Effects of a Convex Lens and Mirrors on Generation of Solar Power

The problem in question throughout the course of this project was how a convex lens or a mirror affects the voltage output of solar panels. The original hypotheses state that the lens would allow panels to produce voltages significantly different than both the control and the panel with a mirror. The hypotheses also predict a significant difference in the voltage output of a panel with a mirror from that of a normal panel. The procedure of the experiment requires the setup of 3 separate configurations, the first being the normal panel, the second being the panel with a mirror, the last being the panel underneath a lens. A light will be positioned at 3 different angles, and 14 voltages will be collected from each configuration at each angle, for 126 total raw data points. After analysis, the collected data appear to support all of the alternate hypotheses, yielding an overall p-value of 2.33 x 10^-31. The analysis supports a significant increase between each of the configurations. It also shows that the lens increased voltage output of the panel by a much greater amount than the mirror.