BABY BARBEQUE

This experiment needs to be done with care.

What you need:

Gloves (to protect your hands), Tin snippers, Sticky tape, Aluminium can, Aluminium foil, Nail or hole punch, Hammer, Wire (straightened coathangers work well)

What to do:

1. Carefully cut an empty aluminium can in half lengthways (be careful, the edges can cut you!) and cover all the sharp edges with sticky tape.

2. Line the inside of the can with a strip of aluminium foil.

3. Pierce a hole through each end of the can using a hole punch or nail.

4. Thread a piece of wire through the holes and bend one end to make a handle.

5. Thread a small amount of food onto the skewer and place your barbecue in the sun to cook. Try the holes in different places. Does the placement of the food make a difference? Is one side of the food cooked more than another?

The Science

The sun radiates heat and light energy. Solar cookers or collectors convert light into heat energy (as well as absorbing some of the sun's heat directly). They can either concentrate the sun's light into one central area or absorb the sun's light energy and convert it into heat. These solar sausage sizzlers use the shape of the reflective dish to concentrate the sun's energy onto the skewer.