Solar Oven Science Project

by Brad
(Las Vegas)

Well, its that time of year, when kids are assigned science projects at school, and if you have a neighbor that cooks with the sun, you go next door to ask a few questions. I'm that guy next door.

When the kids arrive, with their dad-in-tow, they lay out the premise of their project. Dad says you know how to cook with the sun, we think he's crazy, but here we are. I show them the solar oven (GSO) and several of my panel cookers (ASSC). I give them a small paper model of a cooker, which they admire, then cleverly pocket and we talk for a bit about "variables". Independent ones, dependent ones. Ideas are bandied about. The kids are still a bit skeptical about the idea that the Vegas Valley sun is powerful enough to cook poultry, but I guide them through the principles...dark and covered cooking pot, encased by polycarbonate oven bag, sitting in the center of several reflective areas, multiplying the sun's energy onto the insulated, absorbing container. They're warming up to the idea.

They're intrigued and begin thinking about how cool it would be to show their classmates their mastery of the environment. Green is cool these days, and although solar panels are also cool, you can't eat what they put out, so the solar cooker idea could be a slam dunk.

Dad likes the idea, cause he knows that I'll lend him everything the kids need to perform the project as well as e-mail him dozens of informational links, including supporting calculations. The storyboard is coming together.

I won't spoil their project, by disclosing the variables, but I will share some pictures of how the panel cooker went together, and the fact that I'll be eating chicken for a while.



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Great Story Brad,
Isn't it great for your neighbors to have such a neighbor as you?
At least they found the best source of information (you) for making such a project a reality.

P.S.
I took the liberty of enhancing your title, this way more people will find it through the search engines.


Thanks again for your help and advice.
Nathan
Admin.