Linear Parabolic Solar Reflectors: A Practical Experiment for Students

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  • Опубликовано: 16 окт 2014
  • www.liacoseducationalmedia.com.
    In this practical activity/experiment, students will learn about parabolas, make a parabolic solar reflector, and then investigate its ability to focus sunlight.
    Check out the student activity sheets at www.liacoseducationalmedia.co...
    Liacos Educational Media is the creator of the famous Shedding Light series of videos. If you are a teacher and your school has ClickView, Learn360, Films on Demand, or Safari Montage be sure to check them all out at www.liacoseducationalmedia.com/.

Комментарии • 168

  • @juantamad5784
    @juantamad5784 3 месяца назад +2

    ... explanation is as clear as the bright Sun... great job and thank you for sharing.

  • @lajoskekesi4274
    @lajoskekesi4274 7 лет назад

    Nagyon részletes jól érthető volt.Köszönöm. Megpróbálom megvalósítani és használni

  • @ayubasghar1345
    @ayubasghar1345 7 лет назад +7

    THE BEST VIDEO OF PARABOLIC MIRROR CONSTRUCTION ON THE NET, as far as I have searched, THANKS A LOT, GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад +2

      Thanks, Ayub. It's more an exercise for Maths and Science education than a practical device like most of the other videos on RUclips, but I appreciate your comment.

  • @sunshine7453
    @sunshine7453 5 лет назад +1

    This is the best video. It was so well done and explained. Thank you for making great effort.

  • @kennethd.9436
    @kennethd.9436 5 лет назад +1

    Amazing video! Great job filming, editing, and recording this project.

  • @ycjeon765
    @ycjeon765 7 лет назад +1

    This video is so useful. Thanks for sharing!

  • @volt8399
    @volt8399 2 года назад

    Thank you for showing such a practical example!

  • @mia8139
    @mia8139 3 года назад +2

    This is really helpful and great content THANK YOU

  • @XoshBitt
    @XoshBitt Год назад +1

    I'm horrible at math but i'm interested to make my own parabola. Thank you so much for teaching this in a way that is simple an practical. I love now knowing how I can adjust the focal point. Thanks a lot for this video. Looking at your website too.. very interesting stuff.

  • @agoradacerto
    @agoradacerto 6 лет назад

    I liked your teaching approach!

  • @miguelorbe3000
    @miguelorbe3000 7 лет назад +9

    wow, your video is really helpful,l is exactly the information I was looking for, thank you.

  • @canusakommando9692
    @canusakommando9692 5 лет назад

    Simple. Thanks. I enjoy quadratic equations but this is very practical.

  • @kumardigvijaymishra5945
    @kumardigvijaymishra5945 4 года назад

    Thanks for giving working numbers. I shall get back to finding some supplies and much needed material. I suppose both mugs were made of anodized metal with black paint for maximum absorption?

  • @OnHoldAt50
    @OnHoldAt50 2 года назад

    Yup, good one. I'll be back when I'm ready for this stage of my solar project. Materials will increase in quality and ability, but the principles you outlined are exactly what this DIYer needed. Thanks.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  2 года назад +1

      Thank you. Hope the project goes well.

  • @santoshk63
    @santoshk63 5 лет назад

    Very exact information with simple language.

  • @iandale
    @iandale Год назад

    Brilliant thanks, I’d just ordered some mirror card and wondered how to set up the parabolic frame to hold it in place.

  • @Kube_Dog
    @Kube_Dog 7 лет назад

    Very nice. Brought back some schoolin' from long ago. Well explained and demonstrated. And kept simple at the same time.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад

      Glad you liked it, Kube!

  • @rafaelvieira7897
    @rafaelvieira7897 7 лет назад +6

    I did the math with different numbers and it worked perfectly. Thank you for the video it was really helpfull to me!!!

  • @abo7sain1
    @abo7sain1 4 года назад +1

    Thanks for the illustration, you solve the y-axis point. But still the focal point on the z-axis need to be calculated to set it outside the 3D parabolic receiver!

  • @Andymac1701A
    @Andymac1701A 3 года назад +2

    Best explanation I have seen, having the maths explained makes all this far easier to understand.

  • @pauloinventostube7533
    @pauloinventostube7533 2 года назад +1

    Great information 🤜🔔🤛 success there family

  • @havehalkow
    @havehalkow 7 лет назад

    Outstandingly good explanation, thousands of "thanks" ! :)

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад +1

      You are welcome, Have!

  • @mrmshifan
    @mrmshifan 7 лет назад

    Great video, really well explained. Thank you. I like to make something similar to dry food. The information I got from the video is really valuable. Thank you :)

  • @oktogen1476
    @oktogen1476 9 месяцев назад

    Definitely best, most useful video on topic.

  • @civismesecret2795
    @civismesecret2795 5 лет назад

    You are a very good teacher.. I hated school but if I could have a teacher that explain with baby-steps like you did, I would love it. Thx !!

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  5 лет назад

      Thanks, Civisme. It's a shame you hated school. Feel free to visit the LEM website to read more about science.

  • @sols1011
    @sols1011 5 лет назад

    Great. very lucid explanation.

  • @mtiris1
    @mtiris1 4 года назад

    very good and teaching video.appreciated!

  • @buzzwerd8093
    @buzzwerd8093 6 лет назад +1

    A half ellipse containing 1 vertex will focus straight light coming in onto that vertex. A lot of car headlight reflectors are elliptical, check a car parts store or junkyard.
    When you make a trough reflector, run a pipe along the axis and heat water in that.

  • @thagrit
    @thagrit 7 лет назад +2

    Your struts are called gussets. great work sir! you just gained a subscriber.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад

      Thanks, thagrit. I didn't know that. I've always called those kinds of things struts (or ties if they're made of wire).

  • @stevenmcgarva574
    @stevenmcgarva574 7 лет назад

    Great video and very well explained

  • @makewhatyoulike119
    @makewhatyoulike119 6 лет назад

    terrific explanation of the math for plotting the curve and finding the focal point. Thank you. Subscribed

  • @corax2012
    @corax2012 4 года назад

    Even I could understand this. :) Needed a good explanation of parabolic math formula.

  • @gustavososa725
    @gustavososa725 3 года назад +1

    wonderful awesome job congratulations.
    Thank You so muchq
    👏👏👏 🇦🇷

  • @PhG1961
    @PhG1961 3 года назад

    Excellent !! Very well explained !!

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  3 года назад

      Thanks, Phillip.

  • @TheSumpek
    @TheSumpek 5 лет назад +6

    Thankyou so much.
    I've been lookong for an answer of focus point in concave (from circle) mirror .
    And this video showed me that focus point only exist in Parabolic.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  5 лет назад +2

      No problem!

    • @poligraph841
      @poligraph841 3 года назад +3

      An absolute focus point only exists in parabolic, that's true. But practically for a solar concentration it is not a problem to use spherical one, because the reflectors usually are not very deep ( curved ) and the solar light will be concentrated practically in the same size area as for a parabolic mirror. Parabolic mirrors are important for telescopes only.

    • @calopsitamalucabird9434
      @calopsitamalucabird9434 2 года назад +1

      @@poligraph841 spherical mirrors can be used in telescopes too. But below f10 they will start presenting spherical aberration.

  • @electricsaversavesit
    @electricsaversavesit 7 лет назад +2

    Thank you for sharing this experiment, hope you'll allow me to use this information to my research.. thanks..

  • @baranjan4172
    @baranjan4172 Год назад

    Cool explanation, thanks.

  • @SurjitSingh-xl2jh
    @SurjitSingh-xl2jh 6 лет назад

    Nice work Sir. U r a good teacher.

  • @ajmalmaad4497
    @ajmalmaad4497 6 лет назад

    Sir! You solved my problem. Although I made a water heater but it's shape was circular. Now I will use this parabolic formula. Thank you for sharing.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  6 лет назад +1

      You're welcome. I hope it works out for you.

  • @VietNguyen-vi7xt
    @VietNguyen-vi7xt 6 лет назад

    Good illumination.

  • @LabradorLeader
    @LabradorLeader 7 лет назад +8

    The parabolic trough you made has many (an infinite number !) of focal points along a line, instead you only placed the paper stick touching a small part of that line which you called the focal point. If you place another paper stick at right angles to the existing one at its tip (to form a letter 'T') , you will trace out the focal line with the top of the T.

  • @arnaudwald3479
    @arnaudwald3479 Год назад

    thank you , merci I loved your demo, simple and clear .

  • @gconol
    @gconol Год назад

    I like this. Makes it easy to understand....

  • @LL-fw7hi
    @LL-fw7hi 3 года назад +1

    Another easy way to make a parabola-ish (close enough) is to tape the two ends of a piece of string to the piece of paper and hold the paper vertical. The draping string will create a catenary which is virtually identical to a parabola works just as well for this purpose. The tauter the string the shallower then parabola. Then use the string like a stencil and spray paint its shape onto the paper and cut it out. The advantage of this approach is well... no maths. Disadvantage is you'll have to do some experimenting to find an ideal tautness for your desired focal point.

  • @shsw1273
    @shsw1273 5 лет назад

    Thanks for giving the method of calculating the focal length .

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  5 лет назад

      No problem. Thanks for watching.

  • @akashzend7097
    @akashzend7097 6 лет назад

    I am see no. of Video of how to make parabolic solar concentrater but you are the excellent 👌👌 because you explaine very perfect good job sir👍👍👍

  • @romanzavodin6461
    @romanzavodin6461 5 лет назад

    Отличное видео, благодарю! Лайк!

  • @jozefnovak7750
    @jozefnovak7750 5 месяцев назад

    Thank you very much!

  • @ohno4988
    @ohno4988 3 года назад

    absolutely brilliant explanation ☺ thank you

  • @jsudhakar9187
    @jsudhakar9187 8 месяцев назад

    Well explained about parabola calculation

  • @jeromegorriz5452
    @jeromegorriz5452 6 лет назад

    Thanks a lot !

  • @9035
    @9035 5 лет назад

    Great video and easy to understand.

  • @bhanusingh8654
    @bhanusingh8654 2 года назад

    Good information sir.

  • @fernandoasprilla9733
    @fernandoasprilla9733 11 месяцев назад

    exelente comentario muy educativo
    saludos desde colombia

  • @HattiYounes
    @HattiYounes 4 года назад

    Thank you! :)

  • @3fulggg
    @3fulggg 3 года назад

    Very helpful video

  • @fostnepal5534
    @fostnepal5534 3 месяца назад

    Very useful for the solar cooking promoters like us.

  • @LifesVoyager
    @LifesVoyager 10 месяцев назад

    If you take a reflector such as this one, and point it straight up at the cloudless night sky, will it focus the absorption effect of the black body absorber that is space?

  • @jolyzacharie8189
    @jolyzacharie8189 7 лет назад

    thx a lot you are a good teacher

  • @ElysianDreams
    @ElysianDreams 3 года назад +2

    I have always used the formula "depth = radius^2/(4*fp)", where fp is your desired focal point distance. Radius squared (x dimension squared) divided by 4 times desired focal point distance. Remember to use the same units for x and y
    Example: fp = 72 r = 30 = 900/288 = 3.125 depth

    • @brandnewayurveda1835
      @brandnewayurveda1835 2 года назад

      Hey Good Afternoon, As You seems to have knowledge in this kind of Stuff. I am a reaserch person (in medical science) and I want to evaporate water from a circular dish of radius appx 1.5feet. the depth of Dish is appx 10cm.
      I put that dish with some active material inside it to evaporate the whole mixture. At last i get solidified mass at bottom of that dish.
      What I am asking is i want to fasten the evaporation of the contains with help of solar energy. Any idea how to do that.
      I tried this parabola but it's hard to focus the point on ground as dish is heavy and I can't keep it in middle of air hanging.
      Can we focus this parabola on ground , how so? Is there any other method by which is can increase the evaporation of that dish contains without fuel ?

    • @zucchina24
      @zucchina24 2 года назад

      @@brandnewayurveda1835 you need a larger dish! Large surface area of the dish larger amounts of sun energy can focused…

    • @ananddharwar2198
      @ananddharwar2198 Год назад

      If you want to keep the dish to be heated on the ground, use a magnifying glass

  • @senensoberano847
    @senensoberano847 7 лет назад

    Thank you very much. Your illustration would be very useful to those who want to design efficient parabolic reflectors for solar cookers. Some are just constructing their parabolic reflectors based on random dimensions.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад +1

      Yes, that's probably true. However, my linear parabolic reflector is not ideal for use as a solar cooker either; it's really a science experiment for students.

    • @moonnight3847
      @moonnight3847 6 лет назад

      LiacosEM your linear parabolic project was great but let me tell you sir that you are wrong in onething, and that is that you are actually able to cook with that linear desing if the linear parabola is made biger and with better reflected material. thanks by the way understanding this will help any one desing their own parabolic cookers i learned alot thanks againg.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  6 лет назад

      Thanks Moon Night. With my simple design, my students have managed to heat up a small amount of water to about 60 degrees Celsius. Real solar cookers I've seen are usually 3D paraboloids, like satellite dishes. However, parabolas are at the heart of both, and I hope that my students learn that maths plays a big part in the design process of so many things in our lives!

  • @Dendritic
    @Dendritic 2 года назад +2

    Great! How about Mylar (from emergency blanket) instead of aluminum foil?

  • @sarahb.6549
    @sarahb.6549 4 года назад

    It´s possible to draw parabolas with free CAD or SketchUp too. In Sketchup the Extension is named "curve maker"

  • @faustominuzzo9263
    @faustominuzzo9263 6 лет назад +1

    Grazie, Fausto (Italia)

  • @ervinmontemayorsoe9789
    @ervinmontemayorsoe9789 Год назад

    Good Video but I am planning to put a servo motor in a single axis direction to track the sun. Hope my project goes well.

  • @TymexComputing
    @TymexComputing 2 года назад

    Nice :) haha - LEM is a classic Sci-Fi polish author :) Stanisław Lem :)

  • @ayubasghar1345
    @ayubasghar1345 7 лет назад +2

    please iron the aluminum foil with a piece of cotton or wool cloth above it, to make a more smooth mirror.

  • @abbasamro6645
    @abbasamro6645 3 года назад

    Good job dear , i would like to know what the equation that help me to know the concentrated resultant heat temperature ?.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  3 года назад +1

      Thanks, Abbas. Apparently, the heat we receive from the Sun averages out to about 1000 Watts per square meter on the Earth's surface. If this heat radiation is concentrated into a small area, there is significant heating. The surface area of my little experimental reflector is quite small, but my students have still managed to heat water to about 60 degrees Celsius.

  • @kusumahari89
    @kusumahari89 3 года назад

    Indonesia watching. So good

  • @sivansantana
    @sivansantana 7 лет назад +1

    perfect. its always better when apply mathematics.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад +1

      It sure is. I think students understand Science topics better if a little Maths is applied.

  • @topannurhakim
    @topannurhakim 3 года назад

    ini yg aku cari, penjelasan yg sangat gamblang,

  • @tmahmood4
    @tmahmood4 2 месяца назад

    Will you please tell me the focal length of an hyperbolic mirror.

  • @addestensfors8425
    @addestensfors8425 4 года назад

    Since it's flat it is not really focusing in a point but a line, still very useful...

  • @BajicZivkoTesla8888
    @BajicZivkoTesla8888 4 года назад +1

    Браво

  • @genesioapretto5077
    @genesioapretto5077 5 лет назад

    Nice

  • @pradeep-ez3dr
    @pradeep-ez3dr 3 года назад

    Thank you so much

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  3 года назад

      Glad you liked it.

  • @user-ij7ht5yc9l
    @user-ij7ht5yc9l Год назад

    Danke, Professor, für die Erklärung, wie man einen Solarkocher baut Damit die ganze Welt davon profitiert

  • @giovannig.624
    @giovannig.624 10 месяцев назад

    Is it possible to build a telescope with two linear parabolic mirrors? Instead of one "3d" parabolic mirror + one plane mirror...

  • @jabujavi
    @jabujavi 2 года назад

    Soooo god mix of math and physhics for a science experiment with teens...

  • @ashtwenty12
    @ashtwenty12 6 лет назад

    thanks for the information. no more templates online when making water heaters :D

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  6 лет назад +1

      No problem, ashtwenty12. I'd love to see your finished products.

  • @LaElahElaAllah01
    @LaElahElaAllah01 Год назад

    thanks

  • @yvesyaxkin8895
    @yvesyaxkin8895 6 лет назад

    This video is so exciting for me xd

  • @attilarivera
    @attilarivera 4 года назад +2

    👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

  • @brandnewayurveda1835
    @brandnewayurveda1835 2 года назад

    Hey Good Afternoon, As You seems to have knowledge in this kind of Stuff. I am a reaserch person (in medical science) and I want to evaporate water from a circular dish of radius appx 1.5feet. the depth of Dish is appx 10cm.
    I put that dish with some active material inside it to evaporate the whole mixture. At last i get solidified mass at bottom of that dish.
    What I am asking is i want to fasten the evaporation of the contains with help of solar energy. Any idea how to do that.
    I tried this parabola but it's hard to focus the point on ground as dish is heavy and I can't keep it in middle of air hanging.
    Can we focus this parabola on ground , how so? Is there any other method by which is can increase the evaporation of that dish contains without fuel ?

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  2 года назад

      Good question. You can try just using flat mirrors or aluminium sheets. But the sun moves across the sky so they have to be movable. Good luck.

  • @SWARAJSINGH2008
    @SWARAJSINGH2008 2 года назад

    thankyou

  • @madhavishrivant2480
    @madhavishrivant2480 6 лет назад

    Sir what if We take an A4 size graph paper and takes X co ordinates form -12 to 12 ? Will it have The same focal length of 10 cm ?

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  6 лет назад

      Yes. If you look at the 5:30 mark of the video, you will see that the incident light will hit the parabola above the level of the focal point but it will then deflect downwards towards the focal point. For my specifications, all the incident light reflects back upwards towards the focal point except for the light that hits at -10 and at +10. These light beams reflect horizontally (with respect to the plane of the reflector). Every parabola has one focal point, regardless of how wide it is.

  • @sassysisplays9465
    @sassysisplays9465 Год назад

    Sir can you tell me the materials involved in it? Means the materials you used especially which cup you have used?

    • @sassysisplays9465
      @sassysisplays9465 Год назад

      Oh i mean the controlcan

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  Год назад

      Both cans were small steel cans that we use as overflow cans. You can use any small cans!

  • @carmenj2549
    @carmenj2549 4 года назад

    interesante🙂👍

  • @harinik2890
    @harinik2890 3 года назад

    Super

  • @joesphhuffman4020
    @joesphhuffman4020 4 года назад

    How do you enunciate parabola

  • @spherevsgravity
    @spherevsgravity Год назад

    thank you thank you thank you thank you

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  Год назад +1

      You're welcome x 4. I'm guessing you found it useful!!

    • @spherevsgravity
      @spherevsgravity Год назад

      @@LiacosEM yes to build a satellite reflector

  • @MrSolpoente
    @MrSolpoente 3 года назад

    interessante engenharia

  • @corriedebeer799
    @corriedebeer799 4 месяца назад

    God the way you pronounced parabola was just about the most ridiculously Australian thing I have ever heard.

  • @jobbingactor
    @jobbingactor 10 месяцев назад

    meanwhile, just bend a reflective surface and use a thermometer till it’s what you want.

  • @arsamabbas2091
    @arsamabbas2091 5 лет назад

    Wow

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  5 лет назад

      The power of Mathematics and Science!

  • @WhatDadIsUpTo
    @WhatDadIsUpTo 4 года назад +1

    A much easier method to focus a large area of sunlight to a single point would be to make something on the order of a pie dish with the reflective surface being the slanted edge of the dish. If the dish slant is 45°, parallel light waves incoming will be focused to the center in a circle and eventually to a single point. Soooo much easier to construct.
    If you are dead set on building a parabolic curve, an easy method is to use a piece of plywood with an x and y axis, the axis running close to the bottom of the sheet. Just drive a nail on the y-axis where you want the focus to be and using a carpenter square, put the corner of the Carpenters square along the x line and the other leg of the square on the nail and draw a line from the corner out. Do this at several places along the x line on each side of the y line and the resulting mishmash of lines very closely approximates a parabolic curve. Now, you can cut that out with a bandsaw and you're on your way.

  • @laurencerilling5873
    @laurencerilling5873 3 месяца назад

    Im surprised you didnt show easier ways to trace the shape

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  3 месяца назад

      My aim was to show students how Math, Science and Engineering are all interrelated. All the tech that we use is refined and improved with mathematical techniques.

  • @dr.ignacioglez.9677
    @dr.ignacioglez.9677 2 года назад +2

    ☀️👍🥂🎩

  • @charliedevine6869
    @charliedevine6869 6 лет назад

    You can also use 2 nails and a string.

    • @RangerCaptain11A
      @RangerCaptain11A 6 лет назад +1

      two nails and a string would create an ellipse, which has two focal points.

    • @racketman2u
      @racketman2u 6 лет назад +1

      Two nails and a string would be a straight line.

    • @lylestavast7652
      @lylestavast7652 5 лет назад

      drive a nail where you want the focus to be. Tie one end of the string around that nail. Extend the dangling string downward toward you on your surface with a loose loop where you want the base of the parabola to be, and run the rest of the string vertical up the surface past the nail but attach it to the side of a 90 degree triangle square just touching the nail... Put your pen at the loop directly down toward you from the focus nail - that'll be the start of one side of your parabola... now slide the square straight to the right side and keep the pen tight against the string - as you continue to move the square, the string will slide upward and you'll trace a parabola shape... reverse it the other direction or trace the 1/2 you already did... Bob's your uncle. (since the teacher sounded ozzish (well, at least commonwealth something...)). Cheers.

  • @bren.r
    @bren.r 7 лет назад

    Or you can just use parabolic mirrors and make the effect exponentially better than your aluminum foil and linear approach.

    • @LiacosEM
      @LiacosEM  7 лет назад +3

      It's really a science experiment to teach students the mathematics of parabolas and how they're used to focus light. However, linear parabolic reflectors are used to heat oil in a pipe that runs along the focal line. See commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parabolic_trough_solar_thermal_electric_power_plant_1.jpg. My school has a parabolic mirror and my students are really impressed when I use it to ignite paper. But teaching is not really about showing kids stuff, it's about getting kids to learn by doing stuff!!