What is the difference between a solar hot water panel and solar cells?
by admin on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 | 5 Comments
I have a science exam tomorrow so pleaseeeee help me!
Thanks
Thank you so much.
solar cells trap suns heat & stores it & solar hot water panel traps heat and makes water hot
solar cells trap suns heat & stores it & solar hot water panel traps heat and makes water hot
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Solar cells convert the light into electricity, using photoelectric effect.
Solar hot water uses the light to heat up water, i.e. no electricity is involved at that stage.
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sOLAR HOT WATER PANEL uses water pumped through black pipes in the sunlight to heat up water.
The black absorbs the heat from the sun and heats the water.
A Solar Cell
uses the motion energy of the light motion energy is KINETIC ENERGY.
THE light makes electrons in the metal of the solar cell to break free and flow on the very top of the metal just under the metal surface.
this makes it create a voltage. More light hitting the cells more voltage created.
Hope that helps you understand.
References :
Solar cells are what is called photovoltaic, which means they convert the energy in light into electricity. Solar water panels do not work with light but with the heat of the suns rays and they do not convert that energy, they merely trap and store that heat energy in water.
You can run a light bulb off a solar cell, you can’t off a hot water panel.
Any help?
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Please, someone correct me if I am wrong.
I believe a "solar hot water panel" is a form of heating water from solar energy.
This is normally done using a black reservoir tank that is placed in direct sunlight.
Black materials tend to absorb more heat than other colour materials so therefore this is used to heat water.
In camping shops like millets you can by solar showers that work in the same manner, they are black material bags that you fill with water and leave in the sun – Wait a few hours then hang it from a tree and you have a hot-ish shower.
Solar panels on the other hand convert solar energy to electrical energy – Direct Current.
Being an electricain I have come into contact with a few of these, and from what I have heared, they are not that efficient in the applications that they are being applied to. For example solar panels used aboard a boat are quite usefull as a standard reliable electricity supply is not avaliable. Whereas people who put these panels on their roofs to reduce their energy bill…well…… the amount of electricity that they are saving is questionable, as the voltage and power output of solar panels is very small.
I have also heard from different sources that people who swear by solar panels are uneducated sheep, as apprently (not confirmed) that it would take a couple of hundred years for a solar panel to produce the same amount of energy that actually went into making it, transporting it – etc etc
Hope this helps,
Matty
References :
Electricain, Modern Science Tech manuals