Generators Teacher Resources

Students learn how water is used to generate electricity. They investigate water's potential-to-kinetic energy transformation in hands-on activities about falling water and waterwheels. During the activities, they take measurements,...

This simple device uses a few components to rectify the alternating current (AC) from the shake-a-gen, store it in a capacitor and convert it into a steady direct current (DC). The output can be used to run a low power device. It is also...

Shake N' Light flashlights have been advertised on televisions across the nation in the recent year. But many do not understand just how they get energy to light up the bulb without using batteries. Do this experiment to make your own...

Solar power is hot these days. Gleaming, black solar panels soak up rays on more and more rooftops of homes and businesses providing a clean, alternative source of heat and electricity. You might guess that different times of the day...

Learners explore electrification in the 20th century. Some topics investigated are rural electrification, power generators, and direct current (DC). The resource consists of historical information, a timeline, and a personal essay by a...

This short video illustrates the alternative forms of energy used by the Center for Sustainability at Penn State University to generate electric power: solar, wind, and biodiesel. [1:58]

What is tidal energy? Learn about using tides to generate power, methods of generating electricity, and the advantages and disadvantages of tidal energy.

This unit provides students the opportunity to explore methods engineers have devised for harnessing sunlight to generate power. Students will initially explore heat transfer and heat storage through the construction, testing, and...

A self-educated man with a brilliant mind, Michael Faraday was born in a hardscrabble neighborhood in London. Through the combination of insatiable curiosity and a powerful will to succeed, he transcended his austere beginnings to...

This lesson gives a real world example of challenges and choices engineers face in their careers. The Della Steam Plant Case Study allows students to analyze and present finding about a problem found in the power plant's turbine system....

Students are introduced to the concept of a dam and its potential benefits, which include water supply, electricity generation, flood control, recreation and irrigation. This lesson begins an ongoing classroom scenario in which student...

Explore alternative energy sources with this video. Investigate how biomass can be burned as a fuel source, how electrical power can be generated from hydrogen used in a fuel cell, and how nuclear fission provides power to the grid. [11:18]

Transformer house of the first large-scale, alternating current electric generating plant in the world; tapped power of Niagara Falls via a 7,500 foot (2,286 m) tail-race tunnel.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Learn about how high-voltage alternating current (AC) electricity generated by a power station is converted into low-voltage AC electricity for your home using this interactive simulation. A PDF...

Generating technologies for deriving electrical power from the ocean include tidal power, wave power, ocean thermal energy conversion, ocean currents, ocean winds and salinity gradients. Of these, the three most well-developed...