Heat Transfer

This scene lets students explore a solar farm and observe how it is set up to work efficiently as well as consider drawbacks of using solar panels. They will be able to develop an understanding how sunlight is harnessed to generate electricity and how it is managed to and distributed to households.

# Learning objectives

1: Be able to describe conduction{.info}

2: Be able to describe Convection{.info}

3: Be able to describe Radiation{.info}

# Conduction{.objective .objective1}

In this section, a description of conduction will be provided as a form of energy transfer. Exploring the scene, heat transfer through solid media will be modelled, and a description of the particle model outlining how a heat is transferred through solids will be provided. By exploring the scene, students should be encouraged to observe and identify the example of conduction.

# Convection{.objective .objective2}

In this section, a description of convection will be provided. Exploring the scene, heat transfer from the sun heating the surface of the earth can be observed. This in term heats the air near the surface causing air to rise and cool air to sink. These convection currents are modelled and students should be able to describe what they see. Students should identify that convection occurs when p[articles are free flowing, like in liquids and gases.

# Radiation{.objective .objective3}

In this section, heat transfer by radiation will be described. The key point will be that all sources of heat will emit infrared radiation, such as the sun. The infrared radiation is transferred as waves, and are absorbed by surfaces they reach, causing those surfaces to heat up. As radiation reaches earth from the sun through space, this form of heat transfer occurs through a vacuum and does not rely on particles.