Horizon Solar Hydrogen Science Kit

Solar Hydrogen Science Kit – product overview

The Solar Hydrogen Science Kit lets students invent their own clean energy applications using fuel cells and renewable hydrogen created using solar energy and water. The kit also comes with a small electric motor and propeller blade as the starting point for motorized applications you can build using your futuristic solar energy storage device. The set comes with a complete curriculum on renewable energy with easy to follow experiment manual, assembly guide, flash animations, and background history on the technology.

• Explore series and parallel circuits and other physics concepts with renewable energy power from a fuel cell and solar panel.
• Use the power of the Sun to split water and generate hydrogen gas while learning about chemistry concepts.

Why Fuel Cells and Hydrogen?

Fuel cells can be thought of as alternative energy devices that unlock the power of hydrogen. They convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Hydrogen fuel cells do this very cleanly, with no toxic emissions, and with a high efficiency. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies have many potential clean energy applications –from running our vehicles, to powering our cellular phones and laptops, to heating our hospitals and homes.

Fuel cells do not generate energy out of thin air. They use hydrogen. Hydrogen is an outstanding carrier of energy. Hydrogen is non-toxic, renewable, easily obtained, and packed with energy. When it combusts with oxygen, it turns into water. This water can again be split into hydrogen and oxygen via electrolysis. The generated hydrogen can be combusted once again, thus undergoing a limitless cycle without toxic emissions. With a fuel cell, you can convert hydrogen into electric current without combustion.
Fossil fuels are converted into usable energy through combustion. The energy released during combustion is inherently difficult to capture and inefficient. It also produces carbon dioxide, which cannot easily be converted back into a usable fuel. A fossil fuel combustion engine at a power plant is only about 30 to 40% efficient. This means it coverts only 30 to 40% of the energy in the fossil fuels to usable energy (electricity). Engines in a car are even less efficient, and reach the level of 15 to 20% of efficiency. Where does the rest of the energy go? It escapes as heat, vibration, and noise.

On the other hand, fuel cells can operate at 40 to 65% efficiency. This means that they can convert 40 to 65% of the energy contained in hydrogen into electricity.
The development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and products around the world will improve the air we breathe, ensure secure and reliable energy, reduce the emissions that cause climate change and create highly skilled jobs.

Concepts covered

Chemistry Concepts

Electrolysis, Energy, Hydrogen Generation, Reaction Rates, Reaction Yield,  Semiconductors, Stoichiometry

Physics Concepts

Electric Circuits, Energy, Light, Ohm’s Law, Parallel Circuits, Power (Electric),  Series Circuits

Earth Science Concepts

Renewable Energy