| | Category | EV | P21 | Comparing the Efficiencies of Solar and Wind Energy |
| | Abstract | The purpose of this experiment is to compare the efficiencies of solar and |
| | wind energy and to determine which form of energy is more efficient. This |
| | experiment also covered more extensive topics such as finding the time of |
| | day in which a solar cell delivers the most energy. The hypothesis that |
| | was formulated prior to experimentation states that if the efficiencies of |
| | solar and wind energy are compared, solar energy will be more efficient |
| | than wind energy. |
| | Two solar cells were purchased and charged in the sun for a set amount |
| | of time. After the solar cells were removed, they were connected to a |
| | digital multimeter to check the voltage (in millivolts) that was being put out |
| | and also the current (in microamperes) running through each cell at that |
| | point in time. Knowing these two values helped to determine the amount of |
| | power that was being put out as a result of the solar cells being charged |
| | which then allowed the efficiency of the solar cells to be calculated. |
| | A pinwheel was used to model a wind turbine absorbing wind to create |
| | wind energy. A hair dryer was used in this experiment to model wind |
| | blowing into a wind turbine. A pen was attached to the rear end of the |
| | wind turbine and the wind absorbed by the pinwheel raised the pen |
| | upward. The time in seconds it took for this to happen was recorded as |
| | well as the distance it raised. Through an extensive series of calculations, |
| | the efficiency of the wind turbine was also calculated. |
| | The results show that a solar cell is most efficient around 2:00 P.M. Also, |
| | while neither form of alternative energy is very efficient, solar energy is |
| | far more efficient than wind energy. This experimental outcome supported |
| | the hypothesis made, and solar energy is, in fact, more efficient than wind |
| | energy. |
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