While the kid’s “ingenuity” is easy to admire, I seriously doubt he is getting 30 minutes of talk time for 2 minutes of spinning. Maybe Jay Tea can figure out how many Joules are needed for 30 minutes of talk time and just how many Joules a hamster can produce in 2 minutes. On top of that, batteries are a notoriously inefficient method for storing energy. Due to losses in the charging process the hamster would have to generate 3-5 times more power than the battery would actually store.
I think the kid probably got a better grade than he deserved.
On top of all that, if you factor in how much food you would need to feed the spinning hamster you would quickly learn that hamster chargers aren’t all that enviromentally friendly.
Remy Logan - 10:08pm on 08/27/2005
I’d have to call BS on that one too, generating power from a spinning hamster wheel is almost meaningles… It takes a lot longer than two minutes on a 110v outlet to charge my phone enough to get 30 minutes of TALK time, not just standby time, out of it… I don’t see the hampster putting out more electricity than a standard outlet or people would be buy hampsters for every home!
Btw, Rob, is your title intended to be a pun that the kid gets “AC” as in the current?
Sphagnum - 07:08am on 08/28/2005
But this way I could use the same hamsters that power my Yugo to power my phone!
Sure, maybe the actual output may be small, but what about the basic idea of finding alternative sources of power? I say you encourage the student to continue down the path they’ve started. It’s unlikely you’ll hit a home run your first time at bat.
modern instances - 07:08am on 08/28/2005
He got downgraded because he copied the idea right from Fred Flintstone.
If he would have used the Jetson’s he’d have received an A Plus Plus with a circle around it.
The Whistler - 09:08am on 08/28/2005
He should have gotten an F- for exploiting that poor, defensless animal! Humanist bastard! Damn, I am laughing so hard Boy thinks I’m having seizure. Got to say, that fuzzy little rat would have to be turning about 2100rpms for an hour to recharge anything as power hungry as a cellphone.
2Hotel9 - 11:08am on 08/28/2005
He deserved the grade he got. The point of science fairs is not to “invent” new things. Its to show that you can understand the principles of scientific method and set up experiments that have variables and recordable results. You could do a very simple and uninteresting project and still do quite well if you know how to do it right. Hell I went to the state finals for one of my science project and all it was was a demonstration on which soaps are better emulsifiers of oil and water. But then again teachers aren’t always the best graders. I recieved a B+ even though I won awards in over 5 competitions with the project.
Andrew - 02:08pm on 08/28/2005
U lot are sad u have to point out every little detail get real 4 gods sake, i mean THE FLINTSTONES ARE A CARTOON DURRRRRRR.
and a c is a good grade how dya think ur making people feel if they also got a c u r degrading people and pete he worked bloody hard on that project hes my friend and all of his mates are supporting him all the way WELL DUN PETE!!!
anon - 01:08am on 08/30/2005
U lot are sad u have to point out every little detail get real 4 gods sake, i mean THE FLINTSTONES ARE A CARTOON DURRRRRRR.
and a c is a good grade how dya think ur making people feel if they also got a c u r degrading people and pete he worked bloody hard on that project hes my friend and all of his mates are supporting him all the way WELL DUN PETE!!!
This is a “D” student.
likwidshoe - 02:08am on 08/30/2005
Geeeeeez! I sure hope this “friend” isn’t of the same grade as “Pete”! Learn to type, my friend!
Sphagnum - 03:08am on 08/30/2005
Well being he is only 16 I think its great he is not just taking drugs. NO at the age of 16 you cant just make something that will stop world hunger and besides he is 16! I really dont think he can get 30 min of standby or talk time out of 2min of cranking, I do know if he used an LED light he could get a lot of time out of that but thats an LED light not a cell phone. But teachers are bad graders they use there own jugment and anyone who has gone to a normal high school should know that. I think he kid is creative and even if it doesnt charge for 30min of use it still helps, and the food doesnt matter its sounds like he had the hamster before and not just got it to make power.
While the kid’s “ingenuity” is easy to admire, I seriously doubt he is getting 30 minutes of talk time for 2 minutes of spinning. Maybe Jay Tea can figure out how many Joules are needed for 30 minutes of talk time and just how many Joules a hamster can produce in 2 minutes. On top of that, batteries are a notoriously inefficient method for storing energy. Due to losses in the charging process the hamster would have to generate 3-5 times more power than the battery would actually store.
I think the kid probably got a better grade than he deserved.
On top of all that, if you factor in how much food you would need to feed the spinning hamster you would quickly learn that hamster chargers aren’t all that enviromentally friendly.
I’d have to call BS on that one too, generating power from a spinning hamster wheel is almost meaningles… It takes a lot longer than two minutes on a 110v outlet to charge my phone enough to get 30 minutes of TALK time, not just standby time, out of it… I don’t see the hampster putting out more electricity than a standard outlet or people would be buy hampsters for every home!
Btw, Rob, is your title intended to be a pun that the kid gets “AC” as in the current?
But this way I could use the same hamsters that power my Yugo to power my phone!
Sure, maybe the actual output may be small, but what about the basic idea of finding alternative sources of power? I say you encourage the student to continue down the path they’ve started. It’s unlikely you’ll hit a home run your first time at bat.
He got downgraded because he copied the idea right from Fred Flintstone.
If he would have used the Jetson’s he’d have received an A Plus Plus with a circle around it.
He should have gotten an F- for exploiting that poor, defensless animal! Humanist bastard! Damn, I am laughing so hard Boy thinks I’m having seizure. Got to say, that fuzzy little rat would have to be turning about 2100rpms for an hour to recharge anything as power hungry as a cellphone.
He deserved the grade he got. The point of science fairs is not to “invent” new things. Its to show that you can understand the principles of scientific method and set up experiments that have variables and recordable results. You could do a very simple and uninteresting project and still do quite well if you know how to do it right. Hell I went to the state finals for one of my science project and all it was was a demonstration on which soaps are better emulsifiers of oil and water. But then again teachers aren’t always the best graders. I recieved a B+ even though I won awards in over 5 competitions with the project.
U lot are sad u have to point out every little detail get real 4 gods sake, i mean THE FLINTSTONES ARE A CARTOON DURRRRRRR.
and a c is a good grade how dya think ur making people feel if they also got a c u r degrading people and pete he worked bloody hard on that project hes my friend and all of his mates are supporting him all the way WELL DUN PETE!!!
U lot are sad u have to point out every little detail get real 4 gods sake, i mean THE FLINTSTONES ARE A CARTOON DURRRRRRR.
and a c is a good grade how dya think ur making people feel if they also got a c u r degrading people and pete he worked bloody hard on that project hes my friend and all of his mates are supporting him all the way WELL DUN PETE!!!
This is a “D” student.
Geeeeeez! I sure hope this “friend” isn’t of the same grade as “Pete”! Learn to type, my friend!
Well being he is only 16 I think its great he is not just taking drugs. NO at the age of 16 you cant just make something that will stop world hunger and besides he is 16! I really dont think he can get 30 min of standby or talk time out of 2min of cranking, I do know if he used an LED light he could get a lot of time out of that but thats an LED light not a cell phone. But teachers are bad graders they use there own jugment and anyone who has gone to a normal high school should know that. I think he kid is creative and even if it doesnt charge for 30min of use it still helps, and the food doesnt matter its sounds like he had the hamster before and not just got it to make power.