Teaching Wind-Power

Subject: Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electrical power, windmills for mechanical power, wind pumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships.

Large wind farms consist of hundreds of individual wind turbines which are connected to the electric power transmission network. The effects on the environment are generally less problematic than those from other power sources. As of 2011, Denmark is generating more than a quarter of its electricity from wind and 83 countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis. In 2010 wind energy production was over 2.5% of total worldwide electricity usage, and growing rapidly at more than 25% per annum. The monetary cost per unit of energy produced is similar to the cost for new coal and natural gas installations.

Hypothesis 1: Windy places can generate more electricity than less windy places.
Principle: Wind turbines start to generate electricity when wind blows at about 8 miles per hour (MPH); 30 MPH is ideal.Wind speed can be measured with an anemometer.
Experiment: Have each student make an anemometer. Record the MPH recorded by each student and calculate the average MPH since results will will vary

  1. Run the fan in "low." How many miles per hour is the air blowing.
  2. Run the fan in "medium." How many miles per hour is the air blowing.
  3. Run the fan in "high" How many miles per hour is the air blowing.

Conclusions: Have students do calculations and discuss what they learned.

Hypothesis 2: The faster the generator turns the more electricity will be be generated.
Experiment: Place the model wind turbine to a safe place where blades can be turned without interference. Be very careful to never engage two gear sets at once and never force the blades to turn unless they move freely. Forcing locked blades will ruin the model wind turbine. The red LED will glow when electricity is being generated.

  1. Shift gears so that the generator revolves three times faster than turbine blades. Does the red LED glow?
  2. Shift gears so that the generator revolves at the same speed as turbine blades. Does the red LED glow?
  3. Shift gears so that the turbine revolves three times faster than the generator. Does the red LED glow?

Conclusions: Have students do calculations and discuss what they learned.

Hypothesis 3: Airfoil shaped blades fly higher than flat blades.
Principle: Wind turbine blades are airfoil shaped because it takes less power to turn an airfoil shaped blade than it does to turn a flat blade.
Experiment: Place the airfoil model to a safe place where it can can be turned on and ran without interference.

  1. Measure how high the airfoil shaped wing flies.
  2. Measure how high the flat wing flies.

Conclusions: Have students do calculations and discuss what they learned.

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