The Invention Of The Industrial Revolution - 1204 Words

The Industrial Revolution took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. During this time mankind made the switch from hand-made to machine-made production methods. The steam engine, later replaced by the internal combustion engine, made this possible. The power source of these machines is burning fossil fuels, such as crude oil, natural gas, and coal. When fossil fuels are burnt, gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and halocarbons are released. These are known as greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases trap solar radiation in the earth’s atmosphere and cause the planet to warm. If there were no greenhouse gases in earth’s atmosphere the surface of the planet would freeze at night. Too much green house gas also has negative†¦show more content†¦A green commute can range from carpooling and public transit to hybrid and electric vehicles. Carpooling, public transit, and hybrid cars reduce the amount of fuel per person used to get to a destination. On th e other hand, electric cars use energy stored in batteries and therefore have no need to burn fossil fuels as a power source. The electric motor is also much more efficient at energy conversion than the internal combustion engine. Tesla Motors, an American electric car design and manufacturing company, made headlines when they released the first fully electric sports car known as the Tesla Roadster. Tesla’s website explains the difference between their electric motor and conventional car engines. In an internal combustion engine, â€Å"Combustion is used to convert the chemical energy into thermal energy. Pistons convert the thermal energy to the mechanical work that turns the wheels. The conversion process is, at best, 35% efficient. The majority of the energy stored in the gasoline is lost as heat† (â€Å"Efficiency,† n.d.). In comparison, an electric car converts chemical energy from batteries into electrical energy. â€Å"Converting the chemical energy to f ree electrons (electrical energy) can be greater than 90% efficient – some energy is lost to heat in cells and other battery pack components such as current conductors and fuses. The remaining components of the Tesla powertrain – the drive inverter and motor – are also extremely