Gold Seal Lesson:
Photovoltaic Generation Of Electricity

Copernicus Education Gateway

Subject:

Science

Grade:

9-12

ICLE Standards:

Science as Inquiry: Develop the abilities of scientific inquiry and prediction. Physical 

Science: Develop an understanding of photovoltaic and light focus systems. 

Statistics: Construct and draw inferences from charts, tables and graphs that summarize data.

Performance Task:

Engineers use photovoltaic cells to convert light into usable electricity. Various lenses and mirrors are used to amplify the light for more efficient electrical production. In this task, you will carry out some experimentation to see how various combinations of lenses and mirrors produce different results.

Using two photovoltaic cells, clip leads, round convex and concave lenses, Frensel lens, mirrors (flat, concave and convex) and aluminum foil, build five combinations of solar collectors and measure the resulting voltages with a voltmeter. Try various combinations to get the highest possible voltages. Measure and compare the voltage produced by one cell and by two cells. Make a data table describing the data from each collector and show the voltages obtained from the combinations made with the voltage from the cells alone. Have a column in your table showing how much each combination increased (or decreased) the voltage from the plain cells.

Make a bar graph to illustrate your data, showing the voltage from the cells alone and showing the results of your five light collecting combinations. Use your graphs to predict voltages you might obtain with three, four and five cells.

Using the data and understandings obtained in this series of experiments, speculate why industry is or isn't using electricity from photovoltaic cells in commercial applications.

Knowledge / Skills:

Know and apply the principles of scientific inquiry.  (s114)

Make observations of the local environment using senses and instruments. Inferences and interpretations are arrived at based on observations. Classify observable properties and organize observations in a meaningful and logical way.  (s5)

Exhibit good data management skills by collecting, organizing, and graphing data.  (s19)

Identify types of energy (e.g., heat, light, and electricity) and know how to apply measurements of energy (e.g., the calorie, and thermometry).  (s55)

Understand the concepts of reflection (images formed in plane, concave, and convex mirrors) and refraction (images formed through converging and diverging lenses).  (s80)

Rubric:

4 Points  =  The student independently completes all parts of the task. He/she produces five functional light collectors, correctly measures and records voltages in a clear and organized manner, constructs a legible and complete graph and makes logical predictions from collected data. The student demonstrates a full understanding of the concepts involved.

3 Points  =  The student needs some coaching to complete all parts of the task. He/she does not complete all five collectors, shows a lack of skill in measuring and recording voltages, has difficulty with producing a graph and has difficulty making logical predictions based on observed data. The student does not have a full understanding of the concepts involved.

2 Points  =  The student relied heavily on others for support in carrying out the experimentation. He/she makes collectors with little thought or planning, does not accurately measure or record voltages, makes a graph which has little meaning and makes predictions not logically based on observed data. The student appears to have gained little from the task and demonstrates little understanding of the concepts involved.=

1 Point  =  The student does not complete the task and shows no observable understanding of the concepts involved. His/her work is disorganized, incomplete and inaccurate. No graph is produced and no predictions based on data are made.

Keywords:

PHYSICS
LIGHT
OPTICS
DATA COLLECTION
DATA DISPLAY
PREDICTION

CHEMISTRY
LAB EXPERIMENTS                
EARTH SCIENCE
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Grades:

Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [X] - 10 [X] - 11 [X] - 12 [X]

ICLE Application:

D

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