We discussed how modern power plants turn various kinds of energy, kinetic energy, heat energy, nuclear, and chemical energy into electrical energy, in particular wind turbines. The first week students made turbines choosing from an assortment of blades and adjusting arrangement and pitch.
The second week we discussed how wind driven machinery, like windmills, were used to do work like grinding grain or pumping water. Then students designed turbines to lift a load. The fastest device, "taco shells", lifted the empty cup about four feet in just six seconds. The heaviest load lifted by a device was 135 grams!
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