Student-Designed Solar Photovoltaics Investigation – Student Handout Part 4

Summary

Part 4: Conducting the Experiment and Applying Results

In Part 4, student teams carry out their approved photovoltaic efficiency experiment, collect data, analyze results, and connect their findings back to their school solar array design. Working from their teacher-approved lab proposal, students follow their procedure, take photos and videos for their final presentation, and record voltage, current, or both depending on whether they chose the simple open-circuit setup or the advanced closed-circuit setup with a small DC motor.

Students organize their data in tables, calculate averages and percent changes across conditions, and create graphs to visualize trends. They identify patterns such as increases, decreases, or plateaus in panel output as the independent variable changes, evaluate sources of error, and determine whether their hypothesis is supported. The final step asks students to apply their experimental findings to their school solar design: how do their results affect panel size, tilt, or placement, and how do they support or challenge the assumptions made in Parts 1 and 2.

This part builds skills in data collection, quantitative analysis, graph construction, error analysis, and engineering application. It supports NGSS Science and Engineering Practices 4 (analyzing and interpreting data) and 5 (using mathematics and computational thinking), along with HS-PS3-3 on designing energy conversion devices. The activity works for high school physics, environmental science, AP Environmental Science, engineering, and chemistry classrooms.

Extend the Lesson: Use Part 4 as the data collection and analysis stage of the full Student-Designed Solar Photovoltaics Investigation. Pair with the Introduction to Solar lesson for foundational PV content, and use the Science of Solar lesson for deeper reading on factors that affect panel performance.