#1240 light and solar energy student workbook
TRANSCRIPT
Creative Ability
can be Learned
(v1.0)
Gigo Learning Lab’s complete series includes 20 individual packages, as well as five school sets. The special features of Gigo’s Learning Lab are as follows:
1. Using GIGO’s “building block” construction-based curriculum, every class has a ready-to-assemble model, and includes time designed to promote individual creativity.
2. Promotes thinking outside-the-box of the traditional educational framework by learning innovation through play!
3. We are all innately good at something, so we should take into account both individual development and the ability to work as part of a team effort.
4. Course levels are designed from elementary to difficult, combining a life sciences-based curriculum with applications from daily life.
5. Experiment using Gigo’s “building blocks”, which can be used over and over again, saving both time and effort.
6. Comes with Gigo’s newly developed 3D Smart Manual, which makes learning how to intelligently assemble each model easier than ever before.
7. Learning Lab’s Cloud Platform allows systematic recording of learning progress.
We hope that kids can enthusiastically learn scientific knowledge through fun hands-on experience, developing their problem-solving abilities, as well as a positive attitude towards science. Our mission is to help children apply their newfound knowledge to daily life, furthering their innovational skills and abilities.
For any questions or inquires. please email to [email protected]
01
Index
07. Solar Path
08. The Sun’s Composition
10. Monograph (2)
11. The Sun and its Position
Appendix: Learning Lab Packages
20. Monograph (4)
19. Climate Change
18. Hybrid Energy
17. Solar Vehicle
16. Solar Park
15. Monograph (3)
14. The Pros and Cons of Solar Power
13. Photosynthesis
12. Intermittent Energy
09. Solar Storage
04. Applications of Solar Power
05. Monograph (1)
06. Solar Spectrum
03. Photoelectric Effect
02. Transforming Light into Heat
01. Energy Transformation
Parts List
Index
Education Philosophy 01 39
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Long Frame (Blue)Long Frame (Gray)Short FrameDual FrameSquare FrameDual Rod(Yellow)Dual Rod(Gray)11-hole Rod11-hole Prolate Rod5-hole Rod5-hole Dual Rod-II5-hole Dual Rod-III3-hole Rod3-hole Dual RodBended RodMotor AxleCross Axle 3CMCross Axle 6CMCross Axle 7CMCross Axle 10CMCross Axle 15CMRack 15CMCord 200CMBattery Charger (AA Cell)Battery Holder (AA Cell)Wire (Red)Wire (Black)Reverse GeneratorSolar Panel20T Gear40T Gear60T Gear10T Sprocket
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30T SprocketSnail Cam80T GearS PulleyM PulleyL PulleyRacing TireLight Collection PlateM RingL RingL Rubber BandWasherCross Axle FixerTwo-in-one ConverterHingeCross Axle ConnectorWorm GearRollerHook90-degree Converter-I90-degree Converter-RDrive ChainAxleLoose AxlePinL Connecting PegS Connecting PegS Button FixerCrankBase Grid ConnectorBase GridSpanner
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P a r t s L i s t
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S e s s i o n 01 BrainstormingW h a t i f we d i d n ’ t h ave a ny e l e c t r i c i t y ? H ow wo u l d t h i s impact our daily lives?
I am electricity. My home is at a power company. I like to help my owner do things, but be careful, you can not get too close to me. If you directly touch me, you will at the very least get a tingling in your head. In a more serious situation, I can stop your heartbeat. I’m not trying to play a practical joke on people, this is just how I am.
If you want to call on me to serve you, then you have to work some magic and transform my energy. If you want to turn on a fan in the summertime, then you have to transform my electrical energy into kinetic energy. If you want to turn on the heat to warm you up in the winter time, then you need to transform me into heat energy. If you want to listen to your favorite tunes on your headphones or stereo speakers, then you have to turn me into sonic energy! Have you ever seen a satellite picture of the Earth during the night time? The beautiful pictures of glistening cities across the Earth’s surface is thanks to me changing into luminescent (light) energy! I am the best friend of modern life; you cannot live without me.
Did you know that you need to abide by safety regulations when using electricity? Other than kinetic, heat, sonic, and luminescent, can you list any other kind of energy that we c an t r ans fo r m electrical energy into?
Parts List
The Magic of
Electricity
Energy Transformation
Smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, with people becoming more and more dependent
upon them for managing their daily lives. But what happens when their batteries die and there’s no nearby plug to be found? This is when having a portable charger comes in handy. Generally, a portable charger has three parts: a rechargeable battery, a circuit board, and a protective casing. Since the purpose of a portable charger is to be frequently charged and then discharged (to charge your dead phone), it’s stability is heavily impacted by the design of the circuit board and the quality of the rechargeable battery.
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How does the 11-hole Rod’s movement change when you switch the batteries from a series circuit to a parallel circuit?
How can we make the 11-hole Rod turn faster?
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S e s s i o n 02 BrainstormingDuring the Siege of Syracuse, famous Greek inventor Archimedes, set enemy ships on fire using a series of reflecting mir rors to channel the sun’s solar energy. What others applications can this kind of energy be used for?
The sun provides both light and heat. It is a very convenient source of energy. Wherever there is
sunlight, you can tap into its solar energy. Solar water heaters are pieces of equipment that channel the heat from the sun, in order
to heat up water. This is one kind of renewable energy. There are two kinds of solar water heating equipment: active and passive. Passive water heaters generally are designed with a water tank and an inclined solar panel. Active water heaters also include a motor that can keep water circulating, as well as a temperature-control function.
Helen is a sweet girl. She often saw a little boy in her neighborhood sitting alone on the front porch of his house. Because of his poor eyesight, he always stayed at home. Helen tried to come up with a way to help connect him with the outside world. One hot afternoon, Helen noticed that the sun was shining brightly, and so she came up with a great idea: there was a way to teach the boy something new, even without the benefit of having good eyesight! Helen decided to take the little boy outside to show him how solar thermal energy works.
Under the sunlight, Helen told the boy stick his hand out with his palm facing up. Then she took an ice cube out from the basket and placed it in his hand. Even though it was really bright outside, the little boy was unable to see very well. Nonetheless, he could feel the ice quickly melting into a puddle of water in his palm! This sensations
allowed the little boy to pick up on what the significance of solar thermal energy was. Outside for the first time in ages, the boy graciously thanked Helen for her willingness to teach him.
From what you have learned about solar thermal energy, can you think of some other applications for it?
Parts List
Solar Thermal
Collector
Transforming Light into Heat
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Model Creation
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Observe the dif ference in images formed b e t w e e n c o n v e x a n d c o n c a v e L i g h t Collection Plate.
Use the Light Collection Plate to reflect heat onto some chocolate and make it melt.
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S e s s i o n 03 BrainstormingWhat applications in our daily lives generate power from luminous energy?
B7-3A
Phototubes are an application of the photoelectric effect, which uses metal illuminated under a light in order to produce
electricity. Photomultiplier tubes further increase the sensitivity of the photocathodes inside, making them far more sensitive to light than
conventional phototubes. This allows them to detect weak optical signals. Photomultiplier tubes possessing high sensitivity and low levels of noise are used to measure light and are widely available.
Aliens, who had come from a distant planet and were visiting Earth, felt that the Industrial Revolution had led to excessive development, and had accelerated the consumption of Earth’s resources. Concerned, they decided to pass on one of their advanced pieces of technology to one of the smartest people on Earth, Albert Einstein. He revealed the “Photoelectric effect” theory, winning himself a Nobel Prize in Physics.
One hundred years later, aliens visited Earth again. In addition to surveying the resource situation on Earth, the aliens also had the mission of understanding the progress human beings had made with solar power. In order to do so, they assigned one alien to visit a lab. He quickly found a phototube that had been made with the very technology they had passed on to humans years ago.
Later on, he found a solar panel. The alien was surprised to see that humans already understood the theory behind the photovoltaic effect. Upon further investigation, he noticed that the solar panels’ photoelectric conversion ability wasn’t very efficient. It appeared to him that, even though humans were pretty clever, they were still years away from developing a mastery of photovoltaic energy that would equal his own. Satisfied that humans wouldn’t be a rival anytime soon, the alien safely returned back into space.
Parts List
Solar Elevator
Photoelectric Effect
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Try this out! How can we make the elevator go down?
D e s i g n a h a n d l e sw i t c h t h a t c a n be used to contro l the upward and downward movement of the elevator.
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S e s s i o n 04 BrainstormingIf you were an engineer, what equipment would you like to see be ing swi tched over to so lar power?
I am an artificial satellite. My contributions to society have been huge. I take care of everything, from GPS navigation, weather forecasting, and communications, to helping scientists conduct scientific research. Even though I am still a symbol of advanced technology, some humans are planning to phase me out. Actually, it turns out that it’s not too expensive to build me; It’s the cost of launching a rocket to put me into out space that makes my price tag sky-high! In the future, the plan is to develop a series of unmanned, solar-powered vehicles. The idea is to cover the wings of the aircraft with thousands of solar cells, which will collect energy from sunlight to power the engine of the plane. Excess energy will be stored in the aircraft’s battery, which will turn on to keep the aircraft flying at nighttime, when there is no sunlight available. Titan
Aerospace has already released plans for two such aircraft: the Solara 50 and the Solara 60. With the costs of producing solar energy being minimal compared to the cost of launching a rocket into space, the hope is that, so long as maintenance costs don’t prove to be too expensive, solar-powered aircraft could one day make orbiting satellites obsolete.
D id you know tha t artificial satellites also n e e d t o u s e s o l a r batteries?
Parts List
Applications of Solar Power
Tightrope
Walking
In order to escape Earth’s gravity, artificial satellites need rockets to help carry them into space. Once
reaching a certain height, the satellite will break free from the rocket. After separating, the satellite then uses its own fuel to place itself into its proper orbit. The main components of a satellite include the body, the solar array, a GPS antenna, a fuel tank, and a variety of sensors and camera.
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What methods could we use to make the model walk in reverse?
Try modifying the model and make it walk faster!
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S e s s i o n
Monograph05
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01. The Magic of Electricity 02. Solar Thermal Collector
03. Solar Elevator 04. Tightrope Walking
Create a solar combine harvester to help the farmer gather his grain crops.
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Winner!
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My Artwork
Evaluation
S e s s i o n 06 BrainstormingWhat is the ef fect on humans if we expose ourselves to too much sunlight?
Exposure to UV light is a quick and efficient way to get a full-body tan. You only need
to lay down on a tanning bed for a short while in order to get that healthy skin color, hence why they are so popular.
However, tanning beds are machines that release large amounts of UV light. You need to be very cautious when using one, as it may cause serious damage to your skin.
Parts List
Paul likes the sun a lot. Every weekend he heads out to the beach. Always outgoing and optimistic, Paul is popular among a lot of his classmates. One day, their teacher told the class that Paul was going to be on an indefinite sick leave. Concerned, Paul’s classmates decided to go visit him in the hospital.
It was only upon arriving at the hospital did Paul’s classmates discover why he was so sick: Paul had cancer. Seeing normally bright and happy Paul laying in a hospital bed left his classmates in shock. Paul tried to lighten the mood by telling one of his usual jokes, but no one laughed. Undeterred, Paul tried to make fun of himself, commenting that the reason he had skin cancer was because he loved sun-bathing too much and that he didn’t ever put on sunscreen. Fortunately, Paul’s cancer was discovered at an early stage, and following the doctor’s recommendations, Paul told his classmates that he would undergo his first chemotherapy session soon.
While talking, Paul suddenly began throwing up. No one knew what to do. Paul and the doctor reassured his friends that he was fine. Both believe that, as long as he cooperates with doctor and keeps a positive attitude, Paul should be able to return back to school soon.
Solar Bicycle
Solar Spectrum
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Compare the speed of the bicycle under different light sources.
Try modifying your bicycle. Afterwards, hold a race!
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S e s s i o n 07 BrainstormingHow does the Sun’s path differ from summer to winter time?
In order to maintain the maximum level of energy efficiently generated by a solar panel, its angle
needs to be adjusted according the seasonal and hourly changes of the Sun’s position. The panel has to face directly at the
Sun’s incident rays. The solar tracker is a device that keeps the Sun’s incidence rays perpendicular to the solar panel’s surface. This helps minimize the angle of incidence between the incoming sunlight and the photovoltaic panel. This helps to increase the amount of energy produced from a fixed power source.
Tony used to watch the stars and the moon with his father when he was little. Later, after he started going to school, he voluntarily joined the astronomy club. He worked hard to learn as much as he could about astronomy everyday after school.
One night, Tony was entranced by a meteor shower. He saw hundred of shooting starts in the sky at around 3:00 AM. He also was a self-taught astronomy photographer. He enjoyed taking long exposure shots of stars.After his teacher began teaching about the sun’s movement in the sky, Tony realized that the Sun and stars appearing to rise from the East, and setting in the West, was nothing more than an illusion. The movement of the Sun and the stars could actually be explained by the Earth’s own rotation. The only difference between the Sun and the stars was that we watched one during the daytime, and the other at night time.
Can you feel the earth rotating and revolving? What phenomenon can explain the earth’s rotation?
Parts List
Solar Tracker
Solar Path
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Turn the handle and observe the model’s motion one time with sunlight, and another time without sunlight.
The Sun’s paths is different every day. How can we make the model f reely adjust its angle in order to directly face the Sun?
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S e s s i o n 08 BrainstormingIf humanity were to live on the sur face of the Sun, what kind of special equipments would we need?
If a solar flare eruption occurs, the massive stream of charged particles it
emits can effect the Earth from millions of kilometers away. Solar flares can affect radio signals for communication, broadcast, and survey machinery, causing many to lose their signal. Such occurrences are known as Solar Storms, and can have big effects on our daily lives when they happen.
Parts List
I am the right person to ask about the difference between how the sun appears on the Moon and on Earth. As an astronaut, I have flown to the Moon and back. Initially, I wasn’t sure how the Sun would appear on the Moon, after all, it is the same star that we see everyday on Earth. It wasn’t until upon landing on the Moon’s surface that I finally realized just how different it was. One day on the Moon is equal to about 14 days on earth. One night on the Moon is also equal to 14 days on Earth. What explains the difference between the the length of night and day on these two surfaces? It’s because the Moon rotates much more slowly than the Earth. In fact, the Moon rotates only once during a complete orbit of the Earth. That means one full day and night on the Moon lasts for 28 Earth days! One of the scariest things about the Moon is how big of a temperature change can happen between daytime and nighttime. In the day, the Moon can reach temperatures of 100 Celsius. At night, it can drop down to -200 Celsius!
Can you imagine what the Sun looks like on the Moon? What equipment would you need to live in this harsh environment?
Tensile
Machine
The Sun’s Composition
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Record the ex tension length of rubber band.
Try and use solar tension to conduct a game of tug-of-war!
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S e s s i o n 09 BrainstormingWhat is the benef it of using a rechargeable battery?
Solar charging stations capitalize on the sun’s radiation, using the photons of
light from the Sun to create a flow of electrons, exhibiting what is known as the “Photovoltaic effect.”
Since the photovoltaic effect does not produce any pollution or carbon dioxide, it is both environmentally friendly, and a reliable renewable energy source.
Parts List
There are two sources of electricity that come from the sky. The first kind comes the electrical discharge that occurs during a thunderstorm. The second kind of electricity is born out the the sunlight that passes through a solar battery. Since ancient times, people have feared thunderstorms. In ancient Greece and Rome, Zeus/Jupiter was the god of lightening, and was the most powerful of all the gods. In Nordic mythology, lightening occurred when the fearsome god of thunder, Thor, lashed out in anger. Ever since the American scientist, Benjamin Franklin, conducted his famous “kite” experiment, we have known that lightening is really just electricity. However, despite our understanding of the nature of lightening, we are still unable to accurately predict where lightening will strike, nor have we found a way to store its tremendous power. In contrast, the electricity generated by a solar panel is small in quantity, but it can be easily stored. Since the electrical current vanishes so quickly, the
electricity from a solar panel is only valuable if it can be stored. As a result, we not only invest in solar cell technologies, but in solar power batteries an d c ha r g i n g stations as well.
Solar Charging
Station
Solar Storage
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Prepare two rechargeable bat ter ies. Then compare the difference in efficiency between solar power and a manual generator.
Try to use objects from daily l i fe to reflect sunlight onto the Solar Panel.
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S e s s i o n
Monograph10
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06. Solar Bicycle
08. Tensile Machine
07. Solar Tracker
09. Solar Charging Station
Today, the world faces an energy crisis. Please design a green energy house, where all the household electric appliances will be powered solely by solar energy.
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DesignConcept
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S e s s i o n 11 BrainstormingWhat is the sun’s position in the sky at different times during the day?
Parts List
Today, after school, Helen was walking alongside the school building as the sun was setting. She began placing stickers to mark out the shadows on the ground. After she had finished marking the shadow of 20 trees, she turned around to marvel at her work; however, she noticed that the shadow of the tree furthest away from her had gotten much longer. Confused, she ran back into her classroom and asked her teacher why.
Helen’s teacher asked her to make a shadow by shining a lamplight onto her hands. Her teacher then told Helen to slowly lower the lamp. Helen noticed that shadow of her hand on the table was getting longer and longer the further she lowered the lamplight. When her teacher moved the direction of the light, Helen discovered that the position of the shadow had also changed.
Afterwards, Helen’s teacher shined the light horizontally so that the shadow of her hands was cast onto the classroom wall. Her teacher then began moving her hands until the shadow on the wall began to look just like a butterfly! With a slight adjustment of her hands, the teacher quickly made a p ic ture of a dog! Helen was so intrigued that she began trying to make shadow puppets as well.
B7-11A
Sundial
The Sun and its Position
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Light always has a direction. When the Sun’s position in the sky changes, so
does the position of the shadows cast by objects in the sun’s light. In the past, people exploited this
phenomenon to invent a device to tell the time of day. This device was known as a “sundial”. A sundial is a device
with a thin strip called a style, which casts a shadow in whichever direction the sun is shining. The surface that the style’s shadow is cast upon has different lines representing the different hours of the day. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow of the stylus lines up with the corresponding “hour” of the day.
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B a s e d o n yo u r m o d e l , t r y t o d r aw a semicircular sundial and mark the t ime from 6:00 to 18:00.
Alter the light’s direction and try to f ind out what directions the shadow will cast in by using the sundial. Check for 6:00, 12:00 and 18:00.
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S e s s i o n 12 BrainstormingWhy do people get up after the sun rises, and rest once the sun sets?
Parts List
A husky loves to accompany his little owner every time he plays the piano. The husky often howls along with the little boy’s music. The first time the family heard the husky begin howling loudly, they thought that it may be because he was ill. To be safe, they took him to the doctor. After a quick check-up the doctor assured them that the dog was healthy, he just liked singing along to the music! Afterwards, the husky was treasured by the family, and the little boy enjoyed having the husky accompany him as a duet! But not everyone liked that the husky was getting so much attention. A rooster on a nearby farm quickly became jealous of all the praise the husky got for his singing. So early ever morning, the rooster would perch himself on top of the fence in front of the husky’s home, and would begin crowing as loud as he could. “That will show him whose the best singer!”, he thought. Unfortunately for the rooster, instead of proving he was the best, he only
managed to wake up the little boy and husky, who would happily rush over to the piano and began playing louder than he could crow! Kids, do you know why the rooster crows every morning?
Solar Alarm
Intermittent Energy
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Because there is no sunlight at night, solar energy is a type of intermittent energy. You cannot maintain a continuous supply
of energy because of the variability of night and day, weather, and season; therefore, in order to be effective, solar energy must be stored.
This requires some kind of control center, such as a hydromagnetic DC convertor, so that you can store excess energy during the day, and use it during the night when there is no light source present.
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R e c o r d t h e f r e q u e n c y o f t h e a l a r m operation when the solar power is varied.
Other than using the so lar a larm’s sound, how could our alarm help wake someone up?
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S e s s i o n 13 BrainstormingT h e r e a r e t h r e e t h i n g s necessary for a plant to have in order to survive. What impact on life would there be if there were no sunlight?
Due to both over-exploitation of the land, and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
humans have heavily polluted both the soil and water of Earth. As a result, more advanced nations are building sterile,
indoor, hydroponic facilities for cultivating plants. In order to save energy and reduce electricity bills, they developed the facilities to integrate innovative solar power technology as a supplement to conventional power sources that are commonly used to supply their energy demands. Using this dual-power exchange system, the facility is able to supply electricity for both the indoor lighting and water circulation systems.
Walter likes to study plants. He was really excited about today’s lesson. After introducing the concept of photosynthesis and how plants interact with their environment, Walter’s teacher brought up several questions with the class.
Teacher: If we were to cover a flower with a cardboard box, why would the flower die within a few days?Walter: Because there is no sunlight in the cardboard box, the plant cannot photosynthesize, meaning it will not be able to get the nutrients it needs to stay alive.
Teacher: What if we punch a hold in the corner of the cardboard box? What would happen then?
Walter: Then the plant would begin growing in the direction of its light source. This is known as phototropism. If you were to lay a plant down sideways and place a light underneath it, the plant would continue to grow sideways. This is because of a combination of p h o t o t r o p i s m a n d gravitropism.
Parts List
Solar Puppy
Photosynthesis
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If we were to change the connecting point of the solar puppy’s foot joint, how would the dog walk differently?
Tr y to c reate o ther so lar powered animals.
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S e s s i o n 14 BrainstormingWhat are the l imi tat ions and disadvantages of using solar energy?
Parts List
Even after the invention of the telescope, humanity’s ability to observe the universe has still been limited to what they can see from the ground. That all changed upon the arrival of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The creation of the HBS introduced a brand new way to explore the galaxy from within space, granting us further insight into the universe we are a part of. Just like an artificial satellite, the HST needed a rocket to carry it into space.
Just like an artificial satellite, the HST also needs electricity for it to run. It has two solar arrays, one on each side, which can transform the solar energy of sunlight into useable electricity. The electricity that is generated is divided up for the HST’s computers, control sensors and wireless connections, while excess electricity is stored in its battery. When the telescope orbits into the shadow of the Earth, it still can keep working by using this stored electricity.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been working in outer space for decades. If there was neither a solar array, nor a battery to provide the necessary electricity, there would be no way that the telescope could be in space for such
a long time, preventing it from continuing to provide humanity with all kinds of observations on cosmolog ica l phenomenons.
Tug-of-war
Machine
The Pros and Cons of Solar Power
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Contemporary portable chargers are often plug-in chargers. This makes it very
inconvenient while traveling, as it requires additional accessories to adapt to local voltage and socket types.
Solar-powered chargers, on the other hand, provide free energy and avoid any unnecessary additions, making it a much more convenient power source. As long as there is sunlight, you can charge your smart devices.
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Have one person activating the model using a halogen lamp, while another person controls the model manually. Compare and contrast the pros and cons of both sides.
Try set t ing up a pull ing competit ion between manual and solar energy.
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11. Sundial
13. Solar Puppy 14. Tug-of-war Machine
Sunlight is one of Earth’s most indispensable natural resources; however, there are a lot of activities that occur at night when the sun is not present. Please design a car that can be used when both charged and discharged.
12. Solar Alarm
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S e s s i o n 16 BrainstormingWhat alternative energy sources can be used for mountainous areas that are unreachable for conventional electrical equipment?
Because of the very real possibility of running out of power while far away from any
power grid, a “Plan B” is necessary for all electric cars. In response to this concern, new electric
vehicle charging stations are coming onto the market. These charging stations are the latest in high-tech innovation,
and are environmentally friendly. These charging stations are not like the conventional gas stations we are familiar with. Every charging stations is equipped with a solar array for a rooftop, and naturally, it only services electric cars. The electricity from which these cars would be charging from would be supplied by the free solar energy these power stations collect. This kind of charging station design is very suitable for off-the-grid locations, such as desert terrains and mountains.
A solar park is, itself, a power plant. Building more solar parks can help slow down the global climate change caused by the greenhouse effect of global fossil fuel emissions. In addition, solar parks could prove crucial in replacing our dependency on non-renewable fossil fuels that we are rapidly running out of. In order to prevent this situation, it is necessary to build more solar parks in the uninhabitable parts of our planet’s deserts.
Despite the fact that deserts are both dry and devoid of life, they offer an incredible opportunity in the form of their abundant sunlight. If we could overcome the environmental difficulties of constructing solar parks in deserts like the Sahara and Death Valley, they could prove to be massive
treasure troves for humanity’s energy demands.
Do you know what is the energy source for solar parks?
Parts List
Solar Cable Car
Solar Park
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Draw the necessary supplies needed to be delivered up the mountain on a piece of paper, and then hang it on the cable car.
D e s i g n a s w i t c h t h a t a l l o w s t h e cable car to stop when it reaches its destination.
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S e s s i o n 17 BrainstormingWhat kinds of issues do solar-powered vehicles run into?
The World Solar Challenge is held once every two years in Australia. During the competition, many dif ferent kinds of solar vehicles are gathered here and put on display. Their designs are not only environmentally-friendly, but innovative too. Great care is put into the aesthetics and capability of the cars as well. Each car is the pride and joy of their team. The race originates from Darwin, and ends at Adelaide, crossing through the desert interior of the Australian continent. The only energy source for the participating cars is solar energy. Each team needs to travel 3,000km in just 8 days, and since the sun rises and sets, their cars are only operable from 8:00-17:00 daily. Talk about a
challenge! Kids, have you ever seen a solar-powered vehicle before?
B7-17A
Parts List
Solar Vehicle
Solar vehicles are a type of vehicle that utilizes solar power as its primary source of
energy. Solar vehicles don’t produce any noise or emit any pollution like internal-combustion engines
do. In order to avoid consuming the limited resources of Earth, it combines state-of-the-art technology with the spirit of conservationism and environmentalism, as well as providing a practical and efficient form of transportation. Solar-powered race cars are characterized by their flat bodies, which are designed to accommodate more solar panels. Solar cars that are intended for general use apply a solar panel mounted to the roof of the vehicle; however, these kind of vehicles are still in the R&D stage, and have not officially entered the market for public consumption.
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Record the speed of the car under different light conditions.
Let's hold a solar car race!
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S e s s i o n 18 BrainstormingWhat are the pros and cons of using either a hybrid system or a single-source system?
From my outward appearance I look like any other car, but I’m much more than that. My body is that of a standard vehicle, but underneath the hood, I am a completely different machine. I’m a hybrid vehicle. At my core, I have two hearts, an electric motor and a traditional internal-combustion engine. I run off both gas and electricity.
It may sound very complicated, but don’t worry, the two engines inside of me can cooperate automatically. For example, if I am on a flat road, I can run on my electric motor, but if I suddenly start driving up a steep hill, I can switch over to my gas-powered engine to provide the force necessary to climb up the hill. In this way, I can work to conserve my fuel for only when it is necessary to
use it. I have the ability to recycle energy. When I slow down from braking, I can convert the force of the wheels turning into energy that can be used to recharge my electric battery.
Parts List
HybridCar
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Hybrid Energy
Hybrid vehicles are able to regenerate their batteries while using their gas-powered
engines, or through the disposal of wastes such as exhaust. Hybrid vehicles use this system to not only increase
efficiency, but to save energy as well. The basic concept of a hybrid system is to convert energy in the most efficient way possible. Waste heat boilers, located inside waste incinerator plants, are another example. Waste incinerators can help to solve some of our pollution problems, and additionally can recycle their heat energy.
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Record the dif ference in speeds between a solar-powered car, an electric car, and a hybrid.
Try to modify the model and create a hybrid cement mixer.
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S e s s i o n 19 BrainstormingWhat impact does global climate change have on human beings?
I am a baby polar bear. My favorite thing in the whole world is to listen to my Mom’s stories. My Mom often says that when she was a kid, she had multiple options for dinner. When my Mom was hungry, she would go to a gap in the ice, and wait for seagulls and sea mammals. They were always fresh and delicious. Nowadays, food is no longer as tasty, and we are always hungry.These days, the ice is melting very quickly, so now we can only eat plants and animals that grow on the ground. Under these conditions, I can’t ask my mom to help me learn how to catch fish. As a result, our tradition of hunting fish is fading away. I really want to ask my Mom what seagulls taste like.
Did you know that as a result of climate change, animals living in the Arctic, such as the polar bear, have struggled to survive as their lives become more and more harsh?
Parts List
Multi-speed
Electric Fan
Climate Change
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When summer comes, people turn on their air conditioners in order to combat the stifling
heat, but this makes their electricity bills sky-high every month. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have solar-powered air
conditioners? It would be a win-win situation, as solar power is renewable, and cleaner than normal electricity. What’s best is we wouldn’t even have to pay to use it! It turns out that there are currently solar hybrid air conditioning units on the market today. The solar arrays are installed on top of the a/c units, providing one of the sources of energy for the a/c to run off of.
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Under sunny conditions, how can we make the gears spin faster?
Try to modify or invent a daily product that can slow down the speed of global climate change.
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Monograph20
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18. Hybrid Car
17. Solar Vehicle
19. Multi-speed Electric Fan
When astronauts go on a mission, they cannot carry along a generator with them at all times; however, solar energy is a very accessible resource. Try to to design a rover that can use solar power to navigate the terrain of a new planet
16. Solar Cable Car
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Learning Lab- Individual Packages Learning Lab- School Packages
Target: age 2-6 (Kindergarten)
30 mins/ session;
120 sessions in total
Target: age 10+ (Jr. & Sr. High School)
50 mins/ session;
80 sessions in total
Target: age 7+ (Elementary School)
40 mins/ session;
100 sessions in total
Target: age 7+ (Elementary School)
40 mins/ session;
40 sessions in total
Target: age 7+ (Elementary School)
40 mins/ session;
100 sessions in total
#1250 Creative World Set #1251 Scientific Experiment Set- Power Machine
#1252 Scientific Experiment Set- Green Energy
#1253 Technology Explorer Set
#1254 Brick Contraption Set
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Technology Explorer
Brick Contraption
Scientific Experiment
30 mins/ session; 30 sessions/ package
50 mins/ session; 20 sessions/ package
40 mins/ session; 20 sessions/ package
#1230 Wonderful World1
#1249 Construction Set
#1231 Theme Park2
#1232 Little Artist3 #1233 Fun Cube4
#1248 Basic Set
#1245 Vibro & Gyro16#1244 Robot15
#1246 Programmable Controller
17 #1247 S4A Interactive Bricks
18
40 mins/ session; 20 sessions/ package
#1238 Gas & Pneumatics9
#1240 Light & Solar Energy11
#1242 Chemical Battery13
#1234 Force & Simple Machine
5 #1235 Motion & Mechanism
6
#1236 Electricity & Circuit7 #1237 Electromagnetism & Motor
8
#1239 Wind Power10
#1241 Liquid & Hydraulics12
#1243 Optical Devices14
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