Solar cooking as a learning project in a physics course
Solar cooking as a learning project in a physics course
Materials
What do we need to learn using solar cookers? Materials for the cookers, cooking vessels, meters, safety equipment:
What do we need to learn using solar cookers? Materials for the cookers, cooking vessels, meters, safety equipment:
- Reflective material: Mirrors, aluminized mylar, aluminum foil, reflective tape, polished metal...
- Shaped reflector panels, if the reflective material doesn't already have structure/shape: Cardboard, foam core, coroplast, plywood, satellite dish...
- Greenhouse: Cooking bag, food tray liner, glass dome, cake lid, large glass jar, aquarium, evacuated double-walled tube; glass door if oven style...
- Oven structure, if oven style: Inner surfaces must withstand heat without tainting food; at least one side clear glass or plastic, at most five opaque sides of metal, wood, glass...
- Insulation, if oven style: Cork, mineral wool or fiberglass (encapsulate!), crumpled papers, natural fibers/cloth...
- Pot or tray, tiffin, jar, for holding food. Could be clear if food is dark.
- Trivet, stand, cake tray, chafing dish...
- Measuring temperature: Oven thermometer, meat probe, thermocouple, thermistor, wax-melting-indicator, thermal camera...
- Sunglasses.
- Measuring load: Graduated cylinder, measuring cup, scale...
- Clips to hold panels in shape, or to hold greenhouse bag closed.
- Glue or clear packing tape to adhere reflective material to panels.
- Scissors, box cutter...
- Safety: Oven mitt, dish towel, large vessel of water...
- Extended list of concepts we can learn with solar cookers:
- Radiation vs convection.
- Insulation.
- Concentration of radiation.
- Meteorology.
- Seasons and Sun’s path.
- Greenhouse effect.
- Rates.
- Specific heat capacity.
- Power, energy, and temperature.
- Visible radiation and infrared radiation.
- Selective materials.
- Pasteurizing food and water; canning.
- Dehydrating food.
- Iterative design.
- Strength of materials and structure.
- Recycling and re-use.
- Cooking!
- Measure the load.
- Measure the intensity of sunlight, illuminance.
- Measure the temperature over time.
- Analyze the power in and the power out.
- Pasteurize water.
- Cook.
- Increase the power in.
- Decrease the power out.