Clinton Norris
1/24/10
Lab Report
Question: If a solar panel is perpendicular to the sun does it make the most energy?
Background Information: A solar cell absorbs sunlight and turns it into electricity. It does it by groups of cells containing a material that converts solar radiation into electricity. The photovoltaic cell responds to sunlight and produces a small dc current from semiconductor material such as silicon, covered with bad things. Photons of light energy cause electrons to be resulting in a current flow.
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to figure out whether the angle of the panel to the sun effects how much energy the solar panel produces. You would want to know this because it depends on how much energy a solar panel produces and you can make more if you position it correctly.
Hypothesis: I thought that if the solar panel was perpendicular to the sun then it would produce the most energy. Icaps -Maria Duryea 1/25/10 11:04 PM know that if it is facing directly at the sun then it will make the most energy, I just want to prove that it is true.
Hypothesis: I thought that if the solar panel was perpendicular to the sun then it would produce the most energy. Icaps -Maria Duryea 1/25/10 11:04 PM know that if it is facing directly at the sun then it will make the most energy, I just want to prove that it is true.
Materials list:
- 12 volt solar panel
- 2 poster boards
- half inch screws
- 3 inch bolt,
- wooden disk
- electrical current measuring device
- sunlight
- screw driver
Variables:
Independent variable: Angle of the solar panel
Dependent variable: Output of solar energy
Procedure:
1) I got all of the materials needed.
2) I checked to make sure solar panel works by hooking it up to the measuring device and switching it to volts and get it to around 5-15 volts on the readings meter.
3) Then I cut out a circle from the poster board and make sure it fits the solar panel.
4) Now I screw it on with some of the half inch screws.
5) Then I drilled a hole through the center of the poster board, wooden board and circle I made from the other poster board.
Procedure:
1) I got all of the materials needed.
2) I checked to make sure solar panel works by hooking it up to the measuring device and switching it to volts and get it to around 5-15 volts on the readings meter.
3) Then I cut out a circle from the poster board and make sure it fits the solar panel.
4) Now I screw it on with some of the half inch screws.
5) Then I drilled a hole through the center of the poster board, wooden board and circle I made from the other poster board.
6) Now I put the bolt through the poster board from the underside and then add the wooden disk and the circle with the solar panel on it.
7) Now I took a sharpie and marked the angles from 0 to 90 degrees on both sides
8) Then I just hooked up the electrical meter to the solar panel and took data
9) Then I took 5 sets of data for mA's and volts for each angle.
8) Then I just hooked up the electrical meter to the solar panel and took data
