Green Electricity Shaw STEM Lab 2014

Questions/Research Define Electricity. What do AC and DC stand for? Why are they named these? Define Fossil Fuels & Renewable Energy. Cite two (2) examples of each. Describe why Renewable Energy is a better resource or option than Fossil Fuel. Watch the YouTube video on the website and describe how Solar Power works.

What You Should Know… What is electricity? Electricity is simply the flow of electrical power or charge. There are different forms of electricity. You’ve almost certainly experienced static electricity after walking on a carpet and touching a door knob. That shock you felt was a flow of charged particles from your finger to the door knob. Lightning is an extreme form of static electricity caused by the build up of charged particles in rapidly moving air currents. As you probably know, atoms have positively charged particles called protons and negatively charged particles called electrons. Both carry an electrical charge. It’s relatively easy to dislodge electrons from the outer orbit of an atom in certain substances like copper wire. Such substances are called conductors. When that happens, the atom’s charge is out of balance and it attracts another electron. This flow of electrons is the electricity we use to power our homes and appliances.

Flow Volume in Gallons per Minute What You Should Know… Electrical energy flows in wires like water in pipes… Similar to a stream of water though a hose, electricity is a stream of electrons flowing in a conductive wire. It flows when electrical pressure is applied to the wire. We call that electrical pressure voltage. Gravity Pressure (force) The flow of electrons starts with a generator and travels through wires to the point where it is consumed Nozzle (Resistance) Flow Control Valve The resistance in this heater consumes electrical energy as it converts the electricity to heat and light. Smaller Pipe (Resistance) Flow Volume in Gallons per Minute

What You Should Know… Evolution of AC and DC electrical currents… All your experimental circuits will use DC current. Evolution of AC and DC electrical currents… There are two types of electrical currents – AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct Current). Thomas Edison was a supporter of DC current, so he built DC power stations in many major cities in the late 1800’s. But DC power had one major limitation – power plants could only send DC electricity about one mile before the electricity began to lose power. In 1896, George Westinghouse introduced a high-voltage alternating current (AC) transmission line from his Niagara Falls hydroelectric plant to Buffalo New York, 20 miles away. This project established the common practice of locating electric generating plants long distances from the end consumer. Study the two animations on this page carefully to see the difference in the direction the current is flowing in the top DC circuit and the bottom AC circuit. DC current flows in one continuous direction. DC Circuit AC current alternates its direction 60 times every second. AC Circuit Source: PBS Online – AC/DC: What's the Difference?

Caution! Safety first…Be sure you read these safety points! Fortunately, none of the electronic components in your Snap Circuits kit carry enough power to be dangerous. But that might not always be the case with electrical circuits you might encounter elsewhere. So when you are working with electricity, it’s always a good idea to develop safe work habits. NEVER touch loose wires unless you are SURE they are disconnected from a power source. ALWAYS make sure that power is switched OFF when making changes to an electrical circuit. If in doubt, ask for HELP from a knowledgeable responsible person. Better safe than sorry!

Caution! Proper care of delicate electronic equipment… Some things you will work with in the SmartLab are STRONG and TOUGH. But electronic equipment is fragile and delicate by nature, because the wires are very small and easy to break. So how should you treat them? Electronic components are fragile, handle them with care!

About the Snap Circuits Green Kit When you check out the Snap Circuits Green Kit, you are responsible for returning it with all the pieces and back in the same place as you found it. It is important that you build the Projects exactly as they are shown in the examples. If you don’t, you could ruin the kit or injure yourself. The projects that follow are purposely out of order Example: Project 1, Project 3, Project 13, Project 2, etc.

Warning!

Project #1 We need to make sure the battery is charged. Set up the Snap Circuits according to the next slide. Make sure you read the yellow and white boxes on the Project page. Also, there are questions associated with EACH question. Be sure you answer them.

Project #1

Project #3 Let’s double check the battery. Let’s try using Solar Power instead. Set up Project #3, Circuit #1 according to the next slide. If the weather is nice, ask to go outside. While outside carefully rotate the solar panel. Which way does the solar panel work best? Describe why this is.

Project #3

Project #13 Assemble Project #13 If the weather is nice ask to go outside. While outside answer these questions Did the LED light up? Describe how the light from the sun is changed from sun light into energy to turn on the light.

Project #13

Project #2 Part A Assemble Project #2 Make sure you assemble exactly like the diagram! Be sure to read the text in the white textbox before assembling the project. Rotate the hand crank clockwise and describe what happens. Rotate the hand crank in counter clockwise and describe what happens. Cite why the light does or does not turn on when you rotate the hand crank clockwise.

Project #2 Part A

Project #2 Part B Assemble Project #2 Make sure you assemble exactly like the diagram except rotate the horn and LED pieces 180 degrees (opposite of the diagram) Rotate the hand crank clockwise and describe what happens. Rotate the hand crank in counter clockwise and describe what happens. Cite why the light does or does not turn on when you rotate the hand crank clockwise.

Project #2 Part B

Project #70 Assemble and Test Project #70 Be careful not to get the meter wet! Describe how the water wheel powers the meter. Adjust the level of the water and explain what happens on the meter.

Project #70

Project #14 Assemble & Test Project #14 Read the “Educational Corner” Summarize what each of the five (5) parts are doing

Project #14

Project #15 Assemble & Test Project #15 Describe the flow of electricity from the battery to the red and yellow LEDs. Describe how and why the red and yellow LEDs light up at the same time.

Project #16 Assemble & Test Project #16 Describe the flow of electricity from the battery to the yellow LED and the horn. Explain why this project is different from project #15.

Projects #15-16

Project #22 Assemble & Test Project #22 Describe the flow of electricity from the battery to the red LED Describe the flow of electricity from the battery to the meter. Explain what a resistor is

Project #22

Keep it going! If you’ve finished all of the projects listed in this PowerPoint, check out the rest of the Snap Circuits Green pieces and the workbook.