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Math Science Innovation Center

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Today, our MSIC representative gave us an opportunity to share the types of energy sources that we knew –  renewable: biomass, hydropower, wind, solar, geothermal AND nonrenewable: oil, nuclear, coal, and gas.  Did you know we use coal to power most of Virginia’s electricity from the southwest region of VA (Appalachian Plateau) in Tazwell County?

Her focus was on solar energy – solar cells are a way to capture the sun’s energy and change it to electricity.  Our experiment looked like this:

Question: How will the size of the solar cell affect the distance the car will travel?

Hypothesis: If the car has the full solar panel (car A) then it will travel a further distance than the car with the less (partially) full solar panel.

  1. Measure and record the length and width in mm the photovoltaic cell for Car A.
  2. Do the same for Car B.
  3. Calculate the area of the solar cells.

Procedure: (summarized) One group at a time.  We will place cars on black tape with back wheels on tape.  When teacher says go, lights will be turned on to activate the panels.  Partners will measure distance.  We will do this 3 times.

Conclusion: My hypothesis was proven correct as the full solar panel car (A) went further than the partial solar panel car (B).  The independent variable was the size of the photo cell on the car. Dependent variable was the distance it went.  The constant variable was that we started lights at same time, the  power of the light, the cars started on the same starting line,  and we all used the same type of car.

Discussion point:  How does the size of the photovoltaic cell change the distance the car will travel?  Ask you child . . .s/he knows why!

Overall, great day with lots of  math and science learning and hands-on! I can’t wait to read the class reflections . . .

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