[ChemVlab+] Solar Power: Specific Heat and Power Plant Design Info

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Description

Solar power plants use thousands of mirrors to reflect sunlight onto the top of a tower where the renewable and sustainable thermal energy from the sun is transferred to a liquid and then used to power a steam engine. Students explore the topic of thermochemistry as they determine the best substance for storing and transferring that thermal energy.

Resource Type	Scenario-Based Activity Our scenario-based activities challenge students to apply chemistry knowledge in real world and game based situations. These activities highlight the utility of chemistry concepts.
Topic(s)	Thermochemistry
Subtopic(s)	Energy and Enthalpy
Education Level	High School / Introductory Chemistry First-Year Undergraduate / General
Difficulty	Introductory
Contributor(s)	Mr. Michael Karabinos, Carnegie Mellon University Dr. Jodi Davenport, WestEd Dr. Dave Yaron, Carnegie Mellon University