Homoki 1

Charles Homoki
Mrs. Hudak
English IV
5 October 2015
You Cant Spell Machine without Man
Fizz! Crackle! Bubble! That is the sound of molten plastic being poured from the heating
chamber. The pyrolysis is complete, and its time to collect the fuel and analyze the cost
efficiency of my machine. Despite what people say about my generation, not every one of us is a
lazy bum. There are some, like myself, who take a passion like chemistry and rise above
societal expectations. I love to experiment with different chemicals, using my knowledge of each
to my advantage. Whether its designing a simple bottle rocket that is powered by baking soda
and vinegar, or creating my own spark show with steel wool and oxygen, I am always amusing
myself with experiments. Working with plastics, however, exceeds the complexity level of my
past experiments. I designed, fabricated, and tested my own machinery for plastic pyrolysis, a
process that converts plastic into fuel oil, as an independent research project. Simultaneously, I
ignited the propane burner and my brain. My machine and I both erupted to life.
Lighting the burner on my machine meant one major thing: its crunchtime for my
project. The monstrosity of a project required a considerable amount of work to complete. Deep
in my brain I calculated outcomes for the project. Like my machine processes plastic into oil, I
converted all the raw data from my project into comprehensive P-values that denoted the
significance of my data. The pressure was still on, though. There was still so much to do on top
of my rigorous homework-load and constant volleyball practices after school. I began to doubt
that I could finish the project on time.

Homoki 2
I worked every day, collecting oil, analyzing data, and writing out the informative
sections of the project. I was already exhausted from a rigorous school day and volleyball
practice, but I had to keep going. As if my day didnt cause enough stress on me, I had to work
with my oil conversion outside in temperatures that were below freezing. In one case I worked
through a blizzard. My machine burned radiantly and created a protective circle in the three feet
of snowfall. I took refuge there and poured out the oil. Steam erupted from the metal coffee
container that created a clash between fire and ice in the howling sky. My hands were numb from
the whipping winds, and I couldnt move my fingers at all; but I had to measure my oil sample. I
placed my hands on the blazing machine to warm up my fingers. I measured my oil sample and
went back inside to analyze the results.
I realized then that I was going to finish the project. If I could withstand the physical
world, make my body work when it was physically incapable of movement due to hypothermic
weather conditions, and stay focused on my main task, I could do anything. I realized how
similar I was to my machine; both of us working efficiently under pressure. The elements didnt
hinder my machines ability to produce oil, so why should I let the weather hinder my efforts?
My machine and I both had the same goal: produce oil from waste plastic, and solve a huge
problem. I was working my way toward innovation, and nothing was going to stop me.
My finished product was spectacular. I looked at the first prize ribbon from the science
fair hanging on the poster and remembered my experience completing the project. I remembered
doubting its completion, and realizing that I wouldnt let anything stop me. My machine was
successful, and it felt amazing to think about the possibilities of the future. My machine was
cooled down, but I was fired up about what I should do for my next project. Word Count: 620