Principle

With the aid of a solar cell, solar energy can be converted into electrical energy. This is a very important form of energy, not only for the household but also for industrial applications, since it can be easily converted into other forms of energy, e.g. heat, light, or mechanical energy (motion). In this experiment, a small electric motor is driven by a solar battery. The experiment consists of two parts. In the first part, the electric power and work are measured simultaneously at different light intensities in order to demonstrate the relationship between the two quantities and to evaluate it in a quantitative manner. At high light intensities and long lighting periods, the solar cells heat up and their power decreases. This effect can be demonstrated in the second part of the experiment.