Introduction
Exploring Energy, Power, and Efficiency During New Year Celebrations Around the World
In this activity, students explore energy concepts through the lens of New Year celebrations! Linking math and science, students calculate energy use, compare power and efficiency, and analyze how energy is transformed during familiar New Year events. These real-world scenarios help students connect important energy concepts to meaningful experiences. Scenarios can be framed around New Year celebrations worldwide, including Lunar New Year, Diwali, Nowruz, and other traditions featuring fireworks, lanterns, and family gatherings.
Materials
- Student Handout (Task Cards)
Student Objectives
Using real-world New Year scenarios, students will be able to
- Calculate energy consumption.
- Convert between energy units.
- Distinguish between power and energy.
- Explain how time and power affect total energy use.
- Describe energy transformations.
- Compare the efficiency of devices.
Procedure
The task cards can be used in several flexible ways to meet different classroom needs.
1. Activity Stations/Rotations
- Post the “Set Up” cards at separate stations (7 stations total).
- Create student groups (2-3 students).
- Give each group a set of the “Challenge” cards (each group can complete all 7 challenge cards, or a selection of challenge cards, based on teacher discretion and time constraints).
- Students rotate in small groups, completing one card every 10 minutes.
2. Small Groups
- Create small student groups (2-3 students).
- Assign one or two task cards to each group, providing them with both the “Set Up” and the “Challenge” cards.
- Groups solve all questions, and then present their scenario, questions, and reasoning to the class.
3. Individual Practice/Enrichment
- Provide individual students (or student pairs) with a few or all of the task cards. Include both “Set Up” and “Challenge” cards.
- Students work quietly on the problems, worksheet-style, and turn them in to the teacher when completed.
Optional Extensions
- Energy Budget Challenge
- Provide students with a fixed energy limit (e.g., 1 kWh for a New Year’s party).
- Let students decide how long they can run lights, play music, and use screens.
- Students justify their choices using calculations and reasoning.
- Energy Transformations Diagrams
- Have students create labeled diagrams for fireworks, bonfires, sparklers, music speakers, lights, and/or TV screens.
- Require students to identify at least 3 energy forms, or trace energy transformations as they are used.
Answer Key
Task Card 1
1a). Pork dumplings: 3 x 80 = 240 Cal
Grape juice = 120 Cal
240 + 120 = 360 Cal
1b). 30 / 200 = 0.15 min per Cal
360 x 0.15 = 54 minutes
1c). 360 / 10 = 36 minutes
2a). 240 + 285 = 525 Cal
2b). 525 / 100 = 5.25 miles
2c). 5.25 / 3 = 1.75 hrs
1.75 x 60 = 105 minutes
3. Acceptable answers: Joules (J), Watt-hours (Wh), Kilowatt-hours (kWh), BTUs
Task Card 2
1. 15 / 60 = 0.25 hr
2a). 120 x 0.25 = 30 Wh
2b). 30 / 1000 = 0.03 kWh
3a). 300 x 0.25 = 75 Wh
3b). 75 – 30 = 45 Wh more
4. A higher power device can run for less time, while a lower power device runs longer. Energy depends on power x time.
5. 0.05 kWh = 50 Wh
50 / 300 = 0.167 hr
0.167 x 60 = 10.02 minutes (~10 minutes)
Task Card 3
1. 120 V x 2 A = 240 W
2a). 240 x 3 = 720 Wh
2b). 720 / 1000 = 0.72 kWh
3a). 120 x 3 = 360 W
3b). Louder sound requires more speaker motion, which needs more electrical energy, supplied by increased current.
4. It uses the same power as the first speaker. Power = Voltage x Current. Both speakers use 240 W.
5. No, the energy would stay the same, because 0.5Power x 2Time = 1Power x 1Time.
Task Card 4
1. (1 hr / 3600 sec) x 5 sec = 0.001 hr
2. 20 W x 0.001 hr = 0.02 Wh
3. 0.02 / 1000 = 0.00002 kWh
4. 30000 / 3600 = 8.33 Wh
5. Ignition energy = 0.02 Wh; Firework energy = 8.33 Wh; 8.33 / 0.02 = 416.5
Firework energy is approximately 400x larger than the ignition system energy.
6. Acceptable answers: Electrical to thermal when the electrical energy heats the igniter wire. Stored chemical energy to thermal, light, and/or sound energy during combustion. Chemical energy to kinetic energy as the expanding gases push sparks and fragments outward through the air.
7. The electrical energy is small because it only needs to start the reaction. Once ignited, the firework releases energy that was already stored chemically. Most of the energy comes from the firework itself, not the ignition system.
Task Card 5
1. 40 x 6 = 240 Wh
2. 5 x 6 = 30 Wh
3a). 8 x 240 = 1920 Wh
3b). 1920 / 1000 = 1.92 kWh
3c). 8 x 30 = 240 Wh
3d). 240 / 1000 = 0.24 kWh
3e). Incandescent: 1.92 x 0.18 = $0.35; LED: 0.24 x 0.18 = $0.04
Approximately $0.30 per night is saved.
4. 1.92 – 0.24 = 1.68 kWh
1.68 x 7 = 11.76 kWh
Task Card 6
1. 500,000 x 1055 = 527,500,000 J
2. 527,500,000 / 3,600,000 = 146.5 kWh
3a). 146.5 / 1 = 146.5 hours
146.5 / 24 = 6.104 (approximately 6 days)
3b). Answers will vary. Advantages: social warmth, outdoor heating
Disadvantages: smoke, inefficiency, safety risks
4. Thermal energy (heat) and light energy (visible flames)
5. The faster the energy release (the higher the power), the hotter and more intense the bonfire will feel.
Task Card 7
1. 600 x 12 = 7200 J
2. 7200 / 3600 = 2 Wh
3a). 10 / 60 = 0.167 hr
3b). 60 x 0.167 = 10.02 Wh
3c). The bulb (10 Wh) uses more energy compared to 12 sparklers (2 Wh).
4. The sparklers feel more intense because they release energy very quickly (high power) in a small area.
5. Lower power would make the experience dimmer, cooler, and less intense, even though total energy is the same.