Find a container. You might use a shoebox, plastic bucket or jar, paper bag, milk carton, yogurt tub,
or cereal box. Avoid anything made of glass!
Look carefully at some of these
solar oven designs and try to figure out
what makes them cook food quickly. Remember you want to concentrate sunlight on a chocolate chip that is placed
on the end of a toothpick.
Think about what you've learned from studying solar ovens. Also, find out
how your solar cooker works. Then
use the questions below to help you design your solar cooker:
What material will you use to let sunlight shine into your cooker?
Remember all of the sun's rays needs to shine through the material?
What can you use to line the inside surfaces of the cooker? Remember you
want to concentrate as much sunlight on the chocolate chip as possible.
What can you do to hold the heat inside the cooker? Remember cold air can
enter the cooker through holes and warm air can escape through outside surfaces.
How will you point your cooker to catch the sun's rays? Remember you want
the chocolate chip to melt as quickly as possible.
How will you hold the toothpick and chocolate chip in place?
Remember you want to concentrate sunlight on the chocolate chip so that it melts as
quickly as possible.
