Archive for September 2014

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Using Math to Unlock Mysteries, Reveal God’s Beauty, and Interact With Others

September 8, 2014

The following is the sixth in a series of posts covering Shormann Mathematics, Algebra 1, the newest product from DIVE Math and Science! Click here to read the complete document that covers Shormann Math core ideas, course description, and Algebra 1 table of contents.

Mathematics has so many uses, including modeling the beautiful arcing leap of a bottlenosed dolphin! Image ©2009 by David E. Shormann.

Mathematics has so many uses, including modeling the beautiful arcing leap of a bottlenosed dolphin! Image ©2009 by David E. Shormann.

Shormann Math teaches students that mathematics is the language of science, and therefore an important tool for unlocking mysteries and revealing the amazing beauty found in God’s creation. It is also an important tool for interacting with others, such as when buying and selling things. Shormann Math will train students to become skillful at using mathematics in a way that will help them become productive members of God’s world, using their talents to serve Him and serve others.

Shormann Math teaches students what mathematics is, and how to solve problems using mathematical concepts. Problem solving is simply the application of mathematical concepts in new situations. It is about building on foundations that have already been laid, using mathematical tools developed over the centuries and applying those in new situations to solve problems. This is the essence of deductive reasoning, which is simply about applying rules. Mathematics is primarily deductive in nature, while scientific investigations are inductive (about finding rules).

What follows is a partial list of areas that mathematics is used, and that you may see covered in a Shormann Math Practice Set. At least one problem in each Practice Set will be about one of these areas. If you don’t see an area you think we should cover, let us know. One thing is for certain, Shormann Math students will not be asking the “what am I ever gonna use this for” question regarding math!

Science: astronomy, chemistry, biology, physics, biochemistry, computer science, oceanography, meteorology, medicine

Farming: animals, plants, aquaculture

Natural history: geology, volcanism, genealogy

Business: marketing, accounting, finance, business startup, productivity, employment

Engineering: mechanical, electrical, petroleum, aerospace, civil, industrial, robotics

Architecture

Art

Sports: baseball, football, basketball, soccer, fishing, tennis, NASCAR, track & field, volleyball

Music

Categories: Teaching Mathematics
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Use of Geothermal Energy Expected to Increase Worldwide

September 2, 2014

 

The number of geothermal powerplants worldwide is expected to increase by 73% between 2010 and 2015. Image source: geothermal-energy.org.

Electricity generated by geothermal powerplants is expected to increase by 73% between 2010 and 2015. Image source: geothermal-energy.org.

Most of the world’s electricity is generated using steam. Water is heated, generating high-pressure steam, which blasts out and spins a turbine. The turbine system creates motion of a magnet relative to wires, which in turn generates an electrical current, a phenomena Michael Faraday discovered in the 1830’s.

Powerplants mainly differ in the heat sources they use to generate steam. The most common heat sources are currently coal, natural gas, nuclear, and oil. A schematic of a steam turbine powerplant is shown below, courtesy of the South Texas Nuclear Project.

Schematic of a nuclear power plant. Notice how a closed loop of water is heated, passed over a turbine, cooled, and reheated. Image source: South Texas Nuclear Project.

Schematic of a nuclear power plant. Notice how a closed loop of water is heated, passed over a turbine, cooled, and reheated. Image source: South Texas Nuclear Project.

In the 21st Century, a growing trend is developing towards using geothermal heat sources. The amount of electricity generated by geothermal powerplants is expected to increase by 73% between 2010 and 2015. While geothermal powerplants are less efficient, they do have several advantages. The #1 advantage is they use the Earth’s heat. And beneath our feet lies an almost infinite supply of heat. 

Current geothermal powerplants are located where magma sources rise close to the surface. However, with improvements in technology, we should be able to access deeper and deeper heat sources. And, we can also vastly improve geothermal powerplant efficiency by using supercritical water(high pressure/high temperature) instead of steam. This was the goal of the Iceland Deep Drilling Project. In this first-of-its-kind system, they actually drilled into the magma, creating what is known as a magma-enhanced generating system. While the system is not currently operating, the project showed it is possible to use water near the supercritical phase, resulting in a much more efficient powerplant. 

The search for alternative energy sources continues as people become increasingly aware of the negative environmental impact of covering vast expanses of Earth’s surface with wind turbines and solar reflectors. God commanded us to be good stewards of His creation, and covering the land with windmills and solar reflectors is not a good management solution. Hopefully, cities and states will continue looking more and more at geothermal systems, with their small environmental footprint and low emissions. 

 

 

Categories: Teaching Science
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