Assignment 8

Newton’s Three Laws of Motion and Me

First law: Objects at rest will remain at rest, and objects in motion will remain in motion in a straight-line at constant velocity. A force must be applied to change the state of motion of an object. An example of this law is when I walk with a glass of water. When I stop short, the water comes spilling out of the glass. The water continues in motion and spills out of the glass.

Second law: the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting on it, and inversely proportional to its mass. When I drop something out of the second-story window the object falls to the ground at a rate directly proportional to gravity (the force acting on it).

Third law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When I am out bear hunting, I can feel the recoil of my rifle against my shoulder (just kidding).

Our Energy-efficient Culture

Some improvements in energy efficiency have been made over the last few decades. For example we are increasingly using hydroelectric, solar and wind power. However, air pollution continues to be a serious environmental problem. Poor air quality has contributed to a staggering increase in respiratory illnesses. Average annual visibility has decreased in winter to an average of 25 miles, and in summer to an average of 12 miles. Petroleum prices are at record highs with no end in sight. The US is reliant on an outdated electric grid in which sufficient improvements have yet to be made. All of these issues add to growing concerns about global warming. I think the US has a long way to go before it can consider itself an energy-efficient nation particularly from the point of view of consumption of fossil fuel.