How are electric and gas-powered cars the same and different? Where do we get the energy for electric cars? Could we power a car directly from the sun?
Students will compare the differences of an electric car vs. a gas-powered car and their effects on the environment. They will also explore the viability of a solar-powered car by building one using a kit. Teachers can extend this lesson by exploring the energy output of different sources using a physics experiment kit.
Materials
- solar car kits – various models available on amazon
- multimeters/voltmeters – amazon
- physics experiment kits – amazon
This lesson applies to these science standards:
Science and Engineering Practices, Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions (PS1), Physical Sciences: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (PS2), Physical Sciences: Energy (PS3), Engineering Design: Defining and Delimiting and Engineering Problem (ETS1.A), Engineering Design: Developing Possible Solutions (ETS1.B), Engineering Design: Optimizing the Design Solution (ETS1.C) – 8.4.2 and 8.4.3