Turning gravity into light

[josephpalazzo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsc-pQIMxt8

[Sal1981]

Isn't it wrong to say that gravity is doing the job? I mean, it's basically potential energy (mechanical = potential + kinetic). In both the clock and I presume the light as well, they're using the potential energy from lifting those weights up and letting them slowly pull the mechanism. I know, of course, that  it's gravity acting on the weights. I just think the terminology is a bit ... iffy.

[josephpalazzo]

Gravity is doing the job. It's just a very smart way to produce light efficiently and at a very low cost so that poor countries can benefit from this ingenious invention.

[Sal1981]

K

[facebook164]

Gravity is doing the job. It's just a very smart way to produce light efficiently and at a very low cost so that poor countries can benefit from this ingenious invention.

No. The lifting the weights are doing the job. Not gravity. (The total job made by gravity is 0)

[josephpalazzo]

No. The lifting the weights are doing the job. Not gravity. (The total job made by gravity is 0)

Well, that requires full disclosure: input =output. You input the energy -by lifting the weights; the output is gravitational energy converted to light. You get an "F".

[facebook164]

Well, that requires full disclosure: input =output. You input the energy -by lifting the weights; the output is gravitational energy converted to light.

Which really isnt that insightful. The gravity is a red herring. You could equally well power this with a rubber cord or a mechanical spring. (Which indeed may be a better product for climbers etc. not requiring a heavy stone)

[josephpalazzo]

Which really isnt that insightful. The gravity is a red herring. You could equally well power this with a rubber cord or a mechanical spring. (Which indeed may be a better product for climbers etc. not requiring a heavy stone)

Nope. Gravity is essential to make this thing work cheaply. The rubber chord would need some sort of constant supply of energy, ditto for the mechanical spring. In a poor country, all you need is someone to lift the weights -Read: cheap labor- once every several hours, and let gravity do the rest to give lighting in areas where young children can do their reading or whatever activity needs to be done once the sun has set down and the activity has to be completed before going to bed. If you can think of providing cheaper lighting, please let me know. So far, you still get an "F"... ;-).

[facebook164]

The rubber chord would need some sort of constant supply of energy, ditto for the mechanical spring.

You ever heard of a mechanical clock requiring constant supply of energy? It doesnt. You wind it up and then it runs on the energy in the spring.

[josephpalazzo]

You ever heard of a mechanical clock requiring constant supply of energy? It doesnt.

That is contradicted by your next statement...

You wind it up and then it runs on the energy in the spring.

Fail.

[facebook164]

That is contradicted by your next statement...


Fail.

?
No energy is provided until the spring is winded up again.

[josephpalazzo]

?
No energy is provided until the spring is winded up again.

Think again: you winding the spring is the constant source of energy that must be provided.

[facebook164]

Think again: you winding the spring is the constant source of energy that must be provided.

Noone needs to wind constantly. The energy is provided in bursts = the winding. During and between the windings the spring provides the energy contantly.

[josephpalazzo]

Noone needs to wind constantly. The energy is provided in bursts = the winding. During and between the windings the spring provides the energy contantly.

You're still missing the point: in the op, the winding of the spring is done by the lifting of a weight, which when released provides the constant source of energy. The difference being is that by having the option of placing different weights, you can provide different amount of energy which can be easily adjusted to provide the right amount of light and for whatever duration you need to keep the light on. In your case, once you have constructed your spring, if the winding provides little or not enough energy then to make any adjustment, you would need to rebuild your apparatus with different springs in order to get the energy large enough to provide lighting for a certain amount of time. Secondly, bigger spring to provide greater amount of energy is more expensive - weights, you can use whatever is available, hence the availability to more energy for the lighting is a lot more convenient and cheap.

[facebook164]

You're still missing the point: in the op, the winding of the spring is done by the lifting of a weight, which when released provides the constant source of energy. The difference being is that by having the option of placing different weights, you can provide different amount of energy which can be easily adjusted to provide the right amount of light and for whatever duration you need to keep the light on. In your case, once you have constructed your spring, if the winding provides little or not enough energy then to make any adjustment, you would need to rebuild your apparatus with different springs in order to get the energy large enough to provide lighting for a certain amount of time. Secondly, bigger spring to provide greater amount of energy is more expensive - weights, you can use whatever is available, hence the availability to more energy for the lighting is a lot more convenient and cheap.

More Convenient? No! Cheaper? Maybe but a spring is also cheap.