Episode 37 – Radiant Rays

First, you will need to download the Radiant Rays lab manual.

Have you ever tried to cook an egg on the sidewalk? Or maybe you watched a video of someone do it online. You (or the person in the video), may have been successful after a loooooong period of time. Is there a way we could speed up this process?

The radiation released by the sun as heat is indeed very strong. Radiation is a method of heat transfer that does not rely upon any contact between the heat source and the heated object. It can be used to toast or gently cook your food. Toasting marshmallows is always a fun one to try! But again, how can I speed up this process?

Solar ovens harness this thermal radiation and decrease the amount of time it takes to cook food in the sun. This episode will explore how to best build and angle our solar ovens to harness enough radiation to cook our food!

In as early as 700 BC, humans discovered the power of the suns rays in solar radiation while using glass to make fires. The first solar oven, however, did not come until 1767. Solar ovens require no fuel and are, therefore, still widely used in areas of the world without electricity!

Saskatchewan Curriculum Connections:
MC5.2: Investigate how reversible and non-reversible changes, including changes of state, alter materials. MC5.3: Assess how the production, use, and disposal of raw materials and manufactured products affects self, society, and the environment. HT7.3 (e), (f), (g): Investigate principles and applications of heat transfer via the processes of conduction, convection, and radiation. ES20-HP1 (a), (b), (d), (e), (h): Investigate technologies and processes used for mitigating and managing resource use, waste generation and pollution associated with a growing human population.
SS6.1: Demonstrate understanding of angles including: identifying examples classifying angles, estimating the measure, determining angle measures in degrees, drawing angles, and applying angle relationships in triangles and quadrilaterals. SS7.1: Demonstrate an understanding of circles including circumference and central angles. SS7.3: Demonstrate an understanding of 2-D relationships involving lines and angles.