What are the absorption lines in the solar spectrum and what does the amount of solar energy collected by a solar collector depend on?
The solar spectrum consists of a continuum with thousands of dark absorption lines superposed. The lines are called the Frauenhofer lines, and the solar spectrum is sometimes called the Frauenhofer spectrum. These lines are produced primarily in the photosphere.In areas with more sunlight, more solar energy can be obtained. Due to the tilt and rotation of the earth, the amount of energy from the sun reaching a solar collector decreases as the latitude from the equator increases. This also causes changes in length of day and the temperature of the location.
Absorption lines in the solar spectrum are dark lines that appear in the continuous spectrum of the sun's light. These lines are caused by the absorption of certain wavelengths of light by elements in the sun's atmosphere. Each element has a unique set of absorption lines, allowing scientists to identify the presence of specific elements in the sun's spectrum.
The amount of solar energy collected by a solar collector depends on several factors, including:
1. The size and efficiency of the solar collector: Larger and more efficient collectors can collect more energy.
2. The angle and orientation of the collector: The angle and orientation of the collector relative to the sun affects the amount of energy it can collect.
3. The amount of sunlight available: The amount of sunlight available depends on factors such as the time of day, season, and weather conditions.
4. The distance between the collector(on earth) and the sun
5. The absorption properties of the materials used in the collector: The materials used in the collector must be able to absorb and convert the solar energy into usable electricity.
The rate of energy collection is time dependent. Even on a clear day, the angle of the sun relative to the collector, θ, will vary with time of day and day of the year.The main parameters affecting the performance of solar collector are area, absorber absorptive and emissivity, emissivity of glass cover, temperature of absorber plate, collector tilt angle and number of glass covers. Selection of a solar collector type will depend on the temperature of the application being considered and the intended season of use. The most common solar collector types are: unglazed liquid flat plate collectors; glazed liquid flat-plate collectors; and evacuated tube solar collectors.A solar collector is a device that collects and/or concentrates solar radiation from the Sun. These devices are primarily used for active solar heating and allow for the heating of water for personal use. Absorption lines are dark lines, narrow regions of decreased intensity, that are the result of photons being absorbed as light passes from the source to the detector. In the Sun, Fraunhofer lines are a result of gas in the photosphere, the outer region of the sun. About 25,000 Fraunhofer lines are now known to exist in the solar spectrum, between the wavelengths of 2,950 and 10,000 angstroms.
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