Explanation Of Solar Panels For Kids
These cells are made of semi conductive materials most often silicon a material that can conduct electricity while maintaining the electrical imbalance needed to create an electric field.
Explanation of solar panels for kids. The more panels you have on a roof the more solar electricity you produce. The average home or business can have 50 75 of the power they use come from solar energy. The ac current is then used to power the appliances in your home. Before you can understand how solar panels work you need some knowledge about the sun itself.
This converts the current into alternating current ac electricity. The best way to teach kids about the sun and its energy is by discovering more about our solar system and what energy means. Unlike a generator a solar panel is a solid state way of producing electricity meaning that it has no moving parts. Solar panels do not generate electricity directly.
Solar panels solar panels are different to solar cells. When the sun shines on a solar cell the cell turns the light energy into electricity. The sun shines on the solar panels and the panels absorb the energy creating direct current dc electricity. The water is heated by heat energy from the sun and returns to the tank.
It has mirrors that focus large amounts of solar energy into a small area. Solar panels make renewable energy. Solar energy is a part of our everyday lives. The amount of sunlight that reaches earth varies depending on location time of day time of year and weather conditions.
A pump pushes cold water from a storage tank through pipes in the solar panel. Renewable energy when we use solar power we don t use any of the earth s resources like coal or oil. Maybe you ve seen solar panels sitting on the. A common misconception about solar panels is that they produce energy from the sun s heat.
Begin your quest at your local library where you can. They are often located on the roofs of buildings where they can receive the most sunlight. There is also the solar thermal power plant. This makes solar power a renewable energy source.
Solar power is also clean power that doesn t generate a lot of pollution. This heat can be used to make steam. The steam can be used to make electricity in a power plant. A single solar cell makes only a little electricity.
Solar cells use the sun s light rather than its heat. However groups of solar cells can provide electricity. Solar energy is a complex concept to explain but you don t need a physics degree to do it. These cells are often joined to form solar panels.
Solar pv panels are comprised of many small photovoltaic cells photovoltaic meaning they can convert sunlight into electricity. With a few simple activities you can help your kids understand and have some fun while you re at it. The sun has produced energy for billions of years. Once the sun hits the panels the energy is made into electricity.
Here a concentration of the sun s energy by many panels is used. They actually produce energy from the sun s light. A solar inverter helps turn the electricity into power that can be used. A solar furnace can produce temperatures of up to 3 630 f 2 000 c.
Kid friendly solar energy facts the sun is full of energy and solar energy comes from sunlight that reaches earth. Solar power is power generated directly from sunlight. The electricity is fed into what is called a solar inverter.