September 8

Social 20-1

I finished off the PowerPoint presentation called "Nation and Identity" today. I will be sending to this to you today, so please check your e-mail and print it off 4-6 slides per page (see instructions below). Your Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions are due on Friday, September 10th. You also have a World Geography Test on Friday, September 17th, please see the study guide below.

Social 20-1 World Geography Test Study Guide

This test will take place on Friday, September 17th. It is simply a country identification test. You will be given a world map with certain countries identified and you need to be able to write out what country it is. Here are the countries that may appear on the test:

• any of the EU countries (there are 27 countries in the EU, a map of the EU is in your textbook on page 265)
• any of the NATO countries (there's some overlap here with the EU, but not all EU countries are members of NATO)
• any of the G8 countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom
• full members of MERCOSUR: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and other associate members or countries that are achieving membership in MERCOSUR, such as: Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
• to ask you to know ALL of the countries in the African Union would be cruel, so we'll focus on countries that came up last year or will likely be in the news this year: Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Zimbabwe
• other very important countries that will be in the news this year, or that we'll be talking about, or get mentioned in your textbook: Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, Serbia, Georgia, China,
  India, Myanmar, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,
  Israel
• **BIG HINT: if a country is a member of a few of these international organizations then there's a STRONG possibility that they will be on the test!!**

Geography Games

• World Geography Games
• Test Your Geography Knowledge
• Maps.com Online Games (the "Find It" games are excellent!)

Printing PowerPoint Presentations

When I send you presentations, here is what I recommend that you do: keep an electronic copy of the presentation, preferably in an appropriately named folder. Next you'll need to print it off. I recommend that you print off 4 slides per page. Here's how you do it. Open the presentation up in PowerPoint, then go under File and select Print. Then set things up like the picture below:

Social 30-1

I went through a PowerPoint presentation called "Identity and Ideology" that I have already sent to your e-mail accounts. Please print off both of the PowerPoint presentations and bring them to class tomorrow for homework check marks. Your Chapter 1 Key Terms and Questions are due tomorrow. Your Chapter 1-2 Test is on Wednesday, September 15th (please see the study guide below). Please print off the Ideology Notes from the Black Gold school district. One week from today you have your Chapter 1-2 Test. This is the only test this semester that will have matching and short answer on it. Please see the study guide below.

Chapter 1-2 Test Study Guide:

The Chapter 1-2 Test is on Wednesday, September 15th. It is a mixed format test, it will have a matching section and a short answer section. Here is what you should review/study for this test:

• Chapter 1 and 2 Key Terms/Concepts and the Supplementary Key Terms from the Unit 1 Worksheet
• be able to answer any of the questions from the Unit 1 Worksheet (hopefully you have quality answers to study from!)
• you must know the 19th century political spectrum and the 20th century political spectrum
• know similarities and differences between communism and fascism
• be able to label political and economic spectrums and the values associated with these ideologies
• be able to label the political-economic grid and know examples of the ideologies in the quadrants (study the Ideology Notes and the notes I gave you in class)
• know the differences between individualism and collectivism, be able to apply your understanding of these concepts
• know the key ideas associated with Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau (for example, view of the nature of human beings, etc.)

September 7

Social 30-1

I went through a PowerPoint presentation today called "Introducing Government" which covered the ideas of three important political philosophers: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. I will be sending this presentation to you as soon as I have the e-mail distribution list up and running. I gave you the Unit 1 Worksheet today, you are responsible for completing the Chapter 1 Key Terms (from ideology to progressivism) for homework. I will do a homework check on this tomorrow. Please read Chapter 1. You also have another homework assignment due tomorrow, which is the friendly letter. Make sure that your friendly letter is in paragraph form too. The letter will probably be about 1 page in length (single-spaced). Please make sure that your letter demonstrates your writing ability and covers some of the following topics:

• family
• education plans (this year, and in the future; future career plans)
• post-high school plans
• favorite TV shows, movies, music
• hobbies
• extracurriculars
• sports
  

Please check your e-mail accounts! Please respond back to the message!

Social 20-1

I will try to set up the e-mail distribution list for my Period 3 and 4 classes this afternoon, so please check your e-mail inboxes for the test message. I started a PowerPoint presentation today called "Nation and Identity", which we will finish tomorrow. As far as homework assignments go, for tonight, please read Chapter 1 (it will be a review of some of the topics covered today in class) and please write a friendly letter. Make sure that your friendly letter is in paragraph form too. The letter will probably be about 1 page in length (single-spaced). Please make sure that your letter demonstrates your writing ability and covers some of the following topics:

• family
• education plans (this year, and in the future; future career plans)
• post-high school plans
• favorite TV shows, movies, music
• hobbies
• extracurriculars
• sports
  

Please check your e-mail accounts! Please respond back to the message!

Fenomena Frekwensi Listrik

Berbicara mengenai frekwensi listrik tidak lepas dari analisa dari pembangkit listrik/generator, karena sumbernya dari situ. Bagi yg non electrical yg masih kurang faham apa itu frekwensi saya coba kasih gambaran disini.

Frekwensi sebenarnya adalah karakteristik dari tegangan yg dihasilkan oleh generator. Jadi kalau dikatakan frekwensi 50 hz, maksudnya tegangan yg dihasilkan suatu generator berubah-ubah nilainya terhadap waktu, nilainya berubah secara berulang-ulang sebanyak 50 cycle setiap detiknya. jadi tegangan dari nilai nol ke nilai maksimum (+) kemudian nol lagi dan kemudian ke nilai maksimum tetapi arahnya berbalik (-) dan kemudian nol lagi dst (kalau digambarkan secara grafik akan membentuk gelombang sinusoidal) dan ini terjadi dalam waktu yg cepat sekali, 50 cycle dalam satu detik. Jadi kalau kita perhatikan beban listrik seperti lampu, sebenarnya sudah berulang kali tegangan nya hilang (alias nol) tapi karena terjadi dalam waktu yg sangat cepat maka lampu tersebut tetap hidup.

Jadi kalau kita amati fenomena ini dan mencoba bereksperimen, coba kita buat seandainya kalau frekwensinya rendah, kita ambil yg konservatif misalnya 1 hz, apa yg terjadi maka setiap satu detik tegangan akan hilang dan barulah kelihatan lampu akan hidup-mati secara berulang-ulang seperti lampu flip-flop (lihat animasi disebelah kanan).

Dari analisa diatas kita bisa tarik kesimpulan bahwa untuk kestabilan beban listrik dibutuhkan frekwensi yg tinggi supaya tegangan menjadi benar-benar halus (tidak terasa hidup-matinya). Nah sekarang timbul pertanyaan kenapa 50 hz atau 60 hz kenapa gak dibuat saja yg tinggi sekalian 100 hz atau 1000 hz biar benar-benar halus. untuk memahami ini terpaksa kita harus menelusuri analisa sampai ke generatornya. Tegangan yg berfrekwensi ini yg biasa disebut juga tegangan bolak-balik (alternating current) atau VAC, frekwensinya sebanding dengan putaran generator. Secara formula N = 120f/P
N = putaran (rpm)
f = frekwensi (hz)
P = jumlah pasang kutub generator, umumnya P = 2

Dengan menggunakan rumus diatas, untuk menghasilkan frekwensi 50 hz maka generator harus diputar dengan putaran N = 3000 rpm, dan untuk menghasilkan frekwensi 60 hz maka generator perlu diputar dengan putaran 3600 rpm, jadi semakin kencang kita putar generatornya semakin besarlah frekwensinya. Nah setelah itu apa masalahnya? kenapa gak kita putar saja generatornya dengan putaran super kencang biar menghasilkan frekwensi yg besar sehingga tegangan benar2 halus. Kalau kita ingin memutar generator maka kita membutuhkan turbine, semakin tinggi putaran yg kita inginkan maka semakin besarlah daya turbin yg dibutuhkan, dan selanjutnya semakin besarlah energi yg dibutuhkan untuk memutar turbin. Kalau sumber energinya uap maka makin banyaklah uap yg dibutuhkan, dan makin besar jumlah bahan bakar yg dibutuhkan, dst dst.

Para produsen generator maupun turbine tentunya mempunyai batasan dan tentunya setelah para produsen bereksperimen puluhan tahun dengan mempertimbangkan segala sudut teknis maka dibuatlah standard yangg 50 hz dan 60 hz itu, yg tentunya dinilai cukup efektif untuk kestabilan beban dan effisien dari sisi teknis maupun ekonomis. Eropa menggunakan 50 hz dan Amerika menggunakan 60 hz. Setelah adanya standarisasi maka semua peralatan listrik di desain mengikuti ketentuan ini. Jadi logikanya kalau 50 hz atau 60 hz saja sudah mampu membuat lampu tidak kelihatan kedap-kedip untuk apalagi dibuat frekwensi lebih tinggi yg akan memerlukan turbine super kencang dan sumber energi lebih banyak sehingga tidak efisien.

Baik tegangan maupun frekwensi dari generator bisa berubah-ubah besarnya berdasarkan range dari beban nol ke beban penuh. sering kita temui spesifikasi menyebutkan tegangan plus minus 10% dan frekwensi plus minus 5%. Ini artinya sistim supplai listrik/generator harus di desain pada saat beban penuh tegangan tidak turun melebihi 10% dan pada saat beban nol tegangan tidak naik melebihi 10%, begitu juga dengan frekwensi.

Berlian Syako
Lead Electrical Engineer
Escravos Export System Project - Chevron Nigeria Ltd
(hasil diskusi di yahoo groups)

mengenai sejarah frekuensi listrik, bisa dibaca disini:
http://electrical-science.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-of-power-frequency.html

September 3

Social 20-1 and Social 30-1

With all of my classes today I briefly introduced myself (more about that after the long weekend), started talking about the course content (I gave you all course outlines) and I went through some classroom rules and expectations (see yesterday's post). We'll start the looking at course content on Tuesday.

September 2

I thought that I would post some of my classroom rules and expectations of behavior on the blog this year. Also, I will also write down some ground rules for using the blog this semester.

Classroom Rules/Expectations of Behavior:

I think that I have very simple, straight-forward classroom rules and expectations. I will be discussing these in class tomorrow, but here's a quick recap:

• Please be on-task during classroom time (visit later)
• You must wear your visual ID around your neck during class time, no exceptions!
• No cell phones; if your parents really need to get in touch with you, they should call the office. Please don't bring cell phones to class, or if you do, please remember to turn them off! Yes, you have some new freedom this year with regard to electronic devices, but not in the classroom!!
• Please don't listen to music on MP3 players or iPods during class time, UNLESS I have given you permission to do so.
• Be polite. You should be listening during class lectures or when your classmates have questions to ask (you might have some of the same questions).
• Be on time. If you are late, please enter the classroom quietly and apologize for being late. If the door is locked, I have started the lecture or there is a class presentation in progress; I will open the door and let you in as soon as possible.
• Clean up after yourselves. Please don't leave garbage on the floor. I like my classroom fairly neat and tidy.
• Don't bring junk food to class. Healthy snacks only. Or you could always wait until lunchtime.
• You may chew gum in class on the following conditions: don't chew like a cow, I don't want to see the gum or hear you chewing it, that's just gross.
• Late assignments: 10% is deducted for every day an assignment is late. If you have an excused absence, then there is some flexibility with this rule.
• Please make sure that a parent or guardian calls the school to have absences excused. If you miss a test due to an unexcused absence you will be assigned a mark of "zero".
• I will be contacting parent/guardians if you have unexcused absences.
• Please adhere to the school's academic honesty policy which is on the back of your course outlines.
• If you are going away on holidays (please do not schedule holidays during examination periods in January and June), please let me know in advance. I can prepare materials for you, let you know what you'll be missing, and even give you handouts in advance. This way you won't feel "lost" when you come back from holidays.
  
  

Posting on the Blog:

Here are some simple rules that I have established for using the blog, and some other informational items:

• Please post on the blog anonymously.
• If you feel the need to identify yourself, or clarify which grade you're in, please use your initials and your class and section (for example, K.G. in Social 20-1).
• Some of you may have your own Blogger accounts. Please don't post on this blog using your Blogger ID, otherwise you may have people visiting your blog that you may not want to see what you're posting.
• Please be courteous, polite and respectful when posting comments on the blog. Don't be rude to your classmates on the blog.
• Please be patient with my response time.
• Please post comments and questions on the blog prior to 10 p.m.
• Between 6-8 p.m. I am usually not online.
• Monday nights are particularly busy for me, this is the night that I have a Masters class at the University.
• Please do not post links to questionable materials.
• Inappropriate comments will be deleted. Please don't do this, it's a waste of my time, I could be doing more productive things, like answering questions that you may have.