing the simple solution to such problems. These solar cars have started to be developed, but do not function as well as a normal car. Solar buses are propulsed by solar energy, all or part of which is collected from stationary solar panel installations. The Tindo bus is a 100% solar bus that operates as free public transport service in Adelaide City as an initiative of the City Council.
Solar panels can be used for many other things not only cars like homes or planes which can help preserve electricity which can be used for other important manufacturing. ‘Solar powered boats have mainly been limited to rivers and canals, but in 2007 an experimental 14m catamaran, the Sun21 sailed the Atlantic from Seville to Miami, and from there to New York... There is considerable military interest in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); solar power would enable these to stay aloft for months, becoming a much cheaper means of doing some tasks done today by satellites.”**** Solar panels can be used for a variety of jobs and other means of transportation. Also solar panels can provide electricity to many countries that are unable to supply them. A field of solar panel has enough power to give electricity to a whole city which shows it can impact the entire world. “1.6 billion People — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity…”***** this makes it our job, the people with electricity, to help the people who don’t since it is a big percentage of the population especially from South Africa.
Solar panels can help the world in many ways and it is important that in the making of them that we address these problems along the way. These can make the world for all people a better place to live in.
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