Fossil Fuels Around the Globe Geiger Counter Multimedia Computer Station Water Turbine Hydroelectricity is demonstrated in this exhibit in which visitors generate electricity by spinning a turbine in a water tank. The energy of the spinning turbine is used to power a generator, which creates electricity to spin the motor, which, in turn, lights the lights. The water turbine demonstrates the conversion of potential energy, represented by the water in the top of the tank, to kinetic energy, represented by the moving water through the down tube and the turning generator. In the process, it also shows the conversion from mechanical to electrical energy represented by the turbine turning the generator. This exhibition features a large plexiglass container of balls to simulate the production of nuclear energy.
Visitors initiate the fission process which causes the chain reaction that produces power.
Natural Gas Visitors turn a large valve to simulate opening gas pipelines. When turned, a large map of the United States is illuminated with hundreds of colorful lines depicting the vast natural gas system in this country - enough miles of lines to circle the equator eight times. How Coal is Formed Visitors are invited to push down on a horizontal bar to test their ability to make coal. They find it requires more force than they can muster to get to the level on the display that corresponds to how long it takes to form coal. The exhibit demonstrates that a traditional fuel source like coal cannot be created overnight, conveying the precious nature of fuel resources on which we depend.