ENERGY FROM MERRY GO ROUND - DIY kit for Students

When large numbers of children play in a playground, part of the power of their play could be usefully harnessed resulting in large energy storage. This stored energy can then be converted for basic, low-power, applications in the school such as lighting, communication, or operating fans. Energy can be produced through the conversion of human power of children's play in school playgrounds and other public places. The energy can be converted to electricity for purposes such as lighting and communication. This provides a low-cost, low-resource means of generation of electricity, especially for use in developing countries. There are infinite sources of energy all around us, from the sun in the sky to the waves in the ocean. All we need to do is harvest this energy and we'll power the planet forever. Sounds easy, right? Instead of explaining how they are using science to create a sustainable future, it would be more fun to demonstrate it. Based on the principle that Merry Go Round produces energy, as each rotation by its user, the shaft attached to it turns a dynamo—generating electricity to power the lighting below the floor.

PRINCIPLE - Rotational Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy of moving objects, including objects that are rotating. The kinetic energy of a rotating object depends on the object's angular (rotational) velocity in radians per second, and on the object's moment of inertia. Moment of inertia is a measure of how easy it is to change the rotation of an object. Moments of inertia are represented with the letter I, and are expressed in units of kg∙m 2. The unit of kinetic energy is Joules (J). In terms of other units, one Joule is equal to one kilogram meter squared per second squared ( ).

HOW ENERGY GETS TO THE LED

Merry Go Round work by converting potential energy into kinetic energy, then kinetic energy back into potential energy, over and over again. The kinetic energy is the fast part of rotating it’s the speed. Potential energy is the high part of Rotating. The generation of electricity starts with a Generator Motor attached to the deck of the merry-go-round which is attached with a drive shaft. When we rotate, the Drive Shaft attached to it turns a dynamo—generating electricity to power the LED The high-speed output shaft then turns a generator Motor. The generated electricity is carried by underground wires to a LED which glows.. Turning Children’s Play into Electrical Energy: Building Merry-Go-Rounds that Create Light. Our merry-go-rounds, powered by children at recess, generate renewable energy that charges lanterns that children use in their classrooms and homes to study at night.”

WHY?

Kinetic energy, form of energy that an object or a particle has by reason of its motion. If work, which transfers energy, is done on an object by applying a net force, the object speeds up and thereby gains kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is a property of a moving object or particle and depends not only on its motion but also on its mass. The kind of motion may be translation (or motion along a path from one place to another), rotation about an axis, vibration, or any combination of motions

We aren't going to build an electric generator to provide your house with electricity. Rather, we'll build a small experimental generator. The same principles apply for a large and small generator.

Electric generators can be called energy converters, as they convert heat energy or kinetic energy (energy from motion) into electrical energy. The theory behind an electric generator is that the variation of a magnetic field produces an electric current through a wire loop. It's fairly easy to build an electric generator.