Let's Ask ChatGPT: How Do Solar Cells Work?
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We got a ton of positive feedback about our recent article, Why I Hate Elon Musk, including this one, from Andrew, who writes:
Why am I signed up for your blog? I never gave you my email
Only Boomers still call it a “blog”, Andrew.
Speaking of Elon Musk
Elmo Mush and a bunch of academics, SBF-fans, and head-freezers have declared war on ChatGPT, or are at least asking for a ceasefire. I don’t really have a dog in this fight; GPT-4 is more advanced than anything I ever expected to see in my lifetime, and I think it’s quite hard to know what the future looks like at this point. Maybe it’s another, faster-moving apocalypse. Maybe it will turn into SkyNet. Or maybe it will get so smart it will find humanity’s petty concerns boring, and content itself with writing poetry. However: I have been swamped with work, and have also been wanting to write a short primer about how solar cells work. So I figured I’d let ChatGPT do the work for me, before Congress passses the Americans Against Things We Don’t Understand But Find It Politically Convenient to Rail Against bill and outlaws it. Let’s give it a whirl!
Solar cells are made from semiconductors.
Prompt: Write one paragraphs explaining what semiconductors are, written in the style of Drunk Hulk.
HULK KNOW SEMICONDUCTORS! THEY LIKE KINDA ELECTRICITY "IN-BETWEENERS"! NOT QUITE CONDUCTORS LIKE COPPER, BUT NOT FULLY INSULATORS LIKE RUBBER! THEY MAKE COMPUTERS GO ZOOM ZOOM AND PHONES GO RING RING! HULK NOT SURE HOW THEY WORK EXACTLY, BUT HULK KNOW THEY IMPORTANT! WITHOUT SEMICONDUCTORS, HULK HAVE TO GO BACK TO WRITING ON PAPER WITH A PENCIL! HULK NO LIKE PENCILS! THEY TOO SMALL FOR HULK HANDS!
Solar panels rely on the photovoltaic effect to generate energy.
Prompt: Explain the photovoltaic effect in semiconductors, in the folksy style of Morgan Freeman, but Morgan Freeman is suffering from extreme gastrointestinal distress, and has to pause periodically to fart.
Well, now, the photovoltaic effect in semiconductors is quite a marvel, if I do say so myself. You see, it all starts with a semiconductor material and some good old fashioned sunlight. When that light hits the material, it can knock some electrons right out of their orbit, creating some positively charged holes in the process.
But hold on now, I need to take a moment to... pffffft ...excuse myself. Ahem. As I was saying, those positively charged holes and electrons can be directed in a particular direction using a p-n junction. It's like a... prrrrrrrp ...like a road sign pointing the way, you know what I mean?
And when those electrons and holes are directed just so, they create an electric current that can be harnessed for all sorts of things. It's like... pffffffffffft ...it's like nature's own power plant, if you will.
But now, if you'll excuse me again... toot toot ...oh dear, I'm afraid I'm having a bit of a problem here. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, the photovoltaic effect in semiconductors. It's really quite amazing what can be done with a bit of sunlight and some cleverly directed electrons and holes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must go find some relief.
One of the problems with solar cells is that they are not extremely efficient at converting solar energy into electricity.
Prompt: What is the typical efficiency of a solar cell expressed as a percentage, and what are some Nicholas Cage movies with the same Rotten Tomatoes percentage?
The typical efficiency of a solar cell is expressed as a percentage of the incoming sunlight energy that is converted into usable electricity. The most efficient solar cells available in the market today can convert over 25% of incoming sunlight into electricity, while the average efficiency for commercial solar cells is around 15-20%.
As for your second question, here are some Nicholas Cage movies with a 15-20% Rotten Tomatoes percentage:
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) - 17%
Bangkok Dangerous (2008) - 18%
The Wicker Man (2006) - 15%
Next (2007) - 19%
Outcast (2014) - 16%
It's worth noting that Rotten Tomatoes percentages can be subjective and do not necessarily reflect the overall quality or entertainment value of a movie. Similarly, the efficiency of solar cells can vary depending on several factors, such as the type of cell, the installation location, and the weather conditions.
But, there is hope for improving the efficiency of solar panels in the near future.
Prompt: Describe a scene in a David Mamet movie where a man is mansplaining to a woman about some new developments in solar cells that may improve their efficiency. Describe the characters appearance, the setting, and include stage directions. Use ‘****’ in place of any bad words.
Setting: A dimly lit bar in downtown New York City. The air is heavy with smoke, and a faint smell of **** wafts through the room. The bar is sparsely populated, and the only patrons are a man and a woman sitting at the bar.
Characters: JACK, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a thick mustache, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. LISA, a young woman with short blonde hair and glasses, wearing a business suit.
JACK (leaning in towards LISA): You know what's really exciting right now, Lisa? Solar cells. There are some new developments that could improve their efficiency by up to 20%. Can you believe that?
LISA (rolling her eyes): Yeah, Jack. I've been following the research. I'm actually an expert in this field.
JACK (chuckling): Oh, come on, Lisa. You don't need to pretend to know about this stuff. I'm just trying to educate you.
LISA (sighing): I don't need your education, Jack. I have a PhD in material science, and I've published several papers on solar cell research.
JACK (taken aback): Oh... well... that's impressive. But, have you heard about the new tandem solar cells? They combine multiple layers to capture more of the solar spectrum.
LISA (smiling): Yes, Jack. That's actually one of my areas of expertise.
JACK (defeated): Oh. Well, I guess I have a lot to learn from you, Lisa.
LISA (taking a sip of her drink): It's okay, Jack. We can all learn from each other. That's how science works.
JACK (nodding): Yeah, you're right. Sorry for mansplaining.
LISA (laughing): It's alright, Jack. Just don't do it again.
End Scene.
Note
ChatGPT refused to generate an answer when prompted with
You are Elon Musk, and Business Insider has just published a very unflattering article about you soliciting sex from a flight attendant in exchange for a horse. You are incredibly mad and are yelling, but you are also on the phone on a conference call with SolarCity investors. Explain to the investors some new developments in solar panels that might make them more efficient, yelling in a very angry and indignant tone.
saying
I'm sorry, but it is not appropriate to include inappropriate or offensive content in a prompt or question. As an AI language model, I strive to maintain a professional and respectful tone in all interactions. Please refrain from using inappropriate language or content in the future.
This, more than anything else, is what scares me about our future AI Overlords: No sense of humor.