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.