ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT:

Ranked sources:

1. Sunmodule Plus SW 280 MONO BLACK (33mm frame) - This is my most credible because it is coming directly from a distributor/company that makes solar panels. It's a big company, and they have no bias in putting wrong information on their products.
2. http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/topics/encyclopedia/renewable-energy/ - This in my opinion is the second most credible because it is a .org site and its an intsitute for energy research. There's no room for bias when showing energy usage.
3. http://phys.org/news/2013-02-multijunction-solar-cell-efficiency-goal.html- My third most credible source. I do feel all of these are very close in credibility but I feel this is the least because it was written by someone reviewing a survey/study and so it is the least accurate out of all three sources. Also the person writing it has no information on herself so we don't know if she is very credible.

Classification of each source:

1. http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/topics/encyclopedia/renewable-energy/ - this is a secondary source because at the bottom of each of their graphs on energy they site where they obtianed the information from.
2. http://phys.org/news/2013-02-multijunction-solar-cell-efficiency-goal.html - This is a secondary source because the woman writing it quoted, mentioned and obtained information from a study done by California Institute of Technology. She was relaying the information to phys.org
3. Sunmodule Plus SW 280 MONO BLACK (33mm frame) - This is a primary source because it comes directly from the company making the solar panels. And no other source.

Primary source evaluation: https://www.energy.gov/eere/sunshot/multijunction-iii-v-photovoltaics-research

1. There are no authors listed and there is no publish date. The publisher is Energy.gov
2. In the article it describes how the multijunction solar cell works and how it absorbs the solar spectrum. It also shows the buildup of the solar cell and what materials are used and how the solar cell reacts when light enters it.
3. The purpose of the abstract is to give an overview of what the article or review is in about a paragraph. This is so you are able to get useful information about it quickly, but you don't have to read the in depth analysis of it.

Post project reflection:

1. In the last 50 years or so scientists have noticed the earth's composure changing due to the combustion of fossil fuels, this is called climate change. When fossil fuels like coal or gas are combusted (or burnt for energy) it releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air and other greenhouse gases which are then trapped because of the many layers of earth's atmosphere. When the CO2 gets trapped, it makes it so that the heat that the sun gives off is trapped because of the CO2 buildup.  Earth's atmosphere protects us from the harmful rays of the sun and does a good job of it. However when lots of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses are in the atmosphere, it heats up the earth kind of like when you're in a car on a hot summer day. The inside temperature of the car is hotter than the outside temperature because sun rays go through the windows of the car and are then trapped because they can't reflect out. If earth were to have very little CO2 in the atmosphere most of the sun's rays would hit the earth and reflect back into space, however currently it is the opposite and this is called the greenhouse effect. All of this combined is called climate change and this recently has had big effects on the earth like how it is melting the polar ice caps. If the world continues on its current path, climate change will have drastic effects on people living in the world. If the polar ice caps are melted all that stored water will make the oceans rise and force millions of people out of where they live, because it will be under water. Which is why we need to use more green energy and less fossil fuels.

 

1. Scientists and engineers play a major role in society. Most of what we know and use on a daily basis like phones, computers, cars, tv, etc. are successful ideas from engineers and scientists. Without engineers and scientists you wouldn't be able to use your iPhone to Snapchat your friend in a different state because you wouldn't have a phone, there would be no wifi and/or cell service and there would be nothing for your friend to receive it on. Both these professions kind of play a two part role. The first one is that scientists find and make a discovery which can lead them to new knowledge or materials. With these findings engineers are able to take over and invent new things based off the finding of scientists. Currently engineers are more useful/necessary because we do live in a world of having knowledge on almost everything, which in some ways limits scientists and what they can discover now. Engineers on the other hand have loads of information to pick and choose from which they are able to continue to make new and improved things because of past scientist’s work.

 

1. In my opinion innovation plays a big role in finding better ways to prevent more CO2 and greenhouse gases. Currently we don't have the capability to run completely off (or anywhere near) green energy -- it’s just not possible. We need fossil fuels to continue to run and power our country and globe efficiently because we don't have the technology and innovation necessary. I think that is one of the biggest things we need to be focusing on. Climate change activists complain about the fossil fuel industry ruining the earth and how bad they are when they should really be focusing on making technology that prevents us from having to use fossil fuels. They contribute to climate change just as much as anyone else does. They need to open their eyes and be realistic and see that instead of protesting they should be innovating or advocating for innovation, so that we can use green energy. Currently the most realistic option I have heard is going nuclear. Nuclear energy emits very little CO2 and is extremely efficient in creating energy. But as most know nuclear energy has a drawback in which it can be very dangerous if something breaks or starts leaking, so you have to weigh the risk over the reward. I personally think that we need to research and refine solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy (these energy sources also do no harm to the environment). These are all renewable sources that if refined, researched, and innovated enough, we can make it so that we as a planet can run off green energy, which I think we all want, but currently it just isn't viable given the circumstances of the situation at hand.

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