Environments - Energy Efficiency Engineer
Efficiency
of an Electro-Mechanical System
(from
Teach Engineering)
Middle
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Critical and creative thinking
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Numeracy
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Literacy
Australian
Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability
Priority
Cooperative
Learning Activity
Teacher
This activity can be found at Teach
Engineering:
https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/cla_lesson6_efficiency
Lesson Plan:
Local Copy [Word, 8 pages]
Student Worksheet: Local Copy [Word, 1 page]
Equipment required:
- Lego Kit: 2 motor-mass assemblies, 2 Lego light bulbs, 3 electrical connectors, and platform.
- Two equal weight washers each tied to ~0.5m thread or fishing line. Other end of thread tied to extension on motor/generator
- Calculator
- Yard stick.
Summary
Students measure energy outputs and inputs to determine the efficiency of
conversions and simple systems. One associated activity includes LEGO®
motors and accomplishing work. The other investigates energy for heating
water. Students learn about by-products of energy conversions and how to
improve upon efficiency. Conduct either or both activities. The calculations
in the water heating experiment are more complicated than in the LEGO motor
activity, making the heating activity more suitable for older students, and
only the LEGO motor activity suitable for younger students.
Students
1. You are to work in groups of 3 - 4 students.
2. Your teacher will explain the purpose and procedure of the experiment. The student worksheet is available here as a local copy.
3. Set up the experiment and record your group's results.
4. Fill out the Student Worksheet
Efficiency of a Water
Heating System (from
Teach Engineering)
Middle
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Critical and creative thinking
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Numeracy
Australian
Curriculum General Capability:
Literacy
Australian
Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability
Priority
Cooperative
Learning Activity
Teacher
This activity can be found at Teach
Engineering:
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cla_activity2_efficiency_heating
Lesson Plan: Local copy [5 pages]
Student Worksheet: Local copy [2 pages]
Equipment required
Each group needs:
- electric water-heating device (such as a hot plate, hot pot, microwave; it is best to have different appliances among the groups)
- thermometer
- graduated cylinder (100 or 500 ml)
- stopwatch
- watt meter (can be shared among groups to some extent)
- insulated pot holder
Summary
Students use a watt meter to measure energy input into a hot plate or hot
pot used to heat water. The theoretical amount of energy required to raise
the water by the measure temperature change is calculated and compared to
the electrical energy input to calculate efficiency.
Students
1. You are to form a group of 3 students.
2. Your teacher will go over the experiment with you and allocate resources/equipment [your group may have a different heating device from other groups - this is very important if you are to discover the efficiency of these heating devices].
3. The student worksheet is available here as a local copy.
4. Set up your experiment and record your results.
5.
As a class, discuss the most and least efficient way of heating water.
6.
Will these
results effect the way you heat your water at home? Why? Why not?
