Angela Zhang

Professor Eser
EGEE 101H
15 January 2015
Initial Essay
Having taken EGEE 102H last semester, I have a basic understanding of energy in that it
describes the capacity to do work. Energy exists in various forms, including chemical, nuclear,
kinetic, and so forth. Units of energy include watt hours, Joules, BTU, and the calorie. Power is
the rate at which work is done, or energy over a period of time, and units of power include
BTU/hr, Watts, and horsepower. In day-to-day contexts, I interpret energy and power as a means
by which a large aspect of society runs on -- from the lights used during the night to the fuel used
in airplane for business travel to the battery in a Smartphone. Because it is so interweaved into
peoples' daily lives and affects them both directly and indirectly, I think it is important to
understand where it comes from and how industries distribute it and put it to use.
Having done basic arithmetic problems on energy conservation with regard to the
residential setting, I found the discussion during the first class on energy with relation to the
social, political, and economic context quite engaging and would be interested to learn more of
that type of information; that is, relating it to a more global context versus a residential one.
Although I am not strong in current events, I would like to understand more of it and to connect
the demands of energy with its practical and economic feasibility. I also expect to learn the
different types of energy, its sources, its status as an available commodity, as well as how energy
is put into use and converted. Also, I hope there to be information on new technologies and
sources of energy as prospective future alternatives.