Transcript Solar Energy

Solar Energy
Using the Sun’s Energy to Cook Food
The idea of using the Sun’s
energy as a source of power is
not new…
“I’d put my money on
the sun and solar
energy. What a
source of power! I
hope we don’t have
to wait ‘til oil and coal
run out before we
tackle that.”
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison, John Burroughs,
and Henry Ford
March 16, 1914
Some Facts from Solar
Cookers International
 Nearly 40% of all people in the world cook their
meals over wood fires.
 Nearly 12% of all people in the world are without
safe drinking water. (Boiling the water would
help.)
 One solar cooker can save 1 ton of wood per year.
 1.8 tons of carbon dioxide would not reach the
atmosphere if trees were not cut and burned for
cooking fires.
Scientists Who are Improving
the Solar Cooker
Louise Meyer
Dr. Barbara Knudson
Scientists Who are Improving
the Solar Cooker
David Glaser
Allart Ligtenberg
What do you think are the
benefits of using a solar
cooker to cook?
 Solar cookers:
 Do not generate air pollution
 Do not generate greenhouse gases
 Do not produce smoke
 Eliminate fire dangers
 Reduce the reliance on coal and wood
Solar cooking:
Scientists who
work in
developing
countries to
promote solar
cooking have also
found the
following benefits.
 Cooks foods slowly and
thoroughly
 Preserves nutrients in
food
 Is less likely to burn
food
 Has demonstrated that
cooking pots stay
cleaner and use less
water to clean
 Can be used for
preserving food, such
as canning vegetables
or drying fruit
What do you think are the
limitations of using a solar
cooker for cooking?
 It needs to be a clear, sunny day. Cloudy days would
not be optimal.
 Meals may not be prepared as fast as other methods
of cooking.
 Once the food is prepared, it would need to be
stored in a warm place in order to keep it hot.
 Cooking must be done outside.
 Food may have a different texture when cooked in a
solar cooker.
Your goal for this
experimental design
lesson is to:
 Design and build a solar cooker.
 You will test it once (as a control
measurement).
 Your group will change one variable.
 The oven will be tested again.
Some things to
consider…
 What is the fuel needed?
 What type of surface might capture more
sunlight?
 What materials are good solar conductors?
 What materials are good insulators?