Week 1
Conservation of energy animations: roller coaster and downhill skier
Conservation of energy and children's blocks
Pulleys and other simple machines
Week 2
Heat flow: conduction, convection, and radiation
Heat flow in the context of thermos bottles
Carnot engine (and a simulation)
Review specific heat, latent heat, and heat transfer mechanisms
Air-source heat pumps
Optional:
Heat flow in the context of firewalking
Week 4
Otto cycle (four pages)
Animation of the Otto cycle
Animation of the Diesel cycle
Diesel advantages and disadvantages
Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics
Biofuel pros and cons
Biofuel from genetically modified algae
Outdoor trial of GMO algae and protests of that trial
Optional:
Entire article on car engines
Two-stroke Otto and Diesel engines
Gasoline direct injection engines
Volkswagen Diesel emissions scandal
Week 6
How a battery works: links one and two
A battery can be used to run an electric motor
Electric generators one and two
Record 2017 EV sales in the U.S. and abroad
2018 EV sales are up
Concerns regarding the supply of cobalt
Consumer Reports raves about the Tesla Model S P85D
Increased range for the 2018 Leaf
Tesla's Model 3 and its production delays
Private and public charging networks
Potential Québec-to-D.C. charging corridor
Optional:
Tesla's upcoming electric semi truck
Article on improving battery technology
Week 8
How a hybrid electric vehicle works
Second-generation Chevrolet Volt is more like a plug-in hybrid than before
Volt losing out to the Bolt
Toyota Prius Prime is the best-selling PHEV despite mixed reviews
Regenerative braking can involve capacitors
Optional:
More on plug-in hybrids
Technical description of the 2016 Volt's powertrain
EVs that run on ultracapacitors in addition to batteries
Week 9
How fuel cells work
Fuel cell information and video
Several types of fuel cell
Fuel processors (a.k.a. reformers)
Toyota Mirai
More on how the Mirai works
Honda Clarity
Fuel-cell streetcar in China
Analysis of the EV vs. FCV debate
Long-term take on EVs vs. FCVs
The hydrogen economy
Well-to-wheels analyses of emissions and efficiency
Optional:
Another discussion of fuel cells
Fuel cell powered bicycles and trucks
Q&A with the creators of mud-powered microbial fuel cells
Week 10
Blackbody radiation and spectral lines
Blackbody radiation simulation (drag temperature slider at right)
Another description of spectral lines
Solar power in northern Maine
Tesla solar roof
Electrical utilities imposing new costs on solar customers -- including in Maine
Net-zero and net-positive homes
Optional:
Electromagnetic spectrum video
PV array planned for Farmington
Details of a net-positive townhouses in Boston
Week 12
Introduction to wind power
Wind as a cubic resource
World's largest offshore wind farm
Rhode Island offshore wind farm starting up
HVDC transmission lines in Vermont and perhaps Maine
Wind power in China limited by grid infrastructure
Wind turbines and bats
Documentary video on Maine's Bowers Mountain wind project
Optional:
Antarctic wind power
Wind power via high-altitude "kites"
Week 13
Introduction to hydropower
More on hydropower pros and cons
Canadian hydropower and selling energy to the U.S.
Human and environmental implications of damming the Mekong River
Optional:
Another page on hydropower basics
Week 14
Introduction to nuclear power
Nuclear energy and climate change
Controversy over nuclear waste disposal
New reactor designs (including video on molten salt reactors)
Difficulties building new U.S. nuclear plants
Safety lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi
Germany's nuclear phaseout (and an update from a skeptic)
Optional:
Another discussion of molten salt reactors (and here's yet another)
Bill Gates-backed startup developing a molten salt reactor
Another discussion of nuclear waste and of reactor safety
National Geographic story on Germany's efforts to stop using nuclear energy and fossil fuels
PHY 110: Previous Links
Written by Chris Magri
Last modified on December 3, 2018
URL: https://sites.google.com/a/maine.edu/magri/phy110c/prevlinks