Experimental Design
Materials:
105-125 V Metrologic Neon Laser Sea Salt (Unknown Quantity)
19.5 x 8 in Uni-Solar Solar Panel (3) Topsoil (Unknown Quantity)
Mercer 9301 Voltmeter Thermometer?
Sand (Unknown Quantity)
Procedure:
Preparing the Experiment
1. Dry the topsoil out in a room a few days before the procedure begins.
2. Label the solar panels 1, 2, and 3. Move to a room a room without excess light from windows, doors, etc… Set up the solar panels so that they can be moved to be perpendicular to the laser and removed to put dust on them.
Preparing the Topsoil Quantities
3. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of topsoil for a total of 30 quantities.
Preparing the Sand Quantities
4. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of sand for a total of 30 quantities.
Preparing the Sea Salt Solutions
5. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of sea salt. Mix each quantity in with (X amount) of tap water that
dissolves the sea salt for a total of 30 solutions.
Getting the Baseline
6. Measure the temperatures of the solar panels using the thermometer. If the temperature ever exceeds a change over XX°
fahrenheit during the course of the experiment, give the solar panel time to cool down. Turn the lights off and turn the laser on and record the voltage produced by the three solar panels using the voltmeter. Repeat this step 10 times for each solar panel for a total of 30 trials.
Applying the Topsoil Quantities
7. Spread the dust of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights may be on
for this.
8. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
9. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
10. Repeat steps seven to nine for each measured quantity of dust.
Applying the Sand Quantities
11. Spread the sand of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights may be on
for this.
12. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
13. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
14. Repeat steps eleven to fourteen for each measured quantity of sand.
Applying the Sea Salt Solution
15. Pour the sea salt solution of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights
may be on for this.
16. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
17. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
18. Repeat steps eleven to thirteen for each measured solution of sea salt.
19. Repeat steps three to eighteen until 270 trials have been conducted.
Diagram:
105-125 V Metrologic Neon Laser Sea Salt (Unknown Quantity)
19.5 x 8 in Uni-Solar Solar Panel (3) Topsoil (Unknown Quantity)
Mercer 9301 Voltmeter Thermometer?
Sand (Unknown Quantity)
Procedure:
Preparing the Experiment
1. Dry the topsoil out in a room a few days before the procedure begins.
2. Label the solar panels 1, 2, and 3. Move to a room a room without excess light from windows, doors, etc… Set up the solar panels so that they can be moved to be perpendicular to the laser and removed to put dust on them.
Preparing the Topsoil Quantities
3. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of topsoil for a total of 30 quantities.
Preparing the Sand Quantities
4. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of sand for a total of 30 quantities.
Preparing the Sea Salt Solutions
5. Measure out 10 large, medium, and small quantities of sea salt. Mix each quantity in with (X amount) of tap water that
dissolves the sea salt for a total of 30 solutions.
Getting the Baseline
6. Measure the temperatures of the solar panels using the thermometer. If the temperature ever exceeds a change over XX°
fahrenheit during the course of the experiment, give the solar panel time to cool down. Turn the lights off and turn the laser on and record the voltage produced by the three solar panels using the voltmeter. Repeat this step 10 times for each solar panel for a total of 30 trials.
Applying the Topsoil Quantities
7. Spread the dust of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights may be on
for this.
8. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
9. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
10. Repeat steps seven to nine for each measured quantity of dust.
Applying the Sand Quantities
11. Spread the sand of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights may be on
for this.
12. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
13. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
14. Repeat steps eleven to fourteen for each measured quantity of sand.
Applying the Sea Salt Solution
15. Pour the sea salt solution of (X quantity) over the randomized solar panel and allow it to settle for (X) seconds. The lights
may be on for this.
16. Turn the lights off and the laser on. Record the voltage produced by the solar panel with the voltmeter.
17. Clean the solar panel off with tap water and check the temperature of the solar panel.
18. Repeat steps eleven to thirteen for each measured solution of sea salt.
19. Repeat steps three to eighteen until 270 trials have been conducted.
Diagram:
Figure 1. Experimental Setup
Figure 1, above, shows the laser at a 90 degree angle to one of the solar panels with dust on it. The voltage is being
measured using the voltmeter.
Figure 1, above, shows the laser at a 90 degree angle to one of the solar panels with dust on it. The voltage is being
measured using the voltmeter.