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Summary Of “How Do Photovoltaics Work” Photovoltaics is a term referring to the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level as explained in How do Photovoltaics Work. The way that photovoltaics work is through the property known as the ‘photoelectric effect’ that causes some materials to absorb photons of light and release electrons that are captured, forming an electric current. “The photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund Bequerel, in 1839” he found that specific materials would produce electric currents when in exposure to light, such as the light radiated from the sun, Sol (Knier 1). “In 1905, Albert Einstein described the nature of light and the photoelectric …show more content…
Our sun, called Sol, is a star constantly extruding 4 x 10 to the power of 23, which is 4 with twenty three zeroes following it, which has that energy being converted to a usable source of electricity with the use of photovoltaic cells/modules, also called solar cells/modules. One spaceship, called the ISS, uses decades old solar cells which convert 14% of the sun’s energy into electricity which shows its (the Sun’s light) strength, but the main question spaceship builders want to know is “Where is the edge of sunlight?”, aka where does the solar energy fall off so much that it is no longer useful to harness. Another path of research that researchers are exploring is the use of lasers to transmit energy over long distances, more efficient solar cells, and solar arrays on other celestial bodies such as the Moon or Mars.“To date, the farthest any solar-powered spacecraft has ventured from the Sun is 2.35 AU -- a record set last October by NASA's Stardust probe,”the use of that quote is to express that scientists haven’t been able to test how far solar panels really work, they do have predictions …show more content…
The discovery of PV, photovoltaics, happened in 1839, a researcher found that certain materials could produce energy if exposed to light. This discovery later led to photovoltaic cells being produced as a type of energy production. The cells were not viable until space researchers/engineers realized that PV cells would be a good way to produce electricity in space. That led to more research and therefor less cost because it was being made better with every discovery. The first space station to use solar arrays, lots of modules wired together, was the I.S.S. Space station, which had arrays with 14% efficiency. The highest current known efficiency is up to 35% on certain arrays under concentrated sunlight. Research is currently being done on Gallium Arsenide and concentration of sunlight/other light because the current highest efficiency cell was made with these two factors. Researchers are also looking for where solar energy no longer would work as a viable power source for a space shuttle or
Summary Of “How Do Photovoltaics Work” Photovoltaics is a term referring to the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level as explained in How do Photovoltaics Work. The way that photovoltaics work is through the property known as the ‘photoelectric effect’ that causes some materials to absorb photons of light and release electrons that are captured, forming an electric current. “The photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund Bequerel, in 1839” he found that specific materials would produce electric currents when in exposure to light, such as the light radiated from the sun, Sol (Knier 1). “In 1905, Albert Einstein described the nature of light and the photoelectric …show more content…
Our sun, called Sol, is a star constantly extruding 4 x 10 to the power of 23, which is 4 with twenty three zeroes following it, which has that energy being converted to a usable source of electricity with the use of photovoltaic cells/modules, also called solar cells/modules. One spaceship, called the ISS, uses decades old solar cells which convert 14% of the sun’s energy into electricity which shows its (the Sun’s light) strength, but the main question spaceship builders want to know is “Where is the edge of sunlight?”, aka where does the solar energy fall off so much that it is no longer useful to harness. Another path of research that researchers are exploring is the use of lasers to transmit energy over long distances, more efficient solar cells, and solar arrays on other celestial bodies such as the Moon or Mars.“To date, the farthest any solar-powered spacecraft has ventured from the Sun is 2.35 AU -- a record set last October by NASA's Stardust probe,”the use of that quote is to express that scientists haven’t been able to test how far solar panels really work, they do have predictions …show more content…
The discovery of PV, photovoltaics, happened in 1839, a researcher found that certain materials could produce energy if exposed to light. This discovery later led to photovoltaic cells being produced as a type of energy production. The cells were not viable until space researchers/engineers realized that PV cells would be a good way to produce electricity in space. That led to more research and therefor less cost because it was being made better with every discovery. The first space station to use solar arrays, lots of modules wired together, was the I.S.S. Space station, which had arrays with 14% efficiency. The highest current known efficiency is up to 35% on certain arrays under concentrated sunlight. Research is currently being done on Gallium Arsenide and concentration of sunlight/other light because the current highest efficiency cell was made with these two factors. Researchers are also looking for where solar energy no longer would work as a viable power source for a space shuttle or