Schottenbauer Publishing

Schottenbauer Publishing

Saturday, April 16, 2016

From Turbine to Power: Generator Magnets

Water and wind can be used to create electric power by turning a turbine containing a magnet. Adjacent to the turbine shaft, the generator contains a stationary wire. When the magnet in the turbine rotates, the electrons in the wire are pushed back and forth by the magnetic field, causing waves of alternating current (AC) in the wire.

 Consider the following graph, excerpted from the book series Electricity & Magnetism, available from Schottenbauer Publishing.

Discussion Questions
  1. Is the field of a bar magnet similar to the horseshoe magnet above? Why or why not?
  2. Is it more efficient to use a bar magnet or a horseshoe magnet in a generator? Explain.
  3. Is it preferable in a generator to use a magnet with high magnetic field or low magnetic field? Explain.

Over 8,000 graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing provide additional real-life topics for student learning, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 
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Friday, March 11, 2016

Science of Energy Efficiency Memorabilia

Celebrate the science of energy efficiency with memorabilia from Zazzle! Colorful graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing are featured on these mugs, magnets, keychains, & postcards. A direct link is included below:
A variety of other STEM education collections are also available from Schottenbauer Publishing on Zazzle, which features regular sales on most items.  


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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Savings on LED Lightbulbs!

LED lightbulbs can save the most energy of all light bulbs. In the USA, LED may require a large initial capital investment, costing 4 times or more that of regular incandescent bulbs. Did you know that LED lightbulbs are available for ultra-low cost from China, as a direct import?

 High Power LED Light Bulb (12 Watt, 960 LM)


Waterproof LED Work Light Bar (72 Watt)

Learn more about the energy efficiency of LED in the article The Energy Efficiency of Light Bulbs, with a free graph comparing LED and incandescent bulbs!

 Remember to purchase books of energy efficiency graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing! Graphs provide additional real-life topics for student learning, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 


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Monday, August 3, 2015

Natural Fluctuations in Alternative Energy: Effects of Variable Wind Speed on Turbine Output

Wind turbines are a popular form of alternative energy. Locating an area where the wind speed is high enough and reasonably predictable can be difficult, however. 

What happens when wind speed is not constant? Consider the following graph, excerpted from The Science of Energy Efficiency, available from Schottenbauer Publishing.


Discussion Questions
  1. What is the range of electric current from the wind turbine?
  2. Considering the entire graph, what is the average electric current?
  3. During what time span is the generation of electricity approximately the highest?
  4. During the time span of highest current output, what is the range of current as it fluctuates?
  5. What is the range of electric potential generated by the wind turbine?
  6. What is the average electric potential during the time span of highest current output?

Over 8,000 graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing provide additional real-life topics for student learning, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 


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Intensity of Light and Brightness

Conservation begins with efficiency. How bright does a light bulb really need to be? It turns out that the intensity of light is related not only to light bulb construction, but also to distance from the light bulb. Consider the following graph, excerpted from The Science of Energy Efficiency, available from Schottenbauer Publishing.
Discussion Questions
  1. What does the horizontal axis represent? How does this variable affect the graph?
  2. What is the intensity of light near the bulb?
  3. What is the intensity of light at 36 inches? 
  4. Approximately what is the intensity of light at 48 inches?
  5. Assuming a constant velocity of the measurement unit, approximately what is the intensity of light at 12 inches? 24 inches?
  6. Redraw the graph as distance from light bulb (x-axis) versus intensity of light (y-axis).
  7. Is the velocity constant in this graph, or is the probe slightly faster or slower on approach (compared to retreat)?
  8. What is the range of natural distance for using a lightbulb in a typical home? Would this light bulb be sufficient for a reading light?

Over 8,000 graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing provide additional real-life topics for student learning, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 


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Friday, July 31, 2015

The Energy Efficiency of Light Bulbs

One of the best topics of understanding energy efficiency is that of light bulbs. Consider the following graph, excerpted from The Science of Energy Efficiency, available from Schottenbauer Publishing.


Discussion Questions
  1. Identify the power and current required for each light bulb.
  2. Which light bulb is more efficient? Why?
  3. When the light bulbs are turned on, is the effect immediate? Why or why not?
  4. What occurs in the circuit when the light bulbs are turned on? 

 Over 8,000 graphs from Schottenbauer Publishing provide additional real-life topics for student learning, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 


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New Books on the Science of Energy Efficiency!

New book series from Schottenbauer Publishing allow students to learn about the science of energy efficiency through graphs. The Science of Energy Efficiency and Electricity & Magnetism from Schottenbauer Publishing contain graphs which can be integrated into classes for assessments, projects, and tests. Designed to supplement traditional curricula, these books can be used in elementary, middle, and high school, as well as college and university. The books are also well-suited for homeschool use. The book series are as follows:
The Science of Energy Efficiency
  • Volume 1: Light Bulbs & Electrical Appliances
    • Energy
    • Voltage
    • Current
  • Volume 2: Light Bulbs & Electrical Appliances
    • Light Intensity
    • Magnetic Fields
    • Heat
  • Volume 3: Alternative Energy 
    • Solar Power
    • Hydropower
    • Wind Turbines

Electricity & Magnetism
  • Volume 1: Electrical Circuits (DC)
  • Volume 2: Magnets & Electromagnets
  • Volume 3: Generators, Motors, & AC Electrical Circuits

This blog is devoted to sharing graphs from these book series, along with discussion questions and occasionally supplemented by videos.

Schottenbauer Publishing offers over 8,000 graphs on real-life topics for student learning, collected into topic areas including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment/toys, and general physics. 



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