how can a copper photovoltaic cell be constructed?
156693
I know of no copper-based solar cells.  They involve some silver alloys deposited on silicon semi-conductors.  If you need a copper based cell, try a strip of copper and a strip of zinc in a potato or lemon.  It will make enough power for an LCD cheapo clock or watch to run off for a long time.  \n\nThe chemistry, heat, and equipment needed to generate semiconductor material is way beyond the home-experimenter's abilities and budget.
535149
Actually the copper doesn't come directly from the solution...\n\nNot sure how much detail you want, but it does use electroplating.  This means that it uses electricity to plate metal on an object.  The stainless steel object is put on the "positive end" and a lump of pure copper is placed on the "negative end."  A low voltage is used because a high voltage plates too fast, and the layer will peel off quickly.  If copper is the plating, then the solution must be a fairly low-concentration copper sulfate (CuSO4) solution, meaning that copper is the only metal present in the electrochemical cell.  The negative end is called the anode, and this decreases in mass as its copper ions are taken to the positive end -- the cathode.  \n\nThis method of plating multiple metals is actually fairly common, because the properties of each one can be combined.  Nickel can be used for farm equipment and engines because it can withstand a lot of force, silver is used for decoration, chromium is used to withstand a lot of use (like a spoon).  Copper is able to conduct heat and helps food cook evenly.
169474
Measure the transmission of light through the test-tubes using two small identical solar cells and a single light source equidistant from the two tubes.  The voltage off the cells can be fed into vu-meters (one for each test-tube) and when the two vu-meters read the same, the two test-tube mixtures should be equally opaque.
710592
A solar cell (or a "photovoltaic" cell) is a semiconductor device that converts photons from the sun (solar light) into electricity. In general a solar cell that includes both solar and non-solar sources of light (such as photons from incandescent bulbs) is termed a photovoltaic cell. Fundamentally, the device needs to fulfill only two functions: photogeneration of charge carriers (electrons and holes) in a light-absorbing material, and separation of the charge carriers to a conductive contact that will transmit the electricity. This conversion is called the photovoltaic effect, and the field of research related to solar cells is known as photovoltaics.\n\nAlso check this link, this is from NASA http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/solarcells.htm
730401
Different chemical species are connected by some means that allows ions to flow between them, but does not allow them to mix.   The different chemical species are chosen so that one of them undergoes oxidation, or loss of electrons, while the other undergoes reduction, or gain of electrons.\n\nWires connect to each of the chemical species and to positive and negative terminals of the battery.  When they are used, electrons flow into the wire from the oxidizing side, through the circuit and return to the reducing side.\n\nA simple cell that shows this flow can be made from a lemon and two different pieces of metal (like a copper wire and a length of solder).  Just push the pieces of metal into the lemon and you can measure a voltage from one wire to another.\n\nCommercial batteries are a bit more complex in construction.
117736
Materials needed:\n     1 lemon\n     1 paper clip\n     1 copper wire (18 guage works well)\n\nProcedure:\n     1.   Straighten out the wire of the paper clip.\n\n     2.   Cut a piece of copper wire roughly the same length\n          as the paper clip.  Remove the insulation.\n\n     3.   Push the paper clip and the copper wire into the \n  lemon.  Keep the wires as close together as you\n          can, but don't let them touch.\n\n     4.   The fruit battery is now ready for use.  If you\n          have a voltmeter you can test how many volts\n          the battery produces.  You can also taste the\n          two wires and feel a tingle in your tongue.\n          (Note: you should only do this for very low\n          voltages such as those given off by lemons.)\n\nHow it works:\nAcids, such as the citric acid in lemons, tend to produce chemical substances called ions. These ions either have too many electrons (negative) or not enough (positive) Metals tend to attact these ions. \n\nOne type of metal will attract the negative ions and the other will attract the positive ions. This causes the two metals to have different electrical charges and electricity will flow from one to the other whenever you attach the battery to something like a radio (or your tongue). \n\nIncidently, the flow of electricity will eventually neutralize the ions. When this happens the battery is dead. \nand also see:
1020503
1. A battery lighting up a filament bulb.\n\n2. Use LM317 IC to build a constant current source.\n(http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/gadgets/sccs.htm)\n\n3. Battery Charger
307975
make a solar cell that will light up a lightbulb. Figure out how by doing an internet search
386110
Solar cells convert the solar energy into elctricity and this electrical energy can be used for cooling
536971
Solar photovoltaic panels contain arrays of solar cells that convert light into electricity. Solar cells, or PV cells, rely on the photovoltaic effect, which describes how certain materials can convert sunlight into electricity to absorb the energy of the sun and cause current to flow between two oppositely charged layers. Individual solar cells provide a relatively small amount of power, but electrical output is significant when connected together as an array making up a panel.\n\nOn a bright day, the sun delivers about 1 kW/m² to the Earth's surface. Typical solar panels have an average efficiency of 12%, with the best commercially available panels at 20%, and recent prototype panels at around 30%. This would result in 200 W/m². However, not all days have bright sunlight, and therefore not enough solar energy can be captured.\n\nA solar water heater uses the sun's energy to heat a fluid, which is used to transfer the heat to a heat storage vessel. In the home, for example, sanitary hot water would be heated and stored in a hot water cylinder. Panels on the roof have an absorber plate to which fluid circulation tubes are attached. The absorber, usually coated with a dark selective coating, assures the conversion of the sun's radiation into heat, while fluid circulating through the tubes carries the heat away where it can be used or stored. The heated fluid is pumped to a heat exchanger, which is a coil in the storage vessel or an external heat exchanger where it gives off its heat and is then circulated back to the panel to be reheated. This provides an effective way of harnessing the sun's energy.
145303
Basically, you just need two different types of metals to generate a current. I assume your using copper as your other metal type.\n\nIf you dont have any zinc wire, you could try using a galvanized (zinc coated) screw.\nOr if you want to use another metal all together, try Aluminum in the form of Aluminum foil.  An Iron nail or a chunk of lead would also work, but not as well.
585397
i built a simple one using seveal pairs of stainless steel knives and caning jars. It wasnt feasable for practical use, but it was a good demonstration of fuel cell theory. I used solution of water and baking soda. \nThe stainless steel knives were used because stainless steel contains nickle which is a catylyst for the full cell process. (platnuium is much better catylyst, but much more expensuve.) I combined the cells in seriese and ran a curent over them until bubles apear on the knives and then removed the current.\nNext i put a led light over the leads of the cells, and then it lit for about 5 seconds as it absorbed the hydrogen and converted it to electricity.\nIt operated similar to a capisitor in this setup.
512078
I think you mean photovoltaic - photocells that generate a voltage when illuminated
507799
Good Project:\n\nThere have been different attempts all need to be developed yet.\n\nThe attempts include:\n1.Solar energy through silicon cells.\nThis is of more importance in hot regions with maximum sun shine.\n\n2.Ethanol by way of combustion.\nStill an economical method is to be discovered for extracting ethnol from sugarcane.\n\n3.Hydrogen by combustion.\nHydrogen is to be obtained by decomposition of water.\n\n4. Nuclear energy at small scale.\nSo far techniques on domastic production have not been successful.
929154
copper can't produce electricity. it conducts electricity
316653
Depends on the application you have for the copper. You can shield it from oxygen and other corrosive agents using a protective atmosphere.\n\nAt 500°C exposed to atmospheric oxygen you will want a solid metal with a stable passivizing surface or too noble to react. Titanium or platinum will probably be overkill, stainless steel may discolour.\n\nOr you might be thinking about a sacrificial anode, leaving the copper intact but dissolving the connected material (e.g. zinc or magnesium).
308968
if you are referring to creating electricity from uv light then any standard photovoltaic panel will do the job.  Depending on what photovoltaic material you use the efficiency will change, but because much UV is fairly close to the visible spectrum most will give you decent collection.