Solar water heaters help to lower the use of fossil fuels, and also reduce the hot water energy bill. The following experiment is easily done and inexpensive. Yet it is a hands on fun learning experience with solar energy. After performing the experiment discuss the materials usually found in a home solar water heater. A solar collector to trap the sun's heat, pipes through which water circulates from the collector to a water heater, and is able to travel back and forth to be reheated and stored.
Insulation is used to avoid losing heat energy.
Discuss with your students what size might have to do with collecting solar energy, and that people use the sun to heat water. Inquire about anyone having or seen a home solar water heater, or experience with any solar collectors. By focusing on the size of the heat collector an increased awareness of controls and variables will be developed. Display the materials and ask the students how they might use them to collect solar heat energy. Lead them to the consideration that the color of the pans, the amount of water, the location of the pans and the length of time the pans are in the sun are examples of this experiment's controls.