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Energy & Power Projects, Lessons, Activities (58 results)

Whether you are working, studying, or being entertained, much of our daily routines rely on being plugged-in. You probably don't spend a lot of time thinking about where all that power comes from, but someone has to! Figuring out the best ways to produce energy is a big job that is growing along with the world's population. Energy production is a complex topic with debates about whether to invest in fossil fuels or clean renewable energies like solar, wind, water, and geothermal. Take a first-hand look at some of the problems and challenges scientists and engineers are tackling as they look at making and storing energy.

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How to Turn a Potato Into a Battery
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Imagine telling your friends about your latest science project: using a battery to make a light turn on. You might get some blank stares...sounds a little boring and basic, right? Now tell them you will do it with a potato! Yes, you can actually use fruits and vegetables as part of an electric power source! Batteries power many things around you, including cell phones, wireless video game controllers, and smoke detectors. In this science project, you will learn about the basics of battery… Read more
Build a Pizza Box Solar Oven
STEM Activity
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1599 reviews
Have you ever cooked something outside, like for a BBQ or while camping? It can be a lot of fun to be outdoors and enjoy eating the fruits — or burgers — of your cooking labors. Did you know that you can directly use solar power to cook food? This can be done using a solar oven, which is a low-cost, ecologically-friendly technology that seems to have everything going for it. In this science activity, you will build your very own simple solar oven out of a pizza box to gather the… Read more
Build and Test a Sun-Tracking Solar Panel
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
How can you get as much power as possible out of a solar panel, even in the morning or evening when the sun is low in the sky? With a solar tracker system! While many solar panels are fixed in place on rooftops or large ground-mounted poles, a solar tracker system is motorized and lets the solar panels track the sun through the sky during the day. Are these systems worth the added complexity? How much more power do they produce? Try this project and find out!  Read more
Build a Solar-Powered Car
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Do you want to build a solar-powered car? How about enter it in a competition and race it against other people's designs? If so, this is the project for you! These instructions will show you how to get started building a solar-powered car that you can enter in a science or engineering fair. No experience needed. If you want, you can even compete in the Junior Solar Sprint, a regional competition for solar-powered cars. Get more information about your regional competition. Are you a… Read more
Now You're Cooking! Building a Simple Solar Oven
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Here is a project that uses direct solar power, gathering the sun's rays for heating/sterilizing water or cooking. It is a low-cost technology that seems to have everything going for it. Does it work? Can you find ways to improve it? Find out with this project. Read more
Use a Microbial Fuel Cell to Create Electricity from Waste
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
"Gross! What is that in the toilet?" But maybe it's not just gross. Did you know there are bacteria that digest organic waste and create electrons? What if there was a way to collect those electrons to power a circuit? In this science fair project, you will make a microbial fuel cell to collect the electrons that the bacteria—anaerobic bacteria—create...only, you'll be using mud, which is much safer to handle than wastewater. If you would like to learn how to reuse and recycle an… Read more
A Battery That Makes Cents
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Batteries are expensive, but you can make one for exactly 24 cents! In this experiment, you will make your own voltaic pile using pennies and nickels. How many coins in the pile will make the most electricity? Read more
How Clean is Your State's Energy?
Science Fair Project Idea
Scientific Method
Where does your electricity come from, and how does it affect the environment? In this project, you will use data on electricity generation from power plants across the United States to compare the fuel sources and emissions from power plants in one state to national averages. You will also examine past trends and use them to estimate how the state’s fuel mix and emissions might change in the future if recent patterns continue. Read more
Find the Best Pinwheel Design
STEM Activity
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Wind energy is becoming more and more popular across the United States, maybe you have even seen a wind farm close to where you live! In 2015, approximately 7% of the electricity used in the U.S. was generated by wind, so who knows, when you switch on a light bulb in your house, that light might be coming from wind energy! Wind energy is generated by wind turbines. These machines can look like giant pinwheels, and their job is to turn energy from the wind into mechanical or electrical energy.… Read more
Design a Mini Solar Tracker System
Science Fair Project Idea
Engineering Design Process
How can you squeeze as much power as possible out of solar panels if you do not have a lot of space to install them? By tracking the sun! Keeping a solar panel pointed directly at the sun throughout the day can maximize the amount of power it produces. In this project you will design, build, and test your own miniature solar tracking system using a fun block-based programming language - no coding experience required! Read more
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