1 00:00:01,735 --> 00:00:05,639 Hi, I'm Ameerah, and I'm an engineer for ComEd. 2 00:00:05,639 --> 00:00:07,841 Today, we're going to take a closer look at wind. 3 00:00:07,841 --> 00:00:10,878 In this region, we're known for our windy weather. 4 00:00:10,878 --> 00:00:13,380 This weather can make a cold day feel colder, 5 00:00:13,380 --> 00:00:15,549 or a great day for sailing on the lake. 6 00:00:15,549 --> 00:00:21,188 However, this windy weather can also serve to help us generate electricity! 7 00:00:21,188 --> 00:00:23,190 As long as the wind is moving, 8 00:00:23,190 --> 00:00:26,526 we might be able to generate electricity from it. 9 00:00:26,526 --> 00:00:29,129 Wind is simply air in motion. 10 00:00:29,129 --> 00:00:32,065 It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface 11 00:00:32,065 --> 00:00:33,901 by energy from the sun. 12 00:00:33,901 --> 00:00:37,037 Since the Earth's surface is made of different types of land and water, 13 00:00:37,037 --> 00:00:40,274 it absorbs the sun's energy at different rates. 14 00:00:40,274 --> 00:00:43,343 An ideal situation for the formation of local wind 15 00:00:43,343 --> 00:00:45,512 is an area where land and water meet, 16 00:00:45,512 --> 00:00:47,948 like Chicago, where I am. 17 00:00:47,948 --> 00:00:50,918 For example, during the day, the air above the land 18 00:00:50,918 --> 00:00:54,254 heats up more quickly than the air above water. 19 00:00:54,254 --> 00:00:59,593 The warm air over the land expands, becomes less dense and rises. 20 00:00:59,593 --> 00:01:02,696 The heavier, denser, cold air over the water 21 00:01:02,696 --> 00:01:05,999 flows in to take its place, creating wind. 22 00:01:05,999 --> 00:01:09,469 This process happens all over the globe. 23 00:01:09,469 --> 00:01:12,205 People have been using wind for centuries: 24 00:01:12,205 --> 00:01:14,408 from sailing ships, to grinding grains, 25 00:01:14,408 --> 00:01:15,642 to pumping water. 26 00:01:15,642 --> 00:01:19,446 As long as there is moving air, we can use it to do work. 27 00:01:19,446 --> 00:01:22,382 The windmills used on farms and at mills might look different 28 00:01:22,382 --> 00:01:24,518 than those we use to generate electricity, 29 00:01:24,518 --> 00:01:27,554 but both are doing useful work for us. 30 00:01:27,554 --> 00:01:30,857 Windmills of all kinds work mostly the same way. 31 00:01:30,857 --> 00:01:34,127 Blades or sails are attached to a hub and an axle. 32 00:01:34,127 --> 00:01:36,930 As the wind moves the blades, the axle spins. 33 00:01:36,930 --> 00:01:40,867 We can attach the axle to something else to help it do work for us, 34 00:01:40,867 --> 00:01:43,737 and transform the motion energy in the wind 35 00:01:43,737 --> 00:01:45,639 to motion energy of something else, 36 00:01:45,639 --> 00:01:48,809 like a saw for milling wood, or a bucket for pumping water, 37 00:01:48,809 --> 00:01:53,513 or a set of gears and a generator to generate electricity. 38 00:01:53,513 --> 00:01:58,251 You might have seen large wind farms of many turbines outside the city, 39 00:01:58,251 --> 00:02:01,488 but there are also small wind turbines in the city 40 00:02:01,488 --> 00:02:04,057 that help to power things like street lights. 41 00:02:04,057 --> 00:02:05,559 With so many windy days, 42 00:02:05,559 --> 00:02:10,163 wind can be a great source of power for Illinois residents. 43 00:02:10,163 --> 00:02:11,565 So, let's explore. 44 00:02:11,565 --> 00:02:13,300 Let's see how wind can do work 45 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,770 by building our own windmill that lifts weight! 46 00:02:16,770 --> 00:02:20,240 Let's see how much work we can get our windmill to do. 47 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:27,180 In this activity, you'll use a cup, a straw, 48 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:31,952 paper, paper clip. 49 00:02:33,854 --> 00:02:35,222 My design. 50 00:02:35,222 --> 00:02:40,227 Get an idea of how to at least get started. 51 00:02:46,566 --> 00:02:51,638 Once you have all the holes punched, then you're going to fold. 52 00:02:51,638 --> 00:02:53,640 Don't crease it, but fold to make sure 53 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,712 that you line up all the holes in the center. 54 00:03:10,991 --> 00:03:15,595 Take the smaller straw and slide it through to hold it. 55 00:03:15,595 --> 00:03:18,899 So, now you have your windmill. 56 00:03:18,899 --> 00:03:23,003 Once you have your straw through the hole, 57 00:03:23,003 --> 00:03:28,275 you'll want to stick a straight pin in the front and the back, 58 00:03:28,275 --> 00:03:31,611 and this pin will keep the pinwheel from stretching out 59 00:03:31,611 --> 00:03:33,547 or crunching down. 60 00:03:35,882 --> 00:03:42,389 Next, you'll need to take your drinking straw and you want to cut it approximately 8cm. 61 00:03:54,835 --> 00:04:00,407 Next, you'll want to take the straw and slide it through, 62 00:04:00,407 --> 00:04:04,344 and then tape about one ruler's length worth of string 63 00:04:04,344 --> 00:04:06,480 around the end. 64 00:04:08,882 --> 00:04:14,855 Take your paper clip and hook it to the end of the string. 65 00:04:14,855 --> 00:04:18,492 It also helps to clip a binder clip on the end of the stirrer 66 00:04:18,492 --> 00:04:21,261 so that the string winds on itself, 67 00:04:21,261 --> 00:04:24,297 and the pinwheel is balanced as it spins. 68 00:04:24,297 --> 00:04:26,399 Now you're ready to test your design! 69 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:29,336 What would you change or design differently? 70 00:04:29,336 --> 00:04:31,605 Let's test it out! Test yours out. 71 00:04:35,542 --> 00:04:39,212 So, don't forget to take a video clip of your windmill doing work. 72 00:04:39,212 --> 00:04:43,316 Submit a video to STEMNeverStops@comed.com 73 00:04:43,316 --> 00:04:46,052 that shares your clip, and explains what wind is, 74 00:04:46,052 --> 00:04:47,320 how it is formed, 75 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,357 and how a windmill is transforming energy when it does work. 76 00:04:50,357 --> 00:04:51,458 Bye.