... and more

Lehrplanbezüge
ein- und ausschalten

 

... and more: Could Slow really mean Fast?
	Your handcrank power plant makes use of the length of the circumference of the drive wheel to turn the motor axis faster and more continuously. It is a similar working principle to that in the chain drive of the bicycle. Is it really the same principle?

In the handcrank power plant, the axis of the generator rotates very quickly when we rotate the drive wheel.

Assignment
In the handcrank power plant, the axis of the generator rotates very fast when we rotate the drive wheel.
How is the similar situation on the bicycle: how must the gears be sized, so that you can go faster?

Sources:  
In addition to a bicycle, these links can help :
Woozle Goozle: Wie funktioniert eine Gangschaltung? (ab 2:00)
WDR: Die Sendung mit der Maus, Fahrrad (Animation bei "Schaltung")
Leifiphysik.de: Einfache Maschinen (Animation)

 

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... and more: What is an "infinity machine"?

Machines can do amazing things - but what about "infinity"?

Assignment
Try to explain to others what is meant here by "infinite". Is it truely infinite?
Look up the terms "Unendlichkeitsmaschine" and "infinity machine" or use the following sources.

Sources:
Frag Finn: Die Unendlichkeitsmaschine
phaeno: Unendlichkeitsmaschine
Youtube.com, nerdcorner: Unendlichkeitsmaschine Zeitraffer

... and more: How is a generator driven?
	In the section "Did you know how?" you thought about how the device is called which generates electricity and feeds it into the grid: a generator. (Number 2 in the image).  The generator gets driven using the energy source known as the wind, applied over the rotor (1) as well as a gearbox (3). How does a generator get driven using other forms of energy such as coal, biogas and nuclear power?
Assignment Think about how and from which forms of energy generators are driven.  Look at the images of power plants from the section "Did you know how?" and use the following sources for your research. Make a list of energy sources.
Sources:  KLekxikon: Turbine Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz: Heisser Dampf wird zu Strom! (up to 1:10) EnergieAgenturNRW: Biogaserzeugung und Kraft-Wärme-Block-Kopplung Philipp Wichtrupp: Wie funktioniert ein Atomkraftwerk (starting at 1:20)

 

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... and more: Is an electric motor also a generator?

Maybe you noticed: The generator with which you made the experiments during the section "...explore", looks the same as an electric motor which you can find for example in toys.
So can an electric motor be used also as a generator?

Assignment
Find out how an electric motor works and compare that to the function of a generator. Do you see similarities? Do you see differences? Is every electric motor also a generator? Write down arguments so that you can inform others on this issue.

In the "explore-it"-learning sequence; "From permanent magnet to electric motor", an electromagnet (on the left) moves a compass (on the right).  Here you can find out more about how an electric motor works:

Sources about electric motors: 
Erhard Hörner: Elektromotor - einfach erklärt
Die Sendung mit der Maus: Wie funktioniert ein Elektromotor?
https://www.explore-it.org/en/from-permanent-magnet-to-electric-motor/electric-motor-explanations

The last link takes you to examine the motor from the learning kit "From permanent magnet to electric motor", which itself can be built from the corresponding "explore-it" -kit   The results include a gram scale that works using magnetic force, an electromagnet and a compass.

Sources about generators:
EVN: Wie funktioniert ein Generator?
Kids and science: Was ist ein elektrischer Generator?
cg-physics: Generator erklärt