The boy who got 4th place ahead of Kaley also did an experiment with solar panels. He measured voltage across the panel. I read, and just semi-verified to myself, that the panels pretty much jump up to their maximum voltage when activated. This means that voltage is, for all intents and purposes, CONSTANT. I think if you stick a multimeter between the points on a panel this "constant" fluctuates as the tips of the stupid multimeter digits bounce here and there.
We used an inline analog ammeter thinking that power measurement is a linear function of current. We think current is the real variable when it comes to solar panel output. If we do a follow up experiment we will experiment with an inline voltmeter to ensure this correct.
PS: This may sound like I am saying we should have been 4th instead of 5th. I'm not saying that at all. I hate that that kid's experiment is really bogus. He proved (by superior reasoning) to himself that an idea (a better one) of his was correct using bad measurement. He (AND OTHERS!) based all his (THEIR!) experiments on faulty data (like those guys that said Einstein was wrong when they thought they found particles flying faster than the speed of light (more experimenting there needed)).
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