Airborne Wind Energy

The strongest and most consistent winds are found in the jet stream as high as 30,000 feet above the earth. In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, learn about the benefits and challenges of wind energy.

As the Rotor Turns: Wind Power and You

An Investigation of Wind Power as an Energy Resource in Pennsylvania

Astronomy Theories

This video segment from Swift: Eyes through Time deals with the advancement of science through changing existing ideas, refuting outdated theories, and incorporating new findings.

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Bear Creek Wind Farm Tour

In this interactive, a construction project manager explains the process of constructing a wind farm, its challenges and benefits.

Beyond Einstein

NASA scientists describe some of the ways current science is addressing several of Einstein's fundamental questions and theories in this video adapted from NASA.

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The Biomass Balancing Act

An investigation of biomass as a sustainable energy resource.

Capturing Renewable Energy

Students investigate renewable energy sources and how to transition from an energy source to a usable, on-demand power source.

Chernobyl: What Really Happened?

This text excerpted from Richard Rhodes' book, Nuclear Renewal and reprinted on the FRONTLINE Web site examines the causes of the Chernobyl accident.

Clean Coal?

Explore the challenges facing the deployment of clean coal technology in this video segment adapted from FRONTLINE: "Heat."

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Climate Watch: Unlocking the Grid

Today we rely on electricity more than ever. In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, explore the challenges of harnessing renewable energy.

CO₂ Concentrations at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaiʻi

This resource, adapted from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, provides a graph of monthly average carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration from 1958 to 2000 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaiʻi.

Colliding Neutron Stars Create Black Hole and Gamma-ray Burst

This video from NASA describes the detailed computer modeling used to predict that colliding neutron stars can produce gamma-ray bursts similar to those associated with black holes.

Converting to Biodiesel

Meet a college student whose class project to turn cooking grease into diesel fuel resulted in converting bus fleets to biodiesel, in this video from Earth Island Institute's New Leaders Initiative.

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Cooking Cookies with Solar Power

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, two solar cookers are tested against a control to see which can cook a "s'more" faster.

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Cosmic Origin Spectrograph

This video from NASA features the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph (COS), which allows scientists to use spectrographic analysis to assess the composition of intergalactic material.

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Designing Future Cities: Alternative Energy

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, visit a class as they design a city of the future that will use solar, wind, and water power to fuel its economy.

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Dust-Proofing a Mars Rover

Enter the lab of NASA scientist Dr. Carlos Calle to see how systems are being developed to keep planetary rover solar panels dust-free, in this video from NASA EDGE.

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Electricity

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K explains some electrical vocabulary and follows the route of electricity from its generation to the home.

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Energy in a Roller Coaster Ride

See potential energy convert to kinetic energy in this interactive activity from WGBH that shows a roller coaster in action.

Energy Production

Students examine the role of energy in our daily lives and how we produce energy to power our cities, homes, and schools. The advantages and disadvantages of each energy source are also addressed.

Energy Sources

Although California uses more renewable resources than many other states, much of the state's electricity still comes from nonrenewable sources. Find out how using renewable energy sources to create electricity helps reduce fossil fuel consumption and how it has the potential to have the largest impact on climate change.

Energy Sources

This video segment illustrates a variety of energy sources used to generate electricity, some of which are in use and some of which are under exploration.

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Engineering Biofuels

In this video segment adapted from KQED's QUEST, find out how synthetic biologists use the techniques of metabolic engineering and directed evolution to make more effective biofuels.

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Ethanol Biofuel

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about one scientist's idea for using biotechnology to make ethanol a more efficient alternative to gasoline.

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Eve: Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment

In this NASA video, scientists describe how the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment will sample and track the Sun's ultraviolet irradiance, providing a detailed time sequence of extreme ultraviolet output -- data that can provide advance warning for potentially disruptive energy bursts.

FAQs About Nuclear Power

Nuclear physicist, Dr. Charles Till, answers questions about nuclear power in this interview from the FRONTLINE Web site.

Fission and Reprocessing: How They Work

This video-enhanced document from the FRONTLINE Web site explains how nuclear fission and nuclear reprocessing work.

Fracking

In this video segment adapted from Need to Know, learn about the controversial method of extracting natural gas known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and how some residents who live near drill sites are concerned that it's polluting their water.

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Franklin Chang-Díaz: Rocket Scientist

This video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW profiles Franklin Chang-Díaz, a scientist who is working on plasma-powered rockets and was NASA's first Latin American astronaut.

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Fuel Cells

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, hydrogen fuel cell cars promise pollution-free driving, but will we see them anytime soon?

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Fusion Energy Advances

In this report from the NewsHour, correspondent Spencer Michels reports on ongoing efforts to produce fusion energy to help fuel American energy independence.

Fusion: The Hydrogen Bomb

Just after World War II, nuclear scientists turned their attention from fission to fusion. This video segment adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE looks at the beginnings of thermonuclear power generation.

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Gamma-ray Burst Theories

This video segment from Swift: Eyes through Time introduces and explains theories of the origin of gamma-ray bursts.

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Generating Electrical Voltage

This interactive resource adapted from the Wisconsin Online Resource Center illustrates how electrical voltage is generated through a process called magnetic induction and describes some of the factors that affect the magnitude of the voltage produced.

Generation of Alternating Current

This interactive resource adapted from the Wisconsin Online Resource Center illustrates the parts of an electrical generator and shows how they function to produce alternating current.

Geothermal Energy: Harnessing the Power of the Earth

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source produced from the heat inside Earth.In this video from KQED, discover how it is produced and its limitations.

Geothermal Power

This video segment from Vegas PBS shows the important role geothermal energy systems can play in making a more energy-efficient and greener building.

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Germany Phases Out Nuclear Power

This video excerpt from FRONTLINE: "Nuclear Aftershocks" explores the debate behind Germany's decision to phase out its nuclear energy program and revert back to coal as “the bridge” that will eventually allow greater reliance on renewable energy.

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Get Close to a Nuclear Fission Reaction!

Learn how scientists regulate a nuclear reactor in this animation-enhanced essay from the FRONTLINE Web site.

Global Warming and The Greenhouse Effect

This video excerpt from Race to Save the Planet discusses the greenhouse effect and global warming.

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Global Warming: Beyond Fossil Fuels

Martin Hoffert, professor of physics at New York University, discusses global warming and alternative energies in this interview from the NOVA/FRONTLINE Web site.

Global Warming: Carbon Dioxide and the Greenhouse Effect

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE demonstrates the physical property of carbon dioxide that causes the greenhouse effect.

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Global Warming: The Developing World

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at the future of global warming as developing nations, including India and China, increase their need for energy.

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Global Warming: The Hydrogen Car

Is the hydrogen car the answer to global warming? This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at the pros and cons of this developing technology.

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Global Warming: The Physics of the Greenhouse Effect

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE examines the greenhouse effect, its role in keeping Earth habitable, and the industrial changes that have led to an increase in the planet's average temperature.

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Green Energy

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K describes renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the benefits and drawbacks of each. It provides some ideas about how you can personally conserve energy.

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Heat Transfer

In this interactive activity adapted from the Wisconsin Online Resource Center, learn how heat can be transferred in one of three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation.

History of Pennsylvania Energy through the 20th Century

This video defines the sun as the first source of energy in Pennsylvania. Since prehistoric times, energy has defined Pennsylvania's story. Wood fires, lumber, fossil fuels, nuclear power, biomass, windmills and solar panels have all played a part.

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Hoover Dam and Hydroelectric Power

How does a dam generate electricity and what are the environmental impacts of operating these mammoth structures? Find out in this video segment adapted from Building Big.

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Illuminating the Northern Lights

The mysteries of the colorful bands known as the northern lights are beginning to unfold as scientists explore their causes in this video from QUEST produced by KQED.

Infrared Energy

Explore infrared energy and how NASA detects it to study our Earth's systems more completely in this video adapted from NASA.

Inside an Explosion

From afar, an explosion may seem like one of the most incredible examples of chaotic interaction. But once you look closer, as in this video from QUEST, you will find that large-scale explosions require very precise interactions to occur in just the right sequence.

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Inside a Solar Cell

This interactive activity adapted from NOVA Online features animations that illustrate the components of a typical photovoltaic cell and how it converts solar energy into electricity.

Inverse Square Law

This animation from KET's distance learning physics course demonstrates the mathematical formula for a scientific law as it applies to light.

LAMP: Peering into the Lunar Dark

In this video from NASA, learn more about the Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP), an instrument on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to map and study the Moon.

Making Electricity at a Coal-Burning Plant

This video from KET traces the energy transformations that occur when coal is burned to produce electricity. Some of the mechanical processes are also described.

Maximum Power Point

The Principles of Optimizing Photovoltaic Cell Power Output

Mitigating Climate Change

In this video segment adapted from Navajo Technical College, meet a chemistry professor who explains some of the core concepts connected to climate change: carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and emissions from energy use.

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New Ways to Catch Rays

This interactive resource adapted from NOVA Online explores eight of the latest technological developments designed to harness the energy of the Sun.

Nuclear Blast Footage

These video clips from the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Web site feature actual footage of thermonuclear blast testing done in the 1950s.

Nuclear Reaction: Fission

This video segment adapted from FRONTLINE looks at nuclear fission as an energy source that can be used to generate electricity.

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Nuclear Reaction: Searching for Safety

This text excerpted from Beyond Engineering: How Society Shapes Technology by Robert Pool and reprinted on the FRONTLINE Web site looks at the impact of nuclear power.

Nuclear Reaction: Three Mile Island

This video segment adapted from AMERICAN EXPERIENCE examines the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.

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Origins of Wave Energy

Using Slinkys, students will investigate different types of mechanical waves. They will investigate how waves move differently through different mediums.

Pennsylvania Energy: Biomass

Many potential, renewable sources of biomass energy exist in Pennsylvania, especially on farms. This video profiles various facilities that make biomass energy, including biodiesel fuel. Biomass energy is important to the economy and the food supply.

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Pennsylvania Energy: Energy from the Sun

In this video, an engineering design professor explains that solar energy can convert to heat, heat hot water, or convert to electricity. The video details how solar energy in a school and a prison decrease their energy consumption.

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Pennsylvania Energy: Wind

This video suggests wind along the ridges of Pennsylvania could provide as much as 25% of the state's electricity while avoiding the creation of tons of CO2; the price for energy from a clean source like wind will come down as the demand goes up.

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Photovoltaics

This animation shows how photovoltaic panels and their solar cells capture sunlight's energy and create electricity. Solar cells are designed to free electrons from absorbed photons with a positive and a negative layer that create an electric field.

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The Relationship Between Science and Technology

Students will learn how technology can help scientists solve a problem. One of the challenges scientists face with any spacecraft is attitude control. Students will be introduced to the problem of attitude control in space and two different ways scientists address it.

Running on Renewables

Utilizing HOMER: Modeling Software for Hybrid Electric Power Systems

Siting Wind Power

Wind Power Curves and Community Considerations

Smart Power Grid

This video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW provides an overview of the existing United States power grid, and envisions a "smart" power grid that would prevent problems, such as blackouts, and reduce energy waste and pollution.

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Snapshot of U.S. Energy Use

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at American energy consumption and the resulting production of greenhouse gases.

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Solar Car

In this video from DragonflyTV, follow the investigation of Isaac and Anjali as they record, measure, and analyze data about how the Sun's position in the sky affects a solar-powered car's speed.

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Solar City: The Future of Nanosolar

In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, learn how a company, hoping to leave today's silicon solar cells behind, is creating paper-thin solar panels to harness nanotechnology.

Solar House

In this What's Up in the Environment? video segment, an electrical engineer in Virginia and his 13-year-old son explain how they produce electricity in their home. 

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Solar Paint Your Roof

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, see how nanotechnology might be used to create a new, cheaper way to produce solar electricity for the home.

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Solar Panels for Your Home

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, take a look inside a solar panel to see how it works, and hear firsthand about the benefits from homeowners who are using this technology.

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Solar Power

This video segment from Vegas PBS shows the largest solar power system to date in the U.S. and explains how solar power can serve the needs of large-scale facilities and benefit the environment.

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Solar Power

Solar power is an infinite renewable energy resource that produces no greenhouse gas emissions. There are benefits and challenges of harnessing and using solar energy.

Solar Racing

The Design, Construction and Evaluation of a Solar-Powered Car

Spotlight on Photovoltaics and Fuel Cells

A Web-based Study and Comparison

Steam Machine

Explore NOVA Online's interactive steam engine and discover how this machine can convert heat to mechanical energy.

Super Laser

It's one of the most expensive high-tech projects the United States has ever attempted. In this audio report from QUEST produced by KQED, learn about how this super laser may answer the world's clean energy needs.

Super Laser at the National Ignition Facility

It's the largest beam in the world and it is being built in California. In this video from QUEST produced by KQED, learn about the potential benefits of this beam in relation to nuclear fusion and the quest for clean energy.

Theories

This lesson will help the students understand that science theories change in the face of new evidence, but those changes can be slow in coming.

Thinking about Energy

A survey of students’ understandings of energy resources in Pennsylvania

Three Mile Island: What Happened

This interactive activity from the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Web site looks at the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Gamma Waves

Get an overview of gamma waves and examples of conditions and events that produce gamma waves, the highest-energy radiation on the EM spectrum, in this video from NASA.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Infrared

Explore the ways scientists use technology to “see” infrared light in this video from NASA.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Microwaves

See microwaves in the context of other areas of the electromagnetic spectrum in this video from NASA.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Radio Waves

This video from NASA provides an overview of the radio band of electromagnetic spectrum and offers a brief history of the discovery and early applications of radio waves.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Ultraviolet

Explore the ultraviolet band of the EM spectrum in this video from NASA.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Visible Light

See just how narrow the visible light band is relative to other EM energy in this video from NASA.

Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: X-rays

Get both an “everyday” and an “exotic” view of x-rays in this video from NASA.

Understanding Air: Climate Change and Modeling Combustion with LEGO^® Bricks

In this lesson, students learn about the components of air and the chemical reactions that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. They model combustion using LEGO bricks, and explore the connection between carbon dioxide, climate change, and environmental health.

Understanding Air: Air Pollution and Modeling Pollutants with LEGO^® Bricks

In this lesson, students learn about the chemical reactions that release various pollutants into the atmosphere and what happens when pollutants in the air are exposed to sunlight. They model incomplete combustion using LEGO bricks, and explore the connection between air quality and environmental health.

Voltaic Cells

Ever wonder how a battery works? This segment highlights voltaic cells, their various components and how they operate.

What Is a Laser?

Learn how lasers are different from natural light in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.

Windmill Gallery

This collection of still images features a variety of windmills and turbines.