Compulsory English Grade 12 || Language Development || Unit -4 Technology || Hyperloop || NEB

 

Unit-4, Technology

Hyperloop

 

Before you read

a. Do you know the means of transportation shown in the picture? What are they?

b. Do you enjoy travelling at high speed? How do you feel when you travel at high speed?

c. What means of transportation do you think we will be using in 50 years' time? What makes you think so?

 

The text:

What is Hyperloop?

 

 

Hyperloop = hyper + loop (ultra energy + a shape produced by a curve that bends round and crosses itself (metal tunnel)

 

v  High speed train, 90% energy saving, 75% travel time reduction, 50% reduction in the construction cost

v  A fifth mode of mass transportation (ground) at a high-speed of 1200 KM/hr.

v  Hyperloop is described as a sealed tube or system of tubes with low air pressure through which a pod may travel substantially free of air resistance or friction,

v  The main problems of any transportation are i) friction and ii) air drag (air resistance), because of which any means of transportation is expensive, more fuel consuming and limited speed. To reduce these problems, the concept of Hyperloop is development by Elon Musk (2013) (no friction and no air drag)and for fast & effortless journey, 3 times faster that high speed rail, and 10 times faster than traditional transportation.

v  This system works on magnetic levitation/magnetic suspension (suspension of an object with no support than other than magnetic fields because of repelling due to facing matching magnetic poles each other.

 

 

 

 

Working with words

A. Choose the correct words from the box to complete the following sentences.

Freight          levitation      gridlock        pneumatic               predecessor

envisioned   equivalent    subsonic       turbulence               deceleration

 

a.   I think that covering up the facts is equivalent to lying really.

b.   If there is not a substantial move to public transport, we will have gridlock and the whole regeneration will not work.

c.   Each new leader would blame his predecessor for all the evils of the past.

d.   We have, in fact, envisioned a better world and have made it happen.

e.   The main linear actuators of the pneumatic systems are cylinders.

f.    The barrel was short and the bullet emerged at subsonic speed.

g.   The city is said to receive two-fifths of the total freight delivered in the country.

h.   It would still take four hours to get down, in a spiral of turbulence.

i.    Apparently, the magician will be doing some levitation on the stage tomorrow.

j.    We might be experiencing some deceleration on this flight due to an approaching electrical storm.

 

B. Add three more words that are formed with the following prefixes.

a. Hyper-       : Hyperloop              hypertension          hyper speed            hyperactive

b. Ultra-         : ultrahigh,                ultrasound               ultrasonic                 ultra light

c. up-                         : uphill                       upcoming                up stair                      upset

d. over-          : overcoming           overflow                   overall                       overseas

e. multi-        : multibillion           multitalented         multinational         multilingual

 

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. What is Hyperloop? How does it work?

Ans:- Hyperloop is the fifth mode of ground transportation with an ultra high speed of 1220 Kilometers per hour for passengers and cargo. The capsules like pods having passengers and luggage travel floating on air skis through vacuum (low pressure) metal tubes at up to 760 miles per hour. Other version of Hyperloop uses magnetic levitation.

 

b. How is Hyperloop more beneficial that the traditional trains?

Ans:- Traditional trains travel on the track through wheels in which friction and air drag limit the speed. It creates sound pollution and the burning coals used for fuel produce smoke polluting environment. It can kill animals on the way. But Hyperloop is made reducing friction and air drag as a result it can travel in a high speed 10 times more than traditional trains. It is eco friendly and can travel more than 1200 kilometers distance within an hour. Furthermore it consumes less energy and requires less maintenance costs.

 

c. Does Hyperloop have successful history? How?

Ans:-In the past the technique was used in The Crystal Palace Pneumatic Railway in Victorian south London in 1864. Even in the late 19th century the same system was used to send mail and packages between buildings and still some supermarkets and banks use this technique to move money around.

 

d. Write the contributions of Robert Goddard and Elon Musk for the development of Hyperloop.

Ans:- Robert Goddard has first proposed the concept of the Vactrain (Vacuum tube train) in the early 20th century and the owner of TELSA motors (electric vehicle) Elon Musk developed the Vactrain concept into Hyperloop in August 2013 and made his "Hyperloop" concept an open source project for its development.

 

e. What relation does speed have with air resistance? Explain.

Ans:-The speed of any transportation depends on friction and air drag (air resistance). The maximum friction and air drag limit the speed of any vehicle. The maximum air resistance decreases the speed. By considering this fact, a new system of transportation is invented in which air pressure in metal vacuum tube is reduced by 90% by pumps and the pods travels very fast, probably three times faster than bullet trains in a loop. Hyperloop using magnetic levitation travels even faster than air bearing skis.

 

f. What are Hyperloop capsules compared with? How are they similar?

Ans:- Hyperloop capsules/pods are compared with the puck (a disk made of rubber) used as a ball in air hockey game. They are similar because both of them float on frictionless and slippery surface smoothly.

 

g. How do the passengers feel while travelling via Hyperloop? What will be done to make it luxurious?

Ans:- Yet any passenger carrying Hyperloop experiment is done. It is still under developmental or experimental phase; however, the companies have assured that the passengers will feel like riding in an elevator or a passenger plane without G-Forces and turbulence. Though the passengers will not see the beautiful landscapes through windowless pods, special technology will be used to display the scenery in the cabin and they will have personal entertainment system for making the travel more luxurious.

 

h. Why does the writer doubt about the success of Hyperloop? What does the success depend on?

Ans:- The writer doubts about the success of Hyperloop because it needs multibillion dollar in the initial stage and still some technology has been lacking. Despite the companies are racing for the projects, it is still in experimental stage. Despite the possibility of advancement in technology, the destination, local economy and geography hinder in its success. The project takes long time and it is expensive and it applicable only in dense populated areas where land is cheap.

 

Critical Thinking

a. Is the Hyperloop the future of transportation or just a dream? What do you think? Justify your opinion with suitable reasons.

Ans:- There is no doubt that the Hyperloop will be the future of transportation. The concept is totally based on scientific technology. The concept is not airy concept and it is based on simple theory of reduction of air pressure and magnetic levitation. The main hindrances of any transportation are friction and air drag. It totally works on reduction of air pressure by 90% percentage and magnetic levitation reduces friction cent percent as the pods float on the surface by the theory of repelling of magnetic facing same poles each other. The pods and the wall inside the loop work on this theory. The external linear electric motor inside the pod makes it travel in high speed in the circumstances of 90% air pressure reduction loop. This fifth mode of transportation is much awaited system of transportation because it travels in ultra high speed, saves 90% energy, reduces travel time by 75% percentage and reduces 50% construction cost. Thought it is under experimental stage, many companies are ready to deliver service. Some human less experiment have been done and it will have provided the services by 2027.

 

b. The number of private vehicles is increasing day by day in Nepal beyond the capacity of our infrastructure. What do you think should be done to curb the ever-growing number of private vehicles? Discuss.

Ans:- The number of private vehicles is increasing day by day is Nepal beyond the capacity of our infrastructure. Some people buy private vehicles for luxury, but most of people are buying them because of compulsion. The deplorable situation of public transportation system in Nepal, people are obliged to buy private vehicles. Our government is unable to manage public transportation and it is very difficult to reach our destination on time. In spite of weakness in the management of transportation, our government is allowing to entertain private vehicle to increase income tax. Instead of encouraging people to buy private vehicle, our government must bring a drastic change in public transportation.  The increased number of private vehicle also increases pollution and the cost of fuel.

 

 

Thanks for watching!