Racing with the Sun: Creating a Solar Car

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Learners use engineering design principles to construct and test a fully solar-powered car. Solar car kits usually include a photovoltaic cell and motor; some include a chassis as well. Encourage learners to design their own chassis from balsa wood or other materials. Time for activity can be split between multiple meetings. Note: There are multiple sources for solar car kits. Most of the cost is in the photovoltaic cell. A larger, more powerful cell will allow greater flexibility for learners' designs.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
2 to 4 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
Over $20 per student
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Model
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Electrical Engineering
      • Environmental Engineering
      • Mechanical Engineering
      • Transportation Engineering
    • Technology
      • Transportation
  • Physical Sciences
    • Electricity and Magnetism
      • Electric Motors
      • Electric Circuits
  • Life Sciences
    • Ecology
      • Human Impact
  • The Nature of Technology
    • The Design Process
      • Research and Development
      • Invention and Innovation
      • Problem Solving
      • Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Informal Categories

  • Electronics
  • Outdoor Activity
  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Sarabi, Rahmin ; Prucz, Roni

Source Collection

  • TeachEngineering

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Regents of the University of Colorado, 2014