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Effect of temperature settings on energy efficiency of a hair dryer. Angela Taylor Bellwood-Antis High School Grade 11. Problem. I wanted to find out if a hair dryer is more energy efficient on the hot or cold temperature setting. How a Hair Dryer Works.
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Effect of temperature settings on energy efficiency of a hair dryer Angela Taylor Bellwood-Antis High School Grade 11
Problem • I wanted to find out if a hair dryer is more energy efficient on the hot or cold temperature setting.
How a Hair Dryer Works http://www.petervaldivia.com/technology/electricity/electrical-power.php
Power of Hair Dryers • Wattage=power setting • Hair dryers range from 600 to 2500 watts • Mine is rated at 1875 watts • Higher wattage uses energy faster • Higher fan speed=more watts • Higher heat setting=more watts
Evaporation • Process in which atoms/molecules in liquid state gain enough kinetic energy to become a gas http://www.tonywhiddon.org
Temperature vs. Speed • Cold setting=lower wattage • Less energy=more efficient • Evaporation happens faster at higher temps-less time needed • Higher temperature=more efficient
Hypothesis • I think the hair dryer will be less energy efficient on the cold setting because it will take much longer to evaporate all the water.
General Procedure • Measure energy used to dry 15mL of water in a Petri dish for 15 minutes on both the hot and cold setting as well as high and low fan speed • Weigh dish before and after to find amount evaporated
Experimental Design • Experimental Variables: • Different temperature settings • Experimental Groups: • Hot Temp/High Fan settings, Hot/Low settings, Cold/High settings, Cold/Low settings • Control Group: • Petri dish of water allowed to dry for 15 minutes without the hair dryer
Control Variables • Hair dryer at set length from water • 15mL of water • Same hair dryer • 15 minutes of drying time • Always inside (same location in the room)
Humidity and Evaporation • More humidity=less evaporation • Important because if the room I tested in is too humid, the tests won’t accurately reflect the amount of water that could be evaporated in 15 minutes.
Procedure: Analyze Data • Find the amount of evaporated water
Standardizing Data • Set up a proportion to find out how much energy is needed to completely dry the water • Ex: High/Hot: • 15g * 0.092kWh= 1.38 kWh for 15 g 1 g • You wouldn’t just dry 15 minutes worth of water
Petri dish is not realistic Tried hair. Further Trials
Conclusion • In a Petri dish, the low/cool settings are the most energy efficient. • On real hair, high/hot was least efficient, but the other three weren’t statistically different • I reject my hypothesis that cold would be the least efficient
Improvements • Hair had a high standard deviation • Hard to standardize/weigh • Shorten distance • Not realistic
Sources • http://atoc.colorado.edu/~englishj/Humidity.htm 1-31-11 • http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/style/hair-dryer.htm 1-2-11 • http://www.petervaldivia.com/technology/electricity/electrical-power.php 2-1-11 • http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/e/evaporation.htm 12-28-10 • http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564927_blow-dryer-work.html 1-2-11 • http://www.webchem.net/notes/how_far/kinetics/maxwell_boltzmann.htm 12-28-10
Standard Deviation • =Sum • Xav=Average • Xi= Trial • N =# of Trials • (Xav-Xi)2 • N-1
Materials • Hair Dryer • Ring stand • Petri dish • Graduated cylinder • Pitcher • Force meter • Hair sample • Physics books • Kill-a-watt meter
Data • Petri Dish • Hot air • High setting • 1: hair dryer wasn’t steady or lined up; water spilled • 2: hair dryer wasn’t lined up; water spilled • Decided to measure masking tape square to align dryer with dish • 3: With masking tape square; water did not spill; evaporated 1.7g, used .12kwh in 5 minutes
Evaporative Cooling • As evaporation occurs, temp of liquid decreases • As faster-moving molecules escape, remaining molecules have lower kinetic energy • This is why sweat cools the human body • Explains why the water in my experiment was cooler, even after having hot air blown on it for 15 minutes.