answersLogoWhite

0

A photon or light particle that comes from the sun has a certain amount of energy. Blue photons for example have an energy of 0.4 aJ. Red photons have half that energy.

If a photovoltaic cell is built, a certain energy band gap is chosen. If it is too large, a photon will not be absorbed, if it is too small, part of the energy is lost.

For instance if a photon of 0.4 aJ hits a solar cell of 0.3 aJ band gap, it will be absorbed and create an electron with energy 0.3 aJ. This gives an efficiency of 75%. If a 0.2 aJ photon hits this solar cell it will not be absorbed. Of the total energy of 0.6 aJ hitting the solar cell only 0.3 aJ is absorbed, a total efficiency of 50%.

The highest efficiencies are reach with solar cells that contain several layers with different (decreasing) band gaps.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

How can you increase the use of geothermal energy?

no it cant, because it is from the sun, and we cant control the suns heat


How various types of energy can be transformed?

Energy can be transformed from one form to another through processes like burning fuel to release chemical energy as heat, converting mechanical energy to electrical energy in a generator, and transforming solar energy into electrical energy through photovoltaic cells. These transformations follow the laws of thermodynamics, which dictate that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to another.


Why cant you produce electricity from em waves?

Actually you can. A photovoltaic cell (a.k.a. solar panel) does precisely that.


Can volcanoes erupt because of the suns heat?

no they cant, it erupts because of the build-up of pressure


What energy chance happens in your eyes in a light or dark environment?

Your eyes switch receptor cells from mostly cones to rods, which is why you cant see color in the dark.


What in plants make food but animals cant?

This is because chlorophyll in the plants allow them to absorb the suns energy and turn it into sugar through a process called photosynthesis. Animals do not contain chlorophyll within their bodies therefore they are not able to produce these sugars.


Why cant people with sickle cell do a lot of exercise?

Exercising cost lot of energy.So Oxygen requirement increase.People with sickle cells, do not have normal number of blood cells to carry Oxygen.So energy production would not be sufficient.


What can guard cells do that other epidermal cells cant?

they can save other chloraplasm


How do energy dies?

It cant


Could people live if they have no cells?

no they cant


Can anything made of cells be alive?

no they cant


How does the Suns heating of water in the tropics affect the rest of the world?

learn this answer because i cant find it and i need to know it. thank u