Solar Science - How Solar Power Is Produced And How It Works

The sun is that source of energy, and it is responsible for almost all forms of power which we use in our everyday lives. The fossil fuels we use are stored energy from plants which grew in sunlight millions of years ago. Winds are generated from weather systems formed under the suns influence. Hydropower comes from free flowing water which wouldn't flow free without the sun's heat.

The sun is big - it forms about 99% of the matter in the solar system. It produces most the energy needed for life on earth today. The energy the earth receives from the sun is just a very tiny portion of the energy produced by it.

The sun is a star, astronomically speaking. Astronomers class it as a G2 - V star. The G2 portion of the classification means the sun is the second hottest type of star in the yellow star class. The V means the sun is a main sequence, or dwarf star.

The sun is located in the outer portion of the spiral of the galaxy we know commonly as the Milky Way. A glance at the sky at night during the summer months, when it is best seen, shows the reason for its name. The milky band across the sky is plainly visible under clear skies.

The sun delivers about 2 calories of pure solar energy per square minute per square centimeter to the earth's surface. A calorie is about 1/860 of a watt hour. The sun is a very reliable generator of energy as its output varies only .1%.

Solar energy is produced using a nuclear reaction called fusion. The sun is composed mostly of a gas called hydrogen. Because the sun is so large, the gravitational force it has is incredible. This gravitational force is great enough that hydrogen atoms - the basic component of the gas, are fused together. This compressive force forms the hydrogen into another gas called helium and releases a tremendous amount of energy in the process. It is this energy which races through space to the earth and other planets.

How Solar Energy Works
Harvesting this solar power efficiently to use is mankind's current challenge. One collection process which has been developed is called the solar cell. In this device, silicon has been manufactured in such a way to convert the sun's rays directly into electricity.

This electricity can then be used to power computers, motors, cars, fuel cells, and whatever else we decide to use. Solar power may be a very important source of our future power needs. A number of kits have been developed to aid the curious in their understanding of how solar power might be harnessed to power our devices. Using these kits, experiments may be performed using solar power to run motors and other devices. The solar heating power of the sun can be demonstrated by the solar bag. This is a long black plastic bag which rises like a hot air balloon on heat generated by the sun.