Physical Science 2002 Weblinks - Chapter 6 - Thermal Energy

Print this Web Links Activity Log to record your findings. In order to view and print these activities, it is necessary to have Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this, get the free download now.

Click the Techie Toolbox for tips and help to make the most of your time on the Web.

Unit 1 : Energy and Motion

Chapter 6 : Thermal Energy

An Internet WebQuest
Integrate the power of the Web with this inquiry-oriented student learning activity

Weather Satellites
Visit this site by the University of Wisconsin-Stout to learn all about weather satellites. This is a module from an online meteorology course. Click on introduction, then on next page to find out what types of measurements are made by weather satellites. You can continue to explore this site by clicking on next page at the bottom of each screen.

Weather Satellites
At this site you can find out the differences between polar orbiting satellites and geostationary satellites (GOES). Which types of weather satellites provide infrared imagery to show how land and water bodies absorb heat?

Satellites
Go to this National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) site to learn more about satellites. Click on GOES to find out what these types of satellites are and how they work. Scroll down and click on real-time images to see images from GOES satellites above Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Solar
Visit this DOE site to learn more about solar technologies and issues. You can learn about both active and passive solar heating systems here. Click on concentrating solar power to find out how power towers and other new solar technologies work. What is a trough collector?

Passive Solar Guidelines
Go to this site by the Green Building Program of the City of Austin, Texas to find out what you should consider when building a house that will depend upon passive solar heating and cooling. What direction should the glass walls of a passive solar house face?

Heating Your Home with an Active Solar Energy System
At this site by the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, DOE you can find out everything you want to know about active solar heating. The site describes the two basic types of active solar heating systems – those that use some type of liquid to retain heat, and those that rely on air. What types of liquids are used in liquid active solar heating systems?

U.S. Energy Use
Visit this site to see a circle graph that shows the total energy use in the United States in 1996. What percent of the total energy used consists of nonrenewable energy sources?

U.S. energy use expected to rise 27% by 2020
Go to this site to read about the expected increase in energy use in the United States over the next 20 years. More than half of the rise is expected to be due to the use of less fuel-efficient vehicles. Do you agree that Americans will continue to drive less fuel-efficient cars in the future?