A solar cell has a light-gathering area of 10 cm² and produces 0.2 A at 0.8 V (DC) when illuminated with S = 1 000 W/m² sunlight. What is the efficiency of the solar cell? A) 16% B) 7% C) 23% D) 4% E) 32%

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The efficiency of a solar cell is calculated by the formula: Efficiency = (Output Power/Input Power) * 100%. Here, Output Power = Current * Voltage = 0.2 A * 0.8 V = 0.16 W. The Input Power is the power of sunlight incident on the cell, which is calculated by multiplying the intensity of sunlight (S = 1,000 W/m^2) by the area of the cell in m^2 (10 cm^2 = 10 * 10^-4 m^2). So, Input Power = 1,000 W/m^2 * 10 * 10^-4 m^2 = 1 W. Therefore, Efficiency = (0.16 W / 1 W) * 100% = 16%.

A Solar Cell Has a Light-Gathering Area of 10 Cm2

A Solar Cell Has a Light-Gathering Area of 10 Cm²