Home » Maths for Planet Earth » Warming up a Solar Cell

Warming up a Solar Cell

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Print

The temperature T˚C of a solar cell during a 24 hour period is modelled as 

\[T = 20 – k\left( 15 – \frac{5t}{4} \right)^{2}\ ,\ \ \ 0 \leq t \leq 24\]

Where t is the time in hours after midnight and k is a positive constant

The temperature of the solar cell at midnight is 5˚C.

a) Use this information to find the value of k in the model.

[2 marks]

b) Find, according to the model, the temperature of the solar cell at 8:30 am.

[2 mark]

c) Determine the greatest temperature of the solar cell and the time at which this temperature occurs.

[3 marks]

d) State one limitation of the model

[1 mark]

Start exploring

Latest from blog

More Maths for Planet Earth

GCSE
The increasing global temperature due to human-induced climate change is causing ice in the Arctic to melt, particularly over the summer season, July to
A Level
The rate of CO2 emissions for the UK was measured every 5 years, from 1990 to 2015. The results are given in the table
A Level
Human-induced global warming is causing deserts such as the Sahara to increase in surface area. In 1950 the area of the Sahara Desert was
A Level
The warming caused by carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions over any given period is proportional to the total amount of CO₂ emitted over that period.