Although the manufacture of solar panels is done in a strict quality controlled environment, for experimental purposes you can build your own solar panel to see how the sun's energy can be converted to electricity. While the most efficient panels are made with silicon, you can build your own solar panel by using cuprous oxide, a material known to cause light to be turned into electricity. You probably cannot go into a store an buy cuprous oxide but you can duplicate it on a thin sheet of copper.
You'll need about one square foot of thin copper plate, 2 alligator clips and short leads of wire, a wide mouth glass jar, tap water and salt. The utilization of a voltmeter, capable of measuring intensely tiny quantity of electricity will be wanted to see the final result. To build your own solar cell you'll need an electrical stove or hot plate on which to heat the copper sheeting. Place the copper sheet on the burner and turn it on high and let it sit there for approximately 30 mins.
As it heats, you see the plate turn colours and the heat will show the outline of the heating coil beneath the plate. As it becomes warmer it'll start to turn dark till the whole sheet has a black coating. After the whole sheet is black, turn off the burner and let it sit to cool down for roughly twenty mins. As it cools the black cuprous oxide coating will start to pop off the sheet, leaving a thins coating of red on the copper. This red coating is wanted to build your own solar energy panel, and while the bulk of the black can be rinsed off under running water, it shouldn't be brushed clean.
Using the alligator clips, connect the copper sheet to one the apex of one side of the glass jar. Attach another clean copper sheet to the opposite side of the jar. Mix about 2 large spoons of salt into hot tap water, ensuring it melts and then pour it into the jar. Watch out the water doesn't get on the alligator clips. The 2 copper sheets should be under water with approximately one in. left exposed at the apex of the vehicle to build your own solar energy panel.
Thoroughly place the whole contraption in the daylight, either in front of a window or carry it outside and reveal it to the sun. Using the voltmeter connect the leads to the 2 alligator and you can see the meter indicate the little quantity of power being generated by daylight, establishing you managed to build your own solar panel.
You'll need about one square foot of thin copper plate, 2 alligator clips and short leads of wire, a wide mouth glass jar, tap water and salt. The utilization of a voltmeter, capable of measuring intensely tiny quantity of electricity will be wanted to see the final result. To build your own solar cell you'll need an electrical stove or hot plate on which to heat the copper sheeting. Place the copper sheet on the burner and turn it on high and let it sit there for approximately 30 mins.
As it heats, you see the plate turn colours and the heat will show the outline of the heating coil beneath the plate. As it becomes warmer it'll start to turn dark till the whole sheet has a black coating. After the whole sheet is black, turn off the burner and let it sit to cool down for roughly twenty mins. As it cools the black cuprous oxide coating will start to pop off the sheet, leaving a thins coating of red on the copper. This red coating is wanted to build your own solar energy panel, and while the bulk of the black can be rinsed off under running water, it shouldn't be brushed clean.
Using the alligator clips, connect the copper sheet to one the apex of one side of the glass jar. Attach another clean copper sheet to the opposite side of the jar. Mix about 2 large spoons of salt into hot tap water, ensuring it melts and then pour it into the jar. Watch out the water doesn't get on the alligator clips. The 2 copper sheets should be under water with approximately one in. left exposed at the apex of the vehicle to build your own solar energy panel.
Thoroughly place the whole contraption in the daylight, either in front of a window or carry it outside and reveal it to the sun. Using the voltmeter connect the leads to the 2 alligator and you can see the meter indicate the little quantity of power being generated by daylight, establishing you managed to build your own solar panel.
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