Many devices have been developed that use solar energy—light and heat emitted from the sun — including solar panels, artificial photosynthesis, and solar ovens. Solar ovens can cook food, pasteurize water, or even sterilize instruments using only the power of the sun. How does a solar oven work? The simple answer is that it is designed to absorb more heat than it releases.
Our Grade 3 learners successfully built Solar Oven using locally available materials and did an experiment with it by boiling water.
Materials used for making Solar Oven
- Cardboard boxes (4). You will be building two solar ovens, and each oven requires two
- Metric ruler or measuring tape
- Straightedge, such as a hard ruler
- Utility knife
- Large sheets of cardboard for making the lid for the solar oven.
- Metal coat hanger.
- Pair of pliers, for cutting and bending coat hanger.
- Sheets of cardboard for making the shelf/heat sink
- Sheets of newspaper (several)
- Aluminium foil
- A Sufuria for boiling water