PHYSICS

S Y

2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1 V o l . 20

N o . 2

C O N T E N T S
CARS GO AERODYNAMIC

By applying aircraft technology in designing cars, fuel

consumption was greatly reduced and the sound barrier
was breached.

IS THE COMBUSTION ENGINE ABOUT TO

BECOME OBSOLETE?
Inefficient combustion and toxic fuel additives seem to be
leading the internal combustion engine to its end.

NUCLEAR ENERGY: PROS AND CONS

Nuclear energy is an efficient alternative to
traditional energy sources. The problem lies in the
safe and permanent disposal of radioactive wastes.

Dear Editor,

armest
express my w
to
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ou
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ato Balani
the staff of B
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thanks to all
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Actually, I ha rticular because
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in your mag
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great and in
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ions and mor
Congratulat
Respectfully,
go
Fracel C. Lar
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Tole

HEAT IN THE DEEP

What is considered as the safest, most reliable and
probably the cheapest source of energy can be found
beneath the ground where you are standing right now.

AT
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PHYSICS

Internatioal Robosoccer
Tournament

select group of Filipino

computer experts is
currently
busily
preparing for the August
international soccer
tournament in Australia that coincides
with the Sydney Olympics.

But these wily Filipinos would not

be banging bodies with larger and
stronger Europeans, Africans, and North
Americans. Physical dominance will
have a critically diminished advantage
where technical agility takes over in the
Micro Robot Soccer Tournament, the
emergent technology-driven excitement
in some Asian countries.

Instead of brute athleticism, the

August MIROSOT will pit teams from
Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and
the Philippines among others in tactical
brawls involving miniature box-type
machines powered by sensor fusion,
artificial intelligence, image processing,
and computer technology.
The Philippine team made up of
students and faculty members of DLSU
and University of the Philippines is the
newest member of the Federation of
International Robosoccer Association,
the organization behind MIROSOT.
The promotion of local robosoccer

development is part of the Department

of Science and Technologys (DOST)
R&D
vision
in
advanced
multidisciplinary technologies. DOST
and giant chipmaker Amkor
Technologies Philippines under a
partnership sent three Filipinos for
robotics training at the Korea Advanced
Institute of Science and Technology last
January.
The training program covered
courses in both hardware and software
components of robot systems. DOST
also hopes the robosoccer excitement
could also generate computer creativity
among Filipinos.

Filipino Scientists Score

Lifesaving Breakthroughs

he entrails of siganid, a
marine fish popularly
known as samaral or
barangan is hazardous to
health, two scientists at
University of the Philippines biology
and national science research institutes
warned.
Glorina Pocsidio and Oliva
Cabrera found in a series of laboratory
tests that even 5 micrograms per 100
grams of siganid visceral extract is deadly
to the test mice.

The findings, the scientists noted,

indicates that poisoning caused by
siganid samples taken from the waters
off San Fernando in La Union is similar
to ciguatera, a paralyzing condition
caused by ingestion of toxic marine
fishes.
Meanwhile, another team of
researchers at UP Manilas College of
Medicine claimed that drinking water
extract from a local plant called urai
(Amarantus spinosus) can save red tide
victims.

Experimenting on test mice, the

team said administering 50 percent of
urai water extract at 15 grams per
kilogram, 15 minutes after eating red
tide-loaded tahong showed a 100 percent
success rate.
The team is composed of Corazon
Santos, Rachel Delino, and Cynthia
Moran. Both findings were presented
during the recent 20th Annual Scientific
Meeting of the National Academy of
Science and Technology.

PHYSICS

DOST-Funded Study to
ReviveTala-andig Handicraft

or generations, the Tala-andig

tribe in Lantapan, Bukidnon
weaved fine crafted baskets,
hats, and mats distinctive of
the tribes culture. But the
handicrafts raw materials, sud-sod and
bagtok are now severely depleted.
These plants in the past grew
abundantly in the Bukidnon wilds but are
now
threatened
because
of
overharvesting, the Philippine Council
for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development
(PCARRD), an agency of the
Department of Science and Technology
said.
Sud-sod (Fimbristylis globulusa)

belongs to the Cyperaceae family that

grows in swampy and waterlogged areas.
This grass-like plant can be planted,
nurtured and harvested like rice.
Meanwhile,
bagtok
(Cephalostachyum mindorense) is a
drought tolerant clambering bamboo
specie of the Poaceae plant group.
Bagtok can be grown in shaded and hard,
unbroken soil.
Both are now subject of a DOSTfunded study dubbed Demonstration
studies of sud-sod and bagtok towards
mass domestication and cultivation for
the revival of the handicraft and bamboo
industry among the Tala-andig tribe in

Stop Fire with Thermographic

Technology-MIRDC

ires that hit most industrial

buildings and factories in the
country are often traced to
faulty electrical wiring,
sub-standard materials, loose
connections, and circuit overloads, the
Metals Industry Research and
Development Center, an agency of the
Department of Science and Technology
said.
This means that there is really no
fireproof design even with wellmaintained electrical systems and
equipment. But fire prevention can be
radically
enhanced
through

PHYSICS

thermographic inspection, a technology

that detects and measures heat radiated
by electrical wiring.
Aberrations in heat are captured in
visible images through an infrared
camera. The resulting temperature
information is interpreted in easy-tounderstand thermal picture.
The other applications of
thermographic electrical and machinery
heat monitoring technology, the MIRDC
says, include detection of component
failure,
energy
conservation,
environment safety, evaluation of

Lantapan, Bukidnon.
The study aims to determine the
nature, propagation, growth, and
environmental requirements of sud-sod
and bagtok. A detailed understanding of
the species is expected to help local
researchers develop steps leading to mass
production of these plants, PCARRD
said.
The study is a joint effort of the
National Museum and Central Mindanao
University. It placed third in the
Development Paper Award during the
recent national symposium on
agriculture, forestry, and natural
resources research and development
coordinated by PCARRD.

equipment design, and process

monitoring.
The MIRDC, which offers
thermographic inspection services to the
industrial sector noted an increasing trend
towards use of this fire preventive
maintenance
technology.
Thermographic inspection, a safe and
inexpensive technology reduces power
outages, equipment damage and
downtime incidents, MIRDC added.
So far, MIRDC has conducted 32
seminars for 548 participants from
different industrial organizations. The
techno-clinic also covers key economic
centers and cities such as Legazpi,
Bacolod, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de
Oro, Bukidnon, Davao, General Santos,
and Iligan.
Reported by Rodel Offermaria
DOST Correspondent

Dr. QUINTIN L. KINTANAR

he gentle scientist, Dr.

Kintanar is presently the
Director of the Bureau of
Food and Drugs. As
BFAD chief, he makes
sure that all medical and food products
sold to Filipinos are safe.
The National Academy of Science
and Technology cited Dr. Kintanars
outstanding work in pharmacology and
environmental science. He is known for
having investigated the mechanisms of
fatty liver and hypolipidemia induced by
orotic acid that assisted in the
clarification of the molecular
mechanisms of lipoprotein biosynthesis.
He has also substantially
contributed in the study of the
pharmacology and toxicology of
pandacaqui plant as anti-cancer agent,

Environmental Medicine
coconut water as intravenous fluid for
emergency rehydration. He led the team
that completed the environmental impact
study for the geothermal program in
Southern Negros.
Dr. Kintanar had a colorful student
life. He finished his elementary (1949)
and high school (1953) education both
as class valedictorian in Argao Institute,
Cebu. He completed his Doctor of
Medicine course at University of the
Philippines (1961), and Doctor of
Philosophy in Environmental medicine
at Johns Hopkins University (1969).
Dr. Kintanar has held various
positions as researcher, professor, and
administrator to many organizations
including as deputy director-general of

APPENDICITIS
Fallacy:Jumping, running

and playing after eating cause

appendicitis.

Fact:

Appendicitis means the

inflammation of the appendix
vermiformis (Latin, worm-shaped
appendage) commonly known as the
appendix. Persons suffering from this

condition may experience pain on the

right lower abdomen, nausea, and
vomiting. The appendix is a narrow, saclike tube found at the junction of the
small and large intestine. It is three to
six inches long and one-third inch in
diameter. The appendix may become
obstructed with stray pieces of solid food,
such as small seeds from fruits, or by hard
bits of feces. These materials are foreign
to the appendix, causing it to swell. A
tumor, an infection, or other cause of
inflammation may also cause the
obstruction. When there is swelling, the
appendix becomes irritated, leading to an
increase in the amount of secretions.
During the late stage of the disorder, the
appendix may eventually rupture. This
may cause the contents of the ruptured

the National Science and Technology

Authority (now DOST), UP College of
Medicine, and international Atomic
Energy Agency, among others.
He is also the recipient of many
awards like the Burke Award for
excellence in cardiovascular medicine
given by Philippine Heart Association
(1961), The Outstanding Young Men for
Science given by the Jaycees (1975), and
the President Manuel A. Roxas Memorial
Medallion for Science (1975).
Dr. Kintanar is a leading member
of NAST, Philippine Medical
Association, Radioisotopes Society of
the Philippines, and Philippine
Association for the Advancement of
Science.

appendix to leak into the body cavity.

When this happens, bacteria may spread
and the lining of the abdominal cavity
may become infected, leading to a
condition called peritonitis.
Humans can survive even without
an appendix, since its function is still
unknown. Patients suffering from
appendicitis may be asked to undergo a
surgical operation called appendectomy,
or removal of the appendix. During an
appendectomy, an incision is made in the
lower side of the abdomen, the
connection between the intestine and
appendix is tied with surgical tread, and
the appendix is cut off.
The connection between jumping,
running and playing after eating and
appendicitis is yet to be proven by
scientific evidence.

PHYSICS

By Ernesto Buensuceso Ferreras Jr.

ou sit in the car fully clothed with suit and

helmet. This will be over in a minute, you tell
yourself. Youre aiming for the world land
speed record in a car. Youre going to
penetrate the Sound Barrier on land. But
youre not afraid: The vehicle you sit on is not an ordinary
car. It is aerodynamically designed.
Aerodynamics. The word is usually associated with
aircraft in flight. However, aerodynamics does not deal with
aircraft alone; it also deals with any solid body moving
through the air or any other gaseous fluid. The subject,
therefore, can also be applied to land vehicles, particularly
the automobile.
In designing a car, engineers are particularly
concerned with the resistance offered by air called drag
that tends to slow down moving bodies like cars. The

PHYSICS

advantages are obvious. For one, eliminating as much drag

as possible would reduce fuel consumption and, at the
same time, increase speed and range of vehicles.
How to Design an Aerodynamic Car
How do designers eliminate aerodynamic drag in
cars? Computer technology has provided automobile
manufacturers a breakthrough in the search for
automobiles that can travel more kilometers per liter of
fuel.
A concept for an aerodynamic car design is to let
the car pass through the air more easily. One car designer
was Dr. Alberto Morelli, a professor at Turin Polytechnical
University in Italy. In his design, Dr. Morelli considered the
car as a wing, an import from researches in the aeronautical
field. A wing is an excellent example of aerodynamic design

that minimizes drag. Like a

wing, the car at speed
produces a force
called lift, which
makes the car rise
from the ground.
The lift would
cause the wheels
to plane and you
would lose control
of the car; hence, lift is
undesirable in cars. (In contrast, a good wing design
maximizes lift; this makes the airplane fly.) To rectify this,
Dr. Morelli designed a profile wherein the lift produced by
the center surface of the car would be cancelled by negative
lift, a force that pushes it down.
How did Dr. Morelli and his colleagues come up
with the models basic shape? With the use of computers,
he produced an initial design of a car with a tapering tail,
like an airfoil. If you cut the airplane wing and take the
cross-section, you get the contour of the airfoil: A round
shape in front and a tapering tail. However, for a car design,
this is undesirable, so designers cut the tail and they found
out that the flow along the body remained smooth. The
space made by the cut was filled with air that behaved like
a solid, so airflow continued smoothly around the imaginary
tail. Then they proceeded to place the mechanical
components like outside mirrors, wipers, exhaust pipe,
radiator, and ventilation duct. They provided realistic
passenger and cargo space.
Aside from aerodynamic drag, the designers also
addressed the problem of internal drag. This is due to air
flowing inside the car and slowing it down. To reduce
internal drag, engineers installed a screen in front to assure
even pressure distribution and internal ducts to accelerate
the air to match the air velocity outside.

So what was the shape of the car? The model had

an arched roofline and raised doorsills. The windshield
base was pushed forward, almost on top of the front wheel
axis. The front bumper was a deformable nose section,
integral with the body panels. The rear bumper was still
basically conventional for obvious reason: A trunk lid was
provided with the required bumper height. Guide ribs were
built into the inner surface of the bumper to guide air from
below the car to escape easily.
However, body design is not the only factor that
contributes to drag reduction. Researchers are
continuously seeking ways to reduce engine size without
loss of speed. If the engine can be lightened, then
everything can be lightened, including the drive train, the
suspension, the frame in fact, the whole car itself.
How to Win a Race
Pushing the limits of a cars performance is to test
its aerodynamic design. Cars which are designed more
for performance than for carrying passengers or luggage
are called sports cars. Most sporst cars have two seats
with low, streamlined bodies that enable them to slip
through the air easily. Consequently, these cars can
accelerate more quickly than other automobiles do. Sports
cars have wide tires to enable them to turn through corners
faster.
In car racing, nothing beats Formula One or Grand
Prix cars. Vehicles used in Formula One racing are
considered the most advanced form of single-seat racing
cars. Formula One cars are built according to a formula or
set of specifications. The formula dictates the configuration
and chassis and engine limits as well as the cars
aerodynamics.

After the problem of drag had been taken care

of, the next issue was stability. Stability refers to
the characteristic of any moving body to return to
its original direction when disturbed. Dr. Morelli
found out that air flowing diagonally across the
car accelerated in two areas: over the front and
the rear fenders on the windward side. The
surfaces caused negative pressure, producing
a force that made the car turn away from the
wind. The solution was to make the fenders low, short
and rounded.
The forward-cabin design has helped reduce
the automobiles drag coefficient significantly

PHYSICS

Formula One cars are designed on some of the

same principles as airplanes. Like the fuselage of the
airplane, a Formula One car has a monocoque
construction. In this type of construction, the cars central
structure is a tube-shaped shell or tub made of aluminum
or carbon fiber. This structure provides the connecting point
for the engine, suspension system, and other parts of the
car and bears the mechanical stresses.
Like an airplane, a Formula One car has front and
rear wings. However, unlike an airplane wing, the flow of
air over and under the wings produces negative lift that
presses the car to the ground. This downward force holds
the car to the road despite high speeds.

another type of drag called rolling drag that, together with

aerodynamic drag caused by the body, constitute total drag
exerted on the vehicle. The wheel was designed to get a
firm grip and not dig into the surface.
On October 15, 1997, ThrustSSC achieved the new
World Land Speed Record when it reached Mach 1.02 or
a two-way average of 1,224.9 kilometers per hour.
At last cars, not only airplanes, achieved supersonic
speed!

Cars Become Supersonic

The worlds fastest cars are powered by jet engines.
These cars do not race against other cars but against the
clock to break the world land speed record. What is more
challenging for a designer is to design a car that reaches
the speed of sound or Mach 1 on land.
The speed of sound is also known as the Sound
Barrier because at this speed shock waves occur. Sound,
as air impulses, travel at 1,220 kilometers per hour at sea
level. Shock waves are air pressure disturbances piled up
around an object that moves faster than sound. As you
accelerate up to sound speed the air molecules cannot
move fast enough away from the vehicle, causing them to
form a barrier in front of the moving object. The drag
associated with shock waves is enormous such that
designing a supersonic car is deemed impossible.
The race to the Sound Barrier triggered a
competition between the American and British teams. The
British team designed a car called ThrustSSC, which
looked like an airplane without wings with two oversized
jet aircraft engines.
How did they do it? The designers used two engines
with the driver between them. The designers primary
concern was to design a vehicle that could run straight
without any tendency to lift its nose or to dig in. To achieve
this, they placed the engines, which contributed most of
the weight, towards the front. They installed a tailplane to
provide stability. Fixed front wheels on either side of the
engine pods gave a stable track. The rear wheels were
used to steer the vehicle.
Wheel design was highly considered because
contact between the wheels and the surface causes

PHYSICS

1.

How are the different types of drag reduced?

2.

What type of lift is beneficial to cars and why?

3.

What is the main problem of cars speeding to the speed

of sound on land?

1. Mach number a number representing the ratio of

the speed of the body, as an aircraft, to the speed of
sound in a surrounding medium, as air. A vehicle at
Mach 1 is traveling at the speed of sound.
2. Supersonic relating to speeds from one to five
times the speed of sound in air.
3. Wind tunnel a tunnel-like device through which air
is blown to investigate airflow around an object, as an
airplane part or model.

REFERENCE
1. Laxa, David E. Slashing Aerodynamic Drag.
Aeroscope, August 1980.
2. Mach 1 on Earth. Aerospace International, October
1998.
3. World Book Millennium 2000. 1999. Chicago: World
Book, Inc.

Encarta Encyclopedia 97

Q:How do hovercrafts operate?

A
:A hovercraft is a vehicle that
moves above the surface of land or
water. Also called air-cushioned
vehicle, the hovercraft moves using a
cushion of air provided by a large fan
attached it. To maintain the air cushion,
a skirt is attached around the perimeter
of the vehicle. This makes the vehicle
float a few inches above the ground
or water. The hovercraft is
moved forward by using
propellers or by
controlling the air that
escapes through
openings on the skirt.
To stop the vehicle,
the propellers or the
airflow are reversed.

The hovercraft is operated like an

airplane. The pitch of the vehicle is
adjusted using a control wheel. The sideto-side movement, or yaw, is controlled
using rudder pedals.
Because of the controlled air
cushion, the hovercraft has the ability to
move from land to water
and water to land. The air

Jennifer Hacdan
Saint Joseph 4
Our Lady of Snows Institute
Dumarao, Capiz

cushion prevents the craft from hitting the

ground when the terrain changes. This is
the reason why most air-cushion vehicles
are used in amphibious operations over
water, marshy ground, and beaches.
Hovercrafts have both military and
commercial applications and are being
used around the world. The Mountbatten,
a 150-metric-ton hovercraft, can carry 30
automobiles and 250 passengers across
the English Channel.

Fresh Native Sausage

INGREDIENTS
1 kilo ground lean pork (2 parts)
and pork back fat (1 part)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. anisado wine
3 tbsp. chopped garlic
sausage casings

PROCEDURE
1. Using a meat grinder with a 5/6-inch hole plate, grind
the pork lean.
2. Cut the pork fat finely.
3. Put the pork fat and pork lean together with all the
other ingredients in one container. Mix the
ingredients thoroughly until a sticky mass is formed.
4. Cover the mixture with wax paper.
5. Cure the mixture inside the refrigerator for 2 to 3
days.
6. Stuff the mixture into sausage casings, forming 50
to 80 cm links.
7. Store inside a refrigerator or in a well-ventilated place
before use.

PHYSICS

Programming,
basic commands

his is the second installment into the world of programming. In this

lesson we will try to delve into the basics of programming. So what do
we need to be able to practice? Well you will need to have access to a
computer and the program Qbasic 4.5. It would be best to have these
so you can try these programs out yourself and experiment on your
own.

Here is a sample program:

CLS
PRINT PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME:;

OUTPUT:

INPUT N$

PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME: PAUL

PRINT HELLO; N$

HELLO PAUL

PRINT WELCOME TO PROGRAMMING!

WELCOME TO PROGRAMMING!

END
Okay, here there are several commands being used. CLS is a command
used to blank the screen, prior to continuing to the next line. PRINT is a command
which displays data on screen, notice that we enclose text in between quotes. This
is called a string of characters. Another thing to take note of is the use of the
semicolon after the PRINT statement. The semicolon signals the computer to display
the next PRINT statement along side the previous output. If there is no semicolon
then the output is placed on the next line. You can also place a comma, the effect
of which is to place a tab space between the strings. The command END tells the
computer to stop the program, normally this is placed at the very end of your program.
The next command is INPUT. This command allows the user to enter data via the
keyboard. The INPUT command must be followed by a variable that we will look
into in the next example.

10

PHYSICS

Lets try another round of commands:

CLS
X=2
PRINT PLEASE ENTER A NUMBER:;
INPUT Y
PRINT THE SQUARE OF;Y;IS; Y^X
END
Okay here we have a hidden command in the line X=2, it should actually
be LET X=2. The LET command can be omitted for simplicity, but what it does is it
assigns the value to the right of the = to the variable on the left.
Lets talk a little bit more about variables. A variable is a place holder, you
can use it in place of real numbers and characters. Why? Imagine having to use
the same value over and over again in your program. At some point you realize
that you are using the wrong value and you have to change all of them! A tedious
task, if you used a variable then all you would have to do is to replace the values at
the top of the program and you are all set. Now there are two kinds of variables, a
numeric variable (which stores numbers) and a string variable (which holds
characters). An example of a numeric variable is NUM and an example of a string
variable is A$.
Okay back to the program, notice we performed an operation, in this case,
we used the symbol ^(this is the symbol for exponent). Here are some other useful
mathematical symbols:
Addition

Subtraction

Multiplication

Division

Okay, well thats all for now. Make sure to practice these commands when
you can, in the next issue we will tackle more commands and delve deeper into the
world of programming.

PHYSICS

11

Combustion

Is The

About to Become
By Rafael Alfonso

nternal combustion reciprocating engines are heat

engines that burn fuel and air inside a combustion
chamber. It converts heat energy into mechanical
energy and causing the engine to turn a shaft that
will, in turn, drive other mechanical components of
the engine. These engines power cars, motorcycles,
ricemills, farm tractors, boats, and even some type of
airplanes. But most people are familiar with the automobile
engines because they are the most ubiquitous and popular
the world over.
Events in the last decade seem to be leading
the internal combustion engine to its end. In 1990,
amendments in the Clean Air Act of the US drastically
reduced the allowable emissions and mandated the sales
of zero-emission vehicles. This prompted the big car
manufacturers to embark on an intensive research on

power stroke

air-intake stroke

electric vehicles (EVs). As a result, many models of EVs

appeared in the mid-1990s. However, most of these EVs
still rely on a storage battery for power. The battery usually
deliver power for only a few hours but takes a long time to
recharge.
In 1997, interest in EVs became more intense when
Ballard Power Corporation came out with a new fuel cell
(FC) technology called Proton Exchange Membrane FC.
Then in 1999, the same corporation demonstrated the
practical use of their FC by powering a bus with it. Now,
Ford and Daimler Benz, two of the big car manufacturers,
have joined forces with Ballard to make FC-powered cars.
It is expected that by 2004, these type of cars will hit
California.
Whats wrong with the Internal Combustion Engine?
The internal combustion engine produce power by

compression stroke

A typical 4-stroke automobile engine uses 4 strokes in its power cycle: intake, power compresson, and exhaust.
Combustion engines make use of scarce fossil fuels and expend harmful residual fumes and particulates into the environment.

12

PHYSICS

Engine

Obsolete?
burning fossil fuels (gasoline and diesel). Ideally, the
product of combustion should be carbon dioxide and water.
However, incomplete combustion and various fuel additives
produced many toxic and polluting substances. Among
them are sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead,
hydrocarbons and soot particles.
Sulfur dioxide and soot particles cause respiratory
and cardiovascular diseases. In Manila, a high incidence
of asthma and bronchitis has already been reported.
Carbon dioxide poisons the red blood cells. Lead affects
the central nervous system and has been known to retard
brain development in children. Some of the hydrocarbons
emitted can cause cancer in high concentrations.
Furthermore, the carbon dioxide emission also contributes
to the greenhouse effect that has lead to global warming.
Improved engine design, installation of catalytic
converters and the use of unleaded gasoline and cleaner
alternative fuels have tremendously reduced the emission
of pollutants in new vehicles. However, there are still a lot
of old vehicles and the cost to make the necessary
modifications is high.
The Development of Electric Vehicles
As early 1888, the construction of EVs had been
attempted in Boston(USA), 28 years after the first storage
battery was made. By 1912, about 6000 passenger and
4000 commercial EVs were being manufactured annually.
At that time, there was more EVs than cars based on the
internal combustion engine. Eventually, however, EVs lost
ground to the internal combustion engine because in
comparison, it has shorter range (about 20 miles), lower
speed (20 miles per hour maximum) and higher price. They
also required 8 to 12 hours to recharge. Modern EVs
based on the storage battery has improved a bit. Now, it
takes 3 to 8 hours to fully recharge, and can run for a
range of 40 to 120 miles. Still, these qualities are not
dramatic enough to command attention. This changed with

the use of fuel cells and the advances in power storage

technology.
Fuel Cell
A fuel cell, just like a battery, consists of two
electrodes, a positive electrode called the cathode and a
negative one called the anode. Chemical reactions occur
at these electrodes. At the anode, hydrogen gas is
converted to hydrogen ions with the release of electrons.
The electrons travel from the anode then to the cathode
through the external circuit. At the cathode, oxygen is
converted to hydroxide ions. The hydrogen and hydroxide
ions may combine to form water which may be purified
and used for drinking.
Compared to batteries, fuel cells are lighter and
more efficient. They have been routinely used as energy
source aboard the Apollo spacecrafts and the Space
Shuttles. They have been used before in electric vehicles
but there was a problem with the storage and availability
of the combustible hydrogen gas. Now, fuel cells have been
designed to utilize alcohol and hydrocarbons as a source
of hydrogen gas. The process of converting alcohols or
hydrocarbons to hydrogen is called reforming. This has
already been done on an industrial scale.
Conclusion
The days of the internal combustion engine are
numbered. This is good news for environment lovers and
all those fed up with inhaling toxic fumes from combustion
engines. With electric vehicles, we may be even freed from
our dependence of fossil fuel.

Reference:
Berfield, S. The Price of Pollution:, Readers Digest, Nov. 1996, p.17
Jones, M. et al.1987. Chemistry and Society, 15th ed. Philadelphia:
Saunders College Publishing.
Seymour, J. and Giradnet, H. 1987.Blueprint for a Green Planet. London:
Dorling Kindersley Ltd
Simon, J. and Iglehart, K. Alternative Fueled Vehicles Bring a Breath of
Fresh Air. Southface Journal of Sustainable Building. Vol. 4, Dec. 1997.
http://www.fe.doe.gov/coal_power/fc_sum.html
http://www.igc.apc.org/raenergy/fuelcl.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/transportation/advanced.html

PHYSICS

13

By Marlene M. Gutierrez

etro Manila is famous for several things:

its picturesque sunset, colorful jeepneys
and old churches, among others. It is also
known for its poor air quality. In fact, it
ranks high in the list of polluted areas in

the world.
But residents as well as visitors of Metro Manila
can look forward to the promise of cleaner air in the nottoo-distant future. This is because last April 1, 2000,
gasoline stations stopped selling leaded gasoline.
Eventually, all the gasoline stations in the country will stop
selling leaded gasoline.
The phase-out of leaded gasoline is a result of the
implementation of the Clean Air Act, which was passed by
the Congress and Senate and signed by the President
into a law in 1999. The Clean Air Act aims to improve air
quality in the Philippines by decreasing the amount of toxic
substances released into the atmosphere. One of these
substances is lead.
Why is lead a pollutant? Why is it added to gasoline?
Lead is the 82nd element in the periodic table. Its
chemical symbol is Pb which is derived from its Latin name
plumbum, meaning plumber. It is the heaviest of all the
common metals. It is eleven times heavier than an equal
volume of water.
Because it is abundant, cheap, soft, waterproof and
non-corrosive, lead has been widely used in the past and
continues to be used today. The ancient civilizations of
Egypt, Greece, India and China used lead for vessels,
roofs, water ducts, utensils, and ornaments. The Romans
used lead in making water pipes and storing food and wine.
It is even believed that the fall of the early Greek and
Roman civilizations may be attributed to their extensive
use of lead, which resulted in lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning is a condition that affects many
systems of the human body such as the nervous and
reproductive systems, the kidneys, the production of blood
cells, and even behavior. Lead accumulates in the body
because it has no way of eliminating it. Small amounts
can cause severe problems including irreversible brain
damage and injury to blood forming organs.
About 90% of the lead released in the environment
comes from the use of leaded gasoline. Why is lead added
to gasoline?
Gasoline is rated on a scale known as octane rating.
The basis for this rating is the ability of the gasoline to

14

PHYSICS

cause engine knocking. Remember that gasoline is a

mixture of hydrocarbons. Some of these hydrocarbons,
the straight-chain alkanes, such as hexane, heptane, and
octane burn rapidly. They explode suddenly instead of
burning evenly, causing the engines to knock and thus
affecting engine performance. Gasoline that contains a
large amount of straight chain alkanes is assigned a low
octane rating.
Branched-chain alkanes such as 2,2,4trimethylpentane or isooctane, burn more evenly and do
not knock as much. A high octane rating is given to
gasoline that contains a large amount of these branched
alkanes.
An inexpensive way to improve the antiknock quality
of gasoline is the addition of tetraethyl lead, (C2H5)4Pb to
the fuel. This substance slows down the burning of the
straight-chain alkanes.
At the same time, lead serves as a lubricant to
protect the engine valve seats from contact with the
exhaust valves. Without the lubricant, the valve seats would
easily get worn out when the car is driven at high speeds
or is carrying a heavy load. Thus, lead in gasoline has two
functions: octane rating booster and lubricant.
Can unleaded gasoline offer the same engine power
and protection that leaded gasoline does? The answer is
YES. Oil companies have developed unleaded gasoline
that can run on almost every type of car. Unleaded gasoline
has octane-enhancing additives such as 2-methoxy-2methylpropane as well as additives which can prevent valve
seat damage. For example, Shell has the Formula Shell
Super Premium with Lead Replacement Additive , Petron
has XCS Plus Valvemaster while Caltex has its Vortex fuel.
These varieties of gasoline are as equally powerful as
leaded gasoline. But more importantly, they are
environment-friendly.
The phase-out of leaded gasoline will significantly
decrease the amount of lead in the air. However, we have
to remember that lead is only one of the harmful substances
found in our atmosphere. Exhausts from motor vehicles
as well as factories that use fossil fuels also contain carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, the
oxides of nitrogen, and particulate or solid particles that
enter the air like soot. These substances are responsible
for a variety of problems such as smog, greenhouse effect
and acid rain.
The use of unleaded gasoline is only a partial

solution to air pollution. We also have to consider other

ways to control and prevent air pollution. These include
the following:
Energy technologies that cause air pollution can be
replaced with technologies that do not require combustion.
An example is the use of solar power.
Pollution from combustion can be reduced by energy
conservation measures such as using motor vehicles less
often and regular vehicle maintenance. Remember that
black smoke is emitted by vehicles whose engines are not
maintained well. Also, engine performance improves and
thus its ability to burn fuel efficiently also increases when
the engine is maintained properly. An efficient engine gets
more energy from what it burns, and therefore consumes
less fuel.
Pollution-causing substances can be removed from
the fuel before burning. For example, factories that use
coal as a source of energy should install devices that
remove sulfur from coal before it is burned.
Pollutants can be trapped after combustion. Motor
vehicle owners can install catalytic converters into the
exhaust pipes. The catalytic converter filters the vehicles
exhaust by changing them into less harmful substances
such as water and nitrogen.

Octane rating number indicating combustion quality of gasoline

Hydrocarbons organic compounds that contain ONLY hydrogen
and oxygen
Alkanes hydrocarbons having a general formula CnH2n+2, whose
molecules contain only single covalent bonds
Branched-chain alkanes alkanes that consist of molecules in
which one or more carbon atoms are bonded to three or
four other carbon atoms
Straight-chain alkanes alkanes consisting of molecules in which
each carbon atom is linked to no more than two other carbon
atoms

References

The Philippine Star, April 5, 2000

American Chemical Society. 1998. Chemistry in the Community.
3rd ed. USA: Kendall Hunt.
LeMay, H. Eugene Jr et al. 1996. Chemistry Connections to Our
Changing World. USA: Prentice-Hall.
Knapp, Brian. 1996. Lead and Tin. UK: Atlantic Europe Publishing
Company.

PHYSICS

15

I N

C O O P E R AT I O N

W I T H

T H E

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLGY

RELATIONSHIPS
AMONG SHAPE,
VISCOCITY,
VELOCITY, AND
DRAG FORCE
ABSTRACT: The goal of the study
was to formulate mathematical
relationships between the dimensions
of a conical body, the viscocity of a
fluid, the velocity of the body as it falls
through the fluid, and the drag force
that the body experiences as it falls.
The study employed stroboscopic
photography to observe the conical
bodies as they fell through the fluid
medium. A total of seven steel cones of
varying dimensions were used. The
fluid media involved were waterglycerol solutions with varying
concentrations. Results showed that the
base diameter to height ratio of a cone

16

PHYSICS

varied inversely with the terminal

velocity and therefore directly with
drag force for ratios greater than 1:2.
For ratios less than 1:2, the relationship
of the base to height ratio was inverse.
Results also supported the belief that
drag force is directly related to the
viscosity of a fluid. It was also
concluded that, for small sizes, the base
up or base down orientation of a cone
has no effect on the terminal velocity
and drag force.
INTRODUCTION
When a particle is released in a
fluid in a force field, such as gravity,

naturally, it accelerates. But the motion

of the particle generates a drag
resistance which acts in direct proportion
to the velocity (Triton, 1982). Thus, the
particle will quickly attain a point at
which acceleration is zero, because, as
started by Richardon (1989), the vector
sum of the drag force, gravitational
force, and buoyant force of the body is
equal to zero. At this point, the body is
said to have achieved a terminal
velocity.
With spherical objects immersed
in viscous fluids and moving at low
velocities, the magnitude of this force
is expressed by Strokes Law. It states
that the drag force Fd is equal to six
times the product of the constant pi ( ),
the coefficient of fluid viscocity n, the
radius of the sphere R, and its velocity
v (Sears et al., 1987):
Fd = 6 (fnRv)
The study aims to determine a
similar mathematical relationship at
which the test pieces fall.
REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE
I. The Viscous Effect
A. Forces Acting on a Falling
Body. When an object falls through a
real fluid, it is subject to severe forces,
the most obvious of which is the force
of gravity that is dependent on the mass
of the body and causes it to accelerate
downward. Another is the buoyant
force, related to the volume of the
object and the density of the fluid; it
acts in the opposite direction as gravity.
As mentioned Vennard (1966), the

object may also experience two other

forces, due particularly to the viscocity
of the fluid; these are lift and drag.
Lift, acting perpendicular to the fall,
occurs only when either the object is
assymetric or its axis is not aligned
with the direction of fall. The drag
force, on the other hand, is always
present to oppose the fall the object.
Terminal Velocity. The drag
resistance acts in direct proportion to
the velocity; as the body accelerates
drag increases. The object eventually
reaches a point when the three forces,
gravity, buovancy, and drag, are in
equilibrium. At this time, acceleration
is zero and the object is said to have
attained terminal velocity. Beyond this
point, the object continues to fall at the
constant terminal velocity. This
concept explains why raindrops,
despite the enormous height from
which they fall are clocked at only a
few meters per second (Sears et al,
1987).
Stokes Law
Shape. In the derivation of
Stokes Law (Tritton 1982), it is the
surface area of the sphere that is taken
into account. However, from
Richardsons text (1989) the
contribution of shape to drag force is a
little more complicated. Drag force
may be resolved into two components,
frictional drag and pressure drag. As
the body becomes more blunt, pressure
drag becomes the larger component.
Velocity. Drag is related to
frictional force and is thus proportional
to velocity. A constant velocity is
easily determined by dividing the total
displacement of the body by the time
elapsed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

I. Preparation of Materials
A. Test pieces. The test pieces
employed in the experiments were
custom-made. The material utilized
was mild steel, which was shaped into
tiny solid cones using a manual
machine lathe. A total of seven pieces,
with varying dimensions but constant
mass and volume, were produced.
B. Fluids. The fluids used in the
experiment were glycerol (technical
grade) solutions diluted with water at
varying concentrations to achieve
different viscosity values. Due to
certain limitations, only two
concentrations were used: 100%, and
95% by volume. The viscosity of the
solutions was determined using a
falling ball type viscosimeter. The
specific gravities of the different
concentrations were also recorded with
the help of a heavy hydrometer,
courtesy of the Chemistry Department
Philippine Science High School,
Diliman.
C. Glass Tube. An extraordinary large
glass made-to-order tube was required
to contain the fluid through which the
test pieces were to fall. It was sealed at
one end, had diameter of 7.0 cm and
had a length of 122cm.
D. Camera and Stroboscope. For the
determination of the terminal velocity
points, a Xenon stroboscope was used.
A Nikon SLR camera equipped with
50 mm lens and a tripod was also
acquired. Finally, a black felt
background was prepared.
II. Experimentation
A. Specification of Setups.
Each set up differed in three variables:

(1) the concentrations (i.e., viscosity)

of the glycerol solution, (2) the base
diameter to height ratio of the test
pieces, and (3) the orientation of the
test pieces as it fell. To facilitate the
collection of data, the setups were
labeled with a code number of the
format A-1.1, where the first letter
refers to the concentration of the
solution, the first number to the
dimensions of the test piece, and the
last number to its orientation.
B. Procedure of Experiment
Proper. In order to determine the point
at which the test pieces achieved
terminal velocity, stroboscopic
photography was employed. The
following setup was prepared in a dark
room. The glass tube was placed on the
floor 1.5 meters away from the
background. The camera was set upon
the tripod at a height of 50 cm and 100
cm away from the glass tube. An fnumber of 8 was found to give the best
exposure based on preliminary trials.
The speed of the camera was set to
Bulb, and ASA 400 film was loaded.
The stroboscope was then placed above
the tube and pointed downwards for the
trials with the test pieces base up. For
the trials with the test pieces base
down, the stroboscope was set level on
the ground and pointed perpendicular
to the line of sight of the camera and
placed beside the tube just outside the
frame of the shot. The frequency used
for the strobe was five flashes per
second.
The glass tube was filled with
the glycerol solution. The test pieces
were then prepared to be released by
hand. Before dropping the test piece,
the lights were shut off, the
stroboscope was turned on, and the

PHYSICS

17

camera shutter was opened. The shutter

remained open for the duration of the
fall, Afterwards, the test piece was
retrieved with a magnet and the next
trial prepared. Five replicates were
conducted for each of the 22 setups.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The researchers successfully
determined the terminal velocities of
the cones for the 22 setups. The
process was relatively simple; however,
some limitations were noted. The most
significant problem was that of lens
aberration, particularly the curvature of
field effect. Because of the spherical
surface of the cameras lens, images
were somewhat distorted when
projected on to the flat film, especially
near the edges of the photograph where
images tended to be a little compressed
(Giancoli, 1991). There was little that
the group could do to resolve this so
they simply limited their measurements
to the center of the photographs. Other
problems included blurred images and
the lack of precision in the ruler grids.
Effect of Orientation on
Terminal Velocity. Contrary to earlier
hypothesis, the orientation of the test
pieces 1 to 4, in relation to their
direction of fall, had no effect on the
terminal velocity. Statistical analysis
using the T-test supported the
implications of the two graphs. Only
test piece number 2 showed significant
difference in the mean velocity
between base up and base down
orientations.
The researchers credited the
result to the small size of the test
pieces. The small size, combined with
the large base diameter to height ratios,

18

PHYSICS

may have resulted in the production of

similar wakes or trails on both
orientations of each test piece. For the
first four test pieces, pressure drag is
the dominant force; thus the terminal
velocity is principally affected by the
size of the wake formed.
Effect of Viscosity on Terminal
Velocity. The terminal velocities of the
cones were consistently higher in the
95% glycerol solution as compared to
results to the 100% glycerol solution.
T-tests confirmed such indications.
Results therefore agreed with the
general knowledge that velocity
increases as viscosity decreases.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Based on the results of the study,
the following relationships were
concluded:
The terminal velocity of a cone
varies inversely with its base diameter
to height ratio for ratios larger than 1:2.
But the velocity and drag force are
known to be inversely related, therefore
the relationship of the base diameter to
height ratio of a cone to the drag force
is direct.
For ratios less than 1:2 as the
base diameter to height ratio decreases,
terminal velocity decreases and drag
force increases.
The viscosity of a fluid, on the
other hand, varies inversely with the
terminal velocity and directly with drag
force.
And as noted during the
experiment, for small sizes, the
orientation of the cone in relation to its
direction of fall has little or no effect
on the terminal velocity and drag force.

SELECTED REFERENCES
Giancoli, D.C. 1991. Physics: Principles
with Applications. New Jersey, U.S. A:
Prentice Hall.
Hix, C.F. and R.P. Ally, 1958. Physical
Laws and Effects. New York,
U.S.A.:Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Richardson, S.M. 1989. Fluid
Mechanics. New York, U.S.A:
Hemisphere Publishing Corp.
Sears, F.W., M.W. Zemansky, and H.D.
Young. 1987. University Physics.
Reading, Massachussetts, U.S.A:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Tipier, D.J. 1952. Physical Fluid
Dynamics. England: ELBS and Van
Nostrand Reinhold.
Vennard, J.K. 1966. Elementary Fluid
Mechanics. New York U.S.A.: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc.
RESEARCHERS
Carlo Alonzo
Dennis Lopez
Daniel Cimafranca
Pia Pascual
Jennifer Lising

ADVISER
Helen Casmic
Philippine Science High School
Quezon City
This paper was presented to the faculty of
the Philippine Science High School in
partial fulfillment of the course Research II.

This section aims to present various practices and/or beliefs that have gained popularity over the years, and is
claimed by its advocates as grounded on sound scientific principles. They have yet, however, to be formally accepted
by the general scientific community as scientific. For any of it to be considered scientific, controlled and measurable
conditions must be able to replicate the phenomenon or activity. Pseudo- means false and it is best for the public
to be made aware of the facts behind these practices and beliefs.

Electromagnetic
Fields

long with the rapid rise in popularity of cellular telephones is a growing paranoia
about the supposedly harmful effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) emanating
from electronic appliances and installations. This unfounded fear grew out of a
mass-media-induced hype about electromagnetic fields and its supposedly
deleterious effects on humans. Public concern started in the US after popular TV programs
and magazines took up the subject matter. Even CNNs Larry King Live and The New
Yorker magazine contributed to this paranoia with anecdotal interviews and articles on
supposed victims of this phenomenon.
In the Philippines, EMF was blamed on the proliferation of cellphones and high-tension
power lines. Even a religious advocate was caught in the ensuing media battle when he
decried the installation of power lines along residential areas in Northern Luzon.
This pseudoscience is unsupported by any scientific data. While the possibility of
EMF causing brain tumors and leukemia cannot be ruled out, the likelihood is no more than
for those who are not constantly exposed to EMF. No one can avoid electromagnetic radiation.
It is everywhere. Furthermore, while electrical fields are easily screened, magnetic fields
make their way unimpeded through most substances. In fact, it is curious that while fear of
EMFs is on the rise, so is the use of magnets to cure just about any ache or pain, reports
Robert Pool, in the February 14, 1991 article EMF-Cancer Link Still Murky, in Nature
magazine.
The US National Research Council (NRC) concluded its 3 year review of more than
500 scientific studies conducted over a 20 year period and found no conclusive evidence
that electromagnetic fields harm humans. The fear fanned by media attention has caused
undue anxiety among cellphone users and residents along power lines which has, to date,
not been corroborated by scientific data.

PHYSICS

19

NUCLEAR ENERGY:
PROS And CONS
By Rafael L. Alfonso

ith todays increasing oil prices,

alternative energy sources are again
being sought. One of the practical
sources is nuclear power. Our country
however have mothballed this
alternative in the form of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
Other countries are also considering phasing out their
nuclear power plants. This issue has become more
pressing ever since the latest nuclear accident in Japan.
But in the 50s nuclear energy was thought to be
the panacea to the worlds energy
needs. It was expected to be
clean and cheap. There was
even a prediction that by
the year 2000, about
1800 nuclear plants will
be, providing 21% of the
worlds commercial
energy. But todays reality
is that there are only
about 370 plants
supplying only 3% of the
worlds
commercial
energy.
In this article, we will see
why nuclear energy is a viable
alternative energy source inspite of
its danger. Then we will look at why many
countries are considering giving it up, or at least, not having
more of it. First, let us look at the science involved.
Nuclear energy is based mainly on the nuclear
fission of radioactive material like uranium 235. In nuclear

20

PHYSICS

fission, the addition of a neuron to a large nucleus of an

atom, leads to the splitting of the atom. This process is
accompanied by the release of a huge amount of energy.
A typical nuclear fission reaction is shown below.
235
92

U + 0 N ----

141
56

Ba +

92
36

Kr + 3 0 n + energy

The subscript beside the element symbol refers to

the mass number, the sum of the number of protons and
neutrons in the nucleus. The
subscript, to the atomic
number which is equal to the
number of protons. As we
can see uranium has been
split into lighter nuclei of
barium and krypton.
Now, how big was
the energy produced? Just
1 g of pure U-235 in a typical
reaction can yield as much
as 2.0 x 10 10 calories of
energies. The same amount of
energy will be produced by
burning 6 tons of coal or nearl y
14 barrels of oil. This energy
comes from the loss of a slight
amount of mass during the nuclear reaction. We can
calculate it using Einsteins famous equation: E = mc2,
where c is the speed of light (3 x 108 m/s).
The energy produced by a nuclear reaction is used

to heat water to steam in a nuclear power plant. The steam

then drives the turbines of an electric power generator.
The steam is then condensed back to liquid and pumped
back into the reactor where the cycle starts again.
Looking at the process, we can see that a nuclear
power plant does not release toxic fumes. Everything that
is in contact with the radioactive material is enclosed. It is
clean and safe.
But is it? In reality, there is the problem of waste
disposal. The products of fission have to be removed from
the reactor and thrown or buried somewhere. They are
still radioactive, that is, they emit radiation that can cause
damage to our genes, produce mutations and cancer.
Scientists have considered encasing them in glass so that
the possibility of leakage is avoided, then wrapping them
in special canisters. Once packed, they are thrown under
the sea or buried deep beneath the earth, hoping that
natural forces will not crack them open.
Another problem is the danger of accidents. There
have been a lot of accidents; the major ones are those in
Chernobyl in 1986, and that of Japan in 1999. Many reactors
are already aging. We cant also be assured of the
competence of the people handling or operating these plants.

There is still however one nuclear energy source

that is relatively much safer- the sun. The nuclear fusion,
the opposite of nuclear fission, occuring in its core is
producing the sunlight that supports life on earth. We are
trying to copy it, but the technology of nuclear fusion is not
yet practicable.
The bottomline is: while nuclear energy is an
efficient alternative to traditional sources, such as fossil
fuels, man still needs to find ways to dispose of
radioactive wastes safely and permanently. He also
needs to be assured of a highly reliable safety operation
of nuclear plants so that the danger to life and the
environment is minimized.

1. Why are nuclear reactors said to be unsafe?

2. How are radiaoactive wastes disposed of?

1. radioactive - capable of emitting radiation spontaneously, as

from unsatble atomic nuclei.
2. toxic - poisonous
3. mutation - any heritable alteration or change of an organism

REFERENCES
Eads, B. Another Meltdown at Chernobyl? Readers Digest Aug.
1995, p.59 Colliers Encyclopedia. Vol. 17, 1995.
Jones, M.M., et al. Chemistry and Society, 5th ed. Philadelphia:
Saunders College Publishing, 1987.
Seymour, J. and Girardet, H. Blueprint for a Green Planet.
London: Dorling Kindersley, 1987.

PHYSICS

21

HEAT DEEP
E
f rom
the
By Ditas C. Faraon

nd of the World! Human Extinction! Collapse

of the Earth! This is the scenario brought
about by the new millenium. Is our planet
getting old and incapable of nurturing life?
Have we depleted all the available energy
sources? Scientists may not agree. Deep down at the very
core the earth lies tremendous heat that will keep us warm
and alive for many more thousands of years to come.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is heat from within the earth.
There are a lot of theories regarding the source of this
heat. The weight of the earth pressing to its core could be
one. Another is the radioactive materials within the earths
core and mantle that emit heat. This geothermal heat is
so intense that materials in the mantle near the crust are
transformed into a molten state otherwise known as
magma. In turn, magma creates pockets of heat near the
surface that raises the temperature of water underground
and form steam or hot water. This is very evident during a
volcanic eruption.
Geothermal resources come in five forms:
hydrothermal fluids, hot dry rocks, geopressured brines,
magma, and ambient ground heat. Of these five, only
hydrothermal fluids have been developed commercially for
power generation.
Three technologies can be used to convert
hydrothermal fluids to electricity. The type of conversion
used depends on the state of the fluid (whether steam or
water) and its temperature: Steam Conventional steam
turbines are used with hydrothermal fluids that are wholly
or primarily steam. The steam is routed directly to the
turbine, which drives an electric generator, eliminating the
need for the boilers and fossil fuel of conventional power
plants.
High-temperature waterFor hydrothermal fluids
above 200o Celsius (C) that are primarily water, flash steam
technology is usually employed. In these systems, the fluid
is sprayed into a tank held at a much lower pressure than

22

PHYSICS

the fluid, causing some of the fluid to rapidly vaporize, or

flash, to steam. The steam is used to drive a turbine, which
again, drives a generator. Some liquid remains in the tank
after the fluid is flashed to steam; if its still hot enough,
this remaining liquid can be flashed again in a second tank
to extract even more energy for power generation.

Moderate-temperature water- For water with

temperature less than 200oC, binary cycle technology is
generally most cost effective. In these systems, the hot
geothermal fluid vaporizes a secondary-or working-fluid,
which then drives a turbine and generator.
Hot water plants, using high-or moderatetemperature geothermal fluids, are a relatively recent
development. However, hot water resources are much
more common than steam. Hot water plants are now the
major source of geothermal power in both the United States
and the world.
Benefits
Several attributes of geothermal resources make it
a good source of energy. Energy can be extracted from
the source without burning fossil fuel such as coal, gas or
oil. Therefore, carbon dioxide and other gases formed
during combustion of fossil fuel are not emitted into the
atmosphere when geothermal resources are used.
Geothermal fields produce only about one-sixth of the
carbon dioxide that a natural gas fueled electrical
generating power plant produces and none of the nitrous
oxide or sulfur bearing gases. Use of geothermal resources
is also beneficial because geothermal energy replaces the
use of imported energy sources, such as oil.
Geothermal electricity is clean, reliable, and cost
efficient. This may also be the answer to our growing
concern. Think again and think deep.

Reference

Cores,et al.Science and Technology for a Better Life.Manila, Phils.

Diwa Scholastic Press Inc.
http://www.even.doe.gov/geothermal

IMPROVISED GENERATOR
In an electromagnet, we have shown that current can produce magnetic fields. If we turn a coil between the
poles of a magnet, we produce a current in the coil. A device that produces current this way is called a generator.
In this activity, you will construct and operate a generator.
Materials:
Bar magnet (small), compass, two long nails (9-10 cm),
board, narrow uninsulated wire, electric tape, metal propeller,
card board, metal support (with holes at one end), thumbtacks,
wire cutter, hammer, glue

Procedure:
A. Building the Generator
1. Glue the small bar magnet to the head of one of the
nails. We will refer to this nail as the magnet nail.
2. Use the second nail as the core of the wire coil. Make
about 500 turns of wire around the nail. Wrap the nail
as tight as possible. Do not wrap the wire around the
bottom one to two centimeters of the nail. Leave two
free ends of wire extending at least 30 centimeters
from the coil
3. Hammer the tip of the nail coil into the center of the
wood board. Make sure the coil is not loose.
4. Attach each support to the board. Make sure the large
holes at the top of the supports are aligned with each
other and with the coil of wire.
5. Place the nail with the magnet through the large holes
in the supports. The end of the nail with the magnet
should be just above the coil of wire. The tip of this
magnet nail should extend about 1-2 centimeters
beyond the supports so magnet turns freely without
touching the coil or wire.
6. Carefully push the propeller on the tip of the magnet
nail. Exercise care so as not to puncture yourself with
the pointed nail.
7. Wrap the electric tape around the magnet nail at
designated points (see the illustration below). These
tape collars should keep the coil in place.

B. Building the Current Meter

1. Fold and glue 2 pieces of cardboard as shown. Place the
compass inside the cardboard stand. Align the north and
south poles of the compass with the folded sides of the
stand.
2. Tightly wrap about 100 turns of the wire around the
compass and the stand. The wire should be aligned in the
N-S directions. Connect the current meter coil to the free
ends of the wire coil of the generator. Move the current
meter at least 30 cm from the generator.
C. Producing a Current
1. Slowly turn the propeller of the generator with your hand.
Observe the needle of the compass current meter. Place
the generator in the wind or in front of a fan.
2. Vary the speed of the propeller. Record your observation.
Data and Observations
1. What are the two important parts of a generator?
2. Based on this activity, briefly state the principle behind the
generator.
3. How is the speed of the generator related to the movement
of the current-meter needle?
Generalization
Application
1. Name other sources of energy
2. How is the electricity in your home generated?

The current meter

The nail coil

The current meter

PHYSICS

The generator

23

THE BIRDS
AND THE
BEASTS

Hidden Units
Read each sentence carefully. Hidden among and
between the words and letters are some units of
measurement used in science.
Example: Elmo lets his friends borrow his notes
regularly. MOLE
1. The Filipino rebels can now attack the Spanish
garrison.
2. The first Filipino revolt in history was led by Bonifacio.
3. It is unlawful to possess and use tampered
documents like drivers licenses.
4. The pieces of a comet erratically moved toward
Jupiter.
5. The teacher asked the boys to please conduct
themselves properly in class.

A collection of animals,
including both birds and beasts,
has 43 heads and 120 feet. How
many beasts are there in the
collection?

ABOUT FACE

A man was facing west. He took three steps forward,

turned right, walked a couple of steps more and then turned
around. In what direction is he facing now?

C R O S S W O R D

ACROSS
1 A gaseous mass enveloping a celestial
body
9 The Earths only known natural satellite
10 A soft white solid or semisolid fat from
the fatty tissue of the hog
12 A source from which valuable matter is
extracted
13 Having a body part that is disabled as to
impair freedom of movement
14 Barium
15 Half of an em
16 A variable color averaging a light yellowish
brown
17 A fleshy pome fruit
19 Unit of power (plural)
21 Something bitten or held with a teeth
22 A reproduction or imitation of the form of
a person or thing
24 Third planet from the sun
25 An odorless, colorless gaseous mixture
27 The effect of genes of a male nucleus on
structures other than the embryo
29 Place of setting
31 Trinitrotoluene
32 Astatine
33 Indium
34 Hour angle
35 Philippine Coconut Authority

24

10

12

11
14

13

15

16

17

19
22

20
24

23
27

26
29

30

21

8
11
13

25

28
32

34
36

37

6
7

18

31

33

35
38

39

36 A male given name

38 ack; a beamy sailing ship of the 14th
and 15th centuries
39 Celestial bodies orbiting other bodies of
larger size
DOWN
1 Infection with a disease caused by
amoebas
2 To separate parts of or pull apart by force
(past tense)

PHYSICS

4
5

14
16
18
19
20
23
25
28
30
32
35
36
37
38

ir-; a silk cloth with a watered or wavy

pattern
Not off
An organism that lacks the power of
locomotion
Dried cured thigh of a hog
sin; a proteolytic fraction obtained
from the intestinal juice
Road
Globose fungus with double walls
A milk white fluid produced by various
seed plants
Something used to lure fish
A loose hanging piece of cloth
-m- - yo s-c; the female gametophyte
A horny projection on the skin
Any of a genus of leguminous herbs,
shrubs, and tree
crocl - -e; a triclinic white to pale yellow,
red, or green mineral KAISi3O8
Asian Institute of Technology
A univalent hydrocarbon radical
Eye, ear, nose and throat
Wide expanse of land
A light tapping
Associate in Arts
Delaware
Bismuth