Fine out the meter readings of these months & record your observations.
Answers
Answer:
The watt (W) is a unit of electrical power, which is the rate at which we use energy. We pay the electric company for the use of energy. A kilowatt (kW) is equal to 1000 watts: kilo is a prefix that means 1000. (Note that k is the normal prefix for kilo, W is the normal abbreviation for Watts and h is the normal abbreviation for hours). A watt-hour (Wh) and a kilowatt-hour (kWh) are units of energy, where 1000 Wh= 1 kWh. The equation relating energy and power is:
Energy = Power x Time
For example, if a 75 W bulb (power) is turned on for 2 hours (time), it will use 150 Wh or 0.15 kWh of energy (energy = power x time).
The cost for each unit of energy we use is measured in cents (c) or dollars ($) per kWh. The typical cost per unit of energy is 10 c/kWh or $0.10/kWh. Using the equation below, we can determine the cost of our energy use:
Cost of energy use = Energy used x Cost per unit of energy:
Using our example above, the cost of using a 75 W bulb for 2 hours is:
Cost of energy use = 0.15 kWh x 10 c/kWh = 1.5 c.
[Units] [Using the Bill] [Reading a Meter] [The Cost] [The Environmental Cost] [How it is Produced]
Using the Electric Bill
Make a list of the total cost of monthly electricity use as written on the bill. Discuss/calculate the minimum, maximum and average of the classes' electricity bill. Bar graphs could be made of the number of bills totaling less than $30, $30-40, $40-50, $50-60, $60-70, $70-80, $80-90, $90-100 and greater that $100. Discuss with your class the reasons why some bills are higher than others. Perhaps the difference is related to the size of the home, number of refrigerators, freezers, TVs, computers etc. at the home or whether or not they have a pool or spa.