The Power of Water

Have you ever been to the beach and watched the waves come crashing to shore?  Water is very strong, not only can it knock over a sand castle, but it can generate power. The power that creates the electricity that turns on the lights in your home could come from water!

 

How can we turn water into electricity? A river is blocked by a dam or a wall, and the water is held back. The water builds up pressure because it wants to move, and the more the water is backed up, the more the pressure builds. When the water is released through special gates, it spins the blades of a giant turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator that spins around and makes electricity. The water passes through the turbine and flows back into the river on the other side of the damn.

 

We can see how this works by making our own turbine. (These directions as well as other fun science activities were found at http://www.squidoo.com/fun-experiments-2)

What you will need:  

Scissors

A pencil 

Two pieces of string, about 20 cm and 30 cm long  

An empty plastic bottle

Directions:

1.) Cut the top off the plastic bottle to make a cylinder.

Use your scissors to make about six to eight holes round the bottom of the cylinder.
2.) Push a sharp pencil through each hole and twist the pencil to one side so that the hole is slanted. Make three small holes around the top of the cylinder.
3.) Tie the short string to two of the holes of the cylinder top. Tie the long string to the third hole. Tie this to the middle of the short string but leave a long end free.

4.) Hold your cylinder under the cold water tap and fill it with water. As the water flows out, it will come out sideways and push the cylinder round. 

App to Consider

Sid’s Science Fair engages players (ages 3 to 6) in learning core science and math concepts from classification and identifying patterns to charting and sequencing. Emcee’d by Sid, from the hit series SID THE SCIENCE KID, the app presents three Science Fair games specially crafted for your curious early learner. http://pbskids.org/mobile/sids-science-fair.html

Buckleitner Message

If somebody handed you a lemon, could you make a battery? You'll be able to after you watch the YouTube videos and other links we found for this month's LittleClickers column.

Our topic, batteries, touches nearly every gadget we use, from cameras to cell phones to hybrid cars. One rather impressive gadget that has a tiny lithium-polymer battery is a pair of Spy glasses, that comes with an embedded video and still camera. Here's a preview at how they work, along with some sample video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK92m5-zEcM. This video was made during one of our weekly informal "Serious Games Testers Club" meetings, in which kids from our town gather to learn about the latest games and gadgets. Next time you get something new, wait to open the box, and gather some kids. It's fun to enjoy that new electronics smell, together.  Have a wonderful early fall!

Warren Buckleitner, PhD, Editor

Children's Technology Review