Solar Panel Energy Lab
Classroom worksheet · Interactive simulation: https://lkforge.com/tools/physics/solar-panel/
Name: Date:
Learning objectives
- Relate panel output to irradiance and area.
- Describe how orientation affects output.
- Define panel efficiency.
Variables to change
- Sunlight intensity (irradiance)
- Panel angle
- Panel area
- Temperature
Procedure
- Set full sun and note the power output.
- Reduce the irradiance (clouds) and observe the change.
- Tilt the panel away from the sun and observe the drop.
Observations
Record power output versus irradiance and versus panel angle to the sun.
Questions
- How does output depend on irradiance?
- What is panel efficiency?
- Why does orientation matter?
- How does area affect output?
- What converts light to electricity in a solar cell?
Answer key (instructors)
- 1. Roughly proportional — more sunlight per area gives more power.
- 2. The fraction of incident solar energy converted to electricity (typically ~15–22%).
- 3. Output is highest when the panel faces the sun directly; tilting reduces the effective irradiance by cos(angle).
- 4. Output is proportional to panel area at a given efficiency and irradiance.
- 5. The photovoltaic effect — photons free charge carriers in a semiconductor, driving a current.
A solar panel’s output rises with irradiance and area and is greatest when it faces the sun (falling as cos of the tilt away from it). Efficiency (~15–22%) is the fraction of sunlight converted to electricity via the photovoltaic effect.