I.M.S. SCIENCE     NAME(s): _______________________________PERIOD: ___ DATE:_____ Score: ___/ 20
First Energy Pin Wheel: Go to  www.scied.net : Click on Mini-projects: First Energy Pin Wheel
Windmills  2  3  Pa Wind  2    IR Themometers   2  3         Turbines  Spin things  

Background: Turbines, Ohms Law and electrical generation. (I= (E/*R) formula.
The resistance* is ____ ohms).  Ohms Law  2  Calc  Resistors Code & Watt   Voltage Generator  Motors

Materials: Cardboard, pin wheel design, wind speed gauge, auto read voltmeter, timer, IR temperature readers, electric motors, hot glue gun.  Safety Note: Care with the hot glue gun and fan.

Procedures: Students work in a lab group to decide on a pinwheel design: in art class design.

1. Students will determine the surface area of the pinwheel in math class.
2. Record the surface area of the pinwheel:                                                _______ c.m.^2
3. Record the diameter of the pinwheel:                                                      ______  c.m.
4. Students hot glue the pin wheel to electric motor. Weight of motor: ________ grams.
5. Connect the D.C. motor to the test stand, and connect the circuit alligator clip leads to the motor and the voltmeter and load (capacitor) circuit.               
6. Throw the knife switch to the circuit and engage the fan at slow speed first.
7. Record the voltage generated at the three fan speeds after 15 seconds rotation and the surface temperature of the electric motor after the 15 second intervals.
8. Record the speed of the generated fan wind speed. Construct the graphs below.
9. Can you determine the number of rotations (Time/C= __Rev/s then Rev/s * Time= ___Total Revs)

Questions:        

1. How does the voltage compare to the fan speed (graph)?
2. How does the current compare to the fan speed (graph)?
3. Is current and voltage linear (straight line increase)?
4. What happened to the IR temperature value of the pin wheel as the rotation rate increased?
5. What happened to the IR temperature value of the electric motor as the rotation rate increased?
6. Was the wind speed linear?
7. Could you design an investigation we didn't think off?
 

1.      Voltage Graph:

Current Graph: