6
Experiment Ideas
1. You can attach the solar panel to any of the three locations on the roof.
Compare the difference in car speed from each of the solar panel
locations by marking a 10 foot length area, and timing the car with the
solar panel in each location on the car cover. What are your results?
Why?
2. Is there a time of day when your Solar Car goes the fastest?
3. Are there clouds in the sky? Does this make a difference?
4. Can you increase the car speed by concentrating the sunlight? Try
reflecting light onto the solar panel. Is there a change?
5. Try removing the pinion gear on the driveshaft and replace with the
second pinion gear. Run the same trails as above and compare your
results. You may have to adjust the clearance between the new gears
by changing the “channel” that the rear axle goes through; or chang-
ing the shim under the motor. Which gear is faster? Why?
6. The large gear has 64 teeth. How many does each of the pinion
gears have?
7. What is the gear ratio of each gearing setup?
8. What advantages and disadvantages are there for each pinion gear?
9. Can you think of a way to store some electricity so your car could drive
through a tunnel or through some shade? What other materials would
you need to do this?
Cloudy day
Sunny day
VS
Small gear
Large gear
VS
Morning
Afternoon
VS
