-
Asked by to Daren, Lynne, Phillip, Simon on 18 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
-
anon answered on 18 Jun 2014:
Plants convert the sun’s energy into food, which we eat, so we get the energy that way directly.
In solar cells there are chemicals that react when UV light hits them and they release an electron, which flows round a circuit to generate electricity.
-
-
Phillip Manning answered on 19 Jun 2014:
Plants are wonderfully adept at converting sunlight into energy. This ‘captured’ sunlight can then be eaten by plant-eating insects and animals, who in turn might get eaten by predators…so, the energy of the Sun is passed from one to another as indirect energy parcels from the Sun. Some plants and animals are buried in large enough numbers to form coal, oil and gas over millions of years…so, when you turn on the light that is powered by such energy, you are using ‘fossil’ sunshine.
-
Daren Fearon answered on 19 Jun 2014:
We can harness energy from the sun using solar panels which work by the voltaic effect. Electrons in the solar panels absorb the energy from the sun light and get a bit excited and produce electricity.
Plants get their energy from the sun thanks to a molecule called chlorophyll and a process called photosynthesis. In this process sunlight and carbon dioxide is turned into oxygen and sugar molecules which the plant (and anyone who eat’s the plant) uses as an energy source.
Superman also gets his powers from the sun!
Comments