Using sunlight to make electricity?
That's absurd!
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-solar-loss.html
Well, no. It has been proven in the passed century that light and electricity are directly related and share numerous properties. We can thank the great physicists of the late 19th and early 20th century. Among the most famous ones are Michael Faraday and James Maxwell. They are, in the most part, responsible for much of what we have today.
This is a famous photo, funny for those who understand it, that gives an idea behind the workings of Maxwell. The most basic forms of these equations will be covered in your physics 112 course.
There is still much work that needs to be done. The present stage of technology is still a baby, believe it or not. It's still amazing to see where we are at today, but the possibilities are endless.
Harnessing the power of sunlight will open up the doors to new technologies.
Wow! This is definitely overwhelming haha.
ReplyDeleteExcellent concept, almost like using a magnifying glass. To take photon energy from a large area and condense it to a smaller one will definitely reduce cost because the photovoltaic cells are expensive so it would take fewer. It would als help with cost because solar panels are fragile and often break easily.
ReplyDeleteKyle Green
Interesting topic....solar energy....definitely something positive for the future. Now we just need to eliminate the cost of solar panel materials somehow!
ReplyDeleteThat picture just blew my mind. Hopefully in physics 112 I'll be able to decipher that! I think that harnessing the sun's energy is a great way to keep society happy with our consumeristic mentally and also keep the world safer from harmful pollutants.
ReplyDeletePosted by: Morgan Derner
I love this topic. It's good to hear that progress is being made on the efficiency of producing solar power.
ReplyDeleteIn order to reduce the cost of engineering and constructing the equipment, we have to create a market for the products. It is simple supply and demand. If we demand a product its production will become cheaper and more efficient as private corporation compete to fill that demand.
Jessica Lang
Shandale McKay:
ReplyDeleteI found this article on solar power very interesting. I cant wait to see how much progress is made in technology in the future.
Wow that picture is very busy! I look forward to the day that I can simply look at it and immediately understand it! Haha! It would be so neat to be alive when and if using solar power as the main source of power is possible and successful!
ReplyDeleteWill we be learning all these formulas in physics 2?
ReplyDeleteThe article was very interesting especially on how far solar technology has improved.
ReplyDeleteKelsey Irvine:
ReplyDeleteGreat concept. I hope JU starts using more solar and eco friendly ideas like this.
Would it conserve more energy to use the sunlight to make electricity? If so this would be great for the earth and another form of "going green" that people could become a part of. By the way, I wish I could understand the picture to get a little laugh lol.
ReplyDeleteSolar energy for the school? That sounds like a great idea and a economical energy solution. While it may be expensive at first I believe that in the end it will pay for itself.
ReplyDelete-Matt Outlaw
A back-up system would be needed for sure to begin with, but do you think the school, or any building system this large could be run only off solar energy? (given enough time to develop the system and test it)
ReplyDelete-Matt Outlaw