l3 - Solar Race Car Challenge

Creative Learning Systems
www.creativelearningsystems.com
Alternative & Renewable Energy
Solar Car Race Challenge Level 3
What Youll Learn
How to design and build a solar powered vehicle
How to engineer design features to optimize your
cars performance
How to determine the best gear ratio for your race car
Stuff Youll Need
Solar Race Car Kit
Digital Multimeter
Measuring Tape
Duct Tape
Multimeter Solar Race Car Kit Alligator Wires
Measuring Tape
Tape
ePortfolio Suggestions
Before you begin the activities in this Learning Launcher, think
about and record what you already know about solar powered cars.
Explain how you decided on your race objectives. Be sure to clearly
describe each of the rules for your race.
List and explain all the factors (variables) that you had to deal with in
order to get the best possible performance from your solar race car.
Describe all the things you did while attempting to improve your
cars performance. What worked and what didnt?
Graph the performance of your car using different gear ratios.
Take a photograph of your final design. Label each part and
describe how it helped your cars performance.
Create a narrated video of your car in action.
Solar Panel
What does a glass window and your
solar panel have in common?
ANSWER: They are both made from
silicon. These lightweight solar cells
are like very thin glass. They are both
very brittle and will shatter quite easily.
Therefore, it is your responsibility to be
very careful when handling your solar
panel. Dont drop it or crash your
solar car into things that could cause
your solar panel to shatter.
What You Should Know
Shattered Glass
Dont remove the clear
tape from the back of
the solar panel. It
protects the electrical
connector tabs.
Solar Panel
You should already know solar cell fundamentals. You should
know how to connect multiple solar panels and how to measure
voltage output with a digital multimeter.
You should know how the position of solar panels relative to the
sun affects power output and how to orient them to maximize
performance.
If you are not yet familiar with these concepts, you should
consider starting with a Level I or 2 Learning Launcher.
Your solar powered car will have two
gears (at least). Do you know why?
Why do cars and trucks need gears?
Your solar car needs one gear on the
motor shaft and another gear on the
axle of your car. These gears serve two
purposes. They transfer the rotational
power from the electric motor to the
wheels of your car. They also transform
that power because the two gears you
will use are not the same diameter.
The gear ratio of any vehicle is critical
to its operation. If a car doesnt have
the proper gear ratio the car wont even
move. It will just sit there.
You will be using gears in many
of your SmartLab projects, so it
is helpful to learn more about
them. You can watch this video if
you need to learn
more about gears.
Driven
60 Teeth
Driver
10 Teeth
Driver has 10 Teeth
Driven has 60 Teeth
10
60
= = 1:6
Determine the gear
ratio of your car
using this formula
1
6
Determining Gear Ratios
Motor
The Race is On!
Do It!
In this activity you will design, build and test a Solar
Powered Race Car!
But before you start to design your car, we need to
have some rules for the race. Rules are like
objectives and will determine how you design your
car and how the race will be conducted.
The rules are up to you!
You can design a car to be the fastest over a certain
fixed distance, to reach the highest top speed, to go
the farthest, to climb the steepest ramp, to pull the
heaviest load, etc. Be creative and think outside the
box. Keep in mind that you will need a way to
measure your cars performance.
Before you go on to the next slide, decide on the
rules for your race. Be as specific as possible and
write them down in your Project Journey Flowchart.
This collection of parts and
some glue or tape is all you
need to build a solar race car.
Of course you will need to use
your imagination, engineering,
and research skills to make it a
winning car.
Notice that these parts do
not snap together like
LEGOS. Building your
solar powered car will
take planning and effort.
Solar Race Car Kit
Solar Powered Race Car Challenge
Do It!
In addition to the science of
photovoltaics, you will need to apply
your mechanical engineering skills
to build a high-performance solar
race car. What are some of the
things you should consider?
Make a list of all the design
factors that you believe will
effect your cars performance.
Then do your best to make a
winning car.
Do It!
Physics
Gear Ratio
Once youve thought about how to design the best car for your race rules,
build a test car and measure its performance. How did it do?
Do It!
The Basic Chassis
Mounting PV Panel - Wiring Testing with Flood Lamp
Optimize your design!
Do It!
Now think about a few design changes
you could make that would improve
your cars performance.
Consider various design variables and
discuss them with your partner. Decide
how to modify your cars design to
optimize performance.
Which design factors will improve your
car the most? Now make some
improvements and retest your car!
There are lots of design variables to
consider.
Remember that design is often a
matter of trade-offs. Improving one
variable can sometimes detract from
another!
Do It!
Make a spreadsheet using Excel to help you keep track of your test results.
The sample spreadsheet on the right is set up to measure performance in a
specific kind of race. The format for your spreadsheet will depend on the
rules of your race.
Natural Sun Light versus Artificial Light
Did you test your car inside under
artificial light or outside with natural
sunlight?
What difference does the light source
have in the performance of your car?
How might you change your car design
to optimize it for one or the other?
93 Million Miles
Your geographic
location has a lot to
do with your chances
for BRIGHT sunlight.
Extend Yourself
If one is good, would two be twice as good? Try it and find out.
Try connecting two PV panels together in series. Try connecting
them in parallel. What works best? How much will this increase
your speed and power. Can you make a hill-climbing low
geared vehicle? Be creative! Try lots of different ideas!
Double the Power Challenge
Extend Yourself
Two photovoltaic panels with three
cells each connected in series
+
+
-
-
Is it possible to use other materials available in your SmartLab to build a
new race car or improve your cars performance? Do some brainstorming
and come up with a plan. Present your plan to your SmartLab facilitator for
approval and then give it a try!
Alternate Materials Challenge
Extend Yourself
Extend Yourself
Students, scientists and engineers all over the world are hard at work on
solar race car designs. There are lots of organized races at many levels of
competition. Do an online search for solar car races to discover more about
the latest developments in races and solar race car designs.

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