Rain Machine (Solar Still)
Source Institutions
-
U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
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In this activity, learners work in groups to build simple solar stills filled with salt water. After the stills are complete, learners observe what happens when they place the stills in the sun. Learners taste the water they collect and discuss what has happened in their stills.
- 10 to 30 minutes
- 45 to 60 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per group of students
- Ages 4 - 11
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- bowl
- plastic cup, 1 inch shorter than sides of bowl or cut to size
- clear plastic food wrap
- tape or rubber band large enough to go around bowl
- small rock or weight
- salty water
Subjects
- Earth and Space Science
- Earth Structure
- Oceans and Water
- Solar System
- The Sun
- Earth Structure
- Engineering and Technology
- Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Technology
- Energy and Power
- Engineering
- Physical Sciences
- Chemistry
- Chemical Reactions
- Solutions
- States of Matter
- Liquids
- Gases
- Changes of Phase
- Chemistry
- The Nature of Science
- The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- Formulating Explanations
- Communicating Results
- The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Nature and Environment
- Outdoor Activity
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- taste
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves teamwork and communication skills
- Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
- 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:
- Schleith, Susan; Hall, Penny
Rights:
- All Rights Reserved, Florida Solar Energy Center,
