PV Gap

Tommy Said:

in a solar hot water system,energy is transferred to the water at a rate if 10 000W,?

We Answered:

This is the same as your other problem

time = energy / power
= change in temperature * mass * specific heat / power

They give you the mass and the temps and the power. Look up the specific heat of water (you know it in calories, but you need it in joules). Plugnchug.

Francisco Said:

how would i make a solar system generate energy from the heat of the sun?

We Answered:

The earth does it in several ways. One is that it traps the radiant energy and uses it to heat the earth. Plants trap the solar energy and convert it to sugars that are used by higher life forms. The same thing for plankton and fish.

Then, there are the direct methods that man can use to create other forms of energy. He can use solar cells to create electricity. He can focus the suns rays and heat with them. And, he can take advantage of the other energy systems that are driven indirectly by the sun like wind and hydro-electric.

So, the true answer to your question lies in what you really meant by 'generate energy from the heat of the sun'.

Lois Said:

What functional role does an atmosphere, its life forms and evolution, provide in a Solar System (of Energy)?

We Answered:

Well, I'm still not sure what you're asking, but let me narrate a bit and see if I stumble on what you wanted.

There is a systems theory. Systems move toward greater complexity and diversity. Therefore, you have rocks/minerals. They don't require much and don't do much energy conversion. At some point, we got some energy introduced into a mineral and chemical world that created more complex molecules. The molecules then take more resources. Eventually molecules that can take more resources thrive more. Somewhere in there, the system develops something novel like DNA which allows its molecules to take up more resources than the other molecules, and then we get cells and move on our way up the evolutionary ladder, always favoring systems that have a strategy for more efficient energy use, from humans who have intellect and history and technology to cockroaches that maximize fertility and speed and other factors to offset their relatively lower dexterity and intelligence.

The atmosphere comes about when somewhere in the evolution of a planet like ours, some mutant cell somewhere decides that fixing the plentiful (from volcanic eruptions, for example) carbon dioxide and water and using that as an energy source and producing sugar (stored energy) and oxygen. Then some other mutant cell decides that it would be neat to enter into a symbiotic relationship with the plant cells and use their sugar and oxygen to make more water and carbon dioxide for them.

The rest of your question sounds philosophical. I couldn't tell you how a solar system feels about having life forms and planets with atmospheres. Stars have a life cycle too that is independent of any orbiting planets for the most part. They burn hydrogen and then helium and then start to die out into various forms, depending on their initial size/mass.

I hope this helps.