1102

MS. SUSAN ALULOD

THE SOLAR
OVEN
DIY project from used Pizza Box

Hoang Ngoc   Le Minh

       Worakamon   Napavorakul
  Natthawan     Jitsuparp
      Chosiya          Losuwonkul
 Objective
Able to understand how energy is conserved.
Heat the environment inside box to able to heat food.

Background Info.
We decided to do this project because we think it would benefit a
country with this type of weather. Thailand located near the
equator in which results in the area’s warm climate. People alway
complain about how hot and useless the sun is, but they never
know how it can be used. Therefore, making this solar oven, we
can turn the sunlight into something useful by transforming it into
energy that is able to heat up your cold food and even bake some
pastries! We can also reduce the amount of waste by recycling the
things that we usually throw away. The procedure is not so
difficult that normal people couldn’t do, meaning that it can be
build by anyone if they precisely follow the steps. It is also a great
family activity. Parents could make this with their kids, learn
physics along the way and later enjoy their delicious, warm food.
 Introduction
Solar power is one of the most abundant sources of renewable
energy refluxing from the Sun. Plants absorb solar energy and
convert it into chemical energy. Animal, which eat fruit, convert it into
body mass. When animal die, the energy is deposed and after the
long period of time, becomes stored as oil or fossil fuses. Therefore,
sunlight is one of energy that’s advantageous for living things on
Earth.
For our experiment, we used solar ovens, which required us to take
data on heat energy. Solar ovens are more commonly used to cook
food and pasteurize water. People use solar ovens for these things,
because they attract heat energy.
we have learned that energy transfers from potential energy back to
kinetic energy spontaneously. However, some materials are better
conductors in transferring the energy.
 Discussion of Design

Our group use a pizza box as an oven. We create the box which
cover inside the opening part by wrapping a plastic wrap and
cover an aluminum foil with the below part. All should at least
covered by two layers. In the middle of the opening part is cut
like a pizza box shape then wrap it with an aluminum foil. The
propose is to reflect the light from the sunlight through inside
the box with an occuring of high temperature.

Materials
Cardboard pizza box
Box knife or scissors
Aluminum foil
Clear tape
Plastic wrap (a heavy-duty or freezer zip lock bag)
Ruler
Thermometer
 Procedure

1. Use sharp scissors to cut the lid of the pizza box on 3

sides. In each side have to leave about an inch between the
sides of the flap and the edges of the lid. Fold the flap so it
will stand up when the box lid is closed.

2. Cover inside the flap with aluminum foil so that it will

reflect rays from the sun. Tightly wrap foil around the flap
and tape it

3. Use a plastic wrap to create an airtight. When you opening

the box, making it a double layer of plastic wrap over the
opening lid. Leave about an inch around the sides, tape each
side down and sealing out air.

4. The best hours to set up of our solar oven are when the
sun is overhead. Depends on the weather. Take it outside to
a sunny spot and adjust the flap until the most sunlight
reflecting the aluminum foil and the plastic covered window.
Use a ruler to prop the flap at the right angle.
 Discussion of physics concept:
Solar Energy

The physics concept that is used in this final project is the concept of
energy. In science, energy is the central concept. There are two main
forms of energy: potential and kinetic. There are many more sub-forms of
energy that lies in these two categories. Yet the only sub-forms that we
are focusing on in this experiment is called thermal energy in which is
basically heat.
The sun’s energy along with the temperature are just factors that might
take part in enhancing the rate that a certain type of food uses to cook.
Anyhow, they aren’t the direct factors of why food can be warmed up
using solar oven. As the law of conservation of energy stated, energy
can’t be created or destroyed, but it; however, can be transformed from
one form to another. Therefore, the food actually got heated up by UV
rays from the sun that is converted to energy in the form of heat. The
oven would traps UV rays inside, then transforms them into infrared light
rays. It is important to keep the rays inside the box because the amount
of energy would still be the same if it’s contained in an isolated system.
These new kind of rays are much longer in length than the UV. The
properties of these rays are to vibrates the molecule in fat, water and
protein molecules in food and thus, heat them up.
Set up
Data and Result
 Analysis of Data
The waffle (our testing heat sample) being heating outside of the
sun at 1:30, which temperature was 37 degree Celsius, until 3:30, at
which unfortunately the degree have been dropped down to 32
degree Celsius. The temperature of the isolated environment inside
of the oven is estimated moving in the number of 38 to 39, which
we believed that, the oven have made a great job in maintaining the
temperature inside it nonetheless that the outside temperature has
been dropped down ironically. During two hour of exposing to the
heat inside the oven, we noticed that the waffle, even though not as
hot as we expect it to be, is got burnt a little bit and also got harder.
Based on that, it could easily to state that the oven did work and it
functions as we expected it to be even though the weather of
experience day is not the ideal weather to handle and test this
experiment with.

Conclusion
As in the final conclusion that refer to our objectives. The energy
is conserved because the air is isolated from an inside of the
box. Also to overheat the pizza box helps to increase more
efficiently in heating food.
 Suggestion
There are many difficulties that we have to face in this lab. Some
are resulted from human errors, but the biggest obstacle in this
project is the weather. Some suggestions that we would like to
mention for a better result when this experiment is being
repeated are:
1. Be sure to check the weather before placing the box in the sun
since it’s unpredictable and might ruined the product.
2. Check the cardinal direction. Put the product where they are
most exposed to light and aren’t being blocked by any buildings
since the sun will move as time changes.
3. Cut the foil a little bit bigger than the actual box to make it
easier when sticking them together.

Reference
Elert, G. (n.d.). Energy. Retrieved from https://physics.info/energy/
How does solar cooking work? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.solarcooker-at-
cantinawest.com/solarcooking-howitworks.html
Law of Conservation of Energy and Mass. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.neok12.com/Law-of-Conservation.htm

Worklog