Lesson 10 of 10 · Energy
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabRenewables, Fossil Fuels and Energy Resources
Renewables, Fossil Fuels and Energy Resources.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Speed isn't the same as force. Don't mix them up.
Mind = Blown
🔥 A bolt of lightning is 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: where does the energy go?
What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels are energy-dense and reliable but finite and release carbon dioxide. Renewables such as wind, solar and hydro do not deplete and emit little carbon in use, but most are intermittent, which is why storage and grid design matter so much.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- electricity meter readings
- graph paper
- clock
Safety First
- Read the meter only — do not open any electrical panel or cover.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Track your household electricity meter every hour for one day and plot demand against time. Overlay a typical solar output curve and identify the hours when solar alone could not meet the demand.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2Which is a renewable energy resource?
Where you see this in real life
This is why airplanes can fly and why rockets reach space.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
This week, find one thing in your house that turns one kind of energy into another.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
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Renewables, Fossil Fuels and Energy Resources
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
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Checkout complete lesson on Energy for 9th Grade
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