Wind Turbine Model
Blades catch moving air and spin a small generator to power a light — clean energy on your desk.
Start building ↓The build
Make the blades
Cut and angle blades, then fix them to a hub.
Mount the generator
Attach the hub to the motor shaft on a stand.
Wire the output
Connect the motor leads to an LED or meter.
Face the fan
Aim a fan at the blades and watch power appear.
Wind pushes the angled blades around; the spinning shaft turns the motor as a generator, inducing a voltage just like the hand-crank generator.
A closer look
Blade angle (pitch) and number set how much wind energy is captured; too steep and they stall, too flat and they barely turn.
Variables to test
- 1 Test 2, 3 and 4 blades — which makes the most power?
- 2 Change blade angle and measure output voltage.
More Physics
Homopolar Motor
A single AA battery, a magnet and a copper-wire loop spin into the simplest electric motor that actually works.
Switchable Electromagnet
Coil insulated wire around an iron bolt and a battery turns it into a magnet you can switch on, off, and strengthen at will.
Pendulum Timer
A swinging mass keeps remarkably steady time — build one and discover what really sets its rhythm.