Micron Tour – Laurence B.

The tour of the Micron facility was extremely interesting. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and just a cool guy in general. He did not even hesitate on answering any questions. First we watched a short presentation on how Micron has there hand in virtually everything electronic that I own. Then we went over to the production side of the building and watched the magic happen. It was very interesting in the production building, a large portion of the floor we were on was lit with yellow lights. This is because white light is really a combination of every color of light. Scientifically, this means many different wavelengths, which could be dangerous to the production of the wafers. The most interesting part of the whole tour was when the tour guide explained to us the size of the chips being manufactured. Were talking tiny, like thousands of times smaller than a strand of hair. Another interesting thing was the chemistry of it all. How Argon gas is used for cleaning the chips because it is inert and will not react with anything, and how the water must be purified so no reactions take place. Also the actual process of etching and smoothing out the wafers was interesting, he explained to us how a layer of some substance is put down and creates a sort of stencil for where the grooves need to be. It was all very interesting.

There are many jobs available at Micron. Electrical and Mechanical engineering are what the main components of the design and production consist of, Chemistry also plays a large role. There are a few internships available at Micron. One available at Micron in Idaho includes an intern as a product engineer, where you would oversee the design process, debugging and testing, and finally high-volume production. Other internships are available but would most likely consist carrying out the production phase and understanding how it  works, and how it could work better.

I personally would not want to work at a place like Micron because the work done there does not highlight the work that I will be doing as a civil engineer. Also, I don’t particularly like the delicacy of it all. And anything that I build will be visible to the naked eye.

Transformers- Nicole O.

A transformer is a device used to that has the ability to send electricity in high voltages and in low voltages.  A transformer also helps to distribute electricity to longer distances.  Wrapped with coils, an iron bar was used to create higher voltages. Depending on the amount of wrapped coils, ultimately determine the level of voltage. Faraday’s transformer and first generator had a “primary” and ”secondary” wire, made from copper.  The primary wire gives off electric current, which creates a magnetic field. The second wire intercepts the primary field of force. This is why alternating current was considered a better method because of the voltage switch.

How Transformers Work – Ivan B.

A transformer is a device through which the voltage of a current is turned from a lower voltage (the power station) to a higher voltage (high-voltage electric lines). Transformers are generally used in Alternating Current systems to transmit power over a long distance. When electricity is transmitted with a high voltage, the current is much lower and according to the forumla (Power = Current (squared) x Resistance) and Ohm’s Law (Voltage = Current x Resistance), if the current is lower, then less power is lost to resistance, over long distance electricity transmission. The opposite to the device of a transfromer, is a step-down transfomer which converts the voltage from a high voltage (high-voltage electric lines), to a lower voltage (electricity used in homes).

How Transformers Work~Desire’ B

Basically transformers just turn down the voltage of electricity running through the wires. It starts out at a really high voltage to get it to travel farther distances, then when it reaches homes, factories, and businesses it turns down the voltage to make it safer for people to use.

It could only work with AC because the AC electrons created a chaning magnetic field around them as they coursed along that which was the key to the transformers induction.

Transformers: Matthew Harrison

Transformers basically transform one set of electricty into another form of electrcity. Transformers can be commonly fouund in alternating currents. The voltage travles through many coils which are insulated so the voltage can be created at a higher rate. The more coils there are located on a trasnformer the higher the voltage. The transformers would help Tesla’s design of the alternating current generators. These transformers made it able to send electrcity over long distance of land so that everyone would be able to use it. Micheal Farday would create this great invention in 1831.

How Transformers Work – Jonathan A.

Transformers are simply devices that can change voltage. Transformers are what made the alternating current system so efficient. Through a process called self-induction, voltage was either raised or lowered, thus allowing for the transmission of electricity over a very long distance with minmal loss in power. Companies would send extremely high voltages from a generator to a transformer which would lower the voltage to a safe amount into a home.

How Transformers work – Michael B.

A transformer works by sending electricity into a set of loops of wire, which creates a magnetic field.  The magnetic field generates electricity in another set of loops, the voltage/current depends on the number of loops.  This is a very basic explanation of how transformers work.

How Transformers Work

The transformer is a device that transform electricity form one voltage to another. The voltage would travel thought many coiled insulated wires. ”The greater the number of wrapped coils, the higher the voltage would rise”(130).   It only works with alternate currents because of the magnetic field created by the swift oscillations of AC electrons. Alternate Current is like a sine graph, the way it moves up and down is the reason why the transformers works. The reason why AC became famous was because the electricity could travel longer distances without any voltage being dropped.

The transformer was first created by Michael Faraday in 1831. it was just two copper wires coiled around an iron bar. “The ‘primary’ is a copper wire that is fed electric current, generating a magnetic field. The ’secondary’ is the copper wire that intercepts the primary’s field of force .” Th

How Transformers Work – Robert S

Transformers are relatively simple devices, made up of nothing more than some wire and a piece of iron. However, this seemingly simple device makes AC practical for the distribution of power over vast distances.

A transformer is made of two coils of insulated wire, wrapped around a piece of iron. The ratio of the amount of wire used in each coil determines how much the voltage will be raised or lowered in the transformer. If the input coil has fewer coils than the output coil, then the output voltage will be higher but the current will be lower. Likewise, if the input coil has more turns than the output coil, the output voltage will be lower.

Transformers only work with AC due to the fact that AC changes polarity 120 (60Hz -> 60 positive peaks + 60 negative peaks) times a second. During each reversal, a magnetic field is created inside the transformer, which is picked up by the output, or secondary, coil. Without the changing magnetic field, current would only be generated for a split second when the transformer was initially powered on.

Edit: Spell checking is good.

How Transformers Work – Andrew G.

One of AC currents biggest advantages over DC current was its ability to be transmitted over long distances.  For electricity to move over very long distances the voltage needs to be “stepped up” , or raised, so that there is minimal power loss.  Transformers are used to change the voltage for AC current.  They can “step” the voltage either up or down through a process called self-induction. The voltage needs to be stepped back down before it is used for domestic use or offices.

Michal Faraday created the first self-induction transformer using an iron ring and wire.  A piece of wire was wrapped around one side of the iron ring, on the other side of the ring there was another wire wrapped around the ring.  When a current is sent through one of the wires it creates a magnetic field. This field is transfered through the iron ring to the second wire which turns the magnetic field back into a current.  If there is a difference in the number of times the wires are wrapped around the iron, this will cause a change in voltage.