THAMES & KOSMOS 628710 Fuel Cell Car Kit

The Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell Car & Experiment Kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century. With this kit you can build a model car that actually runs on water!

Pour in the water and watch it separate into hydrogen and oxygen, forming a gas to power your vehicle across the floor. Now that we have your attention, roll up your sleeves and find out more through experiments and demonstrations you can do on your own, in a classroom or with friends.

Fuel cells are one of the most promising means of producing energy in the future. Some fuel cells, such as this one, do not consume fossil fuels and therefore are considered environmentally friendly. Automobile manufacturers are already experimenting successfully with this technology and it is widely believed that fuel cells will power automobiles and many electronic devices, including laptops and cell phones, in the near future.

With this unique kit, you can build your own experimental reversible fuel cell car to learn more about this energy source. With more than 30 experiments and demonstrations, users will learn how a reversible fuel cell works to perform electrolysis as well as to create energy. The electricity required to activate electrolysis is created with a large solar cell included with the kit. During electrolysis, water is separated into hydrogen and oxygen and the resulting energy is stored as a gas. When needed, the gas is fed into the fuel cell, which then serves as the power source.

Topics and Experiments

The 96-page, full color Experiment Manual offers over 30 experiments, including:
How to build a solar-powered car. Effects of direct and indirect radiation. Characteristics of a solar module. Electrolysis and its effect on water. Oxy-hydrogen test. How to construct and load a reversible fuel cell. Decomposition of water in the fuel cell. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of gas in a fuel cell. How efficient is electrolysis? How light influences electrolysis. Solar electrolysis. Fuel cell-powered car.

Contents

The kit includes these parts: Complete reversible fuel cell (hydrocycle system) • Wire • Motor • Chassis • Axle • Gas collector • 4 Wheels • Solar panel with support • Syringe • Tube • Digital multimeter • Test tube • Protective goggles • Labels • Bag of small parts for fuel cell • Bag of small electronic parts • Experiment Manual

Reviews

The Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell Car & Experiment Kit won a Silver Award from the Parents’ Choice Foundation in 2002. Here’s their review:

“Wow! - usually when toys say there are 30 experiments, there are a few basic experiments and the others amount to small changes and variations on the basic ones. Not so here. The experiments, based on building a model car that runs on water, are versatile and cover a wide range of phenomena. The background for each phenomenon is extensive. ...For the budding physicist or environmentalist in your house, or the engineer at Grandma’s, this kit is a highway to fun.”