1,071 research outputs found
Stanford SOLAR Center
No full textThe Stanford SOLAR Center is a project of the Solar Oscillations Investigation Team at Stanford and "is dedicated to sharing the joy and excitement of solar science exploration" by providing resources, activities, and projects for the classroom. Several quality educational lesson plans are provided on the site with titles such as Effects of the Sun on Our Planet, Build Your Own Spectroscope, What is Ultraviolet Light?, The Spinning Sun, Solar Math!, Magnetism and the Sun, Sunspot Races, and more. Each contains a summary of the activity, its objectives, suggested grade level, and downloadable resources, all culminating in a easy-to-use resource that would be a welcome addition to any science curriculum
Stanford Solar Center
No full textThis free web site provides a collection of 25 multi-disciplinary, interactive exercises and activities based on the Sun and solar science, most geared to grades 4-12 with a few for grades k-3. Included are lesson plans and activities for educators
Magnetism and the Sun
No full textIn this activity from the Stanford Solar Center, students will learn the basic principles of magnetism and how they apply to the sun. The activity is intended for high school students who have taken or are taking pre-calculus and should take three class periods to complete. A printable version of the activity is also available
Space Weather Monitor (SID) Project
No full textThese space weather monitors, which detect changes to the Earth’s ionosphere caused by solar flares, can be installed and used by students at their local schools. Students build their own antenna, a simple, low-cost structure. Stanford provides a centralized data repository where students can exchange and discuss data.. The instruments are nicknamed SIDs, for the Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances that affect the Earth’s ionosphere. Two versions of the monitor exist – the original SID Monitor, distributed throughout the world for the International Heliophysical Year, and SuperSID, a lower-cost, more powerful upgraded instrument being distributed in collaboration with the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA), and in conjunction with the United Nation’s International Space Weather Initiative. Accompanying educational material and guides are provided. A mentoring program makes available scientific expertise to students and teachers. Instruments are provided to schools free of charge. Distribution targets schools serving under-represented students and in developing nations. Educational levels: High school, High school, Undergraduate lower division
Spectrograph Educational Resources
No full textThis product includes lesson plans, hands-on activities, videos, and PowerPoint presentations relating to spectroscopy and solar science. It is designed as an enhancement to the Stanford spectrographs,. Contents:1. Fingerprints in Sunlight: explaind the phenomena of spectral lines. 2. Fingerprints in Starlight: An enhanced version of Fingerprints in Sunlight, appropriate for a high school Honors or AP chemistry course 3. Sun to Earth: Aims to introduce the concept of studying the Sun with spectroscopy. 4. Sun and Stars 5-8: Lessons that introduce spectroscopy and the Sun for grades 5-8. 5. Sun and Stars 2-4: Lessons to introduce the Sun and its colors to grades 2-4. Introduces concept of light and spectrum by using a diffraction grating. 6. Colors of the Sun video 7. Colors and Motions of the Sun video: Expands upon the Colors of the Sun video by including information on how scientists can study the Sun. For 9-12 graders. 8. Colors and motions of the Sun Supplement: DVD supplement to the Colors and Motions of the Sun video. Describes NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. 9. Spectrograph class sets (45 per set, includes poster, gratings, and instructions). Educational levels: Middle school, High school, Middle school, High school
Hybrid Silicon Nanocone–Polymer Solar Cells
No full textRecently, hybrid Si/organic solar cells have been studied for low-cost Si photovoltaic devices because the Schottky junction between the Si and organic material can be formed by solution processes at a low temperature. In this study, we demonstrate a hybrid solar cell composed of Si nanocones and conductive polymer. The optimal nanocone structure with an aspect ratio (height/diameter of a nanocone) less than two allowed for conformal polymer surface coverage via spin-coating while also providing both excellent antireflection and light trapping properties. The uniform heterojunction over the nanocones with enhanced light absorption resulted in a power conversion efficiency above 11%. Based on our simulation study, the optimal nanocone structures for a 10 μm thick Si solar cell can achieve a short-circuit current density, up to 39.1 mA/cm 2, which is very close to the theoretical limit. With very thin material and inexpensive processing, hybrid Si nanocone/polymer solar cells are promising as an economically viable alternative energy solution. © 2012 American Chemical Society.This work is based upon work supported as part of the Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion (CNEEC) at Stanford University, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Award DE-SC0001060. This work was partially supported by the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (CAMP) under Award KVS-C1-015-21, made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. S.J. acknowledges support from the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) for graduate fellowship. S.J. thanks Dr. Theodore I. Kamins and Dr. Jonathan D. Servaites for helpful discussions concerning the device fabrication and data analysis
Solar greenhouse technology for food security: A case study from Humla District, NW Nepal
No full textFood security is a significant issue for many people who live in remote mountain areas around the world. Most of these people are also poor because of the lack of opportunity to earn cash. Malnutrition is common because the harsh climate restricts production and access to fresh food. Simple conventional greenhouses can provide some improvement of growing conditions, but the benefits are limited because of the high heat losses from these structures. Solar greenhouses, however, which are designed to store some of the heat generated within the structure can overcome these limitations. This article describes the experiences of a nongovernmental organization that has been introducing community and family-owned solar greenhouses into the remote villages of Humla, a mountainous district of northwest Nepal prone to food insecurity. The overall result has been positive. Family-owned greenhouses, which avoid the issues of community ownership and operation, have been more successful. A validated computer model based on the first solar greenhouse has been used to predict the thermal performance of a new family-sized design. Training and education are vital to the success of solar greenhouse technology in remote mountain areas
Solar energy studies and extramural learning
No full textExtramural learning refers to the educational process that takes place outside the walls of the school (or the university). Extramural learning that takes place in a science center is characterized by hands-on and interactivity. Interactive solar energy exhibits are particularly well suited for out-door science centers. The paper presents some solar energy hands-on exhibits and extramural activities that the author has initiated and participated in
Morphology and interdiffusion control to improve adhesion and cohesion properties in inverted polymer solar cells
No full text© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. The role of pre-electrode deposition annealing on the morphology and the fracture properties of polymer solar cells is discussed. We found an increase in adhesion at the weak P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS interface with annealing temperature, caused by increased interdiffusion between the organic layers. The formation of micrometer sized PCBM crystallites, which occurs with annealing above the crystallization temperature of PCBM, initially weakened the P3HT:PCBM layer itself. Further annealing improved the cohesion, due to a pull-out toughening mechanism of the growing PCBM clusters. Understanding how the morphology, tuned by annealing, affects the adhesive and cohesive properties in these organic films is essential for the mechanical integrity of OPV devices.This research was supported by the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (CAMP) supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) under Award no. KUS-C1-015-21. Portions of this research were carried out at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, a Directorate of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science by Stanford University
Solar energy studies and extramural learning [Elektronisk resurs]
No full textExtramural learning refers to the educational process that takes place outside the walls of the school (or the university). Extramural learning that takes place in a science center is characterized by hands-on and interactivity. Interactive solar energy exhibits are particularly well suited for out-door science centers. The paper presents some solar energy hands-on exhibits and extramural activities that the author has initiated and participated in.</p
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