Energy Harvesting Solar

Car Design
Watch this!

(1-2 minutes)

1. Watch this video on a solar powered car(Watch this

video)
2. What are two facts about solar powered cars?

Whats going on?

Solar energy is energy produced by the sun. It is
harnessed or stored by solar cells which turns it into
electricity to run cars, homes, and businesses. Unlike
solar energy, fossil fuels, like gas and oil, are not
renewable energy.

Now try this!

(60 minutes)

In groups of 3s or 4s use the Carolina STEM Challenge:

Solar Car Design to build a solar car.

Whats going on?

A solar car is an electric vehicle, powered directly by solar
energy, using Photovoltaic (PV) cells. They convert
the solar energy directly into electricity. The greater light
intensity provide more efficient electrical generation by
solar cells than higher temperatures. The amount and
angle of the sun produce more electricity. Solar electric
car can also
move at night because during the
day the batteries conserve solar energy. The
major benefits of the solar cars are: Environmental
Protection, Money saving. The sun, as energy source, is
for free.
Read more: http://www.deluxebattery.com/8-facts-yousurely-want-to-know-about-the-solar-cars/#ixzz3fzJjmL49

ASSIST

Solar Power Car Kit

HXO- Solar Powered Car

Energy Harvesting
The Nano-tick chips in a solar panel are made up of cells
called silicon-base photovoltaic cells (PVs). Silicon is
considered a semiconductor which is a great conductor of
electricity. The Photovoltaic Solar Panels convert and store
the solar energy for electricity.

How energy is harnessed on

photovoltaic cells

Learning Objectives
1. Participants will use sensor tags to collect data about the temperature, acceleration, light
intensity etc..during the investigation.Participants will investigate the relationship
variables and/or factors that would affect the performance of the car such as the(for
example sun angle; light intensity); between the angle of the solar panel and the
acceleration of the car; etc.
2. Participants will generate tables in spreadsheets, functions using graphing technology; to
analyze the relationship between.
3. Participants will develop their understanding of the relationship of Nanotechnology, energy
harvesting and Solar Energy.

Materials

Solar Car Design Kit from Carolina STEM Challenge

Notes to the presenter

Before doing this activity, please do the following:

Purchase a Solar Car Design Kit or materials to make your own solar powered car
(for each group)
Make sure students are familiar with real-world use of solar cells. , DC current,
parallel versus series in a circuit
Familiarize yourself with the student instructions for building the prototype.
Make sure you have images of the items in the activity viewed under a SEM.

Tips: Feel free to change up the materials need for the

nanotechnology activity.

SAFETY: Remind students to exercise caution when using scissors for

constructing and modifying their model solar cars. There is no risk of shock if bare
wires of a closed circuit are touched due to the low voltage.

Related educational resources

For further research:

Carolina STEM Challenge
Texas Instrument Sensor Tags
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Teaching Engineering K-12

Credits and rights

Sherri Pinkney, ASSIST Center at North Carolina State University.

 This activity was adapted from Carolina Stem Challenge. The original program is available at
www.carolina.com
This activity was adapted also from the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network by
Samantha Andrew. The original program is available at www.nnin.org