Is Solar Power an Efficient Source of Energy?

Hypothesis • Solar power is not an

efficient source of energy because if there is no sun or artificial light, you have no power.

Materials

• Solar Panel• Solar Battery• Plastic Fan Spinner• Cord• Motor Clips, screws and nuts• Sun• Clouds• Heater• Lamp with light bulb• Stove

Procedure

• Charge Solar battery for 2 minutes• Connect Solar Battery to Solar Panel• See what heat and light sources solar energy

works with:• Test under lamp: Yes• Test on cloudy day :No• Test near heater: No• Test close to Stove: No• Test on sunny day: Yes

Research• Webster’s dictionary defines efficient as: producing the desired

result with a minimum of effort, expense, or waste.• When two hydrogen atoms fuse or combine they form one Helium

atom and give off energy. Solar power is created from this energy. • Solar energy is also called electromagnetic radiation. The sun’s

energy is produced in a spectrum-or range-of different lengths, called wavelengths.

• Solar power is used for light, heating water, powering TVs, radios, calculators, watches, hats, cars, planes, satellites, space explorers, heating houses, and food.

• All of our energy comes from the sun directly, or through many changes. Solar power is the most long lasting form of energy we have. Solar power is good because it is healthy for the earth because it doesn’t cause pollution and it’s renewable.

Conclusion • Solar energy is efficient because the sun is free

to use, it doesn't cause pollution, and it’s readily available in Countries near the equator.

• Countries that are cold most of the year, however, have a hard time using solar energy because it’s not available when the sun is not shinning.

• Since solar power is not efficient in all parts of the world my hypothesis is both correct and incorrect.

Resources

• Solar Power By: Steve Parker 2002 Garth Stevens Publishing

• www.googleimages.com

• http://projectsol.aps.com/solar/data_data.asp

Solar Panel Works

With Yes No

   

Lamp X  

Cloudy day   X

Heater   X

Stove   X

Sunny day X