The right answer is (a).
Solar panels create electric current through the photoelectric effect, which describes how photons strike certain material surfaces, resulting in the release of electrons when light with the correct frequency hits them. A photon will interact with an electron on the panel, causing it to be ejected from the panel's surface.
As the illumination on the panel becomes brighter, the intensity of the light rises, indicating an increase in the number of photons. Each photon has the potential to liberate an electron; thus, as the number of incoming photons rises, so does the quantity of freed electrons. Given that the photoelectric current reflects the rate at which these electrons flow, an increase in light intensity leads to a corresponding rise in the photoelectric current.
If the frequency of the light is increased without a change in brightness, the photoelectric current remains the same because the total number of photons does not increase. Yet, the electrons that are ejected do escape with higher kinetic energy. However, since the total number of electrons liberated stays unchanged, the current remains constant regardless of the electrons' increased energy. Thus, option b is incorrect.
Increasing the wavelength of the light means the energy of the photons decreases. This would cause the emitted electrons to have lower energy. However, if the brightness is consistent, the number of electrons remains the same, and as a result, there would be no change in the photoelectric current. Therefore, choice (c) is also incorrect.
The correct answer is (a). To generate the needed current, the brightness of the incident light must be increased.
