This priming assignment will use the “Energy Forms and Changes” simulation from

Question

This priming assignment will use the “Energy Forms and Changes” simulation from the Univ. of Colorado PhET project:

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/energy-forms-and-changes

Go to the “Energy Systems” tab and play around with the simulation for a few minutes.
Click the box that says ‘Energy Symbols.” Use the bicycle, the generator, and the water and let the rider pedal until she runs out of energy.    Now answer the following questions:

1. Why is the water heating up? (Please give a detailed explanation including each step in the process.)

2. Assume that the system of interest includes the bicycle, rider, electrical generator and the water. Describe what is happening with the energy in each part of the system.

3. If the system includes the bicycle, rider, electrical generator and the water how does the total amount of energy in this system compare before and after the pedaling process. If you think the total amount of energy in the system changes describe the processes by which it changes. If you think the total amount of energy in the system remains the same explain how you can tell.

Explanation / Answer

Q.1 When we paddle the bicycle which is further attached to the dynamo, our mechanical energy helps in rotating the the dynamo. In dynamo which is attached to the electricity generator mechanical energy get converted to electrical energy. Now when this electrical current pass through the coil, due heating effect of current heat is produced. And water absorb this heat produced from the resistance coil, and water starts heating up.

Q.2.

Rider :- Energy decreases

Bicycle :- Riders energy get converted into mechanical energy

Electrical Generator :- Mechanical energy get converted into electrical energy

Water :- Absorb the heat and its heat energy increases.

Q. 3) Ideally the total amount of energy in the system remains the same. Because energy is only getting converted into one form to other form. But some of the energy may get lost in the process because none of the machine we used is 100 % efficient.

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