Ch6_ShermanB

__CHAPTER 6, ENERGY AND WORK __ toc

=Activity - Power Costs=

Evaluation:
 * 1) I feel that electricity is relatively inexpensive for what we get out of it. Electricity is essential for our lives; it powers our phones, computers, homes, heats our water and food, etc. Without it, we would be centuries behind where we are now. For that reason, I feel that for a few cents per kWh, electricity is inexpensive.
 * 2) On my list of appliances, I have excluded much larger appliances such as the boiler to heat water, AC/Heater unit, stove, oven, and several dehumidifiers. These appliances all draw much more power than the ones on my list, and run more often for longer. As a result, electricity is even more valuable, because the appliances not listed are even more essential to the ones on the list. As a result, I feel that the price of electricity is easily affordable for what we get out of it.
 * 3) Based on my list, I clearly don't consume much energy, and thus don't have to reduce my consumption. If I included my use of the water heater for the shower, microwave and stove for food, I would definitely have a higher amount of consumption. To reduce this, I could take shorter showers, always turn off the lights when not in use, and make sure to charge my phone and computer only when I need it, rather than have them constantly plugged in.

Homework:
 * 1) After working on this activity, I better see the 'price' of electricity. Frequently, I'd hear from my parents to shut off the lights when not in the room, turn off the TV when it isn't used, don't leave on the Xbox, etc. This activity has shown that those items really aren't as expensive to run as both they and I had thought. This activity has also shown how electricity isn't very expensive, considering it's an essential part of our lives. For a mere $80 a month, we are able to keep our homes lit and heated, are food is able to be cooked (if you have an electric stove instead of gas), and our water heated. Given the importance of electricity, I think that for between 11-19 cents per kWh is relatively inexpensive.
 * 2) Sample Calcs
 * 3) [[image:kwh.png]][[image:hrsperday.png width="220" height="173"]][[image:ppkwh.png]][[image:wandkw.png]]