Solar ponds

A. produce potable water

B. are thermal energy collectors

C. use salt gradient to inhibit heat loss

D. are used for swimming in cold regions

E. produce heated water

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A solar pond is a pool of saltwater which collects and stores solar thermal energy. 

Key Points

• A solar pond is a solar energy collector, generally fairly large in size, that looks like a pond.
• This type of solar energy collector uses a large, salty lake as a kind of a flat plate collector that absorbs and stores energy from the Sun in the warm, lower layers of the pond.
• The saltwater naturally forms a vertical salinity gradient also known as a halocline.
• These ponds can be natural or man-made, but generally speaking the solar ponds that are in operation today are artificial.
• Solar ponds can process heat, electricity, and fresh water - even at night or in cloudy weather.

Thus the option B,C and E are correct

Important PointUses of solar ponds:

• Benefit of using these ponds is that they have an extremely large thermal mass.
• Since these ponds can store heat energy very well, they can generate electricity during the day when the Sun is shining as well as at night.