Photosynthesis/Semiconductor-based solar cell
Photosynthesis is a process where plants manufacture carbohydrates from water, carbon dioxide and minerals with the use of light as an energy source. Plants degenerate water and carbon dioxide into carbon, hydrogen and oxygen which form glucose, the source of energy for plants that helps in food production and growth. A semiconductor-based solar panel is used to harness solar energy into electricity form. People can use this device to harvest sunlight energy and use it as electricity.
Solar cells and plant cells use sunlight and change it into energy. The process by which sunlight is converted into energy differs though. Plant cells make chemical energy while a solar cell generates electricity. The two cells rely fully on sunlight in that if there is no sunlight, none will produce energy. Photosynthesis in plant cells provides energy and other products such as oxygen and hydrogen while solar cells directly transform solar light into electricity.
The products in both plant cells and solar cells are environmentally friendly. For instance, in plant cells, the products are oxygen and energy. Oxygen is useful to the environment since it is used by animals and human beings for breathing and in processes such as combustion. On the other hand, solar cells process electricity which is important for industrial and household uses like lighting.
Plant cells and solar cells utilize sunlight effectively. Plant cells and solar cells utilize all the energy from the sun by condensing the sun rays, re-radiation, reflection and absorption of sunlight energy. The performance of both cells is optimal when sunlight conditions prevail.
Differences exist between a solar cell and a plant cell. Photosynthesis is a chemical process which involves the use of sunlight to process food for plants with other bi products such as oxygen. However, solar cells create energy through electrical processes. Therefore, the two types of cells use sunlight in different ways to yield energy.
Solar cells are artificially made by humans with the aim of harnessing sunlight energy. It is a factory made equipment which can only function if and only when it is manufactured using the correct procedure. Plant cells are usually self produced and work independent of human intervention.
Lastly, solar cells are flexible in that they can yield higher amounts of energy depending on the size of the solar cells and also the intensity of the sunshine. This means the performance of the solar cells can be improved to yield higher levels of electricity. Furthermore, solar cells can be easily made by simply assembling a solar cell. On the other hand, photosynthesis is an uneven process whereby the amount of energy produced is limited to the amount of chlorophyll in the plant. Plant cells cannot produce more energy than the amount of sunlight can allow. More so, energy generated cannot be increased in any way since the chemical process is entirely natural hence no human control.
Thermodynamic laws are about energy and energy conversion related systems. Semiconductor-based solar cells and photosynthesis use thermodynamic laws. Thermodynamics’ first law, the conversion law states that energy cannot be destroyed or created; it just changes its form. The second law, the transformation law states that with every reaction and change, energy is lost. In photosynthesis, plants do not create energy; they simply convert sunlight energy into food energy like sugar. More so, not all the energy is converted during photosynthesis since some of it is lost as heat. The third law of entropy applies in that continuous energy flow is needed for photosynthesis and electricity generation to occur effectively.
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