Solar Panel Lab

Light from the sun could provide 1,000 watts of energy per square meter on Earth. Solar Panels, or photovoltaic cells, work by converting energy from the sun into usable electricity. They are made using a semiconductor like silicon. When light from the sun hits the silicon cell, some of the energy is absorbed into it. This energy causes electrons to flow freely in a current. The cells are designed to encourage the flow of electrons in the right direction. The electrons travel to metal conductors at the top and bottom of the cell. This is now usable energy. It can flow directly into powering some device like a solar calculator or highway sign. Solar panels are not economically realistic for all residential uses, as many people cannot afford them. As new technology emerges, however, they will become more affordable and will be used more extensively.

In this lab we tested the photovoltaic voltage generated by a desk a lamp using different colored filters. We placed a small solar panel 6 centimeters away from the lamp, shining light directly on it. We then used a computer program to record the voltages that the panel absorbed. The program recorded 10 measurements and found the averages, which we then graphed, comparing the effects of the filters. All of the filters reduced the voltage absorbed by the cell. Pink was the most effective filter, or least, depending on your use.