Chao 1 Sebastian Chao Mrs.

Gilson Research 4B 18, December 2013 Powering Cars by Driving The common car is a vehicle with four wheels rotating on their axis, and the traction in the wheel allows it to propel forward with the use of energy. Today, the most commonly utilized source of energy is gasoline. However, gasoline is a great problem to the environment, as it pollutes our atmosphere and causes smog, intoxicating the very air we breathe. Studies also show that it causes global warming through the emitting of CO2 into the air. If we continue to use gasoline as the sole source of energy, we could face larger problems yet to come like the one China faces at this very moment: smog at extremely hazardous levels. For this reason, many have converted to using renewable energy or electric cars instead. Electric cars are becoming more popular now, and has become a very dominant source of power. However, it does not last very long and does not supply enough energy to power most modern day vehicles. This is why new inventions must be made to replace old and flawed ones to improve upon the ones we had. The concept that will be gone over in this research report will involve the placing of an electric generator in the shaft of the car to create electricity as the wheels turn. This paper will go over how it works, the design of this idea, and how it will benefit us. The main idea is to take advantage of the wheels of the car in order to create energy. First, one must understand the basics of an electric generator. Generators are devices that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy with electromagnetic

Chao 2 induction (Dc Generator Commutator Definition). Electromagnetism is magnetism developed through the use of a current of electricity (Electromagnetism).This applies to my research, since a generator will be installed into the car, and the movement of the car will power it due to its design. An electric generator is composed of a coil of wire between two strong magnets. When the rectangular coil of wire rotates perpendicular to the magnetic field made by the parallel magnets, it results in the inducing of electric current. The ends of the coil of wire are connected to electric wires, which will form a closed circuit. (How to Build an Electric Generator) A circuit is a closed Fig. 1. This diagram shows the basic design of a DC electric generator (DC Generator Images).

path that allows electric current to pass through (Circuit). Before continuing, this report shall explore the physics behind the electric generator to give a full and clear explanation of what occurs. A generator works through the phenomenon of Faradays Law. Electric current is the movement of positive and negative particles (Electric Current).A fluctuating magnetic field induces an electric current (Faradays Law). This phenomenon was first found by a scientist named Michael Faraday:

Chao 3 In 1831, Michael Faraday carried out numerous experiments in his attempt to prove that electricity could be generated from magnetism. Within the course of a few weeks, the great experimentalist not only had clearly demonstrated this phenomenon, now known as electromagnetic induction, but also had developed a good conception of the processes involved. (Related Electricity & Magnetism Pages) Because of this discovery, scientists and inventors utilized it to their advantage and created an electric generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical. Michael Faraday also found what the generator depends upon, changing the resulting electrical power generated. Faraday formulated that electromotive force produced around a closed path is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux through any surface bounded by that path (Defree). Every car has a shaft that ends at a wheel on both ends. The shaft is the long rod powered by the engine that turns the wheels. Engines power the shafts rotation, and this rotation is similar to the rotation needed to power the generator. The basic idea is to merge these two concepts together to make a more efficient vehicle. The relationship between them is that the shaft rotates, just as the rectangular coil in the electric generator rotates. The rectangular coils of wire will be placed on the shaft to rotate like a generator, and there will be many parallel stationary magnets surrounding it to produce the magnetic field. The magnets will remain stationary, while the shaft and the coil turn. The speed at which they turn also accounts for the eventual outcome. At 60 miles per hour, the average car wheel will turn 747 times every minute

Chao 4 (see fig. 2). Depending on the generator, the power generated from it can vary. Larger electric generators Fig. 2. This graph shows the relationship between the speed (miles per hour) and the rotations per minute of the average car wheel (Wheel and Tire Motion Calculator).

require less RPM, but are heavier. The generator will be a direct current generator, because DC generators only require one set of a controller. AC generators typically require 6 sets because of the need to change its polarity 60 times per second, and would become too heavy to retain its efficiency. (The Direct Current Generators)DC generators are also desirable because they were built for generating large amounts of electricity: Most common electrical appliances (e.g., electric light-bulbs, and electric heating elements) work fine on AC electrical power. However, there are some situations in which DC power is preferable. For instance, small electric motors (e.g., those which power food mixers and vacuum cleaners) work very well on AC electricity, but very large electric motors (e.g., those which power subway trains) generally work much better on DC electricity.

Chao 5 Each generator can generate a certain amount of electricity to charge the battery as the car drives depending upon the many variables that affect it. These can be magnet strength, car speed, and etc. Imagine this on 4 wheels now. With four wheels generating electricity as the car drives, it should be sufficient in accomplishing something. This action will save money overall. According to the calculations made, the price of the average electric car for 28 miles was $1.46 as opposed to the average $3.50 per gallon for a normal car (Struck). Both were driven 28 miles and the outcome was that electric cars save a lot more money than gasoline cars do. This reduces the pollution made from carbon emissions and helps the environment, since it is an alternative energy source that does not in any way cause pollution. In this research paper, there have been information given regarding the principle of putting an electric generator on the shaft of the car. By using Faradays Law, and other major concepts, a new design for a better car has been made. This report covered the basic laws of physics including the physics of a generator and how the car works, reviewing the capability to attach a generator onto the wheels of the car itself, and what we gain from this idea. This design shall hopefully succeed in replacing our current cars with an improved and far better developed vehicle, bringing about innovation and inspiration to the world.

Chao 6 Works Cited "AC-DC: Inside the AC Generator." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "Circuit." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. "Dc Generator Commutator Definition, Dc Generator Commutator Meaning | English Dictionary." Dc Generator Commutator Definition. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "DC Generator Images." UStudy. N.p., 2008. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. Deffree, Suzanne. "Faraday Discovers Electromagnetic Induction, August 29, 1831." EDN. N.p., 29 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "Electrical Resistance." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. "Electric Current from a Car Battery." Electric Current from a Car Battery. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. "Electric Current." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. "Electromagnetism." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "How Electric Cars Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. "How to Build an Electric Generator." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013. "Faraday's Law." Sparknotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2013. "Wheel And Tire Motion Calculator." Wheel And Tire Motion Calculator. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. "Multimeter." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. "Ohm's Law." The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. Struck, Doug. "Fuel Cost for Electric Cars: $1.46 per Gallon in State." Boston. N.p., 28 June 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013."Related Electricity & Magnetism Pages." MagLab. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "The Direct Current Generator." The Direct Current Generator. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. "Voltage." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Chao 7 "Wheel And Tire Motion Calculator." Wheel And Tire Motion Calculator. N.p., 15 Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2013.