EXPERIMENT 1
Control
(Inches of lamp from solar panels) Independent variables
(light bulb watts) Dependent
Variables
(solar panel output in volts) Notes
(does fan turn on or not)
6 INCHES 0 WATTS 0 VOLTS NO FAN
6 INCHES 40 WATTS 0.45 VOLTS NO FAN
6 INCHES 60 WATTS 0.76 VOLTS YES-WITH JUMPSTART
6 INCHES 75WATTS 0.80 VOLTS YES-WITH JUMPSTART
6INCHES 100 WATTS 1.57 VOLTS YES-WITH JUMPSTART
6 INCHES 150 WATTS 1.78 VOLTS YES-FAN
6 INCHES 200 WATTS 1.91 VOLTS YES-FAN
EXPERIMENT 2
Control
(Inches of lamp from solar panels) Independent variables
(light bulb watts) Dependent
Variables
(solar panel output in volts) Notes
(does fan turn on or not)
6 INCHES 0 WATTS 0 VOLTS NO FAN
6 INCHES 40 WATTS 0.46 VOLTS NO-FAN
6 INCHES 60 …show more content…
In my experiment I converted light into electricity using solar panels, which helped me learn how solar panels work.
In order to convert energy into electricity you have to use a method called the principle of photovoltaic conversion. According to Pavel Chrobak, this principle allows photovoltaic cells to convert light into electricity by releasing electrons. In my experiment I measured how electricity is produced when light was absorbed into solar panels. I collected data that shows how this principle works. In my experiment I learned that in order to convert light into electricity electrons have to be released. This can be done by using solar panels to turn sunlight into volts/power After I completed my experiment, I realized that I could probably have used the sun instead of lightbulbs. I could do this by measuring the power output of the sun at different times of the day. Next time I might try this to get a more exact understanding of how solar panels work. …show more content…
My experiment could have been better if the watts between the different light bulbs was more exact (20, 40, 60...). Also, my data results would have probably been more accurate if I had waited over a minute or more before measuring the voltage. I was worried the solar panel cells would overheat, since I had accidentally cracked one cell already, because I left the light on too long, so I measured the readings immediately. I could also add more solar panels to the experiment to see if I get a more consistent result. Lastly, I could switch my solar panel connections from a series circuit to a parallel circuit. This would change the power output from volts to amps.
I used the principle of photovoltaic conversion to test my hypothesis. According to Pavel Chrobak, this principle allows photovoltaic cells to convert light into electricity by releasing electrons. In my experiment I used different wattage lightbulbs to convert the light into electricity by releasing the electrons from the substrate (solar