Name__________________
BUILD A SOLAR OVEN LAB
Objective:
To design, construct, and
test a device that either
minimizes or maximizes
thermal energy transfer.
Challenge:
The mission is to build a solar
oven and test it out to see if
it works well enough to make
S’mores!
Materials:
General building supplies
Thermometer
Timers
Cardboard box
Solar ovens use solar energy—light and heat
emitted from the sun—to cook food. They can
also be used to pasteurize water or even
sterilize instruments. How does a solar oven
work? The simple answer is that it is designed
to absorb more heat than it releases.
The solar oven you will build in this activity is a
relatively simple one made out of a pizza box,
aluminum foil, plastic wrap and a sheet of black
paper. You will cut a flap out of the pizza box's
lid and line this flap with aluminum foil. This
will reflect sunlight into the box. You'll also seal
the opening with plastic wrap. This plastic
"window" works like a greenhouse roof,
allowing (direct and reflected) sunlight to pass
into the box, while also retaining heat. At the
bottom of the box, you will place black paper.
This will act as a heat sink that absorbs direct
and reflected sunlight to warm it, which will
heat food placed on top of it. This activity also
includes instructions for making a tasty s'mores
treat that you can heat up in your own solar
oven!
Aluminum Foil
Black construction paper
Clear plastic
Tape
Newspaper
Review:
1. What type of energy do solar ovens
use?
Sunshine OR gooseneck lamp
with 100W bulb
S’mores fixin’s (graham
2. What energy transformation takes
place in a solar oven?
crackers, marshmallows, and
chocolate)
3. Why do you put black paper in the
bottom of the solar oven?
View: National Geographic Solar Cooking Video and then
answer these questions:
1.
Why is solar cooking important to developing countries?
2.
What is the goal of the group Solar Cookers International?
3.
What health problems have been linked to cooking indoors?
4.
How much does the solar oven cost?
5.
When using a solar oven, what is the light energy
transformed into?
6.
Besides cooking what can the solar ovens be used for?
7.
How hot does the water need to be heated to be safe to
drink?
Experimental Design
Step 1
The student should place the construction paper on top of the box and
trace the outline. Then cut three slits, leaving the edge closest to the
box opening.
Step 2
Form a flap by gently folding back along the uncut line to form a crease
(Diagram 2). Cut a piece of aluminum foil to fit on the inside of the flap.
Smooth out any wrinkles.
Step 3
Measure a piece of plastic to fit over the opening you created by forming
the flap in your pizza box. The plastic should be cut larger than the
opening so that it can be taped to the underside of the flap.
Step 4
Measure a 2nd piece of saran wrap. Tape this piece to the topside of the
box. (This will make a total of two layers of saran wrap with a small layer
of air in between). It is important to get these seals tight!
Step 5
Cut another piece of aluminum foil to line the bottom of the pizza box
and carefully glue into place. Cover the aluminum foil with a piece of
black construction paper and tape into place (Diagram 3). Note: the layer
of aluminum foil underneath the black is optional.
Step 6
Line the sides of the pizza box with rolled newspaper for added
insulation.
Step 7
Close the pizza box top (window), and prop open the flap of the box with
a wooden dowel, straw, or other device and face towards the sun
(Diagram 4). Adjust until the aluminum reflects the maximum sunlight
through the window into the oven interior.
Step 8
Cook some s’mores!!!!
Experiment & Record
1. Record the starting temperature of the oven: _________
2. Place the S’mores in the oven. Close the lid and begin cooking.
3. Record the temperature change in the table below. Record any
observations of your food while it is cooking.
SOLAR OVEN DATA RECORDINGS
Time
Min:Sec
Oven
Temp.
Time
Min:Sec
Oven
Temp.
Time
Min:Sec
0:00
5:30
1:00
0:30
6:00
2:00
1:00
6:30
3:00
1:30
7:00
4:00
2:00
7:30
5:00
2:30
8:00
6:00
3:00
8:30
7:00
3:30
9:00
8:00
4:00
9:30
9:00
S’more
4:30
10:00
10:00
5:00
10:30
11:00
Conclusion
1. What is the purpose of the newspaper in your solar oven design?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
2. Why do we use black construction paper in the interior of the oven?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
3. Where does the heat come from to cook the S’mores?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
4. Can you tell if the oven is getting hotter by looking at the S’more?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
5. What type of energy transformations took place in order to cook the
S’more?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
6. What other foods could you cook in a solar oven?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________