1. Did you know that using water as an energy source is a very old idea? It is true!

Farmers have
been using water wheels for over 2,000 years to grind wheat into flour! Since nature can
produce water over and over again, what type of resource is it?

2. Water is a renewable resource because it is part of a cycle and can be produced over and
over again. Energy converted from moving water is known as hydropower. Let’s take a closer
look at these five water wheel models. Compare and describe their similarities and
differences.

3. All of the water wheel models produce hydropower and are circular in shape, but they have
blades facing in different directions and at different angles, which moves the water
differently. Take a photo of the model in which water pours over the top and pushes the
 wheel in a clockwise direction. This is the most common of the vertical water wheels and the
one that farmers used to grind their wheat into flour.

4. the overshot water wheel to observe how it works. Notice that as water collects in the
compartments or buckets on the wheel, it causes the wheel to spin. The overshot water
wheel was often built along hillsides. Why would this type of water wheel be built along the
hillside? Hint: Think about the direction that water travels on a hillside.

5. Take a photo of the model in which water pours down one side of the wheel from about half
its height and pushes the wheel in counter clockwise direction.

6. the breast shot water wheel to observe how it works. This type of water wheel was mostly
used in the 1800s in the United States, during the Industrial Revolution. Its wheel has larger
buckets to collect and move the water in the same direction, helping it rotate. What force
helps push these buckets down?

7. choose a picture of the model in which water pours over the top and pushes the wheel in a
counterclockwise direction. It is also known as a backshot water wheel.

8. the pitchback water wheel to observe how it works. This type of water wheel is similar to the
overshot water wheel but has one significant difference. What is the difference between the
pitchback and overshot water wheels?
https://javalab.org/en/lorenzs_water_mill_en/

9. choose a picture of the model that is different from the first three water wheels you
observed. The water flows under the wheel and then is pushed up in a counter clockwise
direction.
10. the undershot water wheel to observe how it works. This water wheel is also known as a
stream wheel. Because the stream wheel was the easiest type to make, it was often used by
the ancient Greeks and Romans in flat areas. However, it was only 20% efficient. Why do you
think it was not very efficient?

11. Take a photo of the model that seems the least efficient and looks different than any of the
other water wheels.

12. the horizontal water wheel to observe how it works. Ancient Chinese civilizations used
horizontal water wheels to grind rice into flour. The design of this water wheel proved to be
inefficient and had to be changed in later years. How do you think this design was changed?

13. So far, we have seen how water wheels use the motion of water to generate mechanical
energy that does useful work, such as grinding wheat or rice. Now let’s look at a similar
modern technology that also uses water as a renewable energy source: hydroelectric dams.
Hydroelectric dams use the motion of water to generate electricity. Look closely at this image
of the inner workings of this dam. Take a photo of the part within the dam that is similar to
the water wheel.

14. A dam is built across a river and uses the moving water to turn the blades of a turbine.
The spinning blades are connected to a generator, which produces electricity. Building dams
has many advantages, but one disadvantage is that it changes the local ecosystem.
Redirecting the flow of water negatively impacts the plants and animals that depend on the
river. In addition to harnessing the energy of water flowing in a river or stream, what other
sources of hydropower can you think of?

15. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydropower?

 16. Based on your observations, which type of water wheel do you think would be the most
efficient? Why?

17. Which type of water wheel do you think would be the least efficient? Why?

18. What are some similarities among these five types of water wheels?

19. What are some differences among these five types of water wheels?

True or False: Hydropower dams reduce pollution

True or False: Hydropower dams are cheap to build
True or False: Hydropower dams rarely interfere with natural wildlife

 To use the natural water flows in a river or stream for hydropower, what type of natural
river conditions do engineers require?

 What are some reasons why engineers construct hydroelectric power plants?

 Why do engineers construct dams for large hydroelectric power systems?

 How was the waterwheel you made similar to what happens in a hydroelectric power plant?