Silicon diode solar cell
Electronic
LM324

We all know that the brilliant rays of the sun pouring down on the ground have energy (because we feel warm when we go out into the sun), but have you ever thought of turning this energy into electricity?

Maybe it sounds like a dream to you, but this dream comes true if a solar cell is used, and that's what we're going to build in this project!

The silicon diode is a semiconductor just as any solar cell, so we'll use it to generate electricity. The circuit for this experiment uses "comparator," a device for voltage comparison, to check if electricity is actually created in the silicon diode.

IC 324 acts as a comparator, and the reference voltage for comparison is set at 60 mV. So, when electricity with a voltage of more than 60 mV is generated in the silicon diode, it lights up LED 1 and tells you electricity is actually produced.

Now, see what happens when you expose the silicon diode to the sun. If LED 1 lights up, it means that you've succeeded in turning the energy of the sun into electricity.

Try light energies from other sources such as an incandescent lamp and a fluorescent lamp, and see how the voltage changes according to the distance and brightness of each light source.