5th Grade Solar Power Science Project

The Concept

• The project will measure which angle of light produces the most solar energy. An introduction to the experiment should include information on how the angle of the sun changes throughout the day as the earth rotates. As a result, users of solar panels must know which angle is the best to achieve the most energy from the sun. Make sure everyone involved in the experiment makes a hypothesis.

Experiment Design

• It is important to teach the 5th grade class the difference between constants in the experiment, which do not change, and the variables, which are manipulated. In this experiment the variable is the angle of the light. The constants include the intensity of the light, the size of the cell and the manner in which the results are achieved.

Completing the Experiment

• Place the flashlight or other white light source on a table. Put the solar panel on the music stand and make sure it is level with the beam of light by raising or lowering the stem of the stand. Attach the solar cell to the multimeter. The red wire should connect to the red probe and the black wire to the black probe. Change the angle of the cell to the light in specific increments, using the protractor to set the angle correctly. Record the amount of energy produced at each angle.

The Conclusion

• The light source should have produced the most solar energy when the beam and the cell were at 90 degree angles. All of the students involved should determine if their hypotheses were acceptable. They should explain the reasons behind the results, suggesting that the intensity of light is the greatest at the most direct angle. The teacher can give some background on how solar panels are used in homes and other industrial applications.