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Plant Cells and Solar Cells

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Plant Cells and Solar Cells
This paper is about how the plant cells and solar cells are similar to each other as well as how they are different to one another. In addition this paper explains how the laws of thermodynamics apply to each of the plant and solar cells system.

Plant Cells and Solar Cells

Photosynthesis is the process of producing and releasing oxygen in the air. It needs sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. During the process of photosynthesis, the plants decompose the molecules of hydrogen and carbon-dioxide into hydrogen; carbon and oxygen produce glucose which forms the source of their energy, growth and food. Few years ago we knew that the only source of energy is photosynthesis which is used by plants to harness solar energy. Nowadays we have a semiconductor-based solar cell harnesses solar energy to convert it to electricity. In other words solar cell is a device people can make that takes the energy of sunlight and converts it into electricity. Both Plant cells and solar cells absorb sun light and convert it into energy. For plant cells it is chemical energy and for solar cells it is electricity. That is, much of the sunlight that hits a solar cell is either reflected or absorbed as heat, without inducing an electrical current. These two types of cells help us humans to survive, plant cell by giving us CO2 and O2 and solar cell by providing us with electricity. In addition they are both effective because both act similarly in the latent heat of condensation, absorption and re-radiation and last but not least reflection. As plant cells and solar cells have some similarities they also have differences. A solar cell converts the light energy from the sun directly into electricity and is non-organic but a plant cell is an organic piece which contains chloroplasts in its cytoplasm which absorb light energy from the sun and convert it into glucose



References: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/importance-of-photosynthesis.html http://www.larouchepac.com/node/15708 Text ©1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, by M.J. Farabee, all rights reserved. Use for educational purposes is encouraged: http://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookener1.html

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