Solar energy is the radiant energy arriving from the Sun as light and heat. This lesson introduces how solar energy reaches Earth, why it is an important renewable resource, and how solar technologies are grouped into active and passive approaches.
Solar energy is radiant energy from the Sun that people can use for electricity, heating, cooling, and other purposes. Technologies that harness it include photovoltaic electricity, concentrated solar power, solar water heating, and solar architecture.
All flashcards
What is insolation?
Incoming solar radiation received by Earth; its availability varies with location, time, and weather.
How does photosynthesis use solar energy?
Green plants capture sunlight and store its energy in chemical form.
How do active and passive solar approaches differ?
Active approaches use equipment to collect or convert solar energy; passive approaches rely mainly on building design and materials.
What is thermal mass in a building?
Materials that absorb heat and release it later, helping moderate indoor temperatures.
What are solar fuels?
Fuels produced using sunlight or solar heat to drive chemical reactions.
Quiz questions
What do photovoltaic (PV) systems do with sunlight?Answer: Convert it directly into electricity.
How does concentrated solar power (CSP) typically generate electricity?Answer: It focuses sunlight to heat a working fluid, which can produce steam.
How can molten-salt storage help a concentrated solar power plant?Answer: It stores collected heat for electricity generation when sunlight is unavailable.
What makes a building's solar design passive?Answer: It relies mainly on orientation, shading, layout, and materials rather than powered equipment.
How does solar water disinfection (SODIS) use sunlight?Answer: It exposes water in clear PET bottles to sunlight to help make it safer.
Based on the Wikipedia article Solar energy, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.