Solar energy from the sun can be converted into other forms of energy. Most renewable energy sources come from the sun, except for geothermal and tidal energy. Solar energy arrives as light waves, with some being reflected back into space. Humans can use solar energy indirectly or directly through photovoltaics. The technology for harnessing solar energy has advanced, leading to many personal and commercial applications.
Potential solar energy is energy stored in the sun, which can be converted into other forms of energy. Only a very small fraction of the energy available to us on earth from the sun is trapped and used by humans. Most of the renewable energy sources available on the planet come from the energy of the sun. The only exceptions to this are geothermal and tidal energy.
Potential solar energy arrives at the earth’s surface in the form of light waves, which have traveled from the sun through space. The wavelengths of this solar energy vary, with most of the light being in the infrared or visible ranges and some in the ultraviolet range. When light waves reach the Earth’s atmosphere, about a third of the energy is reflected back into space. The rest of the energy is absorbed by the atmosphere, clouds, land and sea.
Part of the potential solar energy absorbed by the earth is converted into other forms of energy that can be used by humans to generate energy. Solar energy causes water to evaporate, which contributes to air movements such as wind. Wind energy can be used to generate electricity.
The energy created by burning fossil fuels also originally comes from solar energy. Plant photosynthesis traps potential solar energy and converts it into chemical energy, which creates new carbon-based matter. In this way plant matter, food, wood and animal matter all ultimately come from solar energy from the sun.
In addition to using potential solar energy indirectly by burning fossil fuels or using wind and other natural phenomena to generate electricity, humans also trap some of the sun’s energy and convert it directly into electricity. One of the main technologies used to do this is photovoltaics. At the atomic level, photovoltaics work because some materials have the ability to absorb light waves and then release electrons. The electrons that are released can be captured as an electric current. Silicon is one such type of material.
The science of photovoltaics was first discovered in 1839. For over a hundred years, the technology was too expensive to be of widespread use. In the 1960s, potential solar energy was used to create power on spacecraft. Modern technology has now advanced to a point where potential solar energy can be efficiently harnessed, leading to many personal and commercial applications.
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