AboutDan Fink Expertise Though my experience is mostly in the fields of electricity, magnetism, and physics, I have a broad science background. My career is in the field of alternative power sources -- solar, wind, water and battery power. But any questions about electricity, magnetism, energy conservation, power generation, electric motors, and even general physics are very welcome--especially from kids. They ask the best questions of all! I pride myself in answering science questions accurately, with ideas for SAFE, easy experiments that kids can perform by themselves--and that let them prove the answers to their own satisfaction. I think science should be fun, and available to everyone, regardless of age.
Experience I have volunteered in our local public schools for 5 years. I currently make presentations at our schools about electricity and magnetism, with a focus on solar, wind, water and other alternative power sources. I try to demonstrate at our schools how easy it is to make electricity, with simple devices using spinning magnets and coils of wire--powered by wind, water, bicycles, gerbils...etc. And of course solar panels! I am the webmaster of Otherpower.com, an alternative energy website. I have lived 10 miles from the nearest power pole for 11 years--I make all my own electricity from scratch with sun, wind and water.
Question Hi Dan
I was writing a grant and I wanted to explain about how nature helps use certain processes that it repeats each seasonal cycle to regenerate life and new growth
I was wondering if this process has a name or type of energy name
Thanks Pamela
Answer Hi Pamela, OK that explains it.
It's not really a form of energy, but instead demonstrates the law of conservation of energy: You can't ever create or destroy energy, just convert it to another form (and you lose energy each time you change form). So, for the Earth you are looking at the water cycle, and the carbon cycle, there are other cycles too but those 2 are the primary ones.
What about that loss? Ah -- you have energy coming in all the time to replace what was lost, from the sun. I'm in the wind energy business, and have to explain to people all the time--wind energy is really solar energy!
