| Have you been wondering how a solar panel | | | | down. |
| generate electricity? Take this simple experiment at | | | | Fill the glass jar with tap water. Mix the table salt in |
| home to find out how solar energy is converted. You | | | | the water. Cut another copper sheet with the same |
| would need the following: | | | | size. Make sure the two sheets would not touch one |
| - a sheet of copper flashing | | | | another when placed inside the jar (Use smaller |
| - 2 alligator clips | | | | sheets when the jar is small). Carefully place the |
| - micro-ammeter | | | | bended copper sheets facing each other inside the |
| - electric stove | | | | jar, the sides blending with the circular curve inside |
| - a large glass jar with a wide mouth | | | | the jar. Allow 1-inch of the bended sheet above the |
| - two tablespoons of salt | | | | surface of the salt solution. Connect the alligator clip |
| - tap water | | | | to the micro-ammeter and notice the small amount |
| - sand paper | | | | of electricity generated. Place the jar set-up under |
| - sheet metal shear for cutting | | | | direct heat of the sun, and see how the ammeter |
| Cut a copper sheet into a size of 6-square-inches. | | | | reading increases. |
| Heat the sheet above a red hot electric stove until | | | | You can try this experiment on a much bigger scale, |
| the sheet turns to black. Notice the change in the | | | | in fact enough scale to power your entire home, with |
| surface of the sheet as cupric oxide turns red, | | | | detailed instructions like the those found in |
| before it burns into black. Allow the sheet to cool | | | | Earth4Energy. |
| down, observe the change in the surface as it cools | | | | |