Materials Project
Reflection:
The chemistry of materials has helped shape our past lives, present lives, and will continue to shape our future lives because we use them everyday. Without them we would be nothing and would be living like our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Polymers, ceramics, and technology are what is creating the lifestyle we have today and what created the lifestyle we had back then. With todays advancements we are able to refine what was the original start to hospital machines and construction work and buildings by incorporating and experimenting with different materials that we didn't know existed and were possible to work with. Take for example Graphene, it is the simplest form of graphite and with todays advancements we do not yet have a cancer treatment. In 15 years however, it could be the best leading material in being an anticancer treatment and prevent metal buildings and airplanes from being electrocuted.
The structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic level determine the properties of that material in several ways. On the atomic level, it determines the properties because of the type of atoms and how many it is made of; it will determine its charge which determines what it is reactive with. On the molecular level, it decides the bond of the material and chooses how it can connect with other materials. As for the microscopic and macroscopic level, determining the properties are more simple because you can look into how it breaks apart and decide the bond it is and then you see it in its simplest form and can decide the physical properties and what it would look good on. An example would be Graphene and its ability to absorb up to 2.3% of white light or the fact that it is 130,000,000,000 pascals in strength. The only reason it can do this is because it is (usually) one atom thick and we can cut it to a single nanometer or 5 atoms wide as we please, plus it is nearly transparent which means we can control whether it will act like a semiconductor or metal.
Graphene: The Battle to Upgrade Human Supremacy
By: Aubree Lorenzen
The University of Manchester, home to graphene; a material so thin and strong, it could be a turn around point in our generation. Discovered in 2004 by scientists and Nobel prize teammates Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, they were able to drag a block of graphite down to its last layer, one atom thick. They did this by playing with sticky tape and peeling off layers on the graphite block.
Graphene is pure carbon in the form of a very thin sheet, thinner than paper, yet stronger than steel by about 100 times in weight. When you measure that, it is around 130,000,000,000 pascals, according to Jesus Fuente, CEO of Graphenea. A pascal is the SI unit of pressure, equal to one newton per square meter or 0.000145 pounds per square inch. Or to measure that you could multiply 130GPa by approximately 0.000145 and it would round out to 18 854 905.9 pounds per square inch.
What makes graphene so valuable to society are its future uses and applications. Due to its nearly transparent appearance, along with its high electrical conductivity, the ability to bend and absorb up to 2.3% of white light, we can make the future. Graphene looks like chicken wire (under a microscope of course) but because of this characteristic it allows us to cut (up to 5 atoms wide or 1 nanometer) it to act more like a metal or semiconductor. What does that mean however? Well, we can form it into materials like steel, but something much stronger, in reference to Evan Lerner of the University of Pennsylvania.
Take an aircraft for example, most are made out of steel which means they are exposed to electrical currents from lightning. Graphene is so solid that coating the aircraft in a layer of this solution, would prevent electrical damage as well as improve fuel efficiency, range, and reduce the weight. Additionally, graphene is more cost effective than steel. Every property to graphene is specific to its structure. On the atomic level, as you the reader already know, it is one atom thick; through the molecular level it is best classified as an elementary substance and is composed of covalent bonds with the strength of approximately 0.142 nanometers. Because the bond length is so short in graphene, it also makes it stronger. To the naked eye it is not visible because of its transparency, which makes it unique to what it can do and will do.
On the biological side graphene could just be the alternative to an anticancer treatment in fifteen years. By utilizing graphene in certain ways, it has the standards to monitor glucose and hemoglobin levels, cholesterol, and be used as a platform for delivering DNA or signal proteins according to Jesus Fuente. It is the properties and molecular make up of graphene that makes this possible. Even in situations of technology, the use of graphene can be applied through energy storage. Most batteries that last long don't have enough storage space, and those that have enough storage space don't last long. This material can enhance the capabilities of lithium ion batteries by becoming the anode for energy storage.
Speaking of electronics and technology, once again referring back to Jesus Fuente, ITO could be replaced. ITO stands for Indium Tin Oxide and is the most used material world wide due to its electrical conductivity and optical transparency. Even though graphene seems to be ITO’s exact match, it has a few more properties that make it much more reliable . For example, its bending radius is less than the required sitting at 5-10 millimeters for rollable e-paper. Also, because of its ability to absorb up to 2.7% of white light and transmit 97.1% of regular light, and its conductivity, its use in LCD touchscreens (from smartphones, to tablets, to computers) is simply greater.
Graphene is the next step to human supremacy. The articles, the information, is all right here in front of your eyes and if you don't believe it for yourself, there are computers waiting for your research. I encourage you, the reader, to take yourself to a new height so you can be as awestruck as I was about this newfound material, one so erratic and thought provoking that you have the temptation to join our worlds scientists.
Elevator pitch:
(Introduce self as a researcher)
Graphene is the next step to human supremacy. The way we look at technology could be changed forever…by playing with sticky tape, just give it a few years. In 2004, scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were messing with a ball of graphite and peeling off layers until it reached its last layer of only ONE ATOM THICK. Yes I said it, one atom thick…there it becomes nearly transparent, stronger then steel, flexible, and has a high electrical conductivity. It may only look like chicken wire under a microscope, but cutting it up to 5 atoms wide, it gains the ability to act like a metal or a semi conductor. With graphene we could replace the steel coating on the outside of an aircraft to prevent electrical damage from lightning; and because it is so thin and the bonds are shorter (which creates its strength) it would improve fuel efficiency, range, and reduce the weight. Biologically it could also be the alternative to an anti cancer treatment in just a few years. Imagine that, one of the worlds biggest problems solved, all due to playing with sticky tape and utilizing a few properties. What I would like is to continue to fund this research so that could pertain to you eventually. We’re still not sure how they did it or will do it, but these two scientists and their colleagues are so driven to change the world of technology, they just need your help. I hope you choose to fund this idea on your way out the door.
The chemistry of materials has helped shape our past lives, present lives, and will continue to shape our future lives because we use them everyday. Without them we would be nothing and would be living like our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Polymers, ceramics, and technology are what is creating the lifestyle we have today and what created the lifestyle we had back then. With todays advancements we are able to refine what was the original start to hospital machines and construction work and buildings by incorporating and experimenting with different materials that we didn't know existed and were possible to work with. Take for example Graphene, it is the simplest form of graphite and with todays advancements we do not yet have a cancer treatment. In 15 years however, it could be the best leading material in being an anticancer treatment and prevent metal buildings and airplanes from being electrocuted.
The structure of matter on the atomic, molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic level determine the properties of that material in several ways. On the atomic level, it determines the properties because of the type of atoms and how many it is made of; it will determine its charge which determines what it is reactive with. On the molecular level, it decides the bond of the material and chooses how it can connect with other materials. As for the microscopic and macroscopic level, determining the properties are more simple because you can look into how it breaks apart and decide the bond it is and then you see it in its simplest form and can decide the physical properties and what it would look good on. An example would be Graphene and its ability to absorb up to 2.3% of white light or the fact that it is 130,000,000,000 pascals in strength. The only reason it can do this is because it is (usually) one atom thick and we can cut it to a single nanometer or 5 atoms wide as we please, plus it is nearly transparent which means we can control whether it will act like a semiconductor or metal.
Graphene: The Battle to Upgrade Human Supremacy
By: Aubree Lorenzen
The University of Manchester, home to graphene; a material so thin and strong, it could be a turn around point in our generation. Discovered in 2004 by scientists and Nobel prize teammates Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, they were able to drag a block of graphite down to its last layer, one atom thick. They did this by playing with sticky tape and peeling off layers on the graphite block.
Graphene is pure carbon in the form of a very thin sheet, thinner than paper, yet stronger than steel by about 100 times in weight. When you measure that, it is around 130,000,000,000 pascals, according to Jesus Fuente, CEO of Graphenea. A pascal is the SI unit of pressure, equal to one newton per square meter or 0.000145 pounds per square inch. Or to measure that you could multiply 130GPa by approximately 0.000145 and it would round out to 18 854 905.9 pounds per square inch.
What makes graphene so valuable to society are its future uses and applications. Due to its nearly transparent appearance, along with its high electrical conductivity, the ability to bend and absorb up to 2.3% of white light, we can make the future. Graphene looks like chicken wire (under a microscope of course) but because of this characteristic it allows us to cut (up to 5 atoms wide or 1 nanometer) it to act more like a metal or semiconductor. What does that mean however? Well, we can form it into materials like steel, but something much stronger, in reference to Evan Lerner of the University of Pennsylvania.
Take an aircraft for example, most are made out of steel which means they are exposed to electrical currents from lightning. Graphene is so solid that coating the aircraft in a layer of this solution, would prevent electrical damage as well as improve fuel efficiency, range, and reduce the weight. Additionally, graphene is more cost effective than steel. Every property to graphene is specific to its structure. On the atomic level, as you the reader already know, it is one atom thick; through the molecular level it is best classified as an elementary substance and is composed of covalent bonds with the strength of approximately 0.142 nanometers. Because the bond length is so short in graphene, it also makes it stronger. To the naked eye it is not visible because of its transparency, which makes it unique to what it can do and will do.
On the biological side graphene could just be the alternative to an anticancer treatment in fifteen years. By utilizing graphene in certain ways, it has the standards to monitor glucose and hemoglobin levels, cholesterol, and be used as a platform for delivering DNA or signal proteins according to Jesus Fuente. It is the properties and molecular make up of graphene that makes this possible. Even in situations of technology, the use of graphene can be applied through energy storage. Most batteries that last long don't have enough storage space, and those that have enough storage space don't last long. This material can enhance the capabilities of lithium ion batteries by becoming the anode for energy storage.
Speaking of electronics and technology, once again referring back to Jesus Fuente, ITO could be replaced. ITO stands for Indium Tin Oxide and is the most used material world wide due to its electrical conductivity and optical transparency. Even though graphene seems to be ITO’s exact match, it has a few more properties that make it much more reliable . For example, its bending radius is less than the required sitting at 5-10 millimeters for rollable e-paper. Also, because of its ability to absorb up to 2.7% of white light and transmit 97.1% of regular light, and its conductivity, its use in LCD touchscreens (from smartphones, to tablets, to computers) is simply greater.
Graphene is the next step to human supremacy. The articles, the information, is all right here in front of your eyes and if you don't believe it for yourself, there are computers waiting for your research. I encourage you, the reader, to take yourself to a new height so you can be as awestruck as I was about this newfound material, one so erratic and thought provoking that you have the temptation to join our worlds scientists.
Elevator pitch:
(Introduce self as a researcher)
Graphene is the next step to human supremacy. The way we look at technology could be changed forever…by playing with sticky tape, just give it a few years. In 2004, scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were messing with a ball of graphite and peeling off layers until it reached its last layer of only ONE ATOM THICK. Yes I said it, one atom thick…there it becomes nearly transparent, stronger then steel, flexible, and has a high electrical conductivity. It may only look like chicken wire under a microscope, but cutting it up to 5 atoms wide, it gains the ability to act like a metal or a semi conductor. With graphene we could replace the steel coating on the outside of an aircraft to prevent electrical damage from lightning; and because it is so thin and the bonds are shorter (which creates its strength) it would improve fuel efficiency, range, and reduce the weight. Biologically it could also be the alternative to an anti cancer treatment in just a few years. Imagine that, one of the worlds biggest problems solved, all due to playing with sticky tape and utilizing a few properties. What I would like is to continue to fund this research so that could pertain to you eventually. We’re still not sure how they did it or will do it, but these two scientists and their colleagues are so driven to change the world of technology, they just need your help. I hope you choose to fund this idea on your way out the door.
Energy and Place
Essential Questions:
How does energy production and consumption impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
Conducting and Observing a Production of Biodiesel
Charlie Malone, Al Thomson, Aubree Lorenzen
Animas High School
Abstract: Biodiesel is a renewable, cleaner alternative to regular diesel. The importance behind making it was to understand how to produce biodiesel from vegetable oil and understand what type of reaction it undergoes to form the final substance. Originally, the experiment required the creation of crude biodiesel but after a few modifications, we changed it into filtered biodiesel. This reaction is also known as transesterification. Transesterification is the conversion of a carboxylic acid ester into a different carboxylic acid ester. Usually, these reactions involve alcohol. To create the biodiesel we had to use a fume-hood as the methanol is toxic and flammable, graduated cylinders to measure out the amount of a substance we needed. Then we combined the methanol and potassium hydroxide in a ball jar and allowed it to pressurize. Eventually, the substance was transferred to a separatory funnel where the glycerin and triglycerides were separated. Because of the process of the experiment, there were no official results, just observations recorded such as exothermic reactions and color changes. As far as problems on the process went, there were no known issues besides time management. However, even with time being short in the lab, we were successful because we were diligent about the jobs each of us was responsible for.
Introduction: The purpose of this lab was to create crude biodiesel from scratch using vegetable oil, methanol, and potassium hydroxide. This experiment was being done to understand how to produce biodiesel from scratch and what type of reaction it undergoes to further our knowledge of energy production. Also, we were curious about how crude biodiesel relates to normal diesel and the positive effects it has on the environment compared to the negative effects. The experiment undergoes a transesterification reaction, which is the conversion of a carboxylic acid ester into a different carboxylic acid ester. This means that a certain type of alcohol was combined with an acid to release an ester through an exothermic reaction. In this case, we mixed potassium hydroxide and methanol in a separatory funnel underneath a fume-hood.
Biodiesel is a vegetable oil or animal fat based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is the first EPA advanced biofuel in commercial-scale production, created to be used in a standard diesel engine. Its production has gained popularity because it is a renewable, clean burning diesel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 57-86% when compared to standard diesel. When used as a biofuel in vehicles biodiesel is usually in blends of 5-20% biodiesel. A typical molecule of biodiesel is a long string of carbon and hydrogen atoms with an ester functional group at one end. Biodiesel is chemically similar to regular diesel, however standard diesel lacks the ester group at the end shown above in blue. To create biodiesel molecules, methanol (CH3OH) was mixed with vegetable oil. A molecule of vegetable oil is similar to biodiesel, however much larger. Notice, like biodiesel, it also has linked ester functional groups shown in blue. Converting vegetable oil into biodiesel produces a transesterification reaction. In this reaction methanol (shown in green) is used to break the red bonds of the ester groups, making the molecules similar to regular diesel. Methoxy groups then replace the ester groups but are not linked vertically like a molecule of vegetable oil.
Methods:
1. Use a 50 ml-graduated cylinder to measure out 40 ml of methanol and pour it into a ball jar under a fume hood.
2. Use a balance to measure out 1.6g of potassium hydroxide.
3. Pour the potassium hydroxide into the ball jar with the methanol under the fume hood.
4. Seal the jar and shake it vigorously until all the potassium hydroxide is dissolved into the methanol.
5. Unseal the pressurized jar under the fume hood.
6. Using a 500 ml graduated cylinder measure out 200 ml of vegetable oil.
7. Pour the vegetable oil into the ball jar and seal the lid.
8. Shake the ball jar vigorously for 10 minutes.
9. Pour the crude biodiesel into the separatory funnel and let it sit for 30 minutes until the glycerin separates from the triglyceride and settles at the bottom.
10. Drain the glycerin into a waste jar.
11. Using a spray bottle, spray the surface of the biodiesel so all the remaining glycerin and excess methanol floating on the surface is dissolved into the water..
12. Drain the remaining glycerin into a waste jar.
13. Rinse the ball jar and drain the biodiesel into it. Seal the jar.
Hazards: It is critical to perform the experiment under a fume-hood (local ventilation device) so that the toxins of the methanol remain in one area, not to be exposed to human contact until later use. Also, because of the substances included in creating biodiesel it can be highly flammable as well as present reactive hazards. Such reactive hazards include concentrated bases and acids from the materials present. Health problems may result if the proper safety equipment is not used such as changes in gene structures, lung and cardiac reactions like changes to electrocardiograms (electric activity of the heart), heart rate variability, blood pressure, and lung function. Gloves, closed toed shoes and long pants must be worn when producing biodiesel. You should always be wearing safety goggles in the case that the liquid hits your eyes. If it does, immediately locate your eye-wash station and rinse thoroughly; if it gets on your skin locate the body-wash station and pull the lever. If ingested, consult your nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Observations: KOH with Methanol was a slow exothermic reaction that releases gas, which created pressure inside the ball jar.
Vegetable oil with Methanol and KOH was a slow reaction that started milky and then proceeded to turn yellow.
When the crude oil was in the separatory funnel, the crude glycerin settled at the bottom and was easily drained.
Distilled water was finely sprayed on the surface and sank to the bottom, pulling excess glycerin down with it.
Discussion: The purpose of making biodiesel was to observe the chemical reactions in each step to learn about the overall process of its production. We expected to end up with a product that matched that of the description in our methods. For the most part we were successful. In our final product there was still a small amount of glycerin left over at the bottom of the ball jar. This is because we did not spray the crude biodiesel enough to allow for the glycerin, basic salts and the unreacted methanol to dissolve into the water. To fix this we should have repeated steps 11 and 12 multiple times until it was visually clear that there was absolutely no amount of excess waste left. For future processes of making biodiesel we would carry out the entire production on a much longer time scale. Special care would be taken when measuring out each chemical to ensure precise amounts are being mixed for the given steps.
On the industrial scale the process of making biodiesel is continuous as opposed to in batches. For our small-scale production we measured out the certain chemicals to produce one small batch of biodiesel. A industrial process consists of a constant flow of chemicals that ensures maximum efficiency for heat and distribution of chemicals. A continuous production also allows for the greatest purity of biodiesel since there is a constant flow of fluids through a system there is no excess waste that settles anywhere.
Cannot upload infographic.
1) Through my infographic I was trying to inform my audience of just how bad coal is for the Earth, despite the good uses it brings to us. Most people do not realize that through the use of coal we use significant amounts of water, and much of this water is disposed of and becomes contaminated causing environmental pollution as well as health problems to those who are surrounded. But the big deal, is that with the amount of water put into power plant contraptions, we could be able to cure much of the issue we find in third world countries. I chose to focus on this topic because to me, water is a beautiful thing, nature is my sense of place. Nature is where I find myself and make connections with others around me to build a bond stronger then anything else. We are destroying it slowly, and soon it will be nothing. It puts us all in danger, for the future and greatly affects the surrounding environment..2) From studying this topic I learned more about the dangers of what coal power plants are capable of. At first it just started out as basic knowledge where "oh it is just spitting smoke out into the air, and contaminating the area that surrounds it," to "water extraction, water processing, water transportation, water storage." And on and on and on. It really grabbed my attention because water is what we survive on; our most critical asset. We use it in our everyday life, and if we continue to use it at the rate we are- we will run out. My perspective of coal power plants have changed widely because now I don't just see it as an electricity producer, I see it as a deadly precaution. In fact, I am trying to use electrical and gaseous products less; even if it doesn't make a huge difference, it will create in a little notch.
Humanities Project: Footsteps Through Time
Aubree Lorenzen
Abstract: The mountains and the trails intertwined hold my sense of place. I live off of a spiritual and ideological rootedness with the trails and everything they behold. It has nothing to do with personal history or a dependent form on which I rely, it is in fact, much more difficult to describe then I can put into words. But perhaps with time I can attribute, and give in with great detail. Growing up in the mountainous state of Colorado there will always be something about the incline of a trail beneath my feet that I come back to. I find myself believing that nature deserves to be conserved in its natural state with intrinsic value, with little room for instrumental values as well. Like I said in my introduction, “This is the type of place I daydream about, my safe place, my ‘at home’ place. The sun over the horizon, gleaming like the quick yellow flick of flame as the fire alights. Evaporating the steam of cold breath, sharp as knives coming back onto my face, in the snap of a finger. No this isn't just my place, it is my entire being.”
Footsteps. Footsteps are what casts us through our life. Without taking them we would ultimately remain a lifeless statue, frozen in time. Frozen as though we are nothing but a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car, only to be hit with such an impact that we snap out of the trance that had our attention for so long. The trance that had my attention a measly eight months back. Now I can feel the dirt and rock under the sole of my beat up Asics, engulfed by the multiple millions of greens the trees capture, not a single roar of a car engine within miles. The birds chirp, the creek water flows. This is the type of place I daydream about, my safe place, my ‘at home’ place. The sun over the horizon, gleaming like the quick yellow flick of flame as the fire alights. Evaporating the steam of cold breath, sharp as knives coming back onto my face, in the snap of a finger. No this isn't just my place, it is my entire being. I itch over the thought of the outdoors whenever I’m not amongst the mountains.
The whisper from the wind is but a singing choir as I drive my compact 2009 Subaru Legacy on a bitterly cold morning sometime in August. Waking up before the break of dawn on a weekend can be a pain in the ass, knowing that you have a forty-five minute drive on top of that, but once you arrive you are fully awakened. Not from the now cold coffee sitting in your cup holder, not from the morning stretch with that little grunt at the end; instead you are captivated by the beauty of not a single industrial building around. On my end, this may sound hypocritical because the thing you're driving around with four wheels, a working engine, and gasoline is industrial. Its polluting particles spitting out with every square inch the tires rotate, but how can I focus on this when I have more intriguing views catching my eye?
Upon my arrival, a gust of this chilling, whispering wind comes through my cracked window, sending shivers down my spine. I am not one for the cold but it is a calming feeling to feel something. There are storm clouds roaming above and those that are with me, are huddled in a cuddle puddle together trying to stay warm, waiting for the last few of us to join to go on our weekly long run. I am not bothered by the weather, therefore I do not join the group huddle. The backdrop behind the trees makes for a dramatic effect against the mighty Colorado pines and the ever changing colors of the aspen trees. As I gaze out amongst my teammates, I block out their obnoxious yelps and only listen to what is Junction Creek a few meters out. I accept the presence of the loud caws crows are making nearby and recognize the slow footsteps my fellow partners are taking to begin the awaiting run. The decision to stay or to go must be made before I am left behind and although the masterpiece in front of me is the reason for my gaiety, grasping me as a mother grasps her child in the middle of a hurricane, I know I must go.
Once the pace picks up, I draw my focus elsewhere; off the heavy breathing and the pressure I feel from my pulsing quads. I let the pitter patter of the multiple pairs of feet guide me through the twists and turns of the unbalanced ground. Driving my knees forcefully to dig deeper and deeper into the forest, further and further from society…the change in terrain propels me forward. Glad I decided to proceed with the run, I am revealed to a deeper connection with nature. I never knew that after only a few weeks of being a part of a new community would draw me in so close with those who share similar interests and places I never even knew were there. People who are just as crazy I am- I think it is beyond myself to explain what type of relationship I have with the outdoors. It is more than a sophisticated understanding to say the least, more then just emotional. It is almost as if I were guided here by an overwhelming itch, an outside force. Because running through the mud- maybe not now, but in the past, there have been imprints that only I could see and only those who were the same could see them too.
My thoughts are rudely interrupted by a hole implanted into the patch of dirt that lay directly beneath my now trapped foot. Stumbling, I notice the erosion that has come upon the trail from the many mountain bike tires and footsteps over time and cuss under my breath, “Damn trail needs to be fixed.” I get a few reassuring nods in agreement from my teammates.
As the previous panorama that had my attention only twenty minutes ago fades into the back of my mind I am only captured by the location we are coming upon. Two miles up ahead an old bridge, built of old logs and tattered wood, looks down upon Junction Creek itself. The water roars, in sync with the thunder that rolls over the valley, like a tiger whose roar leaves an incessant echo, as he howls over a canyon; and for a split second I realize that I have water dripping from my hair. It had been raining. The aroma of the pine trees, that of rosemary, is fresh in the air- it makes my stomach growl. It makes me hungry to continue climbing unto the dark secrets of the unknown, only to be disappointed by the fact it is time to turn back…
Funny thing how the footsteps and memories intertwined with the eroded trail stay with me. A few months after that cool, August morning, our team was invited by the leaders of Trails 2000 to be apart of a trail cleanup- right through to the spot where I took my fall. Out of everywhere in Durango, this divine location was their main focus. Our team accepted immediately and a week later we were on our way out to the trailhead to seek another adventure. The beauty behind cleaning up the trails is that you may not be making a difference widely, but for that one spot, you are making a difference for all the animals that live around it and the people who travel by it. By and far most, you are using tools that are safe for the environment- not a crane, not a bulldozer, no chainsaws- nothing that can spit black smoke into the air. I think that was what created my motivation: The thought of doing hand labor, knowing that I could take the credit for what I did and not a malicious machine. The day we attributed to this outdoor adventure, the weather was as it was a few months back; cloudy, windy, and too near perfect for the now leafless aspen trees surrounding the trail. Still adhering to its old found perfection.
We managed to reuse most of what we dug up and flattened out, making barriers so water runoff would flow more subtly and not take a huge chunk out of the trail. We removed the rocks that were blocking the path, causing those little cuts, to allow for a safer travel. -Even if man had to pry and hack his way through nature to create the pristine walkways the mountains behold, he did so in good nature. He allowed us the opportunity to reuse and sustain our environment for years to come, to preserve what is around us. The mountain forever changed by the works done however many years ago, was now changing me, as the sky quickly turned to dusk in that moment. I remember how the remaining light shone through the clouds, dancing above the trees; casting our shadows amongst the now sturdy ground. Almost as if we were hand in hand with the branches that lay low and bushes sprawled out as the wind picked up, the same wind that was there upon my very first arrival of Junction Creek. The flurries of voices passed along with that of the breeze, the voices of my teammates back by the bridge. I look back to see that it was time to depart and take one last glance at the work well done.
There is something grand about the trails, the mountains, but only one spot will maintain my heart’s attention forever- that is unless I find something even more majestic. That spot is Junction Creek, in unison and connection with the Colorado Trail, bringing with it the call of nature; caws of crows, footsteps of fox and rabbits, falling pebbles into the water making a quiet splosh. Bringing with it the many colors of autumn, winter, spring, and summer from raging red to a sullen brown. This is what I will always come back to, know as well as the back of my leathery hand. The rocks run beneath our feet, grabbing, poking out like a jagged wire that has captured the seven month old fawn; leaving cuts upon our body, only later to remind us, may scar us- why we were there in the first place. Telling us that we must return…
How does energy production and consumption impact place?
How does your sense of place, environmental ethic and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
Conducting and Observing a Production of Biodiesel
Charlie Malone, Al Thomson, Aubree Lorenzen
Animas High School
Abstract: Biodiesel is a renewable, cleaner alternative to regular diesel. The importance behind making it was to understand how to produce biodiesel from vegetable oil and understand what type of reaction it undergoes to form the final substance. Originally, the experiment required the creation of crude biodiesel but after a few modifications, we changed it into filtered biodiesel. This reaction is also known as transesterification. Transesterification is the conversion of a carboxylic acid ester into a different carboxylic acid ester. Usually, these reactions involve alcohol. To create the biodiesel we had to use a fume-hood as the methanol is toxic and flammable, graduated cylinders to measure out the amount of a substance we needed. Then we combined the methanol and potassium hydroxide in a ball jar and allowed it to pressurize. Eventually, the substance was transferred to a separatory funnel where the glycerin and triglycerides were separated. Because of the process of the experiment, there were no official results, just observations recorded such as exothermic reactions and color changes. As far as problems on the process went, there were no known issues besides time management. However, even with time being short in the lab, we were successful because we were diligent about the jobs each of us was responsible for.
Introduction: The purpose of this lab was to create crude biodiesel from scratch using vegetable oil, methanol, and potassium hydroxide. This experiment was being done to understand how to produce biodiesel from scratch and what type of reaction it undergoes to further our knowledge of energy production. Also, we were curious about how crude biodiesel relates to normal diesel and the positive effects it has on the environment compared to the negative effects. The experiment undergoes a transesterification reaction, which is the conversion of a carboxylic acid ester into a different carboxylic acid ester. This means that a certain type of alcohol was combined with an acid to release an ester through an exothermic reaction. In this case, we mixed potassium hydroxide and methanol in a separatory funnel underneath a fume-hood.
Biodiesel is a vegetable oil or animal fat based diesel fuel. Biodiesel is the first EPA advanced biofuel in commercial-scale production, created to be used in a standard diesel engine. Its production has gained popularity because it is a renewable, clean burning diesel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 57-86% when compared to standard diesel. When used as a biofuel in vehicles biodiesel is usually in blends of 5-20% biodiesel. A typical molecule of biodiesel is a long string of carbon and hydrogen atoms with an ester functional group at one end. Biodiesel is chemically similar to regular diesel, however standard diesel lacks the ester group at the end shown above in blue. To create biodiesel molecules, methanol (CH3OH) was mixed with vegetable oil. A molecule of vegetable oil is similar to biodiesel, however much larger. Notice, like biodiesel, it also has linked ester functional groups shown in blue. Converting vegetable oil into biodiesel produces a transesterification reaction. In this reaction methanol (shown in green) is used to break the red bonds of the ester groups, making the molecules similar to regular diesel. Methoxy groups then replace the ester groups but are not linked vertically like a molecule of vegetable oil.
Methods:
1. Use a 50 ml-graduated cylinder to measure out 40 ml of methanol and pour it into a ball jar under a fume hood.
2. Use a balance to measure out 1.6g of potassium hydroxide.
3. Pour the potassium hydroxide into the ball jar with the methanol under the fume hood.
4. Seal the jar and shake it vigorously until all the potassium hydroxide is dissolved into the methanol.
5. Unseal the pressurized jar under the fume hood.
6. Using a 500 ml graduated cylinder measure out 200 ml of vegetable oil.
7. Pour the vegetable oil into the ball jar and seal the lid.
8. Shake the ball jar vigorously for 10 minutes.
9. Pour the crude biodiesel into the separatory funnel and let it sit for 30 minutes until the glycerin separates from the triglyceride and settles at the bottom.
10. Drain the glycerin into a waste jar.
11. Using a spray bottle, spray the surface of the biodiesel so all the remaining glycerin and excess methanol floating on the surface is dissolved into the water..
12. Drain the remaining glycerin into a waste jar.
13. Rinse the ball jar and drain the biodiesel into it. Seal the jar.
Hazards: It is critical to perform the experiment under a fume-hood (local ventilation device) so that the toxins of the methanol remain in one area, not to be exposed to human contact until later use. Also, because of the substances included in creating biodiesel it can be highly flammable as well as present reactive hazards. Such reactive hazards include concentrated bases and acids from the materials present. Health problems may result if the proper safety equipment is not used such as changes in gene structures, lung and cardiac reactions like changes to electrocardiograms (electric activity of the heart), heart rate variability, blood pressure, and lung function. Gloves, closed toed shoes and long pants must be worn when producing biodiesel. You should always be wearing safety goggles in the case that the liquid hits your eyes. If it does, immediately locate your eye-wash station and rinse thoroughly; if it gets on your skin locate the body-wash station and pull the lever. If ingested, consult your nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Observations: KOH with Methanol was a slow exothermic reaction that releases gas, which created pressure inside the ball jar.
Vegetable oil with Methanol and KOH was a slow reaction that started milky and then proceeded to turn yellow.
When the crude oil was in the separatory funnel, the crude glycerin settled at the bottom and was easily drained.
Distilled water was finely sprayed on the surface and sank to the bottom, pulling excess glycerin down with it.
Discussion: The purpose of making biodiesel was to observe the chemical reactions in each step to learn about the overall process of its production. We expected to end up with a product that matched that of the description in our methods. For the most part we were successful. In our final product there was still a small amount of glycerin left over at the bottom of the ball jar. This is because we did not spray the crude biodiesel enough to allow for the glycerin, basic salts and the unreacted methanol to dissolve into the water. To fix this we should have repeated steps 11 and 12 multiple times until it was visually clear that there was absolutely no amount of excess waste left. For future processes of making biodiesel we would carry out the entire production on a much longer time scale. Special care would be taken when measuring out each chemical to ensure precise amounts are being mixed for the given steps.
On the industrial scale the process of making biodiesel is continuous as opposed to in batches. For our small-scale production we measured out the certain chemicals to produce one small batch of biodiesel. A industrial process consists of a constant flow of chemicals that ensures maximum efficiency for heat and distribution of chemicals. A continuous production also allows for the greatest purity of biodiesel since there is a constant flow of fluids through a system there is no excess waste that settles anywhere.
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1) Through my infographic I was trying to inform my audience of just how bad coal is for the Earth, despite the good uses it brings to us. Most people do not realize that through the use of coal we use significant amounts of water, and much of this water is disposed of and becomes contaminated causing environmental pollution as well as health problems to those who are surrounded. But the big deal, is that with the amount of water put into power plant contraptions, we could be able to cure much of the issue we find in third world countries. I chose to focus on this topic because to me, water is a beautiful thing, nature is my sense of place. Nature is where I find myself and make connections with others around me to build a bond stronger then anything else. We are destroying it slowly, and soon it will be nothing. It puts us all in danger, for the future and greatly affects the surrounding environment..2) From studying this topic I learned more about the dangers of what coal power plants are capable of. At first it just started out as basic knowledge where "oh it is just spitting smoke out into the air, and contaminating the area that surrounds it," to "water extraction, water processing, water transportation, water storage." And on and on and on. It really grabbed my attention because water is what we survive on; our most critical asset. We use it in our everyday life, and if we continue to use it at the rate we are- we will run out. My perspective of coal power plants have changed widely because now I don't just see it as an electricity producer, I see it as a deadly precaution. In fact, I am trying to use electrical and gaseous products less; even if it doesn't make a huge difference, it will create in a little notch.
Humanities Project: Footsteps Through Time
Aubree Lorenzen
Abstract: The mountains and the trails intertwined hold my sense of place. I live off of a spiritual and ideological rootedness with the trails and everything they behold. It has nothing to do with personal history or a dependent form on which I rely, it is in fact, much more difficult to describe then I can put into words. But perhaps with time I can attribute, and give in with great detail. Growing up in the mountainous state of Colorado there will always be something about the incline of a trail beneath my feet that I come back to. I find myself believing that nature deserves to be conserved in its natural state with intrinsic value, with little room for instrumental values as well. Like I said in my introduction, “This is the type of place I daydream about, my safe place, my ‘at home’ place. The sun over the horizon, gleaming like the quick yellow flick of flame as the fire alights. Evaporating the steam of cold breath, sharp as knives coming back onto my face, in the snap of a finger. No this isn't just my place, it is my entire being.”
Footsteps. Footsteps are what casts us through our life. Without taking them we would ultimately remain a lifeless statue, frozen in time. Frozen as though we are nothing but a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car, only to be hit with such an impact that we snap out of the trance that had our attention for so long. The trance that had my attention a measly eight months back. Now I can feel the dirt and rock under the sole of my beat up Asics, engulfed by the multiple millions of greens the trees capture, not a single roar of a car engine within miles. The birds chirp, the creek water flows. This is the type of place I daydream about, my safe place, my ‘at home’ place. The sun over the horizon, gleaming like the quick yellow flick of flame as the fire alights. Evaporating the steam of cold breath, sharp as knives coming back onto my face, in the snap of a finger. No this isn't just my place, it is my entire being. I itch over the thought of the outdoors whenever I’m not amongst the mountains.
The whisper from the wind is but a singing choir as I drive my compact 2009 Subaru Legacy on a bitterly cold morning sometime in August. Waking up before the break of dawn on a weekend can be a pain in the ass, knowing that you have a forty-five minute drive on top of that, but once you arrive you are fully awakened. Not from the now cold coffee sitting in your cup holder, not from the morning stretch with that little grunt at the end; instead you are captivated by the beauty of not a single industrial building around. On my end, this may sound hypocritical because the thing you're driving around with four wheels, a working engine, and gasoline is industrial. Its polluting particles spitting out with every square inch the tires rotate, but how can I focus on this when I have more intriguing views catching my eye?
Upon my arrival, a gust of this chilling, whispering wind comes through my cracked window, sending shivers down my spine. I am not one for the cold but it is a calming feeling to feel something. There are storm clouds roaming above and those that are with me, are huddled in a cuddle puddle together trying to stay warm, waiting for the last few of us to join to go on our weekly long run. I am not bothered by the weather, therefore I do not join the group huddle. The backdrop behind the trees makes for a dramatic effect against the mighty Colorado pines and the ever changing colors of the aspen trees. As I gaze out amongst my teammates, I block out their obnoxious yelps and only listen to what is Junction Creek a few meters out. I accept the presence of the loud caws crows are making nearby and recognize the slow footsteps my fellow partners are taking to begin the awaiting run. The decision to stay or to go must be made before I am left behind and although the masterpiece in front of me is the reason for my gaiety, grasping me as a mother grasps her child in the middle of a hurricane, I know I must go.
Once the pace picks up, I draw my focus elsewhere; off the heavy breathing and the pressure I feel from my pulsing quads. I let the pitter patter of the multiple pairs of feet guide me through the twists and turns of the unbalanced ground. Driving my knees forcefully to dig deeper and deeper into the forest, further and further from society…the change in terrain propels me forward. Glad I decided to proceed with the run, I am revealed to a deeper connection with nature. I never knew that after only a few weeks of being a part of a new community would draw me in so close with those who share similar interests and places I never even knew were there. People who are just as crazy I am- I think it is beyond myself to explain what type of relationship I have with the outdoors. It is more than a sophisticated understanding to say the least, more then just emotional. It is almost as if I were guided here by an overwhelming itch, an outside force. Because running through the mud- maybe not now, but in the past, there have been imprints that only I could see and only those who were the same could see them too.
My thoughts are rudely interrupted by a hole implanted into the patch of dirt that lay directly beneath my now trapped foot. Stumbling, I notice the erosion that has come upon the trail from the many mountain bike tires and footsteps over time and cuss under my breath, “Damn trail needs to be fixed.” I get a few reassuring nods in agreement from my teammates.
As the previous panorama that had my attention only twenty minutes ago fades into the back of my mind I am only captured by the location we are coming upon. Two miles up ahead an old bridge, built of old logs and tattered wood, looks down upon Junction Creek itself. The water roars, in sync with the thunder that rolls over the valley, like a tiger whose roar leaves an incessant echo, as he howls over a canyon; and for a split second I realize that I have water dripping from my hair. It had been raining. The aroma of the pine trees, that of rosemary, is fresh in the air- it makes my stomach growl. It makes me hungry to continue climbing unto the dark secrets of the unknown, only to be disappointed by the fact it is time to turn back…
Funny thing how the footsteps and memories intertwined with the eroded trail stay with me. A few months after that cool, August morning, our team was invited by the leaders of Trails 2000 to be apart of a trail cleanup- right through to the spot where I took my fall. Out of everywhere in Durango, this divine location was their main focus. Our team accepted immediately and a week later we were on our way out to the trailhead to seek another adventure. The beauty behind cleaning up the trails is that you may not be making a difference widely, but for that one spot, you are making a difference for all the animals that live around it and the people who travel by it. By and far most, you are using tools that are safe for the environment- not a crane, not a bulldozer, no chainsaws- nothing that can spit black smoke into the air. I think that was what created my motivation: The thought of doing hand labor, knowing that I could take the credit for what I did and not a malicious machine. The day we attributed to this outdoor adventure, the weather was as it was a few months back; cloudy, windy, and too near perfect for the now leafless aspen trees surrounding the trail. Still adhering to its old found perfection.
We managed to reuse most of what we dug up and flattened out, making barriers so water runoff would flow more subtly and not take a huge chunk out of the trail. We removed the rocks that were blocking the path, causing those little cuts, to allow for a safer travel. -Even if man had to pry and hack his way through nature to create the pristine walkways the mountains behold, he did so in good nature. He allowed us the opportunity to reuse and sustain our environment for years to come, to preserve what is around us. The mountain forever changed by the works done however many years ago, was now changing me, as the sky quickly turned to dusk in that moment. I remember how the remaining light shone through the clouds, dancing above the trees; casting our shadows amongst the now sturdy ground. Almost as if we were hand in hand with the branches that lay low and bushes sprawled out as the wind picked up, the same wind that was there upon my very first arrival of Junction Creek. The flurries of voices passed along with that of the breeze, the voices of my teammates back by the bridge. I look back to see that it was time to depart and take one last glance at the work well done.
There is something grand about the trails, the mountains, but only one spot will maintain my heart’s attention forever- that is unless I find something even more majestic. That spot is Junction Creek, in unison and connection with the Colorado Trail, bringing with it the call of nature; caws of crows, footsteps of fox and rabbits, falling pebbles into the water making a quiet splosh. Bringing with it the many colors of autumn, winter, spring, and summer from raging red to a sullen brown. This is what I will always come back to, know as well as the back of my leathery hand. The rocks run beneath our feet, grabbing, poking out like a jagged wire that has captured the seven month old fawn; leaving cuts upon our body, only later to remind us, may scar us- why we were there in the first place. Telling us that we must return…