Cooking with the Sun: Comparing Yummy Solar Cooker Designs
Students learn about using renewable energy from the sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. They explore the concepts of insulation, reflection, absorption, conduction and convection. Then, as time permits, they make and eat quick-cooking food like marshmallow and chocolate s'mores!
Students show their homemade solar ovens.
Engineers help people in remote areas and developing countries by designing alternative methods (to fossil fuels and electricity) for heating, cooking, obtaining fresh water and sanitation. Solar energy is often a suitable, available, inexpensive, renewable energy resource to power these technologies. Engineers study the position of the sun and the area's climate to optimize the amount of solar energy that can be collected at a given location. They also conduct research to determine the best available local materials that can be used to store solar energy, and size the solar technologies to adequately meet the community's expected needs.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain how engineers help develop solar cooking technology to benefit people in developing countries.
- Describe the important properties of a solar cooker and their purposes.
- Describe the transformation of energy that takes place in a solar cooker.