Make your own solar cooker

All the electrical power for the International Space Station (ISS) is provided by the solar panels attached to the ISS. They collect energy from the Sun and convert it to electrical power to operate the ISS and its payloads. The ISS solar panels cover a very big surface to produce the 100kW necessary to run the Station (approximately the power necessary for 100 houses!)

Material needed: 3 coffee cups, black paper, aluminium foil, 1 apple and 1 thermometer.

Experiment:

1. Take 3 coffee cups and line the inside with black paper
2. Place one slice of apple in each cup
3. Line one piece of paper with aluminium foil and make a large cone, wrap it around cup 1
4. Make a large cone with a piece of black paper and make a large cone, wrap it around cup 2
5. Make a large cone with a piece of white paper, wrap it around cup 3
6. Aim the 3 cups at the Sun (this experiment is only possible during sunny days!)
7. Place 1 thermometer in each cup
8. Wait until the apples are cooked (between 2 and 4 hours). For each cup, record the temperature in the beginning, and every half an hour until the end of the experiment.

Conclusions: Which apple was cooked first? Which apple was cooked last? Why? Why did we use aluminium foil? Do you think that solar cells could be white?

Inspired by NASA activity called “From Sunlight to Power”