Vocabulary
What is solar energy?
Energy that comes from the sun.
Which color gets hotter in the sun?
A. White
B. Black
B. Black
What is a solar oven used for?
Cooking or heating food with sunlight.
If clouds cover the sun, will a solar oven get hotter or cooler?
Cooler.
Name one thing that uses solar energy besides a solar oven.
Solar panels, calculators, street lights, satellites, solar-powered watches, etc.
What does "renewable" mean?
An energy source that can be used again and doesn't run out.
Which spoon gets hotter in the sun?
A. Metal
B. Plastic
A: Metal
Name one material often used in a solar oven.
Foil, cardboard, plastic wrap, black paper.
If you put your solar oven in the shade, will it work as well?
No.
Why might someone use a solar oven instead of a regular stove?
It doesn't need electricity or gas, saves energy, and is environmentally friendly.
What is insulation?
A material or layer that helps keep heat from escaping.
What happens when sunlight hits a dark surface?
It absorbs heat.
Why is aluminum foil used?
It reflects sunlight into the oven.
Which would probably cook food faster?
A cloudy day or a sunny day?
A sunny day.
Why might a solar oven not work well on a rainy or cloudy day?
There isn't enough sunlight to produce and trap heat.
What is the environment?
All the living and nonliving things that surround and affect an organism, including air, water, plants, animals, and human-built surroundings.
Which would warm up faster?
A cup in the sun or a cup in the shade?
The cup in the sun.
Why is insulation important in a solar oven?
It keeps the heat inside so the food gets hotter.
If you wanted your solar oven to get hotter, what is one thing you could add?
Foil, black paper, better insulation, or place it in direct sunlight.
Imagine you're camping and don't have electricity. How could a solar oven help you?
It could heat or cook food using only sunlight.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect happens when sunlight enters through a clear material (like glass or plastic), but the heat gets trapped inside, making it warmer.
Which part of the solar oven creates the greenhouse effect?
The clear plastic
What is the purpose of the clear plastic or glass cover?
It traps heat inside.
Explain why solar cooking usually takes longer than using a stove.
The sun provides less heat than a stove, so food heats more slowly.
Some communities around the world use solar cookers every day. Name two benefits of using a solar cooker.