Petrol prices + protests + conservatives!!!

bird chest · Jun 8, 2004, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ToshiroOC
Not really. Photosynthesis, like all non-nuclear forms of power on the earth, is based on solar energy. It could never exceed the amount of energy radiated from the sun onto the ground - which is still a decent amount. Solar panels are pretty inefficient at capturing that energy, but they still provide quite a bit of electricity directly from the light. Hydroelectric depends on huge oceans to collect the energy, and when water rains back down onto land above the hydroelectric dams, it collects a tiny fraction of the energy the oceans absorbed. Fossil fuels are solar-based, in that they are made of dead organic matter, and all of the energy within organic matter is the result of ages-old photosynthesis gathering solar energy to fuel organic reactions in plants and such.

The only thing that photosynthesis might be able to do for us is be more efficient than solar panels - perhaps growing photosynthesizing corn, then turning it into ethanol for burning is an option?

If you remember where you heard it, please post it, it would be interesting.

Actually photosynthesis would be extremely good. The source of energy would never go bad because the plants would continue to grow. Photosynthesis is one of the most efficient ways to create energy on the planet so I do not know why you would disregard it. There is also another form of good energy. Geo thermal. This is where you dig down deep enough to boil water with the heat from pressure it evaporates and moves huge turbines. Then some how they continue to renew it with a river flowing in or something. This essentially is harnessing gravity. So there ya go another way.

malkor · Jun 8, 2004, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bird chest
That site is full of it I am sorry. A car does not emit 5 pounds of carbon per gallon!!! That is rediculous. A gallon of gas ways no where near 5 pounds. And to think that some how it gains that sort of mass is just dumb. and using physics if it were to gain that sort of mass you would lose unbelievable amounts of energy not gain any.

You are forgetting that oxygen is required for the combustion of fuels (hydrocarbons) whereupon oxidation occurs, resulting in new bonds that produce heat or energy. The hydrogen bonds with oxygen creating water,and the carbon bonds with oxygen creating carbon dioxide. Carbon monoxide is also produced due to inefficent combustion of the carbon molecules.

Thus, this equation may be truer than you think, or may actually be a bit conservative.

ToshiroOC · Jun 8, 2004, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bird chest
That site is full of it I am sorry. A car does not emit 5 pounds of carbon per gallon!!! That is rediculous. A gallon of gas ways no where near 5 pounds. And to think that some how it gains that sort of mass is just dumb. and using physics if it were to gain that sort of mass you would lose unbelievable amounts of energy not gain any.

Gasoline, Vehicle 737.22 kg/cu.m (source)

Water is, by definition, 1000kg/cu.m. Water is 8.33 lbs per gallon. Since Gasoline is 73.722% the weight of water per gallon, that means that one gallon of Gasoline weighs 6.14 pounds. Seeing as how Gasoline is composed primarily of hydrocarbons, which are hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms (with hydrogen weighing in at ~1amu and carbon at ~12amu), it is believable to see how, once burned, gasoline could give off 5 pounds of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other unburned hydrocarbon chains.

~~JoyStick~~ · Jun 8, 2004, 03:17 PM

Wow... 5 pounds of carbon? I guess since we're still alive, that must not mean a whole lot to the atmosphere, but geez... You could kill a person with that.

bird chest · Jun 8, 2004, 06:21 PM

my bad guess it can produce 5 pounds. But even now it is still not one of the big three gasses in our atmosphere. Nitrogen is 78%, oxegen is 21% and argon is .99%

crlorentzen · Jun 8, 2004, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Guidoo
our highway infrastructure needs to be looked at and few citys have a viable mass transit system. These things cost money but in the long run I believe the cost would be worthwhile in terms both fuel consumption and our enviornment.

Hmm if we need to look at the highway infrastructure and update it, then maybe Environmentalist pricks also need to allow us to do the updating. This is from the fact that in my area for the last 15 years we have tried to finish a highway project that would decrease conjestion and pollution quite a bit, but every time we have tried to, another environmentalist group comes and gets us to stop.

Environmentalist care more about the short term inpact to Nature, than the long term impact to Nature and Humans.

Yay we saved a gaggle of geese from being relocated, and increased the pollution caused by sitting cars ten fold from what could have been, GO US (Environmentalists).

bird chest · Jun 9, 2004, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by crlorentzen
Hmm if we need to look at the highway infrastructure and update it, then maybe Environmentalist pricks also need to allow us to do the updating. This is from the fact that in my area for the last 15 years we have tried to finish a highway project that would decrease conjestion and pollution quite a bit, but every time we have tried to, another environmentalist group comes and gets us to stop.

Environmentalist care more about the short term inpact to Nature, than the long term impact to Nature and Humans.

Yay we saved a gaggle of geese from being relocated, and increased the pollution caused by sitting cars ten fold from what could have been, GO US (Environmentalists).

Not to mention that they probably drove their SUV's to stop it.

Senior Citizen · Jun 16, 2004, 05:28 PM

The price of gas has dropped to $1.78 (From $1.89 last week). Where I live there is no public transportation and 70% own pickups. You have to get to the store and work somehow so a person has to buy gas and drive. It will be better next week but come July 4th weekend and it will be up again. O well such is life.