Inquiry Labs Look at Wind Power (By Russ Glenn, Science Department Chair)
Students in physics class finished the year with a pair of labs utilizing the school’s small-scale wind turbines. In the first lab, students used the wind turbines to measure how efficiently they converted the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy. To do this, they first determined the work that was done by the wind turbine as it lifted a mass. Additionally, they collected data on time to determine the power that was generated.
In the second lab students were able to choose a variable to manipulate and see how it affected the electrical power generated by the turbine. This lab used miniature generators attached to the turbines to convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. In preparation for the lab, students were taught how to calculate power in Watts when both current (Amps) and voltage (Volts) are known. The students chose many different variables, including number of blades, wind speed, gear ratio, and blade shape.
Inquiry labs have formed a foundation of the work this year in the physics classes. These labs allow students to choose their independent variables and then design experiments to test those variables. By doing inquiry labs, students get practice implementing the scientific method, collecting and analyzing the data that they collect, and, hopefully, have some fun along the way!
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