Vernier Software & Technology

# Wind Power

## Introduction

A wind turbine generally consists of a two- or three-bladed propeller made of aluminum or fiberglass mounted on the top of a tall tower. It converts energy from the mechanical energy of moving air to electrical energy by means of a generator. The wind causes the shaft of the turbine to spin which in turn causes a generator to produce electricity.

In this experiment, you will measure the power output of a wind turbine, investigate the relationship between power output and wind speed, and determine the relationship between power output and rotor shape.

You will use a small motor as a generator and a pinwheel as the turbine. The power output of the pinwheel can be determined by measuring the current and voltage produced by the motor. Power is determined using the relationship

$P = VI$ ${\text{Power}} = {\text{voltage}} \times {\text{current}}$

## Objectives

In this experiment, you will

• Use a Current Probe to measure current output.
• Use a Voltage Probe to measure voltage output.
• Calculate power output.
• Determine the relationship between power output and wind speed.
• Determine the relationship between power output and rotor shape.

## Sensors and Equipment

This experiment features the following Vernier sensors and equipment.

You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?

## Earth Science with Vernier

See other experiments from the lab book.

 1 Introduction to Data Collection 2 Exploring Magnetism 3 Where IS North? 4 Searching for Iron Ore 5 Sea Floor Spreading 6 Soil pH 7 Soil Salinity 8 Soil and Acid Rain 9 Soil Temperature 10 Temperature 11 pH 12 Turbidity 13 Total Dissolved Solids 14 Water Treatment 15 Salinity of Ocean Water 16 Acid Rain and Its Effect on Surface Water 17 Freezing of Ocean Water 18 Desalination 19 Mapping the Ocean Floor 20 Are All Sunglasses Created Equal? 21 Comparing Sunscreens 22 UV Light and Clothing 23 Reflection and Absorption of Light 24 The Greenhouse Effect 25 Land and Sea Breezes 26 Relative Humidity 27 Dew Point 28 Wind Chill 29 Seasons and Angle of Insolation 30 Fossil Fuels 31 Solar Homes 32 Photovoltaic Cells 33 Wind Power P1 Air Temperature P2 Air Temperature and Relative Humidity P3 Ground Temperature P4 Barometric Pressure P5 Measuring Particulates P6 Weather Stations

### Experiment 33 from Earth Science with Vernier Lab Book

#### Included in the Lab Book

Vernier lab books include word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.