household technology and appliances

Question 1

how has technology contributed to the efficient management of the home

Answer 1

• reduced amount of labour required to carry out household tasks eh hand washing clothes vs washing machine, more leisure time now
• homes are more clean and hygienic-higher standards of living and reduced health problems
• heating and lighting can be controlled by phones-homes are warms, enhances security
• can be used for household financial tasks eg budgeting and banking, saves time

Question 2

factors to consider when choosing an appliance

Answer 2

ICECGD

• information
• cost
• energy efficiency
• cleaning and maintenance
• guarantee
• design

Question 3

discuss role of information in choosing appliances

Answer 3

features, brands, models etc
ensure meets specific needs
showrooms, magazines, online, word of mouth, salespeople

Question 4

discuss role of cost in choosing appliances

Answer 4

initial cost- shop around, value for money, reliable brands may be more expensive but superior in the long run
running cost-higher the wattage more electricity itll use
servicing cost- often excludes cost of parts

Question 5

discuss role of energy efficiency in choosing appliances

Answer 5

a rated- least energy

g rated-more energy, more expensive to run, harm environment

Question 6

discuss role of cleaning and maintenance in choosing appliances

Answer 6

ensure easy to clean to reduce time and effort

Question 7

discuss role of guarantees in choosing appliances

Answer 7

written contract between manufacturer and consumer made at the time of purchase which states that if a fault arises within a certain period of time the manufacturer will repair or replace the appliance free of charge

Question 8

discuss role of design in choosing appliances

Answer 8

coordinate with existing decor
measurements suitable
easy to operate, fullfill function

Question 9

design and construction of a food processor

Answer 9

base unit- metal or toughened plastic with legs for stability. motor with wattage, flex connects to electricty supply, belt connects motor and spindle, on/off switch, speed control

bowl- toughened plastic . sits on spindle. safety locking lid with a feeding tube and pusher to push food into bowl

Question 10

working principle of a food processor

Answer 10

motor- when plugged in and switched on causes belt to turn

attachments- belt causes spindle and attachments to rotate at a high speed.

bowl/feed tube- add ingredients at start or during processing, pusher used to push food through to avoid cutting off fingers

safety locking lid- prevents food processir from operating unless lid is fully locked in position

Question 11

guidelines for using a food processor

Answer 11

• follow manufacturers instructions
• dont overfill
• correct attachment for function
• when pushing food through tube, cut small to avoid breaking tube
• never use fingers to push in food
• if running for long time turn off at intervals to avoid overheating
• scrape down sides to avoid uneven blending

Question 12

guidelines for caring for and cleaning a food processor

Answer 12

unplug before cleaning
take apart carefully
hot soapy water, rinse carefully, dry well
wash outer casing damp cloth to remove any splashes
store with lid off to enable air to circulate and prevent build up of odours

Question 13

design and construction of a kettle

Answer 13

jug- various sizes/colours/shapes/materials
tightly fitting lid- may be opened or removed
spout-trap particles of limescale
water level indicator-shows max/min water levels
handle- heat resistant plastic
on/off switch-controls electricity supply
indicator light- shows whether kettle is in operation
flex and 3 pin plug- connects to electricity supply- connected to base of kettle or removable base
heating element- heats water inside the kettle
thermostat-automatically switches off kettle when water reaches boiling point

Question 14

outlines the working principle of a kettle

Answer 14

heating element-when plugged in and switched on electricity flows through heating element which provides resistance to the current of electricity causing element to heat up

water heats- bottom heats, rises, cold falls, convection current, even heating

thermostat-100 degrees, thermostat switches off kettle

boil-dry device- if insufficient water present, kettle switched off, this prevents fires

Question 15

guidelines for using a kettle

Answer 15

dont overfill
switch off and unplug before filling
manufacturers instructions
ensure heating element is covered to avoid risk of electrical fires
allow to cool before refilling

Question 16

types of fridges

Answer 16

standard- neatly under counter, ice box on top
larder fridge- tall, more space, no ice box, separate freezer required
fridge freezer- two cabinets, fridge and freezer, one on top of other
american stle fridge freezer- large fridge and freezer side by side and of equal size , often includes ice box and juice dispenser

Question 17

design and construction of a fridge

Answer 17

outer casing- enamelled steel coated with plastic in variety of colours , integrated fridges have door matching cabinets

inner casing made of moulded polystyrene plastic

insulating material between inner and outer casing keeps fridge cold

door with rubber gasket and magnetic strip- forms airtight seal when closed

interior light- switches on when opened
adjustable shelves
clear plastic vegetable drawers
icebox
thermostat keeps fridge between 3 and 4 degrees
flex and three pin plug

Question 18

modern features of refrigerator

Answer 18

ice/water dispenser
humidity controlled drawers
zoned refrigeration
automatic defrost

Question 19

working principle of a refrigerator

Answer 19

compressor- at base of fridge, contains gas refrigerant. pump or motor pushes gas refrigerant iso butane up into condenser above

condenser- cools gas, condenses it into a liquid- sent to evaporator above. cooling fins radiate off heat to keep condenser cool

evaporator- rapidly evaporates liquid refrigerant into gas by drawing out heat from inside the fridge cabinet keeping it at a constant temp of 3-4 degrees. gas refrigerant returns to compressor and cycle begins again

thermostat maintains constant temp in fridge by turning on and off ,motor when needed

Question 20

compressor

Answer 20

at base of fridge
contains gas refrigerant isobutane
motor/pump pushes gas refrigerant up into condenser above

Question 21

condenser

Answer 21

cools the gas refrigerant and condenses it into a liquid
liquid is sent to the evaporator above
cooling fins radiate out heat produced in order to keep condenser cool

Question 22

evaporator

Answer 22

found at top of fridge , rapidly evaportates liquid refrigerant back into a gas refrigerant by drawing out heat from the fridge cabinet maintaining it at a constant temp of 3-4 degrees
liquid refrigerant returns to compressor and cycle continues

Question 23

guidelines for using a refrigerator

Answer 23

manufacturers instructions
do not position beside heat source
avoid opening door unnecessarily, dont leave open for prolonged periods of time
avoid overfilling
meat on bottom shelf to avoid cross contamination
keep food covered to avoid drying out, this also avoids transfer of odour between foods

Question 24

caring for and cleaning fridges

Answer 24

wipe spills immediately
wash shelves with hot soapy water, inside with warm water and bicarbonate of soda and outside with damp cloth and polish with dry cloth
if not in use unplug and open door
clean door gasket to prevent food lodging and preventing door from closing
clean cooling fins to prevent dust build up

Question 25

give a detailed account of the star ratings on refrigerators

Answer 25

they indicate the temperature within the icebox which affects the length of time food can be safely stored
1 star -6 degrees, one week
2 stars -12 degrees one month
3 stars -18 degrees 3 months
4 stars -18 to -25 degrees up to one year

Question 26

types of microwave oven

Answer 26

conventional microwave oven
microwave oven with grill
combination microwave oven

Question 27

design and construction of microwave

Answer 27

door- glass door with perforated metal backing that redirects microwaves back into the oven. safety seals prevent loss of microwaves. turns off if door opened

oven cabinet- enamelled oven cabinet, construicted from steel lined with metal, vents at top or back to release steam

flex and three pin plug- connect to energy source

transformer- increases normal domestic voltage from 230V to much higher frequency needed to produce microwave energy

magnetron- converts electrical energy into electromagnetic energy

wave guide- guides microwave energy from magnetron to cabinet

wave stirrers- rotate to ensure even distribution of waves throughout the cabinet

interior light
turntable 
timer
power level button
on/off switch

Question 28

transformer

Answer 28

transformer- increases normal domestic voltage from 230V to much higher frequency needed to produce microwave energy

Question 29

magnetron

Answer 29

magnetron- converts electrical energy into electromagnetic energy

Question 30

modern design features of microwaves

Answer 30

temperature probe built into wall
autoweight defrost
jet power/jet start button- start cooking food quickly for preset time/power
combination microwave ovens

Question 31

working principle of a microwave oven

Answer 31

transformer- when plugged in and switched on, transformer increases normal domestic voltage 230v to much higher frequency needed to produce microwave energy

magnetron and wave stirrer- magnetron converts electrical energy to electromagnetic energy which enters the over via wave guide and is distributed by wave stirrers

reflected and transmitted- reflect off lined oven walls and transmit through cooking container to food inside

absorbed- penetrate food 2-5 cm deep, absorbed by particles of sugar, fat and water . particles begin to vibrate creating friction or heat, this cooks food by conduction

standing time - the water sugar and fat particles continue to vibrate after the power in the microwave has been switched off, so the food continues to cook during this time. food should be left to stand for 1-5 mins before serving

Question 32

guidelines for using microwaves

Answer 32

follow manufacturers instructions
consider cooking time of food
cover some foods
stir foods frquently during cooking
pierce skin of dense foods
choose appropriate dishes- no foil
allow to stand