Nicholas Kinsman is interested in inventing solar-powered devices to reduce our dependence on other energy sources.
He is also a winner of a Science Buddies Clever Scientist award for his 2007 California State Science Fair project
(Kinsman, 2007). Nicholas set out to build a simple, inexpensive device to desalinate seawater, using readily available
materials and easy construction methods.
Solar-Powered Water Desalination
Kit Contents
QTY ITEM DESCRIPTION
2
Clear plastic rectangular containers with predrilled holes
2
Plastic cups with pre-drilled holes
1
Graduated cylinder, 25ml
1
Beaker, tri-pour 800 ml
1
Stick of Modeling clay
1
Thermometer, 6", C scale
2
Funnel, small, 5 ml
2
Straw, flexible
2
Washer, flat, steel, 7/16
2
Rubber band
1
Table salt, 50 gm
3
Construction paper, black, 8 1/2" x 11"
3
Construction paper, white, 8 1/2" x 11"
1
Lab Notebook
Typical seawater contains dissolved salts at concentrations between 32 and 37.5 parts per thousand. That means that if
you started with one kilogram of seawater (which is approximately one liter of seawater) and then you allowed all of the
water to evaporate, you would be left with between 32 and 37.5 grams of salts (also called "total dissolved solids").
With all of that salt, seawater is not suitable for drinking nor for watering most plants. The fluid circulating in your body
(blood plasma) contains much less salt than seawater (on the order of 9 grams of total dissolved solids). If you were to
drink seawater, your body would actually lose water, because the high salt concentration of the seawater causes an
osmotic pressure gradient which drives water out of your cells. Desalination is the process of removing the dissolved
salts from water, making it pure enough for drinking or irrigation.
Nicholas's first design for a desalination device is shown in Figure 1 below. There are eight small bottles surrounding the
large collection jug. Each of the small bottles is filled with seawater. The small bottles have holes in their caps. One end of
a flexible straw is inserted into the hole, and the other connects to the large collection jug at the center. When the entire
device is set out in the sunlight, the seawater in the small bottles heats up, which causes the water to evaporate and fill
the small bottles with water vapor. The idea was that as the water vapor increased, it would condense in the straws and
flow down into the collection jug. Unfortunately, the idea did not work. You can see in the picture that there is
condensation on the inside of the top of the bottles, but there was very little condensation in the straws.
Summary
Prerequisites
None
Safety
A hand drill is needed for some steps. Adult assistance is needed for the steps involving a
hand drill. All items in the Science Buddies Kit come pre-drilled, eliminating this safety issue.
Figure 1. This is Nicholas's first try at a solar-powered desalination device. The idea was to add saltwater to the eight
small bottles. The condensation was supposed to drip down from the straws into the large collection jug. Unfortunately,
this design did not work. (Photo from Nicholas Kinsman's display board at the fair.)
Frequently Asked
Questions
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/EnvEng_p022.shtml#help
Like any good inventor, Nicholas did not let an initial setback discourage him. He analyzed what was wrong with the
design and set out to improve it. His second design, shown in Figure 2 below, still follows the same principles of using
readily available materials and easy construction methods, but also includes some important improvements. One
important change is that this time Nicholas's design uses a container with a larger surface area to hold the seawater.
Abstract
How can seawater from the oceans be turned into fresh water that is suitable for people to drink? Through a process
called solar desalination! In this science project, you will make a solar desalination apparatus using readily available
materials, and a power source that is free. How much water can the device produce, and is it still salty at all? What factors
affect how effectively saltwater is turned into fresh water?
Objective
Build and test a solar-powered device for desalinating water and investigate how the color of the bottom of the device
affects its efficiency.
Introduction
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
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colored bottom? Why? Can you relate your answer to the concept of heat transfer?
Bibliography
Figure 2. Here are two examples of Nicholas's second design for a solar-powered desalination device. The large jug,
laying on its side, holds the seawater. The top side of the jug has been cut out with a utility knife. Plastic cling wrap
seals the top side, and a quarter is used as a weight to make a low point in the center. Beneath that low point, Nicholas
placed a collector, made from the top of a small water bottle with a flexible straw inserted into a hole in the cap. The
other end of the straw passes through the side of the large jug, and then to a plastic cup where the condensate collects.
The device on the left has an aluminum foil reflector covering the back side and bottom of the large jug while the device
on the right has no reflector. (Science Buddies photo of Nicholas Kinsman's display board at the fair.)
Do further research by visiting the following websites, which give information about salts in seawater, desalination, and
rate of evaporation:
Swenson, H. (n.d.). Why Is the Ocean Salty? U.S. Geological Survey Publication. Retrieved June 27, 2007 from
http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm (http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm)
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. (2007). Water, Desalination of. Pearson Education, publishing as Fact
Monster. Retrieved June 28, 2007, from http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0851566.html
(http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0851566.html)
Why is it important that in the improved design a large jug is used to hold the saltwater? The jug, which is laid on one
side, lets the saltwater cover a relatively large area. Because water molecules can only evaporate from the surface of
water, a body of water with a large surface area will have a greater rate of evaporation than a body of water with a
smaller surface area (assuming all other conditions are the same). The top side of the jug is cut out, using a utility knife,
and covered tightly with plastic cling wrap. The cling wrap covering the large opening provides a large surface area on
which condensation can form, which is another reason why using a larger container is an important change in this design.
A quarter is used as a weight to make a low point at the center of the cling wrap. When the device is heated up in the
sunlight, the condensation that forms on the cling wrap eventually flows down to this low point and drips into a "funnel." In
Nicholas's design, the funnel is simply the cut-off top of a small water bottle, which has a flexible straw inserted into a hole
cut in the cap. The other end of the straw passes through a small hole in the large jug, and then to a plastic cup (tightly
covered with cling wrap using a rubber band to prevent evaporation).
For his science fair project, Nicholas tested the desalination devices based on his second, improved design with and
without aluminum foil reflectors (you can see examples of each type in Figure 2 above). For each device, he made
several measurements so that he could compare the performance, including the amount of condensate collected, or his
condensate yield, and the conductivity of the saltwater and condensate. The yield measurements told him how efficient
his devices were at heating the saltwater and producing desalinated water. The conductivity measurements (which can be
taken using a handheld meter) told him how well the condensed water had been purified of dissolved salt because water
that contains dissolved salt can conduct electricity, and the more salt that is dissolved in the water, the higher the
conductivity of the water.
In this environmental engineering science project, you will build desalination devices similar to Nicholas's second design
and see how the design can be improved even more. Specifically, you will investigate how the color of the bottom of the
device affects its efficiency. You will compare a device with a white-colored bottom to a device with a black-colored
bottom. Something that is light-colored reflects more light than something that is dark-colored, which absorbs a lot of the
light that hits it. Light is a form of energy and energy can be transferred to nearby objects (such as a body of water) in the
form of heat, in a process known as heat transfer. Which colored bottom do you think will result in a more efficient
desalination device?
Terms and Concepts
Solar-powered devices
Desalination
Water purity
Evaporation
Water vapor
Condensation
Surface area
Yield
Reflection of light
Absorption of light
Heat transfer
Questions
Why does condensation form when water is heated up?
What are some factors that affect the rate of evaporation?
Do you think a desalination device with a black-colored bottom would be more efficient than one with a white-
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
Meng, A. and Meng, H. (n.d.). Factors Affecting the Rate of Evaporation. Interactive Assessment Worksheets.
Retrieved September 27, 2012, from http://www.vtaide.com/png/evaporation.htm (http://www.vtaide.com/png/evaporation.htm)
This project is based on the following 2007 California State Science fair project, a winner of the Science Buddies Clever
Scientist Award:
Kinsman, N. (2007). Do Different Frequencies of Light Contain Different Amounts of Energy? California State
Science Fair. Retrieved June 27, 2007, from http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2007/Projects/J0911.pdf
(http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2007/Projects/J0911.pdf)
Experimental Procedure
Making the Desalination Devices
In this part of the science project, you will make two desalination devices.
1. If you are using clear plastic shoeboxes, like those in the Science Buddies Kit, skip to step 2. If you are using a
water jug, lay it on its side and, using the utility knife, carefully cut out the side that is facing up. Prepare both jugs
the same way. If you are using clear plastic containers, skip this step.
a. Look at Figure 2 in the Background for an idea of what the cut out side should look like. You will want as
little jug hanging over the top as possible since any overhanging bottle can trap condensation.
b. Safety Note: Work carefully when using the utility knife since it will be sharp! Using a new, sharp blade will
make the job easier. It is recommended to have an adult help you with this step.
c. Be careful with your fingers around the cut edges of the jug: they will be sharp!
2. Look at Figure 3 below to get an overview of what you are making. Take a funnel and connect it to the end of the
short side of a bendable straw. Repeat for the second funnel and straw.
a. If you are using shallow jugs or containers, you may need to shorten this side of the straw so that the funnel
does not stick up too far.
i. You can look at your device setup now and see if you think the straw should be cut, or you can
adjust this later (such as in step 8 below).
ii. Science Buddies Kit: If you are using the kit for this project idea, the short end of the straw should be
cut with scissors so there is just enough length straw left for the end of the funnel to fit in (or about 1
centimeter [cm] or less above the bendable part). If you do not want to cut too much off, you can skip
cutting the straw for now and do it later (such as in step 8 below).
b. Fit the funnel inside the end of the straw and push the funnel in as far as it will go. Then securely tape the
straw to the funnel.
3. Use the hand drill to make a hole near the bottom of one side of each container for the straw to go through. Skip
this step if you are using the Science Buddies Kit; all holes are pre-drilled in the science kit.
a. Center the hole along one side and make it very low on that side, approximately 2 cm up from the bottom of
the container. The hole should be just above where the water level will be. If the hole is too high then the
funnel might not be low enough to collect condensation.
b. Make the hole in the same position on both containers.
4. Put a straw-funnel assembly through the bottom hole of each container so that the funnels are on the inside of the
containers. Adjust the straw-funnel assemblies so that the funnels face up. Put some modeling clay around the
hole, on the outside of the jug or container, to hold the funnel in place. Your setup should now look similar to Figure
3 below.
a. Do not worry if the funnel will not stay in place. The following steps will help secure it.
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above the funnel, but make sure it is not so low that the cling wrap touches the funnel. For an example of this, see
Figure 4 below.
a. If the cling wrap is touching the funnel, not all of the condensation will go down into the funnel. To fix this,
either lower the funnel (such as by cutting the straw) or raise the cling wrap (by taping it tighter).
b. If you need to drill a new hole to lower the funnel, plug up the old hole with some modeling clay.
c. If the cling wrap is so tight that it does not form a low point where the washer or quarter is, un-tape it in
places and re-tape it more loosely.
Figure 3. After putting the straw-funnel assembly in the hole in the container and securing it using some modeling clay,
your setup should look similar to the one shown here. The top picture shows a close-up from the side and the bottom
picture shows an overall view from above.
5. Next prepare the collection cups by drilling a hole near the bottom of each disposable plastic cup. Skip this step if
you are using the Science Buddies Kit; the science kit comes with pre-drilled holes.
a. Make the holes lower than the holes in the containers so that the straws slope down towards the collection
cups. For example, if you made the holes in the containers about 2 cm up from the bottom, make the holes
in the collection cups about 1.3 cm up from the bottom.
b. Carefully use a hand drill and drill bit to make a hole in each cup just large enough for the straw to fit
through.
6. Put the empty end of each straw through the hole in a collection cup. If needed, adjust the straw so that the funnel
faces up. Put some modeling clay around each hole, on the outside of each collection cup, to keep each cup in
place.
a. Do not worry if a cup is tilted so that it is not completely sitting flat.
b. If the straw is too long for the funnel to face up and the straw to slope down towards the collection cup, cut a
little bit of the straw off and test the setup again. Keep cutting a little bit of the straw off and retesting the
setup until it works.
c. Science Buddies Kit: If you are using the kit for this project idea, cut the straw so that the long end is about
10 cm (or less) long after the bendable part.
7. Cover the openings on each jug or container with plastic cling wrap.
a. Tear off two pieces of cling wrap, each large enough to completely fit over the opening in the containers and
have some extra cling wrap on the sides.
b. Tightly put one piece of cling wrap over each opening. Tape the cling wrap to each of the four corners of the
container (using only one or two pieces of tape per corner).
8. Set a washer or quarter on the middle of the cling wrap, right above the funnel. Do this for each desalination
device. Adjust the different components so that the washer or quarter creates a low point in the cling wrap right
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
Figure 4. Place the washer or quarter on the cling wrap, right above the funnel. Make sure that the cling wrap is not so
low that it is touching the funnel. The top left picture shows the entire setup at this point. The top right picture shows a
close-up of the collection cup and washer. The bottom picture shows a close-up of just the washer and funnel.
9. After you are done adjusting your setup, cover each collection cup with cling wrap and secure the cling wrap tightly
with a rubber band, as shown in Figure 5 below. This prevents your desalinated water from evaporating.
a. Make sure that there are no gaps or holes in the cling wrap.
Figure 5. Secure a piece of cling wrap on to the top of each collection cup using a rubber band, as shown here.
10. Cover the outside bottom of one desalination container with black construction paper and cover the other one with
white construction paper.
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11.
12.
13.
14.
a. Arrange the construction paper so that it goes up about 2 to 3 cm on the sides of each jug or container.
i. You may need to cut a small slit in the construction paper for the straw to get through.
b. Note: If you have a large container, such as the one in the Science Buddies Kit for this project idea, you will
need to tape two pieces of construction paper together for each jug or container. If you end up with extra
paper when you do this, cut it off (instead of letting it overlap) and save it in case the paper gets damp and
you want to replace it.
c. Tape the construction paper in place on the outside bottom of each desalination container.
Make up a single batch of saltwater for both desalination containers.
a. You will want to fill each jug or container with enough saltwater to just barely cover the bottom. You can
determine how much saltwater you will need to do this by filling the jug or container up with a little tap water
at a time from a measuring cup or graduated cylinder, and keeping track of how much water you have
added. If you do this, dry out the jug or container afterwards.
b. Once you know how much saltwater you will need, you can make it up in a large cup or bottle. For each 500
mL of water, add 17.5 grams (about 1 tablespoon) of salt. Mix the salt so that it dissolves in the water.
c. Science Buddies Kit: If you are using the kit add 1 tablespoon of salt to the tripour beaker and fill it to the
500 mL mark. Mix with a spoon until the salt is dissolved. Each of the desalination containers will need 250
mL of saltwater.
For each desalination container, remove the washer or quarter, gently remove the tape on one corner, lift the cling
wrap, and pour in the saltwater. Add enough so that it just barely covers the bottom of the container.
a. Science Buddies Kit: If you are using the kit, pour 250 mL of saltwater into each desalination container.
b. Make sure to add the same amount of saltwater to both jugs or containers.
c. Be careful not to let any saltwater spill into the funnel or onto the construction paper.
Put the cling wrap back in place, making sure it is taped on all four corners of each container.
Your desalination devices should look similar to the ones in Figure 6 below. They are now ready for testing!
the desalination devices should look like during testing as condensation is collected. (The construction paper is not
shown in the diagram.)
Testing the Desalination Devices
In this part of the science project, you will test the performance of the desalination devices.
1. Carefully take the desalination devices outside to an area that will receive direct sunlight for at least four hours.
2. Prepare your desalination devices for testing and do a final check to make sure that everything is in place and
ready.
a. Make sure the cling wrap is taped to all four corners of each container.
b. Set a washer or quarter in the middle of the cling wrap of each device.
c. Tape the cling wrap on the sides of the jug or container, using only one or two pieces of tape per side.The
cling wrap should now completely seal the large opening on the top of the jug or container. If it does not,
water vapor may escape.
d. Try to get rid of any large wrinkles that do not flow down to the washer or quarter. Wrinkles can prevent the
condensation from smoothly rolling down to the collection point.
e. Make sure that the washer or quarter is at the lowest point of the cling wrap. If it is not, un-tape, adjust, and
re-tape the cling wrap to fix this.
f. Make sure that the funnel is facing up, directly below the washer or quarter, and not so high that it is
touching the cling wrap. If the funnel is touching the cling wrap, either lower the funnel or raise the cling
wrap by taping it higher.
g. Make sure that the modeling clay has sealed the holes to prevent evaporative losses. Add extra modeling
clay if needed.
h. Check that the straws slope down towards the collection cups. Even a mild slope is enough to work.
3. In your lab notebook, record the time.
a. Optional: measure and record the temperature near the desalination devices. You can use this information
later to determine how temperature affects the condensation yield.
4. Check on the desalination devices after about 30 minutes. You may see condensation starting to form small drops
on the cling wrap right below the washer or quarter. However, it may take longer, depending on how sunny and
warm it is.
a. If you see condensation forming small drops, do you see it on both desalination devices, or only one of
them? Record your observations in your lab notebook.
b. If needed, adjust the washer or quarter and funnel-straw assembly on each device to make sure that the
drops fall into the funnel.
i. You can arrange the washer or quarter so that one edge of it is the lowest point on the cling wrap,
and this edge is positioned over the funnel so that condensation drips into it, as shown in Figure 7
below.
Figure 6. When your desalination devices are ready for testing, they should look similar to the one in the top picture
(except yours should have black or white construction paper on the bottom). The diagram on the bottom shows what
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
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Figure 7. As shown in this close-up picture, you can arrange the washer so that its edge is the lowest point on the cling
wrap and is positioned over the funnel, allowing condensation to drop into it.
5. Continue checking on your desalination devices every 30 minutes to make sure that they are still in the sunlight
and that the condensation drops are falling into the funnel.
a. If the desalination devices are not in the sun, gently move them to a sunny location.
b. Does it look like one desalination device is making more condensation drops than the other? Record your
observations in your lab notebook.
c. If it is warm enough, the modeling clay may melt a little. If it does, just make sure that the holes are still
sealed by the modeling clay. Add more clay if needed.
d. If it is windy, you may want to check on your desalination devices more frequently to ensure that everything
is still in place and functioning properly.
6. Stop your testing after your desalination devices have been in the sunlight for at least four hours.
a. In your lab notebook, record the time when you stop your testing. How long were your desalination devices
in the sunlight?
b. Optional: again, measure and record the temperature near the desalination devices.
7. Open the large cling wrap covering on each device and try to get any condensate that is still in the straw to go out
and into the collection cup. You can do this by gently blowing into the straw.
8. To determine the condensate yield of each desalination device, carefully disconnect the collection cup, remove its
cling wrap covering, and pour the collected condensate into the 25 mL graduated cylinder.
a. What was the condensate yield of each device? Record your results in your lab notebook.
9. To determine whether the collected condensate is still salty, taste a little bit from each device. Record your
observations in your lab notebook.
10. Repeat this experiment at least two more times on different days for a total of three trials. This will help ensure that
your results are consistent and reproducible.
a. Between trials, carefully rinse out each desalination device with tap water and let them dry along with all of
the other desalination device components.
b. When you are ready to repeat your testing, fill the desalination devices with saltwater as you did in step 11 12 of "Making the Desalination Devices."
i. Use the same amount of saltwater in each device and trial.
c. Repeat the rest of the testing as you did in steps 1-9 of "Testing the Desalination Devices." For each trial,
perform the testing for the same length of time.
11. After you have tested both devices in three trials, make a bar graph of your condensate yield results.
a. On the x-axis of the graph, list your desalination devices. You can average the results for each device for
the three trials, or you can show all three trials separately.
b. On the y-axis, put the condensate yield in milliliters.
12. Analyze your results.
a. Did one desalination device consistently have a higher condensate yield than the other? If so, why do you
think this is? What does this tell you about the features an effective solar desalination device should have?
b. Was the collected condensate ever salty?
c. If you measured the temperature near the desalination devices during testing and the temperature varied a
lot between your three trials, do you see a correlation between the temperature and the condensate yield?
13. Taking 3 liters as the minimum required amount of drinking water per person per day (NAS, 2004), how many
devices would you need to produce enough water for your survival needs?
a. You can divide the condensate yield by the testing time to get an average collection rate (mL/hour). You will
need to think about how many hours of sunlight there are in your area. Would it change with the season?
container, such as by attaching a plastic divider to the bottom. Test the two desalination devices again, using the
same volume of saltwater in each. Does the change in surface area correlate with a change in condensate yield?
Saltwater has a higher boiling point than freshwater. Does this mean that you would get a higher condensation
yield using freshwater than you did using saltwater? To find out, you can try this science project again but this time
use saltwater in one desalination device and freshwater in the other. To make sure you are collecting "pure" water,
you can add some food coloring to the initial water in each device. Are the condensate yields very different
between the two devices? If you try even saltier saltwater than was used in this science project, is there a greater
difference?
How does the collection rate change during the course of the day? To investigate this, it would be a good idea to
have your collection container marked with graduated volumes. That way you can measure collection volumes
easily without disturbing the collection system.
In what other ways do you think you could change your desalination device to improve its efficiency? Find out what
factors affect the rate of evaporation and how other desalination devices are designed. Figure out how you can use
this information to modify your device, or design a completely new device, to improve efficiency.
You can build other useful devices that use solar power. For example, the Science Buddies project Now You're
Cooking! (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Energy_p018.shtml) shows how to build a solar oven. Can you
adapt a solar oven to make a solar-powered desalination device? Is it more or less efficient than the plastic bottle
desalination device from this project?
Related Links
Science Fair Project Guide (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_guide_index.shtml)
Other Ideas Like This (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/recommender_solt.php?solt=EnvEng_p022)
Environmental Engineering Project Ideas (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/recommender_interest_area.php?ia=EnvEng)
My Favorites (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/recommender_show_favorites.php)
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:
Water or Wastewater Engineer
When you think about a city that is a great place to live, what do you consider?
Probably a community where the citizens are happy, healthy, and comfortable. Part of
being all three is having a clean, safe, and constant water supply. Many of us take for
granted that when we turn the faucet on we will be able to get a glass of water or that
when we flush the toilet our waste will be carried away and treated somewhere. Well,
that is what a water or wastewater engineer does. Their job is to design and build the tools and infrastructure that provide
us with clean water as well as to monitor the safety of our water. Read more (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/scienceengineering-careers/EnvEng_waterorwastewaterengineer_c001.shtml)
Environmental Engineer
Environmental engineers plan projects around their city or state—like municipal water
systems, landfills, recycling centers, or sanitation facilities—that are essential to the
health of the people who live there. Environmental engineers also work to minimize the
impact of human developments, like new roads or dams, on environments and habitats,
and they strive to improve the quality of our air, land, and water. Read more
(http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-engineering-careers/EnvEng_environmentalengineer_c001.shtml)
Variations
In this science project you compared the performance of desalination devices with a black-colored bottom and a
white-colored bottom. What do you think would happen if you used an aluminum foil reflector, as Nicholas Kinsman
did (as discussed in the Background)? How do you think you could set up such a reflector so that it heats up the
water in the device as much as possible? Hint: research parabolic reflectors.
How does the temperature of saltwater affect the rate of evaporation? You can try this science project again but
this time fill one desalination device with ice-cold water and the other with hot water. Is one device much more
efficient than the other?
Surface area is a factor that affects the rate of evaporation. Think of a way to modify one of your desalination
devices so that the same volume of saltwater takes up only half of the surface area of the bottom of the jug or
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
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Solar Energy Systems Engineer
Does the idea of harvesting the enormous power of the sun interest you? If you find this
exciting, then you should think about installing solar photovoltaic panels on your house
to collect free electricity from the sun. But how energy efficient is your home already?
Can it get better? How many panels would your house need? What would the system
look like? You can get the answers to these questions and more from your local solar
energy systems engineer. These engineers help their residential and commercial clients save on their electric bills and
reduce their carbon footprint by performing energy audits and picking and designing the right solar energy system for
them.
Read more (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-engineering-careers/Energy_solarenergysystemsengineer_c001.shtml)
Environmental Engineering Technician
Smog, car emissions, industry waste—unfortunately, pollution is a reality that humans
have to deal with. However, we can all breathe a little easier with environmental
engineering technicians on the job. These people test our water, air, and soil to help us
find ways to lessen the impact of pollution. Read more (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/science-engineering-careers/EnvEng_environmentalengineeringtechnician_c001.shtml)
Credits
Andrew Olson, Ph.D., and Teisha Rowland, Ph.D. Science Buddies
Sources
This project is based on the following 2007 California State Science fair project, a winner of the Science Buddies Clever
Scientist Award
Kinsman, N., 2007. "Do Different Frequencies of Light Contain Different Amounts of Energy?" [accessed June 27,
2007] http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2007/Projects/J0911.pdf (http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2007/Projects/J0911.pdf) .
Last edit date: 2013-09-06
Contact Us
If you have purchased a kit for this project from Science Buddies, we are pleased to answer any question not addressed
by the FAQs on our site. Please email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=SolarPowered%20Water%20Desalination)
after you have checked the Frequently Asked Questions for this PI at
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/EnvEng_p022.shtml#help
In your email, please follow these instructions:
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Good Question I'm trying to do Experimental Procedure step #5, "Scrape the insulation from the wire. . ." How do
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Good Question I'm at Experimental Procedure step #7, "Move the magnet back and forth . . ." and the LED is not
lighting up.
Bad Question I don't understand the instructions. Help!
EnvEng_p022_20130906.pdf
APE-5262-KIT