Synopses & Reviews
Humankind needs to find and develop alternative forms of energy. As the worlds population continues to grow, more people will need access to lighting, communication, transit, and computing. Fossil fuels are being used up at an alarming pace, but other energy sources--solar, wind, waves, waste” heat, and even human power--are both renewable and environmentally friendly. The projects in this book will help any budding scientist construct and explore working models that generate renewable, alternative energy.
In Doable Renewables, readers will learn how to build a Kelvin water drop generator out of six recycled cans and alligator clip jumpers, a solar-powered seesaw from a large dial thermometer and a magnifying glass, and a windmill from eight yardsticks, PVC pipe, cardboard, and converter generator. Children will investigate the energy-generating properties of a solar cell, a radiometer, a Nitinol heat engine, and a Peltier cell. Theyll even build a human-powered desk lamp.
Each project includes a materials and tools list, as well as online information on where to find specialized components. And for young scientists, author Mike Rigsby demonstrates how to use an infrared thermometer, a digital multimeter, and an electrical usage monitor to test their designs. Armed with this collection of technological possibilities, can the solution to the earths energy crisis be far off?
Review
"The focus on the hot topic of renewable energy . . . makes this a timely resource." —Booklist
Synopsis
Humankind needs to find and develop alternative forms of energy. As the worlds population continues to grow, more people will need access to lighting, communication, transit, and computing. Fossil fuels are being used up at an alarming pace, but other energy sources--solar, wind, waves, waste” heat, and even human power--are both renewable and environmentally friendly. The projects in this book will help any budding scientist construct and explore working models that generate renewable, alternative energy.
In Doable Renewables, readers will learn how to build a Kelvin water drop generator out of six recycled cans and alligator clip jumpers, a solar-powered seesaw from a large dial thermometer and a magnifying glass, and a windmill from eight yardsticks, PVC pipe, cardboard, and converter generator. Children will investigate the energy-generating properties of a solar cell, a radiometer, a Nitinol heat engine, and a Peltier cell. Theyll even build a human-powered desk lamp.
Each project includes a materials and tools list, as well as online information on where to find specialized components. And for young scientists, author Mike Rigsby demonstrates how to use an infrared thermometer, a digital multimeter, and an electrical usage monitor to test their designs. Armed with this collection of technological possibilities, can the solution to the earths energy crisis be far off?
Synopsis
These 16 alternative energy projects will help young scientists understand renewable energy.
Synopsis
3D printers have revolutionized the worlds of manufacturing, design, and art. But how does a person with little or no computer design experience create an object to print? The best way to learn is through hands-on experience. Professional engineer Mike Rigsby leads readers step-by-step through fourteen simple toy projects, each illustrated with screen caps of Autodesk 123D Design, the most common free 3D software available. The projects are later described using Sketchup, another free popular software package.
The toy projects in A Beginners Guide to 3D Printing start simple—a domino, nothing more than an extruded rectangle, a rectangular block. But soon you will be creating jewel boxes with lids, a baking powder submarine, interchangeable panels for a design-it-yourself miniature house, a simple train with expandable track, a multipiece airplane, a working paddleboat, and a rubber band-powered car. Finally, you will design, print, and assemble a Little Clicker, a noise making push toy with froggy eyes. Once trained in the basics, you will be able to embark on even more elaborate designs of your own creation.
About the Author
Mike Rigsby is a professional electrical engineer and author of Amazing Rubber Band Cars and Haywired. He has written for Popular Science, Robotics Age, Modern Electronics, Circuit Cellar, Byte, and other magazines.