Department of Education
Technology in Space
Here the focus of attention is on a satellite containing instruments which are powered by solar cells. The chapter looks at the effect of combining cells in series and in parallel, and how the power generated changes with illumination and with the resistance of the load.
The photograph shows pieces of solar panel mounted so that their electrical behaviour can be investigated.
The operation of a solar cell is explained using a photon model of light, and introduces students to the photoelectric effect.
The behaviour of electronic circuits is affected by temperature as a satellite passes in and out of the Earth’s shadow. This chapter takes students through a simple model to explain qualitatively how the change of resistance with temperature may be explained in terms of lattice vibrations and the number of conduction electrons available.
The main physics content areas are:
- DC circuits; resistance, current, emf and power
- Temperature and resistance
- Photoelectric effect