Catch the sun
Turn sunlight into a measurable discovery.
Before you begin
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Gather your supplies
- Two identical open containers
- Equal amounts of room-temperature water
- A thermometer and a timer
Use what you have. Purchases are optional and do not affect rewards.
Care and safety
Do not look at the sun or use mirrors or lenses to focus it. Use unsealed containers and handle warm water carefully.
Foundation activity: no prerequisite.
The experiment
Solar radiation can become useful heat or electricity. This foundation experiment measures heat gain before you work on retaining that energy.
- 01
Predict which container will warm faster. Place equal water volumes in identical containers. Record both starting temperatures.
- 02
Place one container in sunlight and the other nearby in full shade. Keep container type, water volume and measurement method the same.
- 03
Measure both temperatures at 0, 10 and 20 minutes. Record clouds, wind and changes in shade.
- 04
Compare each temperature change. Identify when solar heat was strongest and what weather influenced it.