Pedal Power
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1713288782328{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}"]Generate electricity yourself to power three different lightbulbs and feel the difference in energy efficiency![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1713289456882{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}"]The Interactive Light Bulb Power Comparison Box designed by Pedal Power Generator is an engaging way to teach a variety of energy concepts from the conversion of energy (mechanical to electrical to light and/or heat), what efficiency means in terms of energy usage, how different light bulbs work, how innovation can lead to significant impacts on the climate, and how people can make immediate impacts in their own life by switching to more energy efficient technologies. A hand-crank is attached to a motor that...
Electromagnets & Motors
By Alan Zahn Overview: This lesson describes how to make simple electromagnets and a motor that is powered by a solar panel. Essential Question: How can electricity be used to cause magnetism? Background: A magnet is an object that produces a magnetic field. We are already familiar with certain types of magnetic fields such as the Earth’s magnetic field that a compass uses to point north, or refrigerator magnets that use magnetic fields to stick. Magnets have uses beyond being interesting toys and sticking things on metal, and one of the most widespread uses of magnets in industry is in electric motors. In electric motors, the magnet is used to...
Solar Circuits
[vc_row][vc_column][mkd_section_title title="Solar Circuits" title_size="large" title_color="" title_text_align="" margin_bottom="" width=""][vc_column_text]Students can learn a lot about solar cells by playing around with simple circuits. You can build your own solar exploration kit with inexpensive materials purchased online. After you collect your materials keep them together in a box (Solar Circuits Lesson)[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18214" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]Is it possible to build an affordable solar exploration kit at home?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]The most common photovoltaic is the silicon solar cell. A single cell has a dark blue front side with a grid of thin current collecting wires and solid conductive back. A single...
Print a Solar Car
[vc_row][vc_column][mkd_section_title title="Print a Solar Car" title_size="large" title_color="" title_text_align="" margin_bottom="" width=""][vc_column_text]Student use their makerspace tools to build a solar car chassis.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18215" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]How can we use 3D printing to make an experimental solar car?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]One of the most popular classroom activities conducted by The Clean Energy Ambassadors has been the solar car derby. Student experiment with different arrangements of solar panels on different car chassis. By the end of a busy event we found our cars were often wrecked. Motors broke loose, leads ripped from motors, and clip leads lost. Also we found students...
Fuzzy Molecule Challenge
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Introduction Use pipe cleaners and pom poms to make models of common molecules. Molecules are combinations of atoms which share electrons to form covalent chemical bonds. The compounds formed have different properties than the atoms they are made from. Materials Pipecleaner and pom poms - Amazon - $11.98 Directions • Balls represent atoms. In the diagrams below oxygen is red, hydrogen is white, carbon is gray, and nitrogen is blue. • Colored Pom Poms are different kinds of atoms. • Pipe cleaners represent bonds. • Atoms have different numbers of bonds they can form. • Twist the pipe cleaners around the pom poms to make models of these molecules. • Variation: use marshmallows and toothpicks...
Polymers
[vc_row][vc_column][mkd_section_title title="Polymers" title_size="large" title_color="" title_text_align="" margin_bottom="" width=""][vc_column_text]By Monica Esopi The intention of this lesson is to learn background about polymer materials and their applications, and to explore these materials through hands-on activities (making slime and bouncy balls). Students will be able to make their own polymers and explore their properties. These activities can be done individually, or in pairs or groups. Students will make slime to explore cross-linking, and then make bouncy balls to see the impact of a thickening agent.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18213" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]How can simple molecules be joined together in chains or networks to make a substance with different...
Electrochemical Chameleon
[vc_row][vc_column][mkd_section_title title="Electrochemical Chameleon" title_size="large" title_color="" title_text_align="" margin_bottom="" width=""][vc_column_text]By Katie Corp - Schlenker Research Group Students experiment with acidity of solutions and then use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and observe changes in the solution.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18210" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]How can water be split into its simple elements?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]One way to produce hydrogen gas and oxygen gas for energy storage is water splitting via electrolysis. Electrolysis is a process of using an electrical current to drive a chemical reaction that would otherwise not happen, or is non-spontaneous. In this lab, we will electrolyze normal tap...
Bubble Raft Crystal Model
[vc_row][vc_column][mkd_section_title title="Bubble Raft Crystal Model" title_size="large" title_color="" title_text_align="" margin_bottom="" width=""][vc_column_text]In this demonstration / lab students use uniform bubbles floating on water to model the formation and organization of atoms in crystals (Bubleraft Lesson)[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18209" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]Can we use bubbles floating on water to model the organization of atoms forming a crystal?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]Self-assembly is the idea that particles can organize themselves into the complex structures with a high amount of order. Closely packed balls of the same size will eventually sort themselves into tightly packed rows that look like the atoms arranged in crystals. At...
Solar Fan STEM Kit Challenge
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Introduction A solar cell can convert energy from the sun into electricity. This kit has some basic parts to build a solar circuit. Put on your experimenter’s hat. Remember to make a complete circuit (a circle). Also remember to connect the bare metal ends of the wires. The insulation around the wires will stop the electricity. How do solar cells work? Solar energy is a type of electricity created from the light rays of the sun. Current technology harvests these rays using a panel of solar cell wafers containing two different layers of silicon. One layer (called n-type, high in negative charge) contains an excess of electrons,...
Water Model of Electricity
Created by Nathan Wilson for the University of Washington Clean Energy Institute Overview: The goal of this activity is to allow students to apply their knowledge of Ohm’s law to a more intuitive and visual system: water flowing through tubes. The total time for this activity is around 30 minutes. Students are assumed to be familiar Ohm’s law (V/R=I) where V is volts, R is resistance, and I is current, as well as the formula for calculating the resistance of a resistor (R=ρl/A). where p is resistivity in ohms/meter, l is length, A is area of the conductor. Essential Question: How can we model the behavior of electricity...
Solar Spinner
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Build a device from a solar cell, motor and petri dish. It demonstrates conversion of solar energy to electricity and then to mechanical energy.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18217" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]How do we build a toy that uses solar energy to make it spin?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]The front of the solar cell is connected to one wire of the motor, and the back is connected to the other. This makes a complete circuit. It is very important not to let the leads that come from the top of cell to touch the tape coming from the bottom of the cell...
Solar Panel Workshop
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Students explore the electronics and engineering of solar cells and then design and construct a solar panel.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="30px"][vc_hoverbox image="18216" primary_title="" primary_align="left" hover_title="QUESTION" shape="square" el_width="30" align="left"]How can solar cells be connected to make a solar panel for specific purpose?[/vc_hoverbox][vc_empty_space height="40px"][mkd_accordion style="boxed_toggle" el_class="GLOWING COLORS"][mkd_accordion_tab icon_pack="" title="Background"][vc_column_text]Silicon solar cells are the most widely used photovoltaic material. A single cell consists of a slab of silicon (single crystal or polycrystalline) with a continuous metal collector on the back and a grid contacts on the front which are necessary to collect the current from the wide area of the cell because silicon is a semiconductor which has a relatively...
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