Chandigarh, Thursday, November 26, 1998
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Chandigarh, Thursday, November 26, 1998 |
Decimal
time units Towards cheaper cells
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Decimal
time units VARIOUS systems have been in use for the measurement of three basic parameters viz. length, weight and time. Now a days routinely used this of length and weight have simple mathematical relation (multiple of ten). For example, 1 kilometre has 1000 metres and 1 metre has 100 cm. Likewise, 1 kilogram has 1000 grams and 1 gram has 1000 milligrams. But practical units of time viz. day, hour, minute and second do not have such a simple relation. Authors here in propose a simple system for measuring time as well. The proposed unit of time may be termed as “Kaal” (A Sanskrit word for time) A ‘Kaal’ will be defined as 1/1000 (one thousandth) part of a day (24 hours). Similar to the system for length and weight relationship between proposed practical units of time will be as follows. 10 kaals
= 1 decakaal Smaller units of time will be as follows: 1/10
kaal = 1 decikaal One day, thus, will be divided into 10 hectokaals, each hectokaal will be divided into 100 kaals and each kaal will further be divided into 100 centikaals. Hence a day will have 10 hectokaals or 1,000 kaals or 1,00,000 centikaals in place of 24 hours or 1440 minutes or 86400 seconds. Practically, hectokaal, kaal and centikaal will correspond to present hour, minute and second, respectively. The word “day” infuses confusion as at times it denotes a period of 24 hours (day and night) and at other, the time period between sunrise and sunset. Therefore, authors also propose to replace the use of word day for 24 hours (day and night) by kilokaal or Rotarth (time taken by earth to complete one rotation around its axis, Rotation + Earth = Rotarth) Interconversion Relationship between present units (hour, minute and second) and proposed units (hectokaal, kaal and centikaals) is tabulated below. 1
hectokaal = 2 hours 24 minutes or 144 minutes Denotion of time At present, time is read in hours, minutes and seconds. Under the proposed system it may be read in hectokaals, kaals and centikaals or simply in kaals by using decimal. For example, clock showing time of 8 hectokaals, 18 kaals and 45 centikaals (Fig. 1) may be read as 818.45 kaals. The day (rotarth) will start at 000.00 kaals (midnight) and mid day time will be 500.00 kaals. After 999.99 kaals the next day will start. Authors suggest a new design of clock/watch for measuring proposed units of time (Fig. 1) Accordingly, the dial will have 10 major divisions numbered from 1 to 10. Each major division will have further 10 subdivisions. The clock / watch will have three distinct arms i.e. hectokaal arm (HKA), kaal arm (KA) and centikaal arm (CKA). Speed of HKA should be so adjusted that it completes one rotation in 24 hours and it will denote completion of 10 hectokaals. Completion of one major division by this arm will show time of one hectokaal. Speed of kaal arm be so tuned that it completes one rotation of dial in 144 minutes and it will denote completion of 100 kaals. Completion of one major division by this arm will show time of 10 kaals and completion of one subdivision will show time of one kaal. Speed of centikaal arm will be adjusted to complete one rotation in 86.4 seconds or 100 centikaals. Completion of one subdivision and 1 major division by this arm will indicate one centikaal and 10 centikaals, respectively. For reading timings from the clock, first note the number of major divisions completed by hectokaal arm. This will directly give the number of hectokaals. Now note the major division completed by kaal arm. Multiply the number of these major divisions with 10 and add the number of subdivisions after the last major division completed by this arm. This will give us the number of kaals. Number of centikaals can be read by using centikaal arm in the way similar to kaal arm. Reading of clock is illustrated below. Let us read the timing shown by the clock in Fig. 1. The hectokaal arm has completed 8 major divisions hence number of hectokaals is 8. The kaal arm has completed one major division and eight subdivisions after it. Hence number of kaals shown by this arm is 1x10+8=18. The centikaal arm has completed four major divisions and five subdivisions after the fourth major division. Thus number of centikaals shown in the clock is 4x10+5= 45. Taken together, time shown by clock is 8 hectokaals, 18 kaals and 45 centikaals or simply 818.45 kaals. In the proposed system, the use of a.m. (antemeridian) or p.m. (post meridian) as suffix to timings won’t be required as hectokaal arm will complete only one rotation in a day. Interconversion of timings under present and proposed system can be done by using conversion tables which can be prepared by mathematical calculations. Some of the conversions are shown in Table 1a and 1b. Suppose you have your bed tea at 6.00 a.m. you will find its new timing to be 250 kaals. You will go to your office at 416 kaals (10 a.m.) and leave it at 708 kaals (5.00 p.m.). At noon, time will be 500 kaals or 5 hectokaals and at midnight 1000 kaals or 10 hectokaals. This system of time units, if adopted, will be much simpler and convenient for calculations involving time. New time units will be in harmony with the units of length and weight as they will have the uniform pattern. It would be more practical and there won’t be need of suffixing a.m. or p.m. for depicting timings. Through this article authors want scientists, concerned authorities and institutes to explore the feasibility of adoption of proposed system after analysing its merits, demerits and limitations. The
Authors are Assistant Professors at Krishi Gyan Kendra,
Mahendergarh, of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana
Agricultural University, Hisar. |
Towards
cheaper cells THE high cost of dry cells and problem of availability has provoked a hunt for development of low-cost power sources of equal reliability, that can serve as cheap substitutes for dry cells. Biologists are exploring the possibility of using microorganisms to conduct charge. They are trying to make biological batteries to provide power to micro-electronic circuity like light emitting diodes (LED) and door bells. A leaf slurry prepared in an alkaline solution can sustain charge, sufficient to operate an LED or a small calculator. Charge separation takes place at the electrodes and power multiplication is possible by arranging individual leaf units in series and parallel mode. Researchers are also toying with the idea of working with different tree leaf species and effluents of different nature as well. Seemingly, there exists good possibility of developing these biological cells, provided multidisciplinary team participation is assured. Large-scale units based on this concept could also be developed to operate a modestly powered load. Another low-cost route of generating charge is liquid cells, commonly known as the photo electrochemical (PEC) cells. Laboratory scale PEC cells have been developed with 14-17 per cent efficiency, but they are yet to enter the market. Liquid junction cells, in contrast to highly efficient crystalline silicon cells, are still not being used commercially. Extensive R&D efforts are on at many centres to develop compact liquid cells. These cells, unlike silicon photovoltic cells, do not have to depend on sophisticated modern electronics technology. The area of liquid solar cell developments is now receiving significant attention. In India, the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) is actively sponsoring various PEC projects, of which the most promising progress has been reported from the applied physics division of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). At present, specific use of these cells is being thought of for decomposing water into its constituent elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen thus obtained is being tested as a possible fuel for transport sector. However, only time will tell as to when these liquid cells will be ready to be marketed as power sources. An established low-cost option is the cheaply processed amorphous silicon (a-Si) cell. With Japan emerging the leader of a-Si cell technology, the list of devices powered through this cell technology is long. An a-Si cell lending power to a transistor during day time should be supported by a battery backup for its evening operation. Probably with a-Si cell assembly including a mini battery as well, dry cells may face some change in the time to come. With availability of a-Si technology indigenously in the form of a pilot plant at Haryana, these cells may be available commercially in the near future. However, the performance of these cells needs to be ensured to become consumer-attractive. The development of a solar lantern is another step to harness natural resources. But, its high cost makes it out of reach of rural population. The idea of a centralised charging station, which eliminates the need of purchasing costly photo voltaic (PV) module, seems a viable option. Solar lanterns can be charged during the day at the centre and collected for use in the evening. The use of low power a-Si modules can also reduce the cost of solar lanterns. Japan controls nearly 20 per cent of the total world low power consumer market. Almost all the products marketed under this programme have power requirements in the range of 10 watts. Amorphous silicon-based products in Japan are mostly consumed local markets which save conventional power as well. There is an undeniable need to initiate policy measures to develop amorphous silicon powered product range in India also. Some of the high-value PV-products could be transistor kits, car ventilators, calculators, window ventilators, water purifiers and lighting devices. While PV technologies have already benefited important fields like electricity, water supply, refrigeration and audio-visual communication, its use in low-power applications needs to be promoted. (PTI) Dr
Suneel Deambi is a scientist at Tata Energy Research
Institute (TERI) in New Delhi. |
| quiz |
By J.P. Garg 1. Name the winners of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physics. For which discovery have they been selected for this prestigious award? 2. In a couple of years, high-cost medicines used to treat various kinds of cancer will be available at one-fourth of their current cost. This has been made possible by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’s pioneering work in developing the country’s first reactor that can produce herbal compounds and other drugs in bulk. What is such a reactor called? 3. To prevent the abuse of telephones, the telecom department has recently introduced a system called CLIN for its subscribers. What is the expanded form of CLIN and what is its function? 4. What is common about “Rakhal” “Kashmal”, “Ratanjot”, “Kilora” and “Ashwagandha”? 5. Children are generally administered a triple vaccine called DTP within five years of their birth. Which three diseases are prevented by this vaccine? 6. Along with the trees infested with the killer beetle, thousands of other evergreen healthy trees have of late become the victims of the axe of greedy contractors in Madhya Pradesh. Name the species of these trees. 7. The Union Ministry of Agriculture has recently ordered the killing of an exotic but predatory variety of fish smuggled from the USA for breeding in aquaria. Name this sharp-toothed and voracious species of fish that can pose a serious threat to the survival of indigenous Indian varieties. 8. Scientists of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, have recently found a cancer causing agent PCB in the Yamuna. This agent poses a great threat to the residents of Delhi and other areas due to its excessive amount in water. What is the full form of PCB? 9. This Australian bear that lives on eucalyptus leaves faces the threat of extinction because of land developers clearing the eucalyptus trees and the poachers hunting the animals down. By which popular name is this animal species known? 10. “My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Prizes”. The first letters of the words in this sentence indicate the names of nine heavenly objects. Can you identify these objects? ANSWERS 1. Rober
C. Laughlin, Horst L. Stoermer and Daniel C. Tsui, all
working in the USA, for discovering that electrons acting
together in strong magnetic fields can form new types of
particles 2. Bio-reactor 3. Caller Line Identification
Number in which the telephone number of the caller is
displayed on an instrument 4. These are some varieties of
medicinal herbs/plants which are facing extinction due to
their overexploitation 5. Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis
(whooping cough) 6. Sal trees 7. Red piranha 8.
Polychlorinated Benzene 9. Koala 10. Planets of our solar
system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. |
| H |
Room temperature superconduction Material engineers at the University of Buffalo (UB) in New York, USA, claim to have developed carbon-fibre materials to superconduct electricity at room temperature. The UB team claims to have achieved zero resistance without cooling and without a superconducting material for the first time. Previously, superconductivity had been demonstrated at temperatures below minus 150 degrees celsius. Led by Deborah D.L. Chung, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, the UB team observed negative electrical resistance in carbon-composite materials and zero resistance when carbon fibres were combined with other conventionally resistant substances, reports Mechanical Engineering. The discovery was made while conducting research on the intrinsic electrical properties of carbon composites related to the development of smart materials. The research shows it is possible to overcome the resistance of these structural composites to make them more efficient. The finding of negative resistance defies known physical laws. The application of an electric potential normally causes electrons to move towards the positive end of the voltage gradient. However, in these experiments, the electrons seemed to move the other way. The researchers are studying how this anomalous effect — something akin to water flowing uphill — could occur. The researchers found negative resistance while making electrical measurements at the carbon fibre junction of composite material. A patent application has been filed on this potentially revoluntionary achievement. Roof drainage with only one downpipe A Melbourne-based company has worked with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to develop a system which efficiently draws water from the roofs of large buildings without the use of pumps or moving parts. While conventional gravity systems need many large downpipes, the new system extracts enormous flows of water using only one relatively small downpipe, reports Ascent Technology Magazine. For large buildings such as supermarkets, airport terminals, sports stadiums, exhibition centres, factories and warehouses, the advantages include savings in roof drainage costs by 10 to 50 per cent, and increased flexibility for architects and engineers to design innovative buildings. Water is conveyed to this downpipe by a horizontal collection pipe which collects water from the gutters, and runs to the downpipe in a level course just under the roofline. Combined home and mobile telephone British researchers have made a breakthrough in communication technology that will allow a single telephone to be used at home and as a mobile telephone on a single number. British Telecom’s One Phone service, which is being tested and refined following the successful introduction of a version for business last year, is specifically designed for the maximum convenience of customers, reports British Commercial News. Used at home, the BT One Phone is a high-quality cordless telephone that logs on to the fixed line telephone network. But once outside its 300-metres range, it switches to a GSM (global system for mobile telecommunication) network to become a fully functional cellular telephone. The development will help fixed and mobile telecommunications operator. Smart computers aid train traffic Russian researchers have developed an automated brake-control system which can help prevent train accidents by strictly monitoring the speed. The vigilant new-generation system called SAUT-CM, receives impulses from rail-mounted and ground-based devices displaying the distance between the train and near-by traffic-lights and reminds the engineer about speed limits. Besides, it prevents the train from rolling back during stop-overs, reports RIA Novosti. In case the engineer decides to accelerate the train, the SAUT-CM promptly interferes and slows down the locomotive. If necessary, it can even stop the locomotive dead on its tracks. The system which can act as a back-up engineer, requires additional operation and maintenance equipments. Each cabin of the train requires a device to pick up data from an engineer’s bracelet for relaying it accurately, Ria Novosti reports quoting Sergei Smoenikov, chief of the Sverdlovsk Railroad’s Perm section. Bedding material kills dust mites British scientists have developed a new bedding material that kills dust mites, tiny bugs that doctors’ believe could be causing an increase in asthma cases, reports Reuter. The new fibre, called Amicor Plus, contains a fungicide that is harmless to humans but deadly to the mites that live in bedding. What makes the new material so unusual is that it attacks the fungi on which the mites depend, not the mites themselves. The scientists from Britain’s Courtaulds tested the fabric on a bed covered with human skin scale and mites and found the tiny bugs could not survive without the fungus. The anti-fungal agent is built into the fibre. The fabric, which will be used for sheets, duvets, pillows, mattresses and covers, also contains an antibacterial agent designed to keep the material fresher. Its slow release mechanism ensures that antifungal and antibacterial agents are not washed out. Dust mites, which breed
unseen by the millions in beds and carpets, can trigger
asthma attacks and other allergies. The tiny bugs thrive
in warm humid conditions and feed on the skin scales
people shed while they sleep. |
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