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The Houston Museum of Natural Science is proud to announce that the world-renowned Wiess Energy Hall, has been renovated and was re-opened to the public in May 2005.
“Our goal is to keep Wiess Energy Hall on the cutting edge,” said Joel A. Bartsch, president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. “Everything in the exhibit is state-of-the art, from the new energy technologies featured to the computer interactives visitors use during their visit.”
Rapid advancements have been made by the energy industry over the past decade, and the additions to Wiess Energy Hall not only reflect this fascinating new technology, but also utilize the latest in the technology of display.
Exhibition Features
Ethanol
Since it is produced from crops or plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is considered a renewable fuel. Recent figures indicate that over 10 percent of the U.S. corn crop is dedicated to ethanol production. Ethanol is just one of the many renewable fuels of the future explored in the new Wiess Energy Hall.
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear fission occurs when the nucleus of an atom is split into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing energy. Energy from nuclear fission supplies electrical power in many locations around the world. Learn more at the Fusion and Fission Computer Station in the Alternative Energy section.
Hydroelectric Energy
Water is constantly moving, through the flow of rivers, evaporation and precipitation. Hydroelectric turbines in massive dams take advantage of the power in water to provide clean electrical energy, supplying one-fifth of the world's electricity, second only to fossil fuels. The many benefits of hydroelectric energy include low production costs and few waste products.
Solar Energy
Arrays of solar reflectors can focus the suns rays on solar “power towers” to generate energy. This promising experimental technology may one day be commonplace. Investigate solar energy in the Sun Power Exhibit in the Alternative Energy section.
Generators
Coal, oil, natural gas, wind energy, nuclear power and hydroelectric power can all provide the energy source for electrical generation. Discover more in the Transportation & Distribution section of the exhibit.
Uranium-235
Nuclear reactors use Uranium-235, which has 92 protons and 143 neutrons in its nucleus. When a free neutron hits a Uranium-235, it splits, releasing energy. Learn more at the Fusion and Fission Computer Station in the Alternative Energy section.
Wind Energy
In reality, wind energy is a converted form of solar energy. Hot air rises, reducing atmospheric pressure at the earth's surface, and cooler air is drawn in to replace it, resulting in wind. Forests of wind turbines are springing up around the world to take advantage of this powerful energy source, and they represent one of the fastest-growing sectors of renewable energy. Get up close to a five-foot-tall scale model of a wind turbine— 200 feet tall in real life—in the Alternative Energy section.
Christmas Tree
The “Christmas tree” is an assembly of valve and pipe used to control the flow of natural gas wells. See a real nine foot-tall “Christmas tree” in the Reservoir and Production section.
Nuclear Fusion and Fission
Fission can be started by bombarding the nucleus of an atom with another particle of the right energy and speed. The now unstable nucleus will then split into two or more pieces, releasing a huge amount of energy. Learn more at the Nuclear Fusion and Fission Computer Station in the Alternative Energy section.
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