Embedded Files
Objective
Objective
Students investigate how parabolas can focus light to heat marshmallows in a simple solar cooker. This is one way that survivors can cook in the powerless, dar world of the zombie apocalypse.
Materials Needed
Materials Needed
- Printed copies of parabola template
- A4 corrugated card (4 sheets per group)
- A3 thin card (1 sheet per group)
- Aluminum Foil
- Glue sticks, tape
- Wood Skewers
- Marshmallows
- probe/ infra-red thermometer
After a few weeks in the zombie apocalypse, there’s no gas or electricity left for cooking. What’s more, the zombies have learned that smoke and fires mean there are humans nearby to bite! You need to find a way to cook food that doesn’t give away
Your task:
Your task:
Build and test a parabolic solar cooker.
Build and test a parabolic solar cooker.
- Use the parabola template to carefully cut four parabolas from corrugated card.
- Use a skewer to accurately create a hole at the focus points.
- Glue two pairs together to create two double thickness parabolas.
- Use the glue stick to carefully cover one side of the thin card, and one side of each parabola, with foil. Make sure the shiny side faces out. Try not to create wrinkles.
- Fold the thin card around the parabolas and tape it in place to create your solar cooker. Make sure the foil is on the inside!
- Poke a skewer through the focus point at each end and make sure the skewer is straight in the cooker.
- Image below omits one side of the card/foil reflector. (It wraps all round the parabola at each end to form a trough)
- It’s time to cook! Load one or two marshmallows onto your skewer. Make sure they don’t touch the foil, so light can reflect onto them.
- Angle your cooker to face the sun, or if inside, a halogen desk lamp. Take extra care when using the halogen lamps as they can generate a lot of heat and you could burn yourself. Use protective gloves and wear protective eyewear.
Report abuse