• ABSORBER - The black metal plate (commonly aluminum) in a collector which is heated by the sun.
• BLACK - The color most effective at absorbing solar radiation and minimizing reflection.
• COLLECTOR - The assembly which consists of the absorber, covering, and housing used to recover solar heat from sunlight.
• COMPUTER - Electronic control device used to perform the computation required to automate the Solar Heat system.
• FAN - A device used to move air through a forced air Solar Heat System. It is comparable to the pumps in a liquid system.
• GLASS - The cover used to allow heat to enter, but not escape, from the front of a collector.
• HOUSE - The residence of the Wizard. (Or anyone else for that matter!)
• MASS - The large, heavy objects (Usually rock or a tank of water) used to store heat after its recovery from the collector.
• MODERATE - The act of stabilizing changes in temperature. In other words, preventing large temperature changes. Usually done by the Mass in a storage unit.
• PIPES - Duct work used to convey air from one point in a solar heat system to another. In a liquid transfer system they would transport the liquid through the system.
• ROCKS - A common Mass used in a Solar Storage unit to retain heat.
• STORAGE - The method used to hold recovered solar heat until needed, usually after the sun goes down.
• TEMPERATURE - A measurement of the amount of heat in a given object or the surrounding air.
• THERMOSTAT - A device which measures temperature and has the ability to respond in some manner to its measurement. In our example here, it provides a signal to the computer.
• TRANSFER - The act of moving heat from one part of a solar heat system to another.
• WHITE - Color used when a reflective surface is desired. It is common to paint the back inside surface of a collector white to aid in retention of heat inside the box.
• WIZARD - Your guide through this series of pages...Thank you for visiting!

1. What is the device called which converts Solar Energy to usable heat ?

2. What is the term for the moving of heat from one part of the system to another?

3. From what common material is the cover which prevents heat from escaping a solar collector made?

4. What is the term for preventing large temperature changes in the solar heat system as the amount of solar energy being received changes?

5. What color makes the most efficient solar absorber?

6. What device holds excess heat in the system until it is needed?

7. What property contributes to large, heavy objects, such as rocks, to allow them to store heat?

8. What devices measure the temperature of various parts of the system and, by use of the computer, allow the fans to be turned on or off?

9. What is the black metal plate located in a solar collector called?

10. What are the devices which move air through the solar heat system ?

If two sheets of glass, separated by an air space, were used to cover the collector, Would this make the collector work better? Why or Why not?

How'd you do? Click here for the ANSWERS

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   The Wizard's             F A N S N V B N V X E W X A H D L V W T S V X
      SOLAR                 W B R A L O S D B H R T K J R U E Q K D L A C
   WORD SEARCH              W E J G R T A L S R B O A G L T S X H O T C M
                            D U G C E W K J S O V N T R K O R R E A H K R
ABSORBER     MODERATE       R M D A O F K B A K R R K C E F A D M Z A M T
BLACK        PANEL          A N G F R M M V L F O W Y N E D H M T E A M E
COLD         PIPES          Z N U T T O P J G C K R Z D D L O T E N I H T
COLLECTOR    PLATE          I N T Z K M T U K R O E P I H J L M Y T A L A
COMPUTER     ROCKS          W I B C Y L D S T L E L E L B F H O Z T Z Z L
CONTROL      SOLAR          L J A T I V M X P E Z B H Y M U S R C H I K U
COVER        STORAGE        T L W S D M L M L K R J R Q I A Y E R E Z U S
FANS         SUN            B T N E S M C O L D A X V O N L H V V R C E N
GLASS        TEMPERATURE    R E F S N A R T U I W E F C S S O O S M B V I
HEAT         THERMAL        M I L G C C M C P A R Z D J R B I C D O L M B
HOT          THERMOSTAT     M B A L T U P I H E A T L B A M A P H S T R H
HOUSE        TRANSFER       E V M E S N P V Z Z Q C O U E K V Q L T S A P
INSULATE     WIZARD         T V R N D E C P J X N F R S C K Q M Q A Y Q X
MASS                        A H E A S T E M P E R A T U R E K E Q T T N Y
METAL                       L G H P Q B U K K H P A N N V M U B B Y I E X
                            A Q T T O Y S C V F Y S O H I N R W J X W G P
                            K E B C K Z P A H S S W C H A Z C B S Z V W N
                            C C O O H A K H H O U S E H M P X Z A P Q A Q
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                   THE WORDS HIDDEN IN THIS GRID MAY RUN:

     HORIZONTALLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND VERTICALLY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

     HORIZONTALLY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND VERTICALLY FROM BOTTOM TO TOP

     DIAGONALLY IN ALL DIRECTIONS.