as a follow up question, what are scientists doing to improve on them?
In: 7
The photoelectric effect was first explained by Einstein around 1900. Photons can interact with the electrons on the outside of matter, giving them more energy. It some unusual materials, like the silicon they make solar cells from, this extra energy can knock the electron loose from its silicon atom. In the solar panel, thin wires collect up these loose electrons as power. (That’s super over simplified.)
To improve them, scientists are looking for materials which get this effect from a broader range of photons. It would be ideal to be able to use the whole spectrum of light and even IR to produce power, but most current cells only use photons of specific energy levels, wasting the rest of them to heat up the panel.
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