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A Machine to Die For is a documentary about perpetual motion that showcases different inventors, each of whom is striving to create a perpetual motion machine. The documentary could be used as a resource when studying motion and simple machines in secondary science and physics. It could also serve as a springboard for discussions about inventors and inventions and the history of scientic endeavours. It would be suitable for teachers of middle to senior secondary students in Science (Physical Sciences), History and Materials Technology.
Machine to Die For is about the search for perpetual motion and free energy. Conventional science claims this is impossible, yet generations of inventors have been mesmerised by the promise of an engine that powers itself. The worlds reliance on diminishing fossil fuel resources and the associated problems of pollution serve to spur them on. A Machine to Die For showcases a number of dedicated, sometimes eccentric, and always obsessive individuals who have devoted their lives to this quest.
ISSUE 36 SCREEN EDUCATION
The recurring centrepiece is ex-car mechanic Aldo Costa, who has spent some fty years building a giant ve story high fuel-less Ferris wheel that he believes will run forever.
In Norway Ryder Findsrud, an artist and sculptor, has designed and built the ultimate Perpetual Motion machine. This combination of pulleys, pendulums, magnets and weights has, he contends, been continually on the move for six years. There is a recluse in Canada who believes the secrets of Perpetual Motion were given to him by aliens. A British inventor, John Searl, has been working on a free energy ying machine that can apparently do the London/New York run in under half an hour. An inventor in Seattle, Doug Konzen, believes he can get batteries to recharge themselves faster than they discharge, and another who has a machine that puts out some thousand times more power than is required to run it. Eric Kreig is a compassionate but righteous debunker who has dedicated his life to puncturing folly. He is offering a $10,000 prize for the rst Perpetual Motion Machine, and provides a dose of healthy scepticism throughout the documentary. Prof. Edmund Storm, who worked at Los Alomos on nuclear projects, states: New ideas are very frequently
generated by people who are very strange and it is easy to reject their ideas just by virtue of their strange personalities. Is there really not that much difference between these inventors and conventional scientists? Great ideas and great inventions are all guesses; all begin in faith and are nurtured by optimism, and advance in the teeth of resistance. And who should tell a crusader when to stop?
Look at the key words below and discuss the meanings with your teacher or your classmates. - perpetual - Fossil fuels - pollution - famine - patent - sceptic - motion - conspiracy - unorthodox - utopia - obsession
The seekers after perpetual motion are trying to get something from nothing. Sir Isaac Newton Scientists look for patterns in nature and they develop general laws or rules to help understand the world around us. About 300 years ago, Sir Isaac Newton formulated a law that stated that energy could not be created from nothing. This became the First Law of Thermodynamics. Later, two other laws of Thermodynamics were developed. The British scientist and author C.P. Snow had an excellent way of remembering the three laws: 1. You cannot win. 2. You cannot break even. 3. You cannot get out of the game. Research the three laws of thermo
dynamics. Write down at least two different wordings for each law, then write the laws in your own words (like C.P. Snow did). Explain why the quest for perpetual motion and free energy is outside the laws of physics.
Energy Conversions
There are many different types of energy. Brainstorm as many as you can think of and write them down. What is meant by the term potential energy? How many different forms of potential energy can you think of?
Measuring energy
Energy is dened as the ability to do work (bring about a change). Energy in foods can be measured in a unit called a calorie. A calorie is the amount of heat required to raise one gram of water through one degree Celsius. The accepted unit of measurement for energy is now the Joule. Find two different denitions for a Joule How many calories are there in one
Many machines convert energy from one form into another: Show the energy conversions that take place in the following machines by completing Table 01 (also include all wasted energy that you can think of).
Machine e.g . Hair dryer Internal combustion engine (car) Battery Television Toaster Wind generator Solar cell Bicycle A pendulum clock
Wasted sound
Fossil Fuels
In the documentary, the narrator states that: The (perpetual motion) machine is a real threat to those individuals, companies and countries whose fortunes have been underpinned by gas, oil and coal plus perhaps, others who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Research fossil fuels: Why are coal, oil and natural gas called fossil fuels? What are the main countries that produce fossil fuels? What does OPEC stand for? What are the main uses of fossil fuels? What are greenhouse gases? What is the relationship between greenhouse gases and fossil fuels? Why are fossil fuels considered non-renewable resources?
List the problems that might be solved if all energy was free. What are the problems that might be caused if all energy was free? Some people contend that wars have been fought to protect different countries interest in the fossil fuel industry. Research and discuss. (Watch Michael Moores lm Fahrenheit 9/11 and discuss his contentions about the USAs involvement in wars in the Middle East.)
Make an electromagnet
WHAT YOU NEED: A large nail or bolt A long piece of insulated wire 2 x 1.5 volt batteries (D cells) A packet of paper clips WHAT TO DO: Strip the insulation from each end of the wire. Wind the wire around the nail at least 15 times, leaving at least 10cm of wire free at each end. Connect the two stripped ends of the wire to the opposite ends of the battery. Hold the nail close to a small pile of paper clips. Record the number of paper clips you were able to pick up. Now change the number of coils of wire and note how this affects the number of paper clips you can pick up. Try connecting two batteries and see how this affects the electromagnet. (DO NOT leave the electromagnet connected to the battery for extended periods as it may become quite hot.)
Free energy
The use of renewable energy sources is becoming more common. Sunlight and wind are free sources of energy. Solar water heaters are supplementing or replacing conventional hot water services in many places. Solar cells are being used to generate electricity in many places, especially in remote locations where powerlines are unavailable. The erection of banks of wind generators (wind farms) is causing controversy in many coastal areas. Research solar cells. Explain how they work, the recent improvements in their efciency and common applications. Research the arguments for and against wind farms. Justify your opinion on wind farms.
Economy of oil
Discuss what you think is meant by the term the economy of oil. Use your energy bills, transport costs and petrol costs to estimate how much your household spends directly on energy per week. List the indirect energy costs that you meet each week.
For each battery work out the value for money by dividing the time it lasted (in minutes) by the cost (in cents). Which battery was the best value for money?
WHAT TO DO: Insert a copper strip into one end of the lemon and a zinc strip into the other end. Use the wires to connect the metal strips to the volt meter and measure the electrical potential. Try connecting several lemons in a series circuit and measure the potential. (It is recommended that it takes about twenty lemons to light a small globe!) Try other fruit and vegetables.
Rechargeable batteries
Car batteries are rechargeable. They are used to produce the electricity needed to start a car and to run the electrical appliances in your car. The movement of the cars engine is used to generate extra electricity to recharge the batteries. What equipment in you car runs on electricity? Investigate lead acid accumulators (car batteries) and explain how they work. If car batteries are constantly being recharged, explain why they eventually go at.
Design and draw your own perpetual motion machine (it can be as fantastic as you wish). Explain how it might work. How would it change the world?
and those that failed. He is sometimes called a man out of time. What do you think this means? Are the inventors in the documentary out of their time? Find out more at: http://nickf.com/tesla.htm http://pbs.org/tesla/tt/index.html
John Searle http://www.unexplained-mysteries. com/articlejohnsearle.shtml Tilley and Kibbey http://www.greaterthings.com/News/ Tilley/fraud/index.html Redheffers machine http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/ redheffer.html Finsrud machine http://www.theverylastpageoftheinternet.com/magneticDev/nsrud/nsrud. htm Pennie Stoyles has had 12 years experience teaching all aspects of science in secondary schools. Currently she manages the provision of education programs at Scienceworks museum in Melbourne. She has a strong interest in science communication and has published two series of science library books for school aged children. This study guide was produced by ATOM. For more information about ATOM study guides, The Education Shop, The Speakers Bureau or Screen Hub (the daily online lm and television newsletter) visit our web site: www.metromagazine.com.au or email: damned@netspace.net.au Notice: An educational institution may make copies of all or part of this Study Guide, provided that it only makes and uses copies as reasonably required for its own educational, non-commercial, classroom purposes and does not sell or lend such copies.
Skeptics
Eric Krieg is a sceptic. He does not believe that perpetual motion is possible and he is so convinced that he is offering a $10,000 prize to the rst person who can demonstrate such a machine to him. Discuss what you think is meant by the term healthy scepticism. Do you think Eric Krieg was convinced by any of the machines that he saw? Were you convinced by any of the machines you saw?
In Australia and many other countries there are Associations of Skeptics. Find out about the activities of the Australian Skeptics. What is their $100,000 psychic challenge?
Historically there have been people who were ridiculed or persecuted for their new ideasideas that are now accepted in mainstream science. For example, Copernicus and Galileo were unable to publish their ideas about astronomy for fear of persecution from the Catholic Church. Write a short summary of the issues, including previously held ideas and the evidence for the changed viewpoint. Comment on the politics of the issue. Find out more at:
General resources
The Perpetual Motion Page http://manor.york.ac.uk/htdocs/perpetual/perpetual.html Erics History of Perpetual Motion http://www.phact.org/e/dennis4.html A description of perpetual motion http://www.kilty.com/pmotion.htm The Museum of Unworkable devices http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/museum/unwork.htm Finsrud Perpetual motion machine http://www.keelynet.com/energy/nsrud.htm Strange Machines http://home.xnet.com/~blatura/skep_ 8.html
http://home.cwru.edu/~sjr16/pre20th_ europe_church.html http://www.2020site.org/galileo/ church.html or read Brechts play entitled Galileo. Nikola Tesla is called the father of radio and television, ideas for which he was ridiculed because he was so ahead of his time, but he did also propose a system of supplying power through the air using radio waves which was never implemented. Write a short biography of Nikola Tesla. Comment on his inventions, including those that we use today,
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