CASH-MONEY SOLAR, INC.

Data Collection/Analysis
July 11th, 2012
Name: _________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Task: Your company, Cash-Money Solar, has been asked to optimize the placement of solar panels
so that the voltage is at its highest possible value. To reach your goal, you must collect data from each of
four light sources:
_____Watts (W),
_____W,
_____W,
_____W;
as well as each of four distances:
______inches (in.),
______in.,
______in.,
______in.
In order to collect repeatable measurements, you will need to pool your data. When plotting aggregate
data, please only use the assigned marker color for your group.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Part I. Data Collection

Using the voltimeter, measure the output voltage from your solar panel after exposure for 2 minutes.
(Take all measurements after a 2 minute increment so that our results are standardized across
groups)
First Bulb ________Watts (Power)
Distance (in.)
Voltage (V)

After plotting your results, does there appear to be a trend between the separation distance and the
number of volts? If so, what is that trend?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____

Second Bulb ________Watts (Power)

Distance (in.)
Voltage (V)

After plotting your results, does there appear to be a trend between the separation distance and the
number of volts? If so, what is that trend?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____
Third Bulb ________Watts (Power)
Distance (in.)
Voltage (V)

After plotting your results, does there appear to be a trend between the separation distance and the
number of volts? If so, what is that trend?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____
Fourth Bulb ________Watts (Power)
Distance (in.)
Voltage (V)

After plotting your results, does there appear to be a trend between the separation distance and the
number of volts? If so, what is that trend?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part II. Plotting the Data.

After collecting all of your data points, your group should:
1. Update the final chart on your packet.
2. Update the charts that are hanging around the room
BE SURE TO USE THE APPROPRIATE COLOR MARKER SO THAT YOU CAN DISTINGUISH YOUR
RESULTS FROM THOSE OF THE OTHER STUDENT GROUPS

Pool your voltage data here...

____inches (in.)

_____in.

_____in.

_____in.

_____Watts (W)
_____W
_____W
_____W
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Part III. Making Inferences (Data Analysis)
Without using a professional statistical software package, we cannot draw final conclusions about the
data. However, we can make inferences about the effect of bulb power and/or working distance.
Below, provide three inferences that you can make after seeing the plotted data.
Ex: When the solar panels are facing the light source, the voltage is higher than when they are facing
away from the light source.

1.
___________________________________________________________________________
2.
___________________________________________________________________________
3.
___________________________________________________________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Part IV. Return to your seat and be ready to share your answers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------