CHAPTER I

This chapter serves as an introduction to the study and what it is all about. The
chapter opens with a brief background of the study, and then, deals with the questions to be
addressed, the limitations or specifications of the study, its purpose and significance.
Afterwards, some terms, which may need clarification, are defined.

A. Background of the Study

a. Electric Generator

In this study two simple, AC electric generators were constructed as the two set-ups of
the experiment. Electric generators, or simply generators, are devices which convert
mechanical energy, obtained from an external source, into electrical energy as the output.
There are two types of generators according to the current of electricity they produce. A
direct current (DC) generator produces direct current, in which the electrical current only
flows in one direction. DC current is used by many digital electronic devices. However, this
study does not focus on DC generators, instead it the focuses on alternating current (AC)
generators, which produces an electrical current that periodically reverses direction. Most
homes are wired for AC, which means, the electricity in wall sockets comes in alternating
current even though most digital electronic devices use DC. The reason for this is that it is
more efficient to transmit high voltages of AC than DC electricity; there is lower loss of
energy due to heat or resistance in the wires. Consequently, most -if not all- electronic
devices take in AC electricity; if DC is needed to power a device it simply takes in AC
electricity and converts it to the required current by a power adapter. For the reason that AC
is the commonly used current, the study made use of two AC generators -one generator is
operated by rotating a handle (referred to as rotational generator), while the other generator is
operated by sliding a handle back and forth (referred to as linear generator). In both set-ups
two hands are used to operate the generator.

i
 b. Human Power

Human power or the force exerted by a person has been in use for a long time. History
records a number of machines which makes use of human power to operate. One machine,
called a treadwheel, can multiply the human input force into about a 14 times higher output
force, this means that a person, with the machine, could do more with less effort. However,
these early, human-powered machines are now considered ‘antique’. In the present,
electricity powers almost every kind of machine for electricity is a more flexible form of
energy; it has a lot of capabilities. The source of electricity, as previously stated, is a
generator. However, generators produce electricity not without source. According to the law
of conservation of energy, no energy is created nor destroyed, therefore, generators simply
convert one form of energy, usually mechanical, to electrical energy. The mechanical energy
has to be supplied; in large, commercial generators, it is provided by the wind, a current of
water, an internal combustion engine, etc., turning a turbine. Capturing these sources of
mechanical energy require massive constructions, such as a large dam for hydroelectric
power plants, large blades for wind turbines and deep boreholes for geothermal power plants.
This study diverts from that current trend. Instead of constructing structures to capture energy
from the wind, etc., hand-operated generators were constructed to harness human power and
generate electricity.

c. Human-Powered Generators

Several related studies have been conducted to harness human power to generate
electricity. One study argues that human-powered generators are not efficient in terms of
producing electricity. The main arguments of that study are:

1.) Human-powered generators produce such small amount of electricity

(3 kilowatt-hours per month if operated for 1 hour everyday.
2.) Human-powered generators do not save money since a large amount of
electricity to power a house still comes from the grid.
3.) Human-powered generators produce more waste because a person who
will power it needs more calories; more calories means more food intake
and more food intake means more pollution from food production.

ii
 4.) Human-powered generators are inefficient; more energy is wasted than
converted to electricity.

Another study (this study involved athletes who exercised on equipment that convert
mechanical energy to electricity) argues with almost the same points –human-powered
generators are inefficient, time-consuming and impractical. However, this study is different
as it does not aim to construct a generator that can power a whole household, it is obvious
that human power is not enough, instead, it aims to construct a human-powered generator
which can produce electricity only enough to power chargers of simple, essential, electrical
devices because until now, millions of people still do not have access to even the smallest
amount of electricity.

d. Problems with Electricity

Electricity may cost so much that people cannot afford it. However, cost is not the
only cause of lack of access to electricity; reasons vary, ranging from high tax rate to
distribution difficulties. Around the world, 1.2 billion people - 16% of the global population –
did not have access to electricity in 2016. In the Philippines alone, 16 million people do not
have access to electricity. More than 95% of those without access to electricity are in either
sub-Saharan African or developing Asia. Moreover, 80% of these people are in rural areas;
there is a significant difference in the electrification rate of rural and urban settings.

Another problem regarding electricity production is the adverse effects it poses to the
environment. Some methods of producing electricity are harmful to the environment,
especially burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, which release greenhouse
gasses to the atmosphere contributing to the global issue of climate change.

Electricity is crucial for people to live comfortably. A small amount of electricity can
power a light bulb to provide light during the dark night, an even smaller amount of
electricity can charge a phone to allow long distance communication, but with 1.2 billion
people not having access to electricity, how can they benefit from the myriad uses of
electricity? There are many accounts of entire towns not having access to electricity. The
residents of these towns go as far as walking several kilometers just to access an electrical
outlet and charge their flashlights and portable radios.

iii
 This study aims to tackle the stated issues related with electricity production. It is the
first step towards providing free and sustainable electricity to those without access to grid-
electricity by constructing a simple, efficient, mechanically-operated generator.

iv
B. Statement of the Problem

The study aims to answer the following questions:

1.How much electricity can the generators, operated by a person with his/her two hands at a
relaxed manner, produce?

2.Is the electricity produced by the generators enough to charge simple, essential, electrical
devices?

3.How does the gender of the person operating the generator affect the amount of electricity
produced?

4.Which is the easier generator to operate, the rotational or the linear generator? Does the
easier generator to operate necessarily produce more electricity or otherwise?

5. Is the electricity produced worth the effort exerted?

C. Scope and Delimitation

The study made use of simple, efficient, mechanically-operated AC electrical

generators, each with 5 meters of copper winding and two 8 centimeter diameter, ceramic
magnets. The generators were operated with the two hands at a relaxed manner for a period
of one minute. The average and max voltage and amperage were recorded. The average
voltage and amperage were used to determine the average wattage. The max voltage and
amperage were used to determine the max wattage. The average wattage was used in
comparing the amount of electricity produced by each respondent. The max wattage was used
to determine the maximum capacity of the generators. The respondents were limited to six
students (3 girls, 3 boys) of Philippine School (Bahrain) whose age is 16 years old at the time
of experimentation. This is the age we have determined most reliable among the limited,
available ages in the junior high school department. The experiment was conducted in room
temperature, while the respondents were seated on a chair.

v
D. Purpose of the Study

The study was conducted mainly to determine how much electricity the mechanically-
operated AC generators can produce in average. The data proves whether or not the
electricity produced is enough to charge simple, essential, electrical devices. The study also
aims to determine the difference between the amount of electricity the generator produces
when operated by a girl and a boy. This is for the purpose of suggesting the more productive
operator. In order to construct the most efficient generator, however, a survey was conducted
to determine the easier method of operating the generators. Lastly, to confirm that the
generators are truly efficient, respondents were asked whether or not they approve of exerting
effort to produce a minute amount of electricity. These are all aimed to construct a simple,
efficient, mechanically-operated AC generator.

E. Significance of the Study

The study, as previously stated, aims to construct a simple, efficient, mechanically-

operated AC generator with cheap materials; simple so that everyone who needs electricity
can use it, efficient so that little or no resources will be wasted and mechanical so that it can
be operated with little or no fuel cost at all. This is the first step towards the ultimate aim of
providing electricity to those without access to grid-electricity.

vi
F. Hypotheses

Question no. 2

H A - The electricity produced by the generators is enough to charge simple, essential,

electrical devices.
H O - The electricity produced by the generators is not enough to charge simple, essential,
electrical devices.

Question no. 3

H A - There is an observable relationship between gender and the amount of electricity

produced by a person.
H O - There is no observable relationship between gender and the amount of electricity
produced by a person

Question no. 4

H A - There is a significant relationship between the difficulty of operation and the amount of
electricity produced the generators.
H O - There is no significant relationship between the difficulty of operation and the amount
of electricity produced by the generators.

Question no. 5

H A - The electricity produced is worth the effort exerted.

H O - The electricity produced is not worth the effort exerted.

vii
G. Definition of Terms

1. AC · alternating current, a type of current wherein the voltage periodically reverses

direction.
2. Amperage · the strength of an electric current measured in amperes
3. Borehole · hole drilled in the earth
4. Ceramic magnets · permanent magnets, also called ferrite magnets, composed of
strontium carbonate and iron oxide, charcoal gray in color
5. Climate change · change in the typical weather
6. Combustion engine · an engine which generates mechanical power by combustion of a
fuel.
7. Commercial · suitable for a wide, popular market
8. Construction · something built or put together; structure
9. Convert · to change from one form to another
10. Copper winding · copper wire in shape of a coil or a spiral
11. Current, electrical · rate at which electrical charge flows past a point on a circuit, in this
study, measured in milliamperes.
12. Dam · a barrier built across a river or a stream to confine and utilize the flow of water
13. Developing country · a country having a standard of living or level of industrial
production well below; a country that is not yet industrialized
14. Electric generators · a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy
15. Electricity · flow of electric charge
16. Electrification rate · ratio of people who have access to electricity
17. Energy · capacity of a physical system to do work
18. Fuel · substance that burns to release energy
19. Geothermal · relating to the internal heat of the earth
20. Greenhouse gas · any gas whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the
greenhouse effect
21. Grid-electricity · electricity provided by a network of power providers
22. Hydroelectric · pertaining to the generation and distribution of electricity derived from
water or any other hydraulic source
23. Law of conservation of energy · a basic law of physics which states that in a closed
system, the amount of energy is fixed

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24. Machine · a device that makes mechanical work easier
25. Mechanical · relating to physical forces or motion
26. Operator · a person who operates or uses an equipment or machine, in this study, the
generators
27. Power adapter · a device which converts specific measurements of electricity to the
required specifications of a device for it to function
28. Power plant · industrial location utilized for the generation and distribution of electricity
29. Relaxed manner · comfortable way and done with little exertion
30. Resistance, electrical · opposition to the passage of an electric wire through a conductor
31. Resources · source of supply
32. Rotating · turn on an axis; revolve
33. Rural · adjective · relating to characteristics of the countryside; sparsely populated,
outside the limits of a city or town, usually with farms, vegetation and open spaces
34. Sliding · move smoothly along a fixed linear path
35. Transmit · allow to pass and be sent from one place to another; transfer
36. Treadwheel · a wheel turned by treading, climbing or pushing with the feet upon its face
37. Turbine · a machine that transforms rotational energy into usable work or energy
38. Urban · relating to characteristics of a town or city, as opposed to rural
39. Voltage · potential difference or electrical force across an electrical component measured
in volts
40. Wattage · amount of electrical power measured in watts

ix
 CHAPTER II

This chapter tackles detailed information about the research that was conducted. It
begins with the materials and tools used. Then, the methods, the setting, the sampling
procedures and the design of the research are discussed. It ends with the data gathering
instruments and data analysis procedures.

A. Materials

To construct the generators, the following materials were utilized:

1. Ceramic magnet

Also known as ferrite magnet, this type of magnet is the cheapest permanent magnet
and is available in different shapes. It produces a moderate magnetic field and can be
used at fairly high temperatures. Each of the two generators is fitted with two ring-
shaped ceramic magnets, 8cm in diameter and 2cm in thickness. These magnets produce
the electromagnetic force needed to induce a current on the copper wire windings.

2. Copper wire

Copper wire is an efficient electric conductor with low resistance and high ductility.
The copper wires used in the generators are of the stranded type for easy manipulation
(the wires needed to be bent and twisted). Approximately 5 meters of uninsulated,
stranded copper wire, taken from old extension cords, was used for the linear generator.

3. Rotor

A rotor is the part of an electric motor which rotates. It is made up of copper coils
mounted on an axle and includes a commutator which directs the current to the brushes.
The rotor used in the rotational generator is made up of 5 meters of copper wire. It was
derived from the motor of an old vacuum cleaner.

4. Carbon brushes

Carbon brushes are sliding contacts used to transmit electric current from the rotating
rotor to a static wire. Carbon brushes are typically used in lower current and lower speed

x
applications. For the rotational generators, two carbon brushes with spring, from the
same vacuum cleaner as the rotor, were used.

xi
5. PVC pipe

PVC or polyvinyl chloride pipe is a tube made from a combination of plastic and
vinyl. These pipes are durable, difficult to damage and long lasting. They do not rust, rot
or wear over time, therefore, very appropriate as the handles of the two generators. The
pipes used are 3.9 cm in diameter.

B. Tools

The following tools were used to construct the generators:

1. Pliers

A pliers is hand tool having a pair of pivoted jaws, used for holding, bending or
cutting. It was used to remove insulation, to bend and to cut copper wires.

2. Drilling machine

A hand tool used for making holes. It was used to drill holes on a board to attach the
parts of the rotational generator.

3. Screwdriver
A hand tool used for turning a screw. It was used to tighten screws to keep the parts of
the rotational generators in place.

4. Hammer
A hand tool used for striking or pounding. It was used to hammer nails into a board to
keep the parts of the rotational generators in place.

5. Handsaw
A manual tool used to cut materials, usually wood or metal. It was used to cut a board
into a specific size for the rotational generator.

6. Foot rule
A one foot ruler which was used to measure the required lengths.

xii
C. Methods

The following steps were followed to conduct the study:

1. Gather and prepare the required materials and tools.

2. Construct the two set-ups.
a. Linear Generator
1. Measure the thickness of the magnets.
2. In a cylindrical container, measure from both ends the thickness
of the magnets.
3. Measure the PVC pipe. It should be one and three-fourths the
length of the container
4. Attach the magnet to the middle of the PVC pipe.
5. Measure 5 meters of copper wire.
6. Wind the 5 meter copper wire around the middle of the
container. The ends should be apart from each other.
7. Place the PVC pipe with the magnet inside the container. The
ends of the PVC pipe must protrude from the cylinder. These ends are
the handles.
b. Rotational Generator
1. Make a 6 by 6 inches box with one face open.
2. Cut a board measuring 6 inches by 6 inches.
3. Fix the rotor on its bearings on the center of the board.
4. Fix the attracting sides (north and sound) of the magnets on the
board at the two sides of the rotor.
5. Fix the carbon brushes on the board with the two ends touching
the commutator.
6. On the other end of the rotor, attach the PVC pipe handle.
7. Measure a circle, the size of the PVC pipe, on the middle of the
previously prepared box. Cut it out so that the PVC pipe can be
inserted in the hole.
8. Fix the box on the board to cover the parts of the generator
(magnets and rotor)

xiii
 3. Test the functionality of the two set ups. Check if the generators work and measure
the range of the amount of electricity it can produce.
4. Select the respondents and prepare the survey form.
5. Conduct the experiment.
a. Linear Generator (to be repeated for each respondent)
1. Call on the first respondent.
2. Set the timer to one minute and the multimeter to millivolts (the
multimeter setting depends on the range measured previously in step 3).
3. Brief the respondent about what needs to be done.
4. Allow the respondent to operate the linear generator for one
minute.
5. Record the average voltage and amperage.
b. Rotational Generator (to be repeated for each respondent)
1. Call on the respondent.
2. Set the timer to one minute and the multimeter to millivolts (the
multimeter setting depends on the range measured previously in step 3).
3. Brief the respondent about what needs to be done.
4. Allow the respondent to operate the rotational generator for one
minute.
5. Record the average voltage and amperage.
6. Organize the recorded data into tables and calculate the means of the linear generator,
rotational generator, boy and girl.

7. Plot the means in graphs, compare and interpret.

D. Research Environment

The respondents were brought to a station composed of a table, where the generator was
placed, and a chair for the respondent to sit on. The table and chair are at a fixed height and
constant for all the respondents. The approximate temperature at the station was room
temperature and was also kept constant throughout the experiment.

xiv
E. Sampling Procedures and Samples

The study involved six respondents, chosen by convenience, who were sixteen years old
at the time of the experimentation. Sixteen is the ideal age for the study as it is the age
between childhood and adulthood. The numbers below or less than the data gathered from the
respondents signify the estimated data that could have been collected from younger
respondents, inversely, the numbers above or greater than the data gathered from the
respondents signify the data that could have been collected from older respondents. The
determined, ideal sample age eliminated the need to involve more respondents from different
age groups, thus lessening the time required for the experimentation. Of the six respondents,
there were three boys and three girls for equal gender representation.

F. Research Design

The study is descriptive and quantitative in nature. The study aims to describe or
accurately determine the average amount of electricity the generators produce, hence the
descriptive classification. It is quantitative for specific numerical measurements were
gathered and the variables used are ratios with the zero having true value, meaning no
electricity was produced. Below is the table of variables of the study.

Constant Variables Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Handle thickness 2 types of generator Amount of electricity
Handle surface according to method of produced in watts
Length of copper winding operation (rotational and
Thickness of magnet linear generator)
Gender of respondents (boy Amount of electricity
Diameter of magnet
and girl) produced in watts
Station set up
Station temperature
Manner of operation
(relaxed)

xv
G. Data Gathering Instruments

The data gathered from the experiment was the amount of electricity produced by the
generators. This is measured in watts, which is equal to the product of the voltage and
amperage, hence a multimeter was used to measure the volts and amperes. To keep the
amount of time a respondent operates the generator constant, a countdown timer set in 1
minute was used.

H. Data Analysis Procedures

Due to the quantitative nature of the study, the statistical tool used was the mean. The
mean determined the middle point or the average amount of electricity the generators can
produce. The mean was calculated for each set-up or each type of generator (linear and
rotational) and for each gender (boy and girl). These means were used in comparing the
capacity of the generators. The overall mean of the amount of electricity produced by the
generators was also calculated to determine the average capacity of both the linear and
rotational generators.

xvi
 CHAPTER III

This chapter discusses the results of the experiment that was conducted. Several
graphs are presented to visualize the data, followed by some interpretation. Afterwards, the
conclusion is given with the suggested recommendations.

A. Results

Maximum watts produced by the generators

0.000087808 0.000051072 0.000133760
0.000057344 0.000057600 0.000582912
0.000076096 0.000011648 0.000028160
0.000034352 0.000016128 0.000016128
Average = 0.000096084 watts
Table 1 Maximum watts produced by the generators each trial

Table 1 shows the maximum watts produced by the linear and rotational generators
each trial. The calculated average is 0.000096084 watts which is a very small amount of
electricity; it will not be able to power any device. The constructed generators, therefore, are
inefficient.

0 Boys
Girls
0

0
Average watts produced

Graph 1 Average Watts Produced by the Generators According to the Gender of the
Operator

Graph 1 shows the average watts produced by the generators when operated by a boy
and a girl. Evidently, the boys produce more electricity than the girls (3.07 times more than
the girls). This might be due to the muscular strength of boys, however, this does not mean
that boys are superior to girls.

xvii
 0

0
Linear generator
0 Rotational generator

0
Watts produced by each generator

Graph 2 Average Watts Produced by the Generators According to the Method of

Operation

Graph 2 shows the average watts produced by the linear generator side by side with
the rotational generator. The linear generator is significantly more productive than the
rotational generator; it is able to produce almost twice (1.97 times) the amount of electricity
produced by the rotational generator.

3.5

2.5

2
Linear generator
1.5 Rotational generator

0.5

0
Number of respondents who prefer the method

Graph 3 Number of Respondents who Prefer a Certain Method

Graph 3 shows the number of respondents who prefer a certain method. The linear
and rotational generators are equally preferred by the respondents. What is not shown in the
graph is that the boy respondents prefer the linear generator and the girl respondents prefer
the rotational generator. However, since what is desired is the common preference, gender
was not considered and both the generators receive equal approval.

xviii
xix
 WEBLIOGRAPHY

Chapter 1

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xx
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xxi
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Chapter 2

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xxii
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11. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/screwdriver

12. http://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/manufacturing_process_equipment/hand_powe

r_assembly_tools/hand_saws

13.

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