Cooking with Solar Energy
“Cooking with Solar Energy”
Student Learning Objectives:
- Design a solar oven
- Observe solar energy affect matter
Materials (per team):4 feet Aluminum Foil
1 Sheet Black Construction Paper
1 Roll ½ inch Masking Tape
1 Styrofoam Cup
1 Cookie Dough Piece
1 Oven Mitt (ask student to bring this)
1 Shoe Box or Pizza Box (ask students to bring this)
Introduction:
Some materials absorb solar energy better than other materials. Some materials reflect the solar energy. Additionally, some materials transfer energy quickly; these are called conductors. Materials that slow the transfer of energy are called insulators. Solar energy is electromagnetic radiation; a wave of energy that is able to travel through space. The light that we see from our Sun is one form of electromagnetic energy called visible light. Solar energy is clean energy; it does not pollute the atmosphere. Solar energy can be transferred into matter.
Preliminary Questions:
A. Which of your materials is the conductor?
B. Which of your materials is the reflector?
C. Which of your materials is the insulator?
Procedures:
Your team will be designing and constructing a solar oven to cook your team cookie.
Warnings:
- Never look directly at the Sun. It can damage your eyes.
- Solar ovens may cause thermal burns if you are not careful.
1. Read all procedures (2-11) before you begin any construction. Then carefully read each step as your team completes this activity. Take turns, consider each other’s ideas, alternate using the materials and making observations.
2. Discuss how you will design your oven. Consider the properties of the materials and how you will use them to capture maximum solar energy. If there are different ideas about how to do this on your team, the team must find a way to come to a consensus.
3. Write the plan for constructing your team oven. The plan should include a sketch and the steps for construction of the oven. Divide the steps among the team so that each person has a role in constructing the oven.
4. Follow your team plan and construct your team oven.
5. Obtain one cookie dough piece from your teacher. Place the cookie dough piece in your oven.
6. Predict how long it will take to cook your cookie in the Sun. Record your prediction. Each person on the team may make their own prediction.
7. Once all teams have their oven constructed, your teacher will lead the class outside to where the ovens will sit in the Sun.
8. Send one team member outside to observe the appearance of the cookie each 10 minutes, for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, teams will go outside to view each other’s cookies.
9. Continue to cook the cookies for another 2-3 hours, checking on the cookies every hour. At the end of the experiment time, determine which oven worked best to cook the cookie.
10. If your cookie is solid, use the oven mitt to carefully remove it. Share the team cookie. If your cookie is not cooked, leave it in the oven.
11. Clean up:
- Remind students to take their oven mitt home.
- Return all unused materials to their designated place.
- The team oven may be kept in the classroom, thrown away, or sent home with one of the team members.
Analysis & General Questions:
1) Discuss the design features of the best oven. Compare this oven to your team’s oven and describe the differences. If your team had the best oven, describe the features of your oven that you think contributed to cooking the cookie fast.
2) What type(s) of energy transfer were involved in your experiment?
- Did any part of your team’s solar ovenutilize conduction?
- How is radiation used?
3) What advantages does solar energy provide over other types of energy?
4) What are the disadvantages of using a solar oven?
5) Why and for whom could solar ovens be important?
Ciardi, TSolar Energy1