What is Solar Energy?
Solar energy is transmitted to the earth in portions of energy called photons, which interact with the earth's atmosphere and surface. It takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for the sun's energy to reach the earth - this solar energy comes from within the sun itself.
The sun is one big ball of gasses - mostly helium and hydrogen. When the hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, it generates energy. This process is called nuclear fusion. The sun radiates an enormous amount of energy every day, more than what people can use.
Solar energy is captured and stored in Photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic comes from the words Photo, meaning light and Volt, meaning electricity. Photovoltaic cells are called PV cells or solar cells for short. Solar electric cells are made up of something called silicon. These cells have positive layers and negative layers, when charged with the sun an electric field are form between the positive and negative layers.
If a copper wire is connected between the positive layer and the negative layer, free electrons are pushed into the negative layer. This flow of electrons is called electrical current, which can run a calculator or other electrical devices. Multiple cells are connected together to form a solar energy panel.
Solar energy is stored as DC (direct current). A DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current) converter is connected to the solar panel to convert the solar energy to alternating current. Direct current is a one-way flow of charge through an electrical conductor. Current is caused by a flow of negatively charged electrons along a metallic conductor.
Alternating current is electric current which repeatedly changes polarity from negative to positive and back again. The most commonly used form of alternating current does so in a sine wave pattern.
All house appliances for example - fridges, stoves and kitchenware as well as office equipment works with alternating current.
About the author: Dave Richard's has publish renewable energy articles for the past few years and offers tips on wind and solar energy. View my latest articles at HomeElect.com You have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged.
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