"Solar Cars" is a PowerPoint designed for primary and secondary students, where students learn about solar energy and harnessing the sun's energy to power solar cars. This lesson can be paired with a "Build Your Own Solar Car" activity.

2. There are over 1 billion cars
in the world right now!!!
Nearly all of them use the simple and
cheap combustion engine that was
invented….. 100 years ago

3. The “Spark Explosion of fuel movement”
process is used in nearly all moving objects on the
planet…

4.  Using combustion we can release millions of years
of the suns energy (known as fossil fuels) that was
beating down on:
 trees
 algae
 lichens
 other photosynthetic organisms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuCUmQ9FxMU&feature=related

5.  The Sun’s light was
stored in the carbon
bonds of fossil fuels
(dead algae and
plants)…
 Those are broken during
combustion and energy
is released, making
vehicles go!

6. The scientific opinion on climate change is that the Earth's climate change is unequivocally
warming, and it is more than 90% certain that humans are causing it through activities that
increase concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as deforestation and
burning fossil fuels.
Tailpipes spew out 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from burning gasoline
CARBON DIOXIDE, what is released from cars
during the combustion process, IS A GREENHOUSE GAS

7.  Take a piece of paper and brainstorm at least
5 replacements for the combustion engine…

8. Types of Solar
Thermocollectors
PhotovoltaicCells
Space Sails
Why Solar?
1. Renewable
2. Sun is free
3. Clean, no fossil
fuels burned
Why Not Solar?
1. Inefficient…
2. Expensive to make
cells
3. Sun is not always
available
4. Current models
take up a lot of
space

10.  Question: Can the Sun’s energy provide
enough fuel to move a car?
 What’s your hypothesis?
 ACTIVITY:
 Make your own solar car!

11. Axles
Motor
Tiny gear
Solar panel
Wheels
Gears
Body
I bolts