Due to gallery changes, please to discuss using this MathPack topic.
Back in the Classroom
The image of the thinking student indicates a student activity.
Teacher information:
The practical use of solar energy relies on humans being able to capture light in the most efficient way. In order to design a solar vehicle, the U of MN Solar Vehicle Team needs to know the kind of information that students gathered at The Science Museum of Minnesota.
For example:
The energy in light is most effective with solar cells when the light strikes the surface of the solar cell at 90° (perpendicular).
There is still solar energy available on a cloudy day, but some energy has been absorbed and scattered by the clouds.
There is more solar energy available in the summer than in the winter.
There is light energy that we cannot see with our eyes (infrared and ultraviolet).
Light energy is described in wavelengths, with certain wavelengths having more energy than others. White light is made up of many colors with different wavelengths.
It is very important to process the museum experiences and analyze the data students gathered to meet learning goals.
Use the following links to find guiding questions for the discussion, other valuable classroom activities and a large list of other light and wave resources on the web.
