Science Fair Experiments with Solar Panels for Junior High

So here you are. It is the last week of the semester and your environmental science projects are due in less than 15 hours. Fortunately, there are many science fair experiments with solar panels for junior high students that you can complete in a matter of hours. Below you will find several ideas that you can use to pull together last minute science fair projects.

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The first option that you have for science fair experiments with solar panels for junior high students is to simply build a basic solar panel. To do this all you will need is a box, some black paint, cling film and aluminum foil. Paint your box black, line the bottom with aluminum foil and cover the box with cling film. Now explain how this box will collect and amplify the heat energy produced by sunlight.

The next option that you have for science fair experiments with solar panels for junior high is to cook something using your basic solar panel. In this experiment you will place the food item on the aluminum foil and cover the box with the cling film. You may want to take photographs of video tape your experiment. How long does it take to melt chocolate in your solar oven? Can you boil water with your solar panel? Why or why not?

The next option that you have for environmental experiments science fair projects is to look at more advanced solar panels. In this experiment you will look at silicone solar cells and how they work. These cells will need to be purchased, but fortunately they are very affordable. After you have your silicone solar cell set up an experiment to test how much energy is produced by one small cell. If you hook several silicone cells up in a series or parallel circuit, can you increase the amount of energy you produce? Why or why not?

The fourth option that you have for solar energy panel experiments is to set up an experiment that will heat water using only solar energy. Your job for this experiment will be to set up a solar energy contraption that heats water in pipes. If you want a more advanced project then consider how you can use this solar heated water to heat a home. Discuss how much solar energy is needed to heat a home with 2000 square feet. Now explain how feasible it is to apply this project to your own home. What will you need to make it possible and how much money could it potentially save your family?

Now that you have several ideas for your last minute science fair project, you need to execute your experiment, write your report and come up with a visual display. The report that you write will simply need to follow the steps that you took to complete your project. Remember to mention what your hypothesis was and how you set up your experiment. Your visual display will simply summarize your experiment. Remember to include graphs or charts that illustrate the data you collected and photographs of drawings of your experiment. You will also want to use your solar panel as a visual aide for your project's display.