Solar Cell — Questions and answers

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Who built the world's first true solar cell and what was it made of?

Choices

  1. Alexandre Becquerel, gold
  2. Charles Fritts, selenium coated with gold ✓
  3. An American inventor, silicon
  4. Fritts, an electrolytic cell

Answer: Charles Fritts, selenium coated with gold

From page 3

What did Albert Einstein explain about light in 1905 that helped solar cell development?

Choices

  1. Light is made of discrete energy packets called photons. ✓
  2. Light can heat up water.
  3. Light is a continuous wave.
  4. Light is a mystery that cannot be solved.

Answer: Light is made of discrete energy packets called photons.

From page 4

What significant breakthrough happened at Bell Laboratories in 1954?

Choices

  1. The invention of the first electric light bulb.
  2. The discovery of a new planet.
  3. The creation of the first silicon solar cell with 6% efficiency. ✓
  4. A new theory about how light works.

Answer: The creation of the first silicon solar cell with 6% efficiency.

From page 5

What is the "heart of the solar cell" and what does it do?

Choices

  1. The sun, it provides all the energy.
  2. The P-N junction, it creates an electric field to separate charges. ✓
  3. The gold layer, it makes the cell shine.
  4. The phosphorus, it attracts all the electrons.

Answer: The P-N junction, it creates an electric field to separate charges.

From page 6

What happens when sunlight hits a solar cell?

Choices

  1. The cell gets hot and melts.
  2. Photons transfer energy to electrons, freeing them to create an electric current. ✓
  3. The sunlight reflects off the cell, making it shiny.
  4. The cell stores the sunlight for later use.

Answer: Photons transfer energy to electrons, freeing them to create an electric current.

From page 7

What was the first major use for solar cells because they were so reliable?

Choices

  1. Powering homes on Earth.
  2. Lighting up streets in cities.
  3. Powering satellites and spacecraft in space. ✓
  4. Heating water for swimming pools.

Answer: Powering satellites and spacecraft in space.

From page 8

What event in the 1970s helped push solar technology into more everyday uses?

Choices

  1. A big space mission.
  2. The invention of the internet.
  3. Energy crises where nations looked for alternatives to fossil fuels. ✓
  4. A new type of calculator was invented.

Answer: Energy crises where nations looked for alternatives to fossil fuels.

From page 9

What is the solar cell considered today for global energy?

Choices

  1. A temporary solution.
  2. A minor invention.
  3. A cornerstone of the renewable energy transition. ✓
  4. A historical curiosity.

Answer: A cornerstone of the renewable energy transition.

From page 10