TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy of Motion
By taking a look at the energy of motion all around us, students learn about the types of energy and their characteristics. They first learn about the two simplest forms of mechanical energy: kinetic and potential energy, as illustrated...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Exploring Solar Power
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...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy Conversions
Students evaluate various everyday energy conversion devices and draw block flow diagrams to show the forms and states of energy into and out of the device. They also identify the forms of energy that are useful and the desired output of...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: The First Law of Thermodynamics
By the end of this section, you will be able to define the first law of thermodynamics; describe how conservation of energy relates to the first law of thermodynamics; identify instances of the first law of thermodynamics working in...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: First Law of Thermodynamics
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students analyze and explain everyday examples that illustrate the laws of thermodynamics, including the law of conservation of energy and the law of entropy.
US Department of Energy
Us Dept. Of Energy: Urbita Elementary School: Linda Gregory: Draft O Meter [Pdf]
Students will observe drafts in homes and in the classroom to determine if or how much heat or air conditioning is escaping. How can the rooms be made more energy efficient?
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: The Three Bears Heat Investigation It's Just Right
This activity uses the story of the three bears as a way to investigate conduction, convection, radiation, and insulation properties. It also could be used to describe the laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Imagine Life Without Friction
Students are introduced to the concept of inertia and its application to a world without the force of friction acting on moving objects. When an object is in motion, friction tends to be the force that acts on this object to slow it down...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy
Through nine lessons, students are introduced to a range of energy types--electrical, light, sound and thermal-as well as the renewable energy sources of wind, hydro (water) and solar power. Subjects range from understanding that the...
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas
State Energy Conservation Office: Energy Sources: Biomass: Manure for Fuel
Texas is famous for its cattle ranches, and all those cattle produce a lot of manure. Texans are working on projects to harness the energy in manure in various ways. Dry manure has been and continues to be burned for heating and cooking....
US Department of Energy
U.s. Dept. Of Energy: Comparing Light Bulbs [Pdf]
A guided activity for students to compare incandescent and CFL light bulbs observing the production of heat and light.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Puck Stops Here
After learning about transfer of energy, specifically the loss of kinetic energy to friction, students get a chance to test friction. In groups they are given a wooden block, different fabrics, and weights and asked to design the "best"...
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas
State Energy Conservation Office: Electricity From the Sun [Pdf]
Discusses forms of renewable energy that rely on the sun. For example, wind is created when solar energy heats the air, and biomass is solar energy that has been stored in plants.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Efficiency of a Water Heating System
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...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: First Law of Thermodynamics
At this site from Georgia State University the first law of thermodynamics is stated and explained. The meaning of internal energy and enthalpy is discussed. Equations are given and the importance of a system analysis is discussed.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Just Keep Cool How Evaporation Affects Heating and Cooling
When we get hot, we sweat. The physiological role of sweat is to cool us down. When the water evaporates, it removes energy from our bodies. This sort of evaporative cooling can also be used to cool homes, using what are referred to as...
Ducksters
Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Energy
Kids learn about the science behind Energy including its different forms such as chemical, electrical, heat, and gravitational. When is energy considered renewable or nonrenewable?
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Energy Efficiency
Students measure energy outputs and inputs to determine the efficiency of conversions and simple systems. One associated activitiy includes Lego motors and accomplishing work. The other investigates energy for heating water. Students...
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas
State Energy Conservation Office: Renewable Energy Guide for Buildings [Pdf]
A basic guide for ways to be more energy-efficient and to use more renewable energy sources in a building. These include methods of reducing heat or cool air loss, ways of harnessing solar energy, and using the wind for ventilation.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Heat Transfer
Students explore heat transfer and energy efficiency using the context of energy efficient houses. They gain a solid understanding of the three types of heat transfer: radiation, convection and conduction, which are explained in detail...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Solar Water: Heat It Up!
Students explore energy efficiency, focusing on renewable energy, by designing and building flat-plate solar water heaters. They apply their understanding of the three forms of heat transfer (conduction, convection and radiation), as...
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas
State Energy Conservation Office: Renewable Energy for the Home [Pdf]
Discusses different ways to heat and cool a home, and perform a variety of tasks, using renewable energy sources. Examples include window shades, a solar water heater, solar-powered toys, etc.
State Energy Conservation Office-Texas
State Energy Conservation Office: Solar Water Heaters [Pdf]
Explains the types of solar water heaters a home can have. These include a passive system, an active system, and a solar collector, as well as the need for a storage tank. It also gives tips on how to get the best use from a solar water...
NASA
Nasa: From Stargazers to Starships: Energy
Demonstrates how principles of kinetic energy, potential energy and energy conservation can be used to determine the speed of a descending object if given its initial height. Further discussion of other topics such as heat and...