Hot wheels – driving under the sun – Brief Article
How do you drive from Chicago to Los Angeles without spending one cent on gas? Students at the University of Missouri have a bright idea: Solar Miner III, a battery-charged car fueled by nothing but the sun’s rays. The vehicle is one of 28 cars competing in the 2001 American Solar Challenge–college teams construct and race vehicles cross-country.
The gas-free contraption has solar cells in its front end to harvest the sun’s electromagnetic rays (energy waves).The rays activate tiny photons (energy particles) that generate electricity and charge the craft’s eight 12-volt batteries. In turn, the batteries power a 10 horsepower (unit of energy) motor, which revs the car up to 70 mph. –N. D.
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