From steam to Solar panels
Engineering
Since ancient times, man’s effort was towards finding energy sources that would replace human work in his attempt to go from manual labor to machinery.
What is steam? How does it create motion in a machine?
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, 1750-1830 The effort to create industries. Textiles. The steam engine. Boilers. Steam transport. Railroad. Riverboats. Ships. Refrigeration machines. Establishing the science of mechanisms. Machine development. Inventions. Measuring instruments, Machine tools, Metallurgy. The Social Effects of the Industrial Revolution.
THE ERA OF STEAM AND STEEL, 1830-1900. The inventions. Materials. Machining technology. Machines and Mechanisms. Hydraulic machines. Thermal machines. Mining and metallurgy. Construction, Agricultural technology. Electricity.
Children will form groups and watch a 5-minute video on how to use steam on machine motion. They will then start a steam engine that each team will prepare. Then we will watch another video on the age of electricity and at the same time each team will create an electric motor. Finally, we will complete the program with what is a solar panel, how to convert the solar elergy into electricity. Students will replace the motorized machine with a solar panel and make comments on the energy produced, the required light intensity, etc.
Program info
- Age: High school
- Duration: 90‘