Windmill Science Fair Projects for Kids

Blade length shape windmill science fair projects begins here....

PROCEDURES

1. Build the model windmill with balsa wood
a) Measure and mark the support stands to eight inches and the surface area to five inches
b) Saw them out and nail the surface onto the support stands
c) Nail a same sized piece of balsa wood onto the bottom of the support stands
d) To add weight nail wood to the bottom outer edges, and put a weight in the base
2. Attach the motor to the windmill
a) Nail a piece of balsa wood that is the same width as the generator and is longer than the surface unto the surface area so that the blades don’t run into the structure of the windmill
b) Measure the area to place the generator in
c) Screw the generator onto the wood coming out of the surface area
3. Make the blades
a) Measure and mark the 4cm, 8cm and 12cm blades.
b) Measure and mark the same sizes with the square wood.
c) Cut out the pieces.
d) Drill holes in a wooden washer on the edges at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°
e) Glue toothpicks into the holes and let them dry
f) After dry cut each toothpick to 2.5 cm
4. Attach the 4 cm blades onto the wind mill
a) On the ends of the toothpicks poke the blades on
b) Put the washer on the end of the generator
c) Make sure that the washer is attached tightly, so it will turn the shaft, attached to the generator.
d) Put a small metal washer on the end of the shaft.
e) Attach the wooden washer to the shaft using the middle circle.
5. Turn the blades to an angel of 45°
a) Set a protractor at 45°
b) Put the blades in the inside of the angle and move them to 45°
6. Attach the millivoltmeter to the generator by clipping the long wires to the wires on the generator and turn millivoltmeter on to DC voltage
7. Turn the windmill sideways, to the left, to make it turn.
8. Put a weight in the base so the wind will not blow it over
9. Start the stop watch for 30 seconds
10. Turn the blow dryer on high aimed at the windmill, keeping the dryer the same distance and height away from the windmill
11. Look at electricity produced by windmill on the millivoltmeter
12. Record the amount of electricity on data sheet
13. Take off the 4 cm. blades and attach the 8 cm. blades
14. Repeat steps 5 and 7 - 10
15. Attach the 12 cm blades to the windmill
16. Repeat steps 5 and 7 - 10
17. Attach the square 4 cm. blades to the windmill
18. Repeat steps 5 and 7 - 10
19. Attach the square 8 cm. blades to the windmill
20. Repeat steps 5 and 7 ? 10
21. Attach the square 12 cm. blades to the windmill
22. Repeat steps 5 and 7 - 10

RESULTS

The original purpose of this experiment was to see how the size and shape of the blades affected the amount of energy a windmill could produce.

The results of the experiment were the 4 cm. blades produced the most amount of electricity, an average of 56.3 millivolts. The least electricity came from the square 12 cm. blades, with an average of 27.4 millivolts.

CONCLUSION

My first hypothesis was that the 4 cm blades would produce more electricity than the 8 cm or 12 cm blades.

The results indicate that this hypothesis should be accepted. The average of the 4 cm blades was greater than the others, in both the flat and the square.

My second hypothesis was that the square cross-sectioned blades would produce more electricity than the flat blades of the same size.

The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected. The average of the flat blades was greater than the average of the square blades, though there was so little difference, it did not really mater.

Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if even smaller blades would produce more electricity or if they would produce less.

If I were to conduct this project again I would do more trials for each blade type. I would also test another shape of blade.