What it shows
Water stored high up has potential energy. As it falls it turns a turbine, and a generator on the turbine’s shaft turns that motion into electricity.
This idea has a short entry only. For the science behind it, read the sentence above with your textbook and ask your teacher to explain the law or idea it shows, so you can describe it in your own words.
Materials
- A raised bottle or tank as the dam
- A pipe
- A turbine made from plastic spoons or a bottle cap
- A small DC motor as the generator
- An LED and wires
Safety
This project uses safe, everyday materials. Still, read the rules below with a parent before you start.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
All the safety rulesHow to go about it
Numbered steps have not been written for this idea yet. Plan it with your teacher: sketch the design with measurements, build one part at a time, test each part, and write every observation with the date. The free ebooks below have step-by-step projects of the same kind.
Free ebooks for this project
Science projects
Science Projects for Class 9 and 10
Models and experiments for high-school physics, chemistry and biology