Chapter 24 Resource: Energy and Energy Resources

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Name Date Class
2
Laboratory
Activity
Hydroelectric Generator
Moving water has energy that you can use. For centuries, waterwheels have been used to turn
millstones to grind grain or to run machines in factories. Today, moving water is used to make
electricity. Dams along rivers create reservoirs where water is stored and then released when
electricity is needed. In this laboratory activity, you can examine the series of energy transformations
that occur when moving water is used to generate electrical energy.
Strategy
You will build a model hydroelectric generator.
You will build a device to detect the electricity generated.
You will demonstrate how the energy of moving water is converted to electrical energy.
Materials
small spool insulated magnetic wire (#28 or finer)
metric ruler
7.5-cm nails (2)
scissors
hammer
7.5-cm ✕ 12.5-cm ✕ 5-cm wooden block
2.5-cm nails (2)
germanium diode (type 1N34A)
white glue
small bar magnet, 2–3 cm
round piece from toy wooden construction set
7.5-cm spokes from toy wooden construction set (8)
small paper cups (8)
ice pick
cardboard strips, approximately 2.5 cm ✕ 15 cm (2)
small nails (4)
electrical tape
cardboard rectangles, approximately 12.5 cm ✕ 17.5 cm (2)
compass
alligator clips (2)
rubber tubing
sink with running water
Procedure
1. Measure about 10 cm of magnetic wire.
Starting beyond the 10-cm mark, begin
wrapping the wire around the lower part of
one of the 7.5-cm nails. Wrapping up and
down the nail, wrap 1,000 turns of wire
around the nail. See Figure 1. When you
are finished, the coil should be 2 to 3 cm
long. Allow another 10 cm of wire to
extend at the bottom end of the coil. Cut
off any leftover wire.
Figure 1
Energy and Energy Resources 11
Hands-On Activities