The similarities between Chlorophyll and Solar Panels

Transcription

1 The similarities between Chlrphyll and Slar Panels Rule-t-build-by Sergi Cln Living Architecture Research Prject Reprt Bi 219/ Cell Bilgy Wheatn Cllege, Nrtn, Massachusetts, USA December 4, 2012 Click Here fr HeLa cell reprt Light Energy can be cnverted int mechanical, usable, energy by the freeing f electrns thrugh the prcess f phtsynthesis r thrugh the use f cnductrs. What Illustrating this rule-t-build-by in the cellular structure are the chlrphyll mlecules that are fund in the plant cell cytplasm. Demnstrating this same rule-t-build-by in a human built structure is are the slar cell panels, fr example, the Nellis Air Frce Base in Nevada. Hw Chlrphyll that is within the chlrplast f plant cells is very imprtant t its verall makeup and als in terms f hw it creates fd and hw it is able t create a usable frm f energy. But since plants are unable t gain energy by cnsuming ther rganisms in its ecsystem, they were frced t find an alternate way f ding s. Especially because the early wrld, when there were n animals n the planet, the atmsphere was filled with CO 2 (Wikipedia, 2011). This alternate way is called Phtsynthesis. Phtsynthesis, pht meaning light and synthesis meaning putting tgether (Wikipedia, 2011), is carried ut by the green pigmented part f the chlrplasts, chlrphyll, fr the majr reasn f turning it int mechanical energy which it can then use t cntribute t the cntinued grwth f the plant. Usually the plant is using this stred energy, in frms f ATP, s that it can make carbn based cmpunds like starches and ther sugars fr them t use as fd. (Carter, J. Stein, 1996) Thrughut the prcess f Phtsynthesis, there are nly 4 things that are cmpletely necessary. Yu need water, carbn dixide, light, and then the chlrphyll itself (Hw stuff wrks, Phtsynthesis, 2008). Almst all phtsynthetic prcesses ccur in the leaves f the plant with practically n phtsynthesis at all ccurring in the stem. Even thugh phtsynthesis ccurs mainly in the leaves, there are nly specific cells within the structure f the leaves that have the ability t use phtsynthesis. These cells are called mesphyll cells, which cntain a large amunt f chlrplasts. The chlrplasts themselves are nt very cmplicated when it cmes t their makeup. They cntain uter and inner membranes, the strma, and then thylakids that are stacked in the rganelle. The chlrphyll that is lcated in between the membranes f the thylakid stacks. The green clr that is assciated with chlrphyll is the clr that is NOT able t be absrbed by the plant is why the green clr is expressed. While n the ther hand, the

2 red and blue light that ARE absrbed are what the plant and the chlrphyll use t carry ut phtsynthesis. Chlrphyll als has the help f ther pigments such as beta-cartene that are als rganized within the thylakid membrane (Carter, J. Stein, 1996). When these pigments absrb light energy, they are passed nt the central mlecule in the chlrphyll called the prphyrin ring. This ring is made f fused rings f carbn and nitrgen with the center being a magnesium in (Carter, J. Stein, 1996). The light reactin f phtsynthesis can be separated int several steps. When light is first intrduced t the chlrphyll mlecule, the light energy that is being absrbed raises the initial energy level f electrns. While the sunlight is being absrbed, the electrns within the chlrphyll begin t free themselves frm the mlecules f the chlrphyll. Mlecules f water, that are necessary fr this reactin t ccur, are then intrduced by the plant. Once the water is intrduced, the electrns that are in the waters (H 2 O) hydrgen atms are attracted t the chlrphyll (fr the reasn that the chlrphyll has just lst its electrns that were freed by the absrptin f light). Because the electrns f hydrgen are s strngly attracted t the chlrphyll, water begins t break dwn int xygen atms, prtns, and electrns. Once this break dwn ccurs, the xygen atms are paired tgether and frm free xygen. This freed xygen is then released int the envirnment t be used by ther rganisms. The remaining prtns frm the water mlecule and the electrns freed frm the chlrphyll mlecules are what are used fr the phtsynthesis reactin t ccur (Hw stuff wrks, Phtsynthesis, 2008). The reactin 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + (light energy) à C 6 H 12 O +6O 2 helps t describe the chemical reactin that is ccurring during phtsynthesis. (Carter, J. Stein, 1996) The human build structure, slar panels, uphld this same rule-t-build-by because the slar cells that are used t cnvert the light energy int mechanical energy (in this case, electricity). These cells are als referred t as phtvltaic (PV) cells in which pht means light and vltaic means electricity. A grup f these cells are used in rder t create what we knw as slar panels. These panels are made up mstly silicn, which is als a semicnductr, meaning that it has the tendency t attract electrns. When the PV cell is hit by light, the energy is then transferred t the semicnductr (silicn) which in turn frces the electrns t be freed and able t flw freely thrughut the cell. While the electrns are in there freed state, they are frced dwn in a specific directin by electric fields that act n them while flwing in the cell. The negative end f the cell (lcated n the tp f the cell) and the psitive end (lcated at the bttm f the cell) are what frce the electrns t mve dwn the current that can then be drawn elsewhere fr use f the energy as electricity. (Hw Stuff Wrks, Slar cells, 2012) Why Phtsynthesis is arguably the mst imprtant prcess in life. This prcess is imprtant because f hw much it cntributes t the entire ecsystem as a whle. When phtsynthesis ccurs thrughut the plant, the energy frm the sun is nw able t be used by all rganisms. When energy frm the sun is given t the plant and it fulfills phtsynthesis, the paired xygen that is prduced thrughut the prcess is released int the envirnment fr ther rganisms t be able t breathe. Oxygen given ff by the phtsynthesis f plants is virtually the surce f all the free xygen. Besides giving xygen t rest f the rganisms in the cmmunity, ther animals als gain a percentage f the chemical energy created by the plants. This turnver f chemical energy als ccurs when a secndary animal btains a percentage f the chemical energy by eating the first animal that cnsumed the plant. Anther advantage f the phtsynthesis prcess is that it helps t decrease the amunt f CO 2 that is in the atmsphere. By ding this, it helps t allw all ther rganisms in the cmmunity t cntinue living withut the wrry f suffcating n carbn dixide. (Hw stuff wrks, Phtsynthesis, 2008). Fr the human built structure, the slar cells and panels are able t prduce energy in the frm f electricity by the absrptin f light and a prcess that als requires the use f freed electrns. This advancement in technlgy t be able t cnvert slar energy int mechanical energy thrugh the use f

3 slar cells is smething that is very useful as an alternate surce f energy t cmpensate fr the cnsumptin f fssil fuels. Als the mre slar panels that are used at nce the mre energy yu will be able t frm, fr example, the Nellis Air Frce Base in Nevada. (O Cnnr, 2007) Figures Figure 1- this figure illustrates the 4 necessities in rder fr a plant t underg phtsynthesis with the intake f sunlight, CO 2, and water in rder t let free xygen release int the atmsphere. (phtsynthesis, Wiki, 2011) Figure 2- this phtgraph shws the clearly visible green pigmentatin in the chlrplast and chlrphyll within plant cells, helping explain that it is nt absrbed by the chlrphyll and therefre, visible t the human eye. (phtsynthesis, Wiki, 2006)

4 Figure 3- the trphic levels and energy flw f an entire ecsystem is started and passed n by the intake f light by plants and the prcess f phtsynthesis. (Encyclpedia Britannica Inc., 2011) Figure 4- the central part, als called the prphyrin ring, is where phtsynthesis is ccurring in the chlrphyll mlecules. It is a magnesium in center with carbn and nitrgen fused rings arund it. (J.Stein Carter, Phtsyn.htm, 1996) Figure 5- these phtvltaic panels, lcated at the Nellis Air Frce Base in Nevada, is what pwers at least

5 a quarter f the annual needs fr the base by taking sunlight and cnverting it straight int electricity fr use. (Seamus O Cnnr, Gannett gvernment media crp., 2007) Figure 6- this diagram shws the basic structure and cncepts f the silicn based slar cell with the electrn flw ging thrugh the cell and being able t be used externally as electricity thrugh the intake f sunlight. (Slarpath.rg, 2008) References Tthman, Jessika, and Sctt Aldus. "Hw Slar Cells Wrk" 01 April \HwStuffWrks.cm. < "Phtsynthesis" 15Octber2008. HwStuffWrks.cm. < Carter, J. Stein. "Phtsynthesis." Bilgy.clc.uc.edu. N.p., 2 Nv Web. 3 Dec < > "Phtsynthesis." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Fundatin, Inc., 22 Nv Web. 2 Dec <O >. Trphic level: energy transfer thrugh an ecsystem. [Art]. In Britannica Online fr Kids. Retrieved frm SlarCellStructure. Slarpath.SlIncrprated.<

6 O' Cnnr, Seamus. "Slar Panels at Nellis culd be a win-win." Air Frce Times. < >. N.p.,19Nv.2007.Web.3Dec.2012.