How Do Solar Panels Work? (Physics of Solar Cells)
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- People say that solar power is the future of renewable energy, but how do solar panels work anyway? Join us as we explore the world of semiconductors using chemistry. brilliant.org/ScienceAsylum
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#RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #SolarPanels - Наука та технологія
Anyone whose looking for more videos on global warming, climate change, and/or renewable energy, I can't recommend PBS Hot Mess enough. One of the hosts is a friend of mine and she really knows her stuff: ua-cam.com/users/hotmesspbs
Theoretically if you consider the multiverse, would we share a spacetime with these other universes? Like theres just gaps of matter between them, right? But there still on the same spacetime. if not then what would be between them? Would this be like non existence? If you fly a spacecraft into the void between universe's would it just cease to exist? Or would time move extremely fast since there is soo little gravitational effects? It would be cool to do a video depicting the multiverse realistically, It would be interesting to see how you would put this. some of this gets me, like when u here physicist say spacetime is created in the big bang, but that tells me that spacetime doesnt exist between universe's for the multiverse theory meaning if you try to leave the universe you cease to exist?
Ps. Sorry about the way this is asked it can be tricky wording these types of questions while maintaining the point, hope it makes as much sense as you make physics lol
Can you please explain to us about string theory? Please educate us
What happens when all the phosphorous doped silicon's electrons have all moved to the boron doped silicon? Will the cell stop working?
I have a question, I was looking at a video where some guy measures the speed of light using a microwave and a bar of chocolate, and the bar of chocolate only melted in certain places (there where melted stripes on it) explaining that those stripes where the peaks of the waves of light that heat up the chocolate. I was wondering, if those stripes on the chocolate are the probability waves where you are most likely to find photons.
So my question is, are light waves the probability waves of photons?
Alam, if they _all_ moved over, it wouldn't be very useful. Luckily, the transfer stops long before then because of the depletion layer.
fun fact : solar power is actually a nuclear power from safe distance
Fun fact: fossil fuel is fusion power from sun stored in dense form and ready to use
sad fact: carbon is gonna kill us all if we didn't stop using fossil fuel
@@NourAhmed-go5jo more sad fact: production of solar panel and battery gives more toxic waste than burning amount of fossil fuel producing same amount of energy that solar panel makes during it lifetime. And there is toxic waste when panel is disposed. But there is good side: all this solar power garbage made in China. You don't care about those people. Right?
Андрей Кравчук but we can't relay on fossil fuel for long...right?we have to use alternate energy source in future no matter how toxic it is
Андрей Кравчук U-235 and Pu-239 is a power stored from hypernova in denser form and ready to use.
This channel really does have THE best balance between entertainment and information!
infotainment ?
Meh. The information is probably the best in its class on UA-cam. However, the "I'm so crazy" shtick is juvenile and distracting. On one hand, it might captivate younger people (which may be the target audience) but on the other hand, it is a bad influence on current young minds that think it is so awesome to be "crazy." I saw this a whole lot in undergrad, even some professors, decades ago. Many were hiding their fragile egos behind a "crazy" mask. Now, it is really sad because of all of the young people believing that they are cool because they are "crazy" then actually end up on a medication and hospitalization treadmill later due to their messed up choices. The guy can be entertaining enough with his interesting personality without all of the potential collateral damage to some young people from the "crazy" rubbish. Kids emulate those they admire. Many of them are already marinated in social media telling them that crazy is cool. This adds to that negative influence. He might as well be smoking a joint or drinking alcohol and talking about how it's okay to be stoned while doing these videos; same idea, different negative influence.
I cringe watching his "crazy is okay" nonsense. It isn't okay. It's damaging to young minds. It's okay to be different and think differently, and that can be a source of world changing ideas But, if someone is genuinely "crazy", as opposed to acting like a fool, then they need to seek serious professional help. I really hope that he doesn't believe this "crazy" persona he uses here on UA-cam. It's like the person that just tries too hard to be liked. They are masking fragile egos. Aware intelligent people cringe and pity them. (No offense, Science Asylum, as your information is outstanding and you obviously are a very knowledgeable person. I assume the "crazy" is an act for the videos.) It is very distracting.
@@hansoak3664 Hans, you need to chill.
Watch electroBoom too
@@hansoak3664 64 Big Oil Tycoons watched this video (64 dislikes). lol
As someone who has studied renewable energy in university, i must say that this video is a very good explanation in such a short amount of time. Awesome video as always, keep up the good work.
Sounds more like the "Chemistry" of Solar cells, discussing more of the elements and the periodic table.
There are multiple ways to harness solar power. Solar PV is just one of them.
The Physics of solar PVs is the Photoelectric effect and the electromagnetic spectrum.
You discussed anti-reflective coatings substantially without stating you have to select a wavelength range infrared, visible, UV, etc. After that, you will be able to tell which wavelengths solar PVs are converting which I think is important to know about solar power PV.
7:06 You made it sound that DC is inferior and besides it is out of topic. It is a long video by itself (inverters).
7:16 Energy storage is a video by itself and is out of topic. I haven't heard of energy company using capacitors.
@@zodiacfml I don't think they're out of topic, just out of scope of the video. they're about issues that someone might reasonably ask, so Nick's just pointing out that there are solutions.
yes i would have liked to find out some other methods of harnessing solar energy. are the solar cell the most commonly used today? that would explain why he limited the discussion to them.
@@zodiacfml (Super)capacitors are used in hybrid cars and also in inverters for solar panels as a relatively short time storage device.
No it's not u douche what about the two types of so called solar cells. Some photovaic the rest thermoneuclaic hello the good ones function from heat change created by the drumroll please sunlight ta-da no matter what temp the air is sunlight hits it and it's warmer than the shaded underside hello a damn toaster well the wire in the toaster........send power to it it gets hot get it hot and create power it will lmfao 7 th grade education n smoke the so called pros spending years studying the same book of lies lmfao. Magnifying glass ants intense heat idk but you sure as fuck should.
@@zodiacfml nice how about thermoneuclaic solar cells Wich all roof mounts are or send DC volt to a pv cell n it lights up. It's just a super ineffecient led. Filters are so u n I don't see it glow as it's cooling before a so called diaode shuts the contact off till it's warm enough to jump the gap same as every led ever produced each have min forward voltage
Never seen such a detailed explanation on this. This is wayy simpler than I expected it to be. Thank you
You've got my 11 year old ENTHRALLED with science! I imagine he's not the only one. Thanks Nick!
That's wonderful!
cool
awesome
@@athenjenner589 who are you saying cool you don't no nuthing
@@lilahjenner7127 ??
Wow. Never had someone explain semi-conductor in such an intuitive way. I knew already what a semiconductor was basically from school but it didn't quite made sense how the silicon interacted with the doped elements.
Bravo! The pace, humor, graphics/animation, and level of detail is a pleasure to watch and learn. I love how you stayed on target and answered the question. You have set the bar very high, thank you.
Thank you Nick for yet another fun and informative video. I have been reading through the comments and questions and, as always, am impressed with the generosity you show in taking so much time to respond personally to so many of them. Like all your fans, I just don’t understand why you don’t have more subscribers!??? You channel is first rate and you are a natural born teacher.
I would like to share my first experience with photovoltaic power: My father bought me an eleven cell solar panel way back in the 70’s when these things were beginning to become available to mere mortals. It came with a small water pump. I put the pump in a bucket full of water and hooked up the leads to the two terminals on the back of the panel. I will never forget the thrill when the water suddenly began to fountain out of that little pump- light converted instantly into motion; it was like magic!
Thanks for the story :-)
Nick, I love your channel bro! Your quirky personality and ability to explain complex scientific concepts in a simple manner is the perfect combo. I appreciate the manner in which you strive to debunk common misconceptions especially concerning Quantum Theory!
Thanks. You did a GREAT job of explaining the functioning of the solar cell. I VERY much appreciated the use of the Periodic Table to explain the choice of doping chemicals. Thanks again.
Thanks! 🤓
I wish there were more people like you teaching like this. I'm almost 27 and im still learning new stuff each day, and science is the most intriguing out there.
ya your right but i'm 12 not 27😂
Thanks, Nick. This was hugely informative and entertaining. By the way, Veritasium has a great video on how semiconductors work, in detail.
Lots of animation in this video. You're putting more and more effort into this! Keep it up.
This chanel is a beacon of light in this world full of darkness
xx xx It stands out like a shaft of gold when all around is dark.
Thanks for making such deep videos with so much clarity (and fun). Really shows us the guts of stuff.
You keep on putting out these amazing episodes! As fun, as they are funny, as they are educational!
Watched many videos of solar panels but this one is the best.
It explains everything in detail.
I work in photovoltaic industry and this was nice to watch. You have one new subscriber.
Salutes.
I wait desperately for ur videos
I am a simple person.
I see notification from The Science Asylum, I click.
No, it seems you are a very smart person to click Nick🙂
mmmhmmmmm...so true!
Ha, i thought i knew how they work, but only now i know!
That P and B in Si explaination for N and P type semi, i never thougt it cán be explained só understandable and clear ánd nice!
You are the best possible teacher, no doubt about that..
Ís thát á hungárian díálect?
Great work as always, love it!
Thanks for making such amazing content. U dont even know how much iv learnt from these videos alone. Never stop
This was such a fantastic explanation. I'm actually shocked at how good it was. You're doing a hell of a job with this. Thank you!
as someone who'd actually done some research with semiconductor, I can say that this video is an excellent explanation.
especially with the solar power clone joke
One more great video I have watched all your videos literally all and I think this is one of the best
What an informative yet fun video about solar cells, like all your other videos! Thanks very much for sharing!
Your explanation of how the two silicon layers work was perfect. Great detail. Great animations. I finally get it. :)
Hey I like these "how the heck that works", concept.....keep the get work......learned a lot....🤘🤘
You may be a dork with your happy little conductors, but you're a Physics Dork! Wear it with pride!
I looked really hard. I mean really, really hard. I could not find the dork. Is this one of those trick visual / optical delusions?
Just found you today, dude, and have been binging all day. Never stop! You have a great gift.
Same here bro
Another well explained video! I'd love to hear your take on some of the big limitations facing solar technology, as well as a run down of other renewables.
That's not really my area of expertise. See the pinned comment for more information.
Such a clear explanation. Keep up the great work!
"Now you are playing with power , SOLAR power!"
Knife party?
My solar panels have Blast Processing.
entertaining and engaging without compromising the quality of the material. thanks for this video.
Your videos were the thing that kept me from getting bored in the the hospital after an irate bee showed me I had a significant anaphylaxic reaction to them... I don’t know where (or apparently when) to thank you for that but thank you. I just put on one of your playlists... calmed me down more than ERB or Cinemasins. Guess when science is applied on me I like learning ‘bout science.
That's wonderful to hear. Glad I could help! :-)
Thanks. Please make more videos like this. Best UA-cam channel.
Good one! I see the light 💡!
You would make an excellent teacher if I may say so. You’ve got a gift for explaining things in an easily understandable way
I could watch your channel all day, you crazy person. Keep it up!
Great video!
Thanks for adding captions.
Always.
@@ScienceAsylum Would you like some french captions?
thank you for creating and sharing the video, I appreciate it.
Your quirkiness compliments your videos big time! Either way I dig your videos, if you do this all on your own you are a master! Anyway just thought I would let you know again we love your videos, keep them up.
Thanks! I do work alone. It’s so much work!
@@ScienceAsylum That's crazy! hehe,
With solar power the sun is always up! 🙂
Until night comes that is.
with nuclear power, we don't need the sun. or fossil. or bio. or wind.
Keep up the good work man!
2nd
The discussion based directly on the structure of the table of elements at 4:26 in the video is very good. Most other videos just gloss over the details of why Phosphorus and Boron are chosen as the doping atoms.
Glad you appreciate it 🤓
Brilliantly done. Loved it.
Great explanation. I wish you had also explained why solar cell efficiency drops off when they get too (temperature) warm. I feel like that would have fit in nicely here.
I am not sure whether it's correct or not , but maybe I can try! So, Phosphorus is added so that we have some free electrons which can take up some energy and get excited and when the plate of boron silicon is placed since, there is a need of 1 electron for completing it's octet,The electrons flow in a rush! But isn't it that a electron needs energy in discrete packets that is you have to give right amount of energy to let the electron take it;! If you give more it passes, if you give less it passes too;! So maybe giving too much of energy, drops it's efficiency!
I really love this video, so energetic that makes me study easier !
This was great Nick ! Thank you
Dude, You’re amazing. You simplify the Complicated!
2:29 but we need to prevent reflection, (which is still taking place) and a part of incident radiation is lost because of interference.
I.e.
How interference solves reflection problem?
Been using solar charging my series of batteries over a year now, I'm telling you, it's worth it
This really gives you that satisfaction of deep diving, into how things work.
Nicely done. I’ll watch it again until I fully understand that doping and charge movement stuff
Thanking you
You deserve million subscribers
Happy New Year, Nick! 😀
Happy New Year to you too!
I love your videos! You are so clear and funny, good job!
I really like how he doesn't dumb things too much down but also manages the content to keep being easily understanable
Man your videos are lit ☀ ☀ ☀
Great video Nick, thanks for sharing.
One of your best. Great vid. Script was great. Well done
I love ur vids they are so easy to understand
We are just one step away from explaining how the transistor works. I'm not sure if this is a topic that would be interesting to other subscribers.
It's a faucet with an attached pixie, right? When electricty strikes the pixie, it tries to escape and the faucet is open, when it doesn't it goes back to rest position and the faucet is closed again. Pretty sure that's how it works.
I don’t know what that is but I’m interested
I will never look at solar panels the same, this video has provided me with so much detail and knowledge that I comprehend and no, I won't look at them the same anymore, I will look and understand them
Hey. This is the best explanation of how solar panels work I have found on UA-cam. Thank you. It really helped.
Glad I could help 🙂
Clicked the video so fast!
Hahaaa, a Solar power clone: 30%.. how did he find every jewel in al these video's, and it is (of makes it) clear as no other!! Oh how i enjoy and love learning this way!!
What does the solar powered clone represent in the video?
Awesome explanation!! Love the content and the information. Thank you!
This was the best explanation so far that I've found on UA-cam
A photon has the same kinetic energy as an ionized electron! Let that sink in...
that is because of electeon flood theory.
a photon is 1837 electrons and a neutron has 1838. everywhere is electrons.
solar panels have supplied 97% of my electric power in my rv for 2 yrs - works Great
This was extremely informative. Thanks!
A brilliant, detailed video, and some great humour holds your attention when things get a bit deep!
Great video Nick! Maybe you should do nuclear energy too, especially the Thorium reactor stuff that got a lot of attention a couple years ago.
Thorium is so 2018! Go solar, go!
Also be careful what you wish for because he may blow your dreams into pieces. Thorium doesn't work.
@@LuisAldamiz why is that?
@@MrMineHeads. - We would for a fact if it'd work: someone would have already made it. Nobody has, not even North Koroa!
You're lame, but your clones are awesome.
Just kidding. 😂
Also, can you make a low energy pessimistic clone? I think it would be a funny contrast, since all clones are so high energy.
The best video on the topic! Thank you!
Good job you are doing here.Keep us informed.👏🏽
We always have to be careful about "green" energy. As in what's the carbon footprint on the materials used... mining & transportation & processing. Particularly with green "batteries". I was an early adopter of CFL bulbs. Despite what they claimed the early bulbs burnt out like crazy. Meaning I had to buy more... resulting in more transport and manufacturing costs. Then I realized instant on meant up to 2 seconds for the light to work... dangerous on a staircase. And then the news about mercury in the bulbs hit. Dangerous if they break and toxic for disposal. Expensive to produce and decommission. So now I really wonder if they're actually way worse for the environment than regular old bulbs. Like batteries for solar power storage and "green" vehicles that are likely to cause a huge toxic waste issue in the near future. I've heard about solar being the answer my whole life and there are a lot of good reasons why it's still relatively rare and extremely expensive. Despite all the yearly "breakthroughs " they have over the last 5 decades. I wish green tech wasn't such a marketing scam. They need to be honest about the environmental issues they have.
Extremely expensive? It's literally cheaper than the fuel for a a coal power plant in many areas. Cities around the USA are going pure solar because it's the cheapest source of power, even in areas with access to cheap fossil fuel. And this is all ignoring the externalized costs of coal pollution, both mining and burning. Even "clean" coal power plants release plenty of toxins.
The only cost effective fossil fuel is natural gas, but that has its own set of practical issues limiting its mass scale use.
@@BenjaminCronce I'm in western Canada. I priced out solar for my cabin by a lake. A summer cabin when it's warm and extremely sunny. The solar company calculator estimated a full system would pay for itself in 60+ years. And that was based on year round usage so it would be significantly expensive and pay itself in say 300 years. So yep... expensive in the extreme. If you live in a dessert with no local power lines and huge government subsidies then it might be affordable. But solar at the moment, like wind, is way more expensive than alternatives here. We have huge wind farms but their electricity is still double the price. Only government incentives and subsidies makes it at all practical. Of all the houses in the USA about what percent use solar power? I heard Elon Musk's solar roof panels are about $100,000. USD per home. Is that cheap? What about the batteries ? How many years before they need to be replaced and how clean are they? I agree we need to pursue the tech but let's not kid ourselves. There is a reason it's not everywhere yet. And I'm not sure where you get your coal but it's dirt cheap here. And they say there is enough in Alberta to fuel all of North America for 650 years. Not that we want to lol since it is clearly not good for the environment. We also have vast amounts of natural gas, hydro electric and nuclear power in Canada. But every type has some big environmental issue. I'm all for clean energy. I just want the drawbacks clearly stated so people know that even solar isn't perfect. It all comes with a hit to the environment. Those hundreds of wind turbines I drive by... yes hundreds aren't made of fairy dust. They have a huge manufacturing and maintenance footprint and are apparently bad for our bat friends.
@@cgaccount3669
I priced out a rooftop solar PV panel system in Canada ten years ago with a vendor and it would have cost me $60,000 and pay itself back in 12 years. It should be much cheaper now (half?) and payback should be faster in a sunny place like Alberta (along with today’s increased utility costs), But maybe your cabin is in less sunny BC. If you use it for just a few months of the year, the payback time could well be much longer for your system but it will also have a much longer life to amortize over, which means it comes out the same in the wash except for interest costs. You might have to pay a minimum for year-round hook up to the utility system. I need to pay about $80 each month for the 6 months that I don't use my cabin each year. That might be almost the same cost as a panel system that lasts twice as long as expected. I can't choose this option because my cabin roof is almost entirely shaded by trees. I can't go entirely off-grid at home.
Wind turbines probably make more sense for Alberta utilities than solar PV. Rooftop solar PV is still a bit expensive but utility solar PV (not rooftop) is cheaper than coal, gas, hydro or nuclear or any other option in most places except for wind turbines, and energy storage is becoming a negligible added cost. Geothermal is actually the cheapest where it’s available. At the rate solar PV and energy storage are still falling in cost they will be well below any other option in cost in the early 2020s probably everywhere. Solar PV is even making inroads in Alaska now.
Coal isn’t an option to consider because of its extreme negative health effects, never mind its extreme negative climate effects. Unless you can gasify it and sequester the bad stuff.
Wind turbine manufacturing cost is a onetime cost paid back in 5 to 8 years. They don’t need much maintenance either since they aren’t subjected to high heat but solar PV is better (no moving parts). I would not worry too much about wind turbines and bats given the number incinerated by fossil fuel chimneys (birds too). Besides all the insect populations are crashing because of climate change so fewer bats and birds will be needed, or they will starve.
@@cloudpoint0 I'll have to check the prices again as I priced out solar in about 2001. I'm still skeptical about solar and wind power payback times. My evidence is how little you see it in reality... how many friends and coworkers do you know using solar? It's still not nearly as common as dreamers wish. And again... marketing hype and outright exaggeration by people that want our money. Prices are dropping fast... I've heard since 1970 when as a child I did a school report on solar... the panels that were going to be everywhere... as common as flying cars and moon bases. I for example went totally LED for lighting to save power. The boxes claim I'll save a fortune on my power bill. But I know it's a huge exaggeration because the savings claimed by the dozens of LED lights I have will mean I pay less than nothing to light my house. I'll save more than my power bill is! Really marketing department??? Really? I want to cut my power usage but I know LED is not yet cost effective, But at least it's not quite as pricey as solar. For example 1 bathroom fixture I have uses 4 globe bulbs. $24 each for LED!!! But with government subsidy I got for $2 each. Still way more than the old 40 cent bulbs. I'd love to go solar or have a windmill in my yard. But do the companies that sell them mention the huge bill you get for replacement batteries every few years? Replacement generators? The energy used to create their green tech? Trucking, mining, plastics, metal processing etc? Those high costs for these systems are due to the high and very un green downstream manufacturing processes that you might find their marketing fails to mention. It's like a city being green with their recycling program failing to mention the plastic they collect gets trucked thousands of miles and is shipped by boat to Chinese slums to be recycled. How green is it really? I just don't want the illusion of being green. That helps nobody and hurts industry that might actually be greener than the green alternative.
The mercury concerns were really overblown. They do contain mercury, but in the most minuscule amounts. I think some publications tried to spread fear about them for political reasons - there were plenty of articles about how Obama was going to force everyone to buy CFLs.
this is like free college
I found this to be one of your funniest vids while still being very informative. Finally subbed.
Thanks for explaining diodes in the process ;), Great video!
Solar cells were a bright idea
Ha!
You even got a like from Australia. That's the inverted one.
Very well done -- the complicated explained for the layman, which is always difficult to do.
Nice video nick. I loved it
thank you! Another great vid. As allways!
Thank you for the video. I'm still here, too - sometimes learning, often times trying to.
Bravo, Nick! 👏🏻
Keep up the excellent content.
?: Any plans to have Milton clones available on your merch site?
I hadn't thought of that...
Thank you, and happy new year! I *really* like these videos about electricity and magnetism as I'm studying EE
Happy New Year!
Excellent video! I learn so much from this channel!
Thanks for this episode I always wanted to know how does it work! ^.^
I haven’t even watch it and you have my like...again. It is going to be fun anyway, it is your signature Nick! Keep it on :)
Nick, please make a follow-up episode about the downsides to the "green power": deterioration of cells and why it happens, material weakness in turbines, deterioration of other materials involved (I think you did that for batteries, but didn't focus on that much), etc from the economy perspective. I know it's hard to make that kind of episode entertaining, but with you, I think it may be just possible.
Incredible well explain ,I love this video, Congratulations
This video is really good. I was looking for a video which would explain how solar panels work and it's very useful
Great video. Very well done again and many thanks.