Why Is Alaska So Cool?
(When the days are so long?)
Activity 8: Sunlight Intensity Accumulator
Guiding Question: |
Considering the information collected so far, “Why is Alaska so cool? (When the days are so long?).” |
Description: |
In Part 1, students will collect sunlight intensity data using a light sensor and CBL unit at their particular location on a specified day. In Part 2, students will be given a set of accumulated data from locations reported. The data will include the sunlight intensity at solar noon on the summer solstice or another specific day, the solar angle, the latitude and longitude latitude and distance from the sun at each location reported. This part is more open-ended asking students to analyze the data accumulated. Students will need to compare each factor given to the sunlight intensity data. |
Objective: |
After completing this investigation, a student will be able to describe a procedure by which sunlight intensity may be measured, recorded, and modeled mathematically; and will infer a provisional answer to the guiding question. |
Teaching Strategies:
|
This activity is designed to be completed in cooperation with other sites in different latitude locations in the country on a given day, preferably the fall or spring equinox or winter or summer solstice. Data will be collected at solar noon and the accumulated data will be collected by the teacher, then provided to the students in an Excel spreadsheet for further analysis. If it is not possible to do this, 2 other data collection options will provide data that may be analyzed: 1) Collect data over a period of time in one location (such as daily, weekly, etc., at solar noon for several weeks or months). 2) Collect data over a single day from dawn to dusk. The activities will need to be appropriately modified if either of these options are chosen. The actual data collection can be done by pairs or groups of students. |
Assessment:
|
In Part 1, the student will respond to concluding questions and will provide his or her collected data either directly to the teacher or on a spreadsheet. In Part 2, the students will be provided the accumulated data by the teacher and will create models in Excel of intensity vs. latitude, vs. longitude, vs. solar angle, and vs. distance. The student will then answer concluding questions to consider the effects of each of the factors and formulate a provision answer to the question “Why Is Alaska So Cool?” |
Download: |
Answers to Concluding Questions Sample Excel spreadsheet for accumulated data Mathematical Calculation of Distance to Sun |