George Tafari

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Magnetism and the Magnetic Field

The concept of “ free space “ may be visually appealing to the senses, but this perception very rarely ( if ever ) describes any meaningful description of any region of space. This argument can easily be confirmed with objects as simple as paper clips and refrigerator magnets. Under the right conditions, seemingly magical forcesContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Magnetism and the Magnetic Field“

SOLIDS: Determining the Mass of a Golden Sphere

Q: Gold has an atomic mass of 197 amu. If a golden sphere has a diameter of 0.10 m, how many atoms does it contain? A: In order to determine what volume ( V ) is occupied by the sphere, we must obtain a value for the sphere’s radius ( r ). Fortunately, the radiusContinue reading “SOLIDS: Determining the Mass of a Golden Sphere”

SOLIDS: The mole and Avogadro’s Number

Imagine a world where dollars can be seen with the naked eye, but pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters are invisible. In this world, you are assigned the task of giving a presentation where, somehow or another, dollars replace pennies as the smallest unit of currency. The relationships between the aforementioned currencies will take on theContinue reading “SOLIDS: The mole and Avogadro’s Number”

HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: The Calorimeter

The process of accurately determining the specific heat capacity ( c ) of a substance is dependent upon minimal heat ( Q ) losses occurring within a system’s frame of reference. A calorimeter is designed so that such losses are negligible to the extent that they can be ignored. Consider the diagram below: A thinContinue reading “HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: The Calorimeter”

HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: Specific Heat Capacity Determination

Q: A quantity of lead shots weighing 100 g are placed in a beaker full of boiling water. After the shots reach a temperature of 100.0 ℃, they are transferred to a vessel that contains 100 g of water at 20.0 ℃. After sitting for some time, the water cools to an equilibrium temperature ofContinue reading “HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: Specific Heat Capacity Determination”

HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: Specific Heat vs. Specific Heat Capacity

Although similar, the terms “ specific heat “ and “ specific heat capacity “ are not synonymous. Different materials have different abilities to absorb and store heat energy ( J ). Specific heat capacity refers to the amount of heat energy needed to raise 1 kilogram ( kg ) of a specific substance by 1Continue reading “HEAT AND THERMAL ENERGY: Specific Heat vs. Specific Heat Capacity”

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: DC Motors

We have seen how a conducting wire moving with respect to an electric field ( B ) will experience forces upon its electrons. Consider the diagram below: Due to the proper ( perpendicular ) alignment of the loop and magnetic field, the maximum amount of DC current will be produced; however the voltages and currentsContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: DC Motors”

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: DC Generator Fundamentals

In order to understand how DC generators produce electricity, it is crucial to understand how the relative motion of a conductor moving through a magnetic field ( B ) induces forces that put the conductor’s electrons into motion; however, prior to engaging in a discussion about electromagnetic induction, we must briefly re-examine how the magneticContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: DC Generator Fundamentals”

1 HOUR SPEED READING TECHNIQUE

1. Read as much text as one can in 10 minutes. 2. Rest for 10 minutes, and during that time, reflect upon the general theme of the reading. Plenty should be confusing, so jot down questions that summarize where points of confusion may exist. 3. Read for another 10 minutes with a notepad in handContinue reading “1 HOUR SPEED READING TECHNIQUE”

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Magnetic Field Intensity and Hysteresis

Please recall that the magnetomotive force ( Fm ) equation shows how the magnitude of current ( I ) flowing through ( N ) loops of wire determine how much flux ( ɸ ) is established within a metal core around which the wire is wrapped: Fm = NI It is important to remember thatContinue reading “INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS: Magnetic Field Intensity and Hysteresis”