Solar Panels Information For Kids

Many are familiar with so called photovoltaic cells or solar panels found on things like spacecraft rooftops and handheld calculators.

Solar panels information for kids.

A common misconception about solar panels is that they produce energy from the sun s heat. Solar panels get energy from the sun for people to use. We want to help parents explain solar power and the benefits of solar energy systems to their kids. Solar energy has been used by humans for a long time for uses such as heating cooking food removing salt from seawater and drying clothes.

Today solar cells are commonly used in small handheld devices like calculators and wrist watches. Solar energy is obtained from sunlight. These days it is also used to create electricity. Solar panels do not produce any carbon dioxide emissions when converting solar power into electricity.

Solar cells take advantage of a property of some materials known as the photovoltaic effect. A home solar panel system consists of several solar panels an inverter a battery a charge regulator wiring and support materials. Sunlight is absorbed by the solar panels and is converted to electricity by the installed system. The word photovoltaic comes from the word photons which are particles that make up sunlight as well as the word volts which is a measurement of electricity.

The photovoltaic effect is the tendency of certain materials to be excited by the photons in solar energy. Kids encyclopedia facts solar pv modules mounted on a flat roof. Solar energy for kids 6 13 16 the solar specialists at palmetto solar have found that when a family decides to install rooftop solar panels on their home their children understandably become interested in solar energy and solar power systems. Solar panels contain solar cells which are also known as photovoltaic cells.

But solar power also relies on us. The battery stores electricity that can be used at a later time like cloudy days or during the evening. Solar power can be used to create electricity in remote places where it might be very hard to get electricity through the national grid. Unlike a generator a solar panel is a solid state way of producing electricity meaning that it has no moving parts.

Find out the answers to these questions and more with our range of solar power facts and general information. Solar panels make renewable energy. Solar energy is plentiful free and renewable. Solar cells are also called photovoltaic cells.