1 class periods of 45 minutes each
Pairs
New ...pdf. update in January 2012. This is an update of the original TLC module (now CTE Intro) using the original parts in a modified form to protect them. Included on page 14 of the updated PDF are sources for building your own. Students will identify uses of photovoltaic solar cells in our society today. Students will discover the potential of solar cells by using them to produce electricity in different applications. Students will make observations and measurements.
Teachers will need the original parts to the Solarex Photovoltaic Demonstration Kit or they will need to order parts from other suggested vendors which are on page 14 -15 of the Teacher Resources. The information on how the original parts were converted are found in the Teacher Resources PDF file. To convert the original kit into a lasting module, a sheet of Kortron and T-mold for the box and some Radio Shack switches were used.
In the Spring of 1994, when it was learned that the parts for the Solarex photovoltaic demonstration kit were not going to be readily available anymore, the technology teachers in the Weber School District decided that a way was needed to protect the components. The connecting wires in the original kit were the most frustrating as they were constantly broken. It was decided to take the original components and have them mounted and hard wired. We came up with a modification that has worked quite well. The images on this document come from a variety of sources. They are either public domain, royalty fee, created by the author, or used by arrangement with the copyright holders. No permission is granted for the copying or re-use of any images used in this document, copyrighted or otherwise. Alternative Energy - Photovoltaics© Mike Breen - Author of document. USOE has purchased rights to the document which gives individual teachers within the state of Utah rights to print this document for use in their classes.
They need to be able to read, write, and be able to do some arithmetic.
Students will identify uses of photovoltaic solar cells in our society today. Students will discover the potential of solar cells by using them to produce electricity in different applications. Students will make observations and measurements.
Students will need to read the booklet and answer questions as they do the activity. Students will need to perform the experiments that are required to answer the questions. The teacher needs to have the photovoltaic demonstrator out for students and ready for use.
The student will complete a worksheet, and perform the experiments with photovoltaic cells. They will take measurements of amperage and voltage.
Barclay, N. Airman 1st Class, U. S. Airforce (Photographer) (October 10, 2007). 70,000 Solar panels await activation. [ Photograph] Inside Nellis AFB. Nellis airforce base department of public affairs. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from http://www.nellis.af.mil/ shared/media/photodb/photos/071009-F-0136B-001.jpg Bureau of labor statistics, U.S. Department of labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Engineers, Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm Bureau of labor statistics, U.S. Department of labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-03 Edition, Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers, Retrieved October 15, 2002 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos227.htm Careeronestop, U.S. department of labor, Electronics engineers, except computer, America's career infonet, 2010 statistics, Retrieved January 14, 2012 from http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_ rep.asp?next=occ_rep&Level=&optstatus=010110000&jobfam=17&id=1&nodeid=2&socco de=172072&stfips=49&x=38&y=9 Harms, H., & Swernofsky, N., (1999). Electricity and electronics, Technology interactions. pp. 208-307. New York, New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Glynn, M. (September 16, 2010). Looking for U.S. to step up on solar. The Buffalo News. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from http://www.solarliberty.com/news/37-looking-for-us-to-step-up-on- solar.html Gretz, W. (Photographer) (July 1, 1999) Dangling rope marina, lake powell, Utah. [Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved October 26, 2002, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/08056.jpg Gretz, W. (Photographer) (June 23, 1998) Installation of PV shingles at the Outdoor Test Facility (OTF) [Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved March 11, 2006, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/06286.jpg Gretz, W. (Photographer) (May 8, 2002) Walkway lights at NREL. [Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved October 10, 2003, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/11106.jpg Grubitzsch, W. (Dec. 5, 2011) Solar Energy. The New York Times, Retrieved December 15, 2012 from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/solar-energy/index.html Richard, J. 2nd Lt., U.S. Airforce (October 10, 2007). Solar panels connect to base electric grid Inside Nellis AFB. Nellis airforce base department of public affairs. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from http://www.nellis.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123071269 NASA (September 11, 2000) S106-E-5116: This view of the international space station was taken while it was docked with the space shuttle atlantis [Photograph] National aeronautics & space administration. Human space flight. STS-106 shuttle mission imagery. Retrieved December 28, 2011 from http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-106/ hires/s106e5116.jpg Ovonic, U. S. (November 2, 2004) FLX flexible PV panels.[Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved January 15, 2012, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/13568.jpg Thode, B., Thode, T. (2002) Technology in Action. (p287.). Peoria: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Paltera, S. (Photographer) (May 12, 2005) The 2003 American solar challenge. [Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved December 12, 2011, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/13907.jpg Williamson, R. (Photographer) (March 1, 2000) Rooftop PV system on the Zion visitor center. [Photograph] National renewable energy laboratory photographic information exchange. Retrieved October 26, 2002, from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/09227.jpg U.S. Department of Energy, Turning sunlight into electricity. [MPEG or Quick Time Movie] Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Solar Energy Technologies Program: Solar Multimedia Presentations., Retrieved March 10, 2006, from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/multimedia.html Utah Vocational Core Curriculum. (1986). Photovoltaics. Salt Lake City: Utah State Office of Education Utah Vocational Core Curriculum. (1992). Photovoltaics. Salt Lake City: Utah State Office of Education