We might not have cute old-fashioned windmills anymore, but today’s wind turbines make a LOT more electricity. Their propeller blades can be 200 feet long and slice through the air at 180 miles an hour! The blades turn the machine inside to make electricity, which then flows through the wires to our houses. One light bulb uses around 60 watts; these wind turbines make 1 million watts, enough to power many towns. Let’s hope the wind keeps blowing!
Wee ones: Put a piece of paper on the table, and blow it. How far can you make the paper move?
Little kids: If your home uses 2 light bulbs total, but you build a little windmill that can power 6 more bulbs, how many bulbs can you light now? Bonus: The 6 closest turbines in the photo have 3 blades each. How many blades do they have in total? Try to count up by 3s!
Big kids: If the tower holding up the blades is 263 feet tall to the center, and the blades are another 100 feet long, how high off the ground could you swing if you could ride on the tip? Bonus: Just 1 wind turbine can capture enough wind power to run about 500 houses! If you build a farm of 30 turbines, how many houses can you power? (Hint if needed: How many could you power with just 3 turbines?)
Answers:
Wee ones: Try it! See if the paper moves farther on your 2nd try than on your 1st.
Little kids: 8 light bulbs. Bonus: 18 blades: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18.
Big kids: 363 feet. Bonus: 15,000 houses!
