Exploring Solar Power
Harnessing energy from the sun holds vast applicationsCopyright http://solar.ee.missouri.edu/gallery03/index.htm
Lesson 1, Using Heat from the Sun and associated activity Cooking with the Sun - Creating a Solar Oven: The three primary modes of energy transfer—conduction, convection and radiation—are discussed in the context of engineers exploiting heat from the sun. Then students create and use solar ovens.
Lesson 2, From Sunlight to Electric Current and associated activity Racing with the Sun - Creating a Solar Car: Students learn how the sun's energy can be used to produce electricity. Then they create and race model solar cars.
Designing and building solar cars and solar ovens are examples of engineering projects that demonstrate to students how engineers apply their brains and imaginations to make an impact on the world through innovative designs.