Workshop suggestions

Day n Solar Cells

Energy Efficiency of Solar Cells pdf,
Measure the voltage and current produced by a solar cell.
Then power a motor with the solar cell and measure voltage and current to compute power.
Measure the power delivered by the sun to the solar cell to compute colar cell efficiency.
Investigate solar cells in series and parallel to maximize efficiency driving a motor.

Associated activities:

Make a light bulb light then model the voltage around the circuit using pipe cleaners

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/electric/wiremodelvoltage.htm

Question Can we get incandescent christmas tree lights?

Learn to measure voltage current and resistance and estimate errors

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/bulbsandbatteries/bulbsbatteriesmeters.html

I assume we can have the folk build the wood based circuit explorers.

Explore solar energy using a rectified globe.

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/astronomy/selfcenteredglobe.html

(we'll need earth globes)

Measure the power of the sun with a grease spot photometer (this write-up needs a photo.

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/summer_institute/summer_day1perception/SolarBrightness.html

Day v Light waves

Soap film in a can A nanoscale transarent film makes colors
Permanent Oil slickUse clear nailpolish floated on water to make color interference

Soap film interference model Use sinewaves drawn on paper.
Soap film colors The deep exploration of why.

One slit diffraction Use a small lights ource and two pencils.
Two slit interference Make it with a laser plus microscope slide with slits in enamel paint.
Interference model using strips of sine waves.

Computer Polarized light source Light from Liquid crystal displays is usually polarized.

Polarized Light Model Use PVC to cinstruct a model of a polarizer

What is light? a historical survey

Day m Atoms and light

Energy levels of LEDs versus color (man made atoms) Measure the minimum voltage needed to light different color LEDs compare with the photon energy to measure Planck's constant.

Simplest LED lightsource Combine an LED, 3V button battery, paper condom and bunder clip to make a simple lightsource.

Energy level model Find the energy levels of the center of mass of a stool to model energy levels of an atom.

Bohr Model using a gravity well. Wrap sinewaves drawn on paper strips around a gravity well to explore Bohr's model of atomic energy levels.

Project a spectrum with a compact disk. Reflect sunlight from a compact disk onto a white shaded wall.

Spectra explorations of common light sources using a holographic diffraction grating or compact disk.

See a spectrum of a point of light reflected in a Compact disk.

Make a spectrometer with a compact disk. Use a compact disk in a tube with a slit to see a spectrum.

Project a spectrum Needs an overhead projector and holographic diffraction grating

Expansion of light, Model how the expansion of the universe expands the wavelength of light

Day r Finding images

Build an image finder using PVC

Build a small lightsource for image finding , Use an LED, coin battery, binderclip and paper. Plus an optional magnetic mount

Find images in a mirror Use sevral techniques to find images in a mirror.

Find images using straws images made by large lenses fresnel and magnifiers
Snack version

Use a light box to model image formation

Ray Tracing a pencil and paper activity.

Day s Perception

A complete day

Day Miscellaneous topics

Squishy Circuits using playdoh or salt dough

Doppler Modelusing circles drawn on transparencies.

Blinky LightsUse pulsing LEDs and time lapse exposures to measure motion.

Why is the sky blue?Use a driven pendulum to find about light scattering my molecules in the air.

Color in nature a daylong workshop

What is light? a historical survey

Day p Magnetism

Where's North? Use magnets to find north: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/summer_institute/summer_day16magnetism/Where's_North.html

Magnetic Globe: Explore the magnetic field of the earth: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/summer_institute/summer_day16magnetism/magnetic_globe.html

Magnetic poles: A study of attraction and repulsion: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/summer_institute/summer_day16magnetism/%20Magnetic_poles_1.html

Magnetic Oscillator: It takes magnetic fields to explain this: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/summer_institute/summer_day16magnetism/MagneticOscillators/MagneticOscillators.html

Silent Collisions: Magnets interact without touching: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/magnetism/SilentCollisions.html

Repel a Grape: Both poles of a strong magnet repel a grape, the grape is diamagnetic: http://www.exo.net/~pauld/activities/magnetism/magnetrepelgrape.html

Day q Electrostatics

a complete day