Group 5- Project Plan

Updated Abstract: Our goal is to assess the difference in energy usage (in non-hard wired devices only) in the student population of a new dorm building and an old dorm building. We want to know if a newer building, with more efficient lighting, heating/ventilation and insulation, requires fewer additional energy consuming devices, such as lamps, fans, and space heaters on the part of students, than an old dorm with poor lighting, heating/ventilation, and insulation. By analyzing this data, we will be able to assess the effects of building condition on the daily energy consumption of the students living in the building. This data, potentially paired with overall energy consumption of the entire building, could provide insight into the ways in which older buildings are less energy efficient.

Roles/ Activity Plan:

Steffi and Jordan will check out the WattsUpPro and generate preliminary Watt usage amounts for all relevant electronic devices. (i.e. fans, space heaters, lamps of various sizes, hot water heaters, televisions, game consoles, refrigerators,  microwaves ect.) As they survey, we will use the WattsUpPro to assess misc. devices. (11.15.11)

  • ·All three of us will generate a questionnaire for applicants on daily device energy usage. (We will correspond via email to complete by 11.18.11)
  • ·Steffi and Jordan will survey 10 students in each of the two dorms. We will use identical (or close to identical) rooms from Davison and Lathrop. Those two dorms are identical except that one was renovated two years ago, and the other was last renovated in the 70s. (11.19-20.11)
  • ·Neal will complete all data analysis and do the write up. He will look for trends that differentiate the building’s general energy consumption. (Complete as soon as project data is available)
  • ·Jordan will correspond with the administration to acquire the necessary data on building schematics and energy usage. (He will send emails immediately, hopefully responses will be rapid.)

Science/Technology:

We will be using the WattsUpPro to calculate energy usage by Watt. Energy and energy conservation are the driving scientific ideas behind our project. We will study the effect of building construction and dorm culture on energy usage.

Expected Outcomes:

We anticipate greater energy usage in non-hard wired devices among students living in the older dorm building. We expect that the infrastructure of the newer building (lights, heating/ventilation, and insulation), will necessitate fewer non-hard wired devices among students.

Group 1 Project Plan

Roles:

Data Collectors – Everyone

Data Analyzer/Condenser – Everyone

Researcher, Technical Aspect of Commercial – Rebecca

Actor, Script Writer for Commercial – Yefri

Actor, Prop Designer for Commercial – Alex

What is the science/technology involved:

The RF meter will measure the radio frequency being emitted by cell phones in W/m^2.

FCC: 1.6W/kg of human tissue, upper limit of radiation allowed.

Activity Plan:

November 18: collect data on campus with the RF meter, sample size: at least 100 phones (~33 each):

(11-1pm) Yefri

(1-3pm) Rebecca

(3-5pm) Alex

November 19: (2pm) Rebecca will research current debate about cell phone radiation

November 20: analyze the data (by phone make and model) and put it into a presentable format:

(1pm) Initial sorting and graphing – Alex and Yefri

(2pm) Formalizing for blog and posting – Rebecca

November 21: (5pm) Meet and discuss how the data we collected compares to the theoretical research

Thanksgiving Break: everyone will work on their part of the commercial, Yefri will email out the script for everyone else to review and so Alex can begin designing any needed posters or props

November  27: (6pm )Film commercial

Outcomes

We expect that there will be a correlation between the phone’s model and radiation because smart phones require a larger amount of data storage and streaming compared to non-smart phones, therefore emitting more radiation.  We also expect different smart phones to emit different levels of radiation because of different antennae or service providers.  Also, we expect every cell phone to emit under the FCC limit of 1.6 Watts/kg of human tissue because they have all been approved for the market.

Group VIII Project Plan

We are testing the water in Sunset Lake and the Hudson River using a spectrometer and a Tetratest Laborett Home Aquarium Water Testing Kit. We’ll be testing the levels of inorganic chemicals listed on the EPA’s Drinking Water Contaminants List. We expect that the levels of contaminants in both water sources will allow us to classify them as non-potable. Based on preliminary research, we have found that portions of the Hudson River contain Mercury and Cadmium above the EPA’s recommended levels, rendering them unsafe for human consumption. In addition, Vassar lore tells us that Sunset Lake contains heavy metals, in excess of the threshhold determined by the EPA.

We will collect water samples from the Hudson River and Sunset Lake on Monday, November 14, 2011. Testing will begin at 3 PM on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011. Stephen will make the data table and upload  it to the LTT blog site. We will meet at 11 AM on Friday, November 18th, to discuss our results and write up a conclusion based on said discussion. We will present our results in the form of a public service announcement. Filming will take place on Monday, November 21st. Rachel will film, Sam will write the script, and we will all contribute to the editing process.

Group 3 Project Plan

For our project, we will be examining a possible relationship between the energy used by a cellular phone and the radiation that it emits while in use. To gather our data, we will be using Watts Up Pro and an RF meter to measure the microwave radiation generated by electric currents within the phone. In order to obtain a statistically significant sample, we will be testing roughly ten to fifteen phones of different models. This will also allow us to see if a phone’s make and model are related to the amount of radiation it emits. The testing will take place in the Retreat on Tuesday, November 15, and Wednesday, November 16, at 3 pm. This data will be gathered as a group, and we will then split up the remaining work amongst ourselves. For example, I will be responsible to creating the music and lyrics for the creative aspect of the project, while Ali will handle the graphics and Sam will present our results and conclusions. Our expected outcome is that the more energy that a phone uses, the more radiation it will emit.

Vassar Energy: A department by department analysis

1 Reply

We want to see the department by department breakdown of energy use. We will do this by analyzing light, computer, and equipment use, holding time used as a constant (assumption). We predict that science departments will have a greater energy use relative to a humanities or social science department. We will put our findings onto  a campus map that is already designed on line.

abstact

1 Reply

Our goal is to assess the energy usage from electronic devices of students living in the Vassar Dormitories. We will first assess the various energy usages of common devices with a Watts Up Pro. Then we will randomly select dorm rooms from every hall and survey the occupants about the devices they use. We will use the Watts Up Pro to calculate energy usage of miscellaneous devices as we conduct our survey. Any discrepancies in energy usages between dorms will emerge from our data.

Group 3 Abstract

2 Replies

In our research project we will compare the amount of radiation emitted by a cell phone relative to the energy input of the device.  To measure the microwave radiation emitted by the device we will use a RF sensor. To find the energy input of each device we will use a Watts Up Pro plugged into a fully charged cellular device. We will then observe how many watts of energy each devices uses while performing a standardized function, in this case, a one minute phone call.  We expect to find that cellular phones with a higher energy input will emit more microwave radiation.

Group 9 Abstract

1 Reply

Our project aims to examine the dynamic range of different recorded music and how trends in mastering have effected it over time. We will analyze specific songs from different time periods as well as personal preferences of test subjects as to which type of mastering they find preferable. Because of the volume difference between different mastering styles, we will adjust the average decibel output to be equal for each sample. Based on the results of our research, we will attempt to remaster a song ourselves in the style that has the highest approval of our test subjects.

Group 4 Abstract

1 Reply

We will measure the strength of the wireless internet signal around campus, determining if some dorms or buildings have a better signal than others. Hopefully, we can get some qualitative assessment of how strong a signal is necessary for a satisfactory internet connection and show where the boundaries of these signals are around campus. We will eventually produce a heat map showing how strong the signal is all around campus.

Group 8 Abstract

1 Reply

We plan to compare water samples from Sunset Lake and the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie. We will compare spectroscopy readings and use a home aquarium water testing kit to determine the two sources’ potability. Should Vassar legend hold true, we expect Sunset Lake to contain more heavy metals due to its proximity to the Mudd chemistry building. We do not expect either water source to be potable.