Build an Anemometer to Measure Wind Speed
Students create their own anemometers—instruments for measuring wind speed. They see how an anemometer measures wind speed by taking measurements at various school locations. They also learn about different types of anemometers, real-world applications, and how wind speed information helps engineers decide where to place wind turbines.
An anemometer in motionCopyright 2012 Jan Barani, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elliptic-Anemometer-2-Direction-Vane-Animation-175x175px.gif
Engineers design sensors that collect wind speed and direction for many purposes. At airports, this real-time data helps pilots. For weather prediction, data is collected on sea buoys, marine vessels, ports and land. For safety and efficiency, railroads install wind alarms that report route conditions because high wind gusts cause loss of train power and derailments, and even blow over empty freight cars. Wind alarms also monitor conditions near industrial cranes, exposed roofs or other situations in which high winds can be hazardous. Sensors at chemical plants, oil refineries, incinerators and waste sites monitor wind conditions in case a harmful substance is discharged, or indicate if the wind is too high for the loading of dusty materials or powders. This sensor data is also used to control heating and ventilation in office building atriums and underground mines.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Define an anemometer as an instrument used to measure wind speed.
- Use an anemometer to predict whether a location is a good place to place a wind turbine.
- Describe why engineers want to know wind speed in determining where to place wind turbines.