Re: Energy Budgets

[Dan Burns <kilroi@LGHS.NET>]

I would have them measure energy use themselves. One great tool for this is
called a clamp-on ammeter. It measures the current in household appliances by
induction, no dangerous connections are required. I let the students check
them out and measure things at home like the TV etc. It is easy to hook one
to a computer to get time-histories of the transient current in a device like
a drill. I purchased mine at Radio Shack.

Dan Burns
Los Gatos High School

"James W. Wheeler" wrote:

> I will be teaching a course for general education students next fall on
> "Matter and Energy".  I would like to be able to discuss everyday items in
> terms of the energy required to produce and operate them.  Does anyone
> have such information, or a source of such information?  Please send it to
> me.  Thanks.