Good Copy of Capstone Project Proposal

Name of student: Minh Nguyen

Date: 15/5/2021
Teacher: Ms.Lacroix
Capstone strand I have chosen is Project
Proposed title for my project: Exploring the concept of electric circuit by building a solar
lamp

What is your inquiry question that interests you for further research? It should be a question that
connects with a purpose, passion or personalized area of interest for you. This is a question that
you cannot just google an answer for. Please see examples from your Capstone booklet.
My inquiry question is:

How can a student design an electric circuit for solar light?

Rationale/context: Detail your reasons for choosing this inquiry question. Explain WHY you are
choosing to investigate this topic as a major area of focus. How does this area of inquiry connect
to your passion(s), purpose? Why is it of personal interest to you?

There are numerous reasons for me to choose electric circuits as my major area. Firstly,
electricity is one of the most significant majors in Physics. During this year and last year, I
have learned Physics at school, and Physics is my favourite subject. However, due to the
Covid situation, we did not have an opportunity to conduct a lab experiment on Electricity, so
all the knowledge that I learned is theoretical. This project would allow me to apply my
knowledge to build an electric circuit, learn how it works and ensure it works safely and
effectively. Secondly, mechanics always intrigued me. When I was a child, I used to
disassemble my remote-control toy cars to see internal parts. I had not learned Physics at that
time, but now I would love to take this chance to research how an electric circuit works. Last
but not least, my dream is to make a sustainable and friendly environmental power source.
Solar power is a green energy source, so I want to learn more about it to prepare for my
future. To conclude, electricity is my major area of focus, for it connects to my dream and my
passion.

Background: What background knowledge/connections/prior learning do you have in this

area of inquiry?

Electric circuits are closed paths that transmit electric current. Every electric circuit has a
power supply source; in my project, it will be a 3.7 V rechargeable battery. The power source
creates a pressure (Voltage) to push electron move through the electric circuit in a loop. The
power source contains two terminals that have different potential energy; the larger the
voltage the more ability to push electrons. Electric current(I) is the flow of electrons, and it is
measured in ampere (charge/ time). Resistance(R) is the opposition to the current flow, and
the unit of resistance is Ohm. The formula to calculate the resistance is R=V/I.

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 To analyze a circuit, we need to consider all three factors: Electric current, Voltage, and
Resistance. There are two main types of a circuit: series and parallel. In a series circuit, the
electric current that goes through each resister is the same, but the voltage will lose over each
resister. In contrast, in a parallel circuit, the voltage is the same, but the current will lose over
each resistance.

Career connections: What is your intended career area at this point in time? What
connections does this inquiry question have to your life, academic and/ or career goals?

I am planning to be an electrical engineer. Electrical engineers are people who design,

develop and test electrical circuits and electrical equipment. Electrical devices are
participating in our daily activities, and they have electric circuits. This experiment would allow
me to grasp the components of an electric circuit, and how electric circuits work. By
understanding the concept, I could fix basic household electrical appliances, and it helps me
to prepare for my career as an electrical engineer. In addition, this project gives me a chance
to apply my theoretical knowledge to find suitable components to make a solar light by
calculating electric current, voltage and resistance.

Interdisciplinary and core competencies connections: What subject areas and core
competencies will be connected with your project? Outline and explain the connections.

The project incorporates two disciplines: Physics and Math. To conduct this experiment, I
need to have a strong understanding of the definition of Electric current, Voltage, Resistor,
Power and Ohm’s law. Electric current, Voltage, Resistance and Power connect deeply with
each other, so they need to be considered carefully to ensure safety and effectiveness. Math
also has a significant role. For example, when I find suitable parts for my circuit, I need to
consider and calculate their Electric current, Voltage, and Resistance. If the values were
wrong, they may cause the LED light to burnt out or dim.

Personal Awareness & Responsibility is one of the core competencies in this activity. Firstly, I
understand my decisions and actions can affect my results. Therefore, in the beginning, I
started brainstorming about my project idea, writing my procedure as specific as possible and
putting effort into doing my assignments, for all of them are steps to build my presentation and
my final result. If I procrastinate, I will not have enough time to cope with spontaneous
problems or finish my project. Secondly, I can express my needs and seek help when needed.
I keep in touch with my mentors, so they can evaluate my project and give some advice, and I
also ask them questions to comprehend the information.

Besides, Critical thinking is prominent. In this project, I need to gather a lot of information and
connect them. I need to consider all of the components’ electric current, voltage and
resistance to ensure the circuit would work. I also ask myself a lot of what, why and how
questions to clarify and develop my project.

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Capstone Presentation medium: select one or more project mediums you wish to use to
present your project. Outline and give details about how you will present your project once
completed. You may use a combination of mediums.
o Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
o Physical portfolio
o Website
o imovie presentation
o YouTube channel

I will use PowerPoint to represent my project. I will make a presentation by

using it. I will include pictures as my evidence to show the process of
making the solar light and the knowledge that I learned.

Description of my Capstone project. Specific Project Details of the Capstone Project: what
will you research, create, study, produce, solve, investigate? What product will be produced
at the end of this project for evaluation. Write a one-page description outlining your
proposal.

I will build a solar light for my Capstone Project. Solar lights are environmentally friendly, for
they use solar to power the light bulb. In this experiment, I will connect my prior knowledge in
Physics and Math, and research to build an electric circuit. Additionally, I will ask my
engineering class teacher to be my mentor; he has a lot of experience working with electric
circuits. This is an opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and do something that I
have never done.

In the beginning, I will watch YouTube tutorials on how to build a solar light. By doing so, I will
have general ideas about solar lights, their components and the information that I need to
investigate to understand how they work. After that, I will review my knowledge in Electric
current, Voltage, and Resistance. They are the basic information in electricity. To extend my
understanding, I will watch YouTube videos and read relevant information from different
sources, and I can understand how solar power transfers to electricity.
Planning is the most significant step. I will make a list of materials that I need to conduct this
experiment. Throughout this process, I will learn how to analyze specifications on electronic
components, and then I will use Ohm’s law and my Math skills to calculate and find the
suitable components. This project would allow me to use my theoretical knowledge in
electricity, so I can comprehend it better and extend my experience. Finding appropriate
components will be a challenge for me, for I cannot order my materials online due to the Covid
situation. In addition, if my calculations were not accurate, the electric circuit would not run
safely.

I will send my mentor a blueprint and my material lists. He will give me some advice, so I will
have a stronger perspective of electric circuits. I also ask him common mistakes when I build
electric circuits, so I can avoid them. After discussing with my mentor, I will fix my blueprint,
and then go buy the components at local electric appliances stores.

Making an electric circuit is an unfamiliar thing to me. To prepare for this, I need to learn how

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 to solder wires to the electric board. I will teach myself by watching YouTube videos. To
ensure that everything works, I will use a breadboard – a board that makes quick electrical
connections between components without soldering. Then, I will solder the components and
wires to a PCB board, and to make it work, I need to investigate how PCB boards work.

Finally, I will put the solar light in daylight, so the solar panel can charge the battery inside the
lamp. In the evening, I will use it as my night light. After doing this experiment, I would gain a
lot of knowledge that will help me in the future, and I also develop my skills through gathering
and analyzing information, planning, building, and communicating with my mentor.

Resources/ Technology/Skills: Make an assessment of the resources, technology and

skills you will need to be able to complete this project. What is your plan to be able to
access/learn all of the resources necessary to achieve completion of this project? Detail
your plans.

This is my first time building a solar light, so there is a lot of information that needs to be
researched. Therefore, my laptop will occupy a significant role during this project. The
materials to build this project will be bought at electrical components stores. I will try to finish
the materials list and buy them as soon as possible, so I will have extra time to cope with
unpredicted problems. Soldering skill is an essential skill to connect wires to the PCB (Printed
circuit board). I will watch YouTube tutorials as well as ask my mentor to learn how to use a
soldering iron.

Mentors/Community Connections: What types of mentor(s)/community connections will

you need to help you complete your capstone project? How will your mentor(s) help you?
What is your plan to access the mentorship/community connections necessary for this
project?

My mentor is my Engineer 12 teacher, Mr. O’hara. He studied Engineer in university, and he

has experience in building electric circuits. He is always willing to help me when I have
questions. I will send him a design of my circuit through Teams to check if it works or not.
He will able to give me some instructions to improve it. Due to the Covid situation, I will initially
communicate with him through Teams, and then we can arrange to meet to discuss the
project.

Project limitations: What are some project limitations and potential obstacles that you foresee
that might affect progress with your Capstone Project?

There are some obstacles that I predict I need to cope with. Due to the Covid situation, I
cannot order my materials online, for it will take two months for delivery. Additionally, electrical
stores around my area have limited materials’ diversity. To fix this problem, I will go to multiple

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 stores to collect my materials. Another limitation is that my solar light will have a dramatically
higher cost than a solar light that is manufactured by a company, for I buy my materials from
retail stores. Last but not least, I have never made a solar light or an electric circuit before, so
it will take me a lot of time to research. However, we are having the quarter system this year,
so the time is limited.

Other considerations: List and detail any other related information/ considerations about
your project that you feel should be included in your project proposal.

References:

Attach a REFERENCE LIST. Your list should be written using correct APA formatting.
An example is provided on page 21 of your Capstone booklet.

BUILD a NOCTURNAL SOLAR LIGHT BULB. (2021, March 16). Instructables.

https://www.instructables.com/BUILD-A-NOCTURNAL-SOLAR-LIGHT-BULB/

grayfurnaceman. (2012, December 10). What is electric resistance. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PJcj1TCf_g

Richard Komp. (2016, January 5). How do solar panels work? - Richard Komp. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKxrkht7CpY

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2013). electric circuit | Diagrams & Examples.

Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/electric-circuit

The Engineering Mindset. (2018, November 12). Voltage Explained - What is Voltage? Basic

electricity potential difference. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=w82aSjLuD_8

The Organic Chemistry Tutor. (2016, September 2). Series and Parallel Circuits Explained -

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Voltage Current Resistance Physics - AC vs DC & Ohm’s Law. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wejz5s31Cts