Power Your House with Wind
Students explore how to harness the energy of the wind.Copyright 2008 Huw Williams, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benton_County_wind_turbines.png
Students learn how engineers harness the energy of the wind to produce power by following the engineering design process as they prototype two types of wind turbines and test to see which works best. Students also learn how engineers decide where to place wind turbines, and the advantages and disadvantages to using wind power compared to other non-renewable energy sources.
Engineers are responsible for developing, designing, testing and improving ways in which electricity is generated for our homes and businesses. One way to generate power is to harness the energy of the wind using a wind turbine. Engineers are responsible for the design, implementation and testing of wind turbines all over the world. Civil, mechanical and electrical engineers work together to determine the most ideal locations for wind farms and the most efficient turbine designs for specific conditions.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe how wind turbines transfer the energy of the wind into electricity.
- Compare and contrast two different types of wind turbines.
- List several advantages and disadvantages for using wind power.
- Use the engineering design process to create prototype wind turbines.