ENERGY USE ADDS UP ACTIVITY
GRADE LEVELS: 9-12
SUBJECT AREAS: Math, economics, social studies
CONCEPT: Producing energy costs us money, affects our
environment, and produces waste products.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the amount of power used in your home
and what appliances use the most.
MATERIALS: Handout: ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF
APPLIANCES - home, school, or apartment to assess
KEYWORDS: Kilowatt hour, wattage
BACKGROUND:
As you will see upon completion of this activity, we use a lot of energy in our lives. Something as simple as leaving the television on for 8 hours can cost us 2656 watts. We tend to flip a switch without thinking about the source of the energy or the waste products produced as a result of our use. What are the environmental effects of power produced by water, burning, wind, sun, or nuclear reactions?
PROCEDURE:
Using the attached list, check off the appliances you and your family use. List any others not included. (Check for wattage printed on the UNPLUGGED appliance).
Estimate your hours of usage and find the total consumption per day.
Find out the cost and source (oil, coal, gas, hydroelectric, nuclear) of
energy from your local utility company, and add up your average daily energy cost. Then check off the appliances you think you could do without or use less, such as turning off the T.V. when no one is watching it. Compare the new list with the original:
1. What are the environmental costs per kilowatt hour consumed?
2. What are the sources of energy? (i.e. solar, nuclear, coal)
3. Where does the waste from energy generation go? (i.e. ash, nuclear
waste)
FOLLOW-UP:
Explore the waste products produced by the use of power from water,
wind, nuclear, burning of waste or other fuel source, batteries, sun or others.
(SEE ATTACHED SHEET FOR HANDOUT)
ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF APPLIANCES
Item Average Wattage/hour
Air Conditioner 1,566
Blanket, electric 177
Boiler 1,436
Clock 2
Clothes dryer 5,000
Coffee maker 1,225
Dehumidifier 257
Dishwasher 1,201
Disposal (sink) 445
Fan 200
Food Blender 386
Food freezer 375
(15-21 cu. ft., conventional)
Food freezer 562
(15-21 cu. ft., frost-free)
Frying pan 1,196
Heater, portable 1,322
Humidifier 117
Iron 1,088
Lighting 100
ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF APPLIANCES
(PART 2)
Microwave oven 1,500
Personal computer 50
Radio 71
Range 12,207
Refrigerator 615
(16-18 cu. ft., frost-free)
Self-cleaning oven 2,500
Sewing machine 75
Television, color 332
Toaster 1,146
Vacuum cleaner 630
VCR 40
Washing machine 512
Water heater, quick recovery 4,500
------
.