Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Thank you for the reply on using weights. When I searched in other websites the materials mentioned there was dynamo fitted with blades, dynamo fitted with water wheetl, 15 W fan and 15 W pump. Where do I get these materials? Pls any help is very much appreciated as I have 15 days left.

Thanks

Hello Ikteja,

You could search the Science Buddies project database to see if there is something similar to what you want to do. There are over 1100 projects to choose from:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... oraproject


Or since you say you only have 15 days to finish your project, here is a project which doesn't require a lot of material:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p021.shtml

Be sure to let us know if you have more questions.

I have started doing the experiment 'Spare a watt, save a watt' in science buddies website. I have couple of Qs

1. Should I take the reading of the appliance with the appliance still plugged in the kill-a watt? e.g I wanted to see how much energy is consumed by the desktop monitor for 30 min when in use, so at the end of 30 min I still keep the desktop monitor plugged into the kill-a watt and take the reading and then unplug the monitor from the kill-a watt?

2. When I tried taking a reading for how much energy a cell phone consumes for 30 min in use, I see the watts as 1.8 watts for 30 min but when pressed the 'Menu' button on the Kill-a watt to see it in KWH it shows zero. The cost also shows zero. But when I manually calculate watts x time =KWH, 1.8x30= 54 KWH and cost I put 10 cents per KWH, so for 30 min the cost should be 54 cents. Why is it showing as 0 KWH and 0 cents then?

Please clarify

Thanks

Hello Lkteja,
For your 1st question, reading the procedures for your project, it looks like you should make the readings while the appliance is connected to the Kill a Watt meter.

For your 2nd question, look carefully at the procedures for your project and think about the units of measurement that your Kill a Watt meter is displaying. Think about what the definition of KWH versus watts.

Be sure to let us know if you have more questions.

watt x hours used per day divided by 1000 = Daily kilowatt hour consumption.

Power consumption is the product of the power that we use, measured in kilowatts and the total time in which we used that power, in hours.

KWH is the unit for energy [ how much fuel is contained or used by something over a period of time] and Watts for the power [ how fast something is generating or using energy]

KWH means 1 kw per hour

So for my 2nd Q, I used my cell phone for 30 min, 0.5 hrs, and see that it used 1.8 watts in that 0.5 hrs and I used the cell phone only for 0.5 hrs in one day. I am right so far? So how much this will be in KWH? I am getting confused somewhere? I am not able to still understand why the kill a watt is still showing 0 KWH and cost $0?

other understanding is, 1.8 watts for that moment but not for 0.5 hrs. 1.8 x0.5 = 0.9 watt hours 9 [ used if for only 1/2 hr in one day] and if I want know the power consumption for a day it is 0.9 divided by 1000 = 0.0009 KWh. Is this right?

I took a reading for my desktop monitor when in use. After 1/2 hr when I pressed the buttons on the kill a watt meter for take the reading, I see the watts as 0.4 and when pressed the KWh button [menu button] it showed 0.03 KWH. How do I interpret this reading.? Still confused

Hello IKteja,

Check the instruction sheets that came with your Kill a watt meter. How many digits (places) to the right of the decimal point can your Kill a watt meter display?

How did you connect your mobile phone to the Kill a watt meter? How were you using your mobile during that 0.5 hour?

Informative post i really like it