Solar cells are what are used to make solar panels. About twenty go into each solar panel. That is for the regular sized ones that are put on the roofs of building. There will be less in a solar calculator of course. Perhaps more in a large one for a solar array. They create solar energy.
The amazing thing about solar cells is that they can turn light from the sun into electricity. The human body can turn light into vitamin D so we're not too shabby either. You can't run a television off vitamin D though so solar panels probably have us beat.
It's a very complicated process how solar cells are able to do this. It's something to do with a semi-conductive material and positive and negative charges. There are two parts of the cell and they are separated in to two halfs. One half is positive and the other one is negative. They're in balance though. What puts them out of balance is light. To make it a more scientific process it is what is called a photon. A photon is a small, discrete particle made of light.
To describe more about solar cells would require more detailed scientific knowledge. That is knowledge that neither one of us probably possesses, let's be honest. And if you do know, then what are you doing reading an article like this about solar cells? Just trying to feel big and clever are you? Oh, that's very mature, hope you're proud of yourself.
So okay, we don't know everything about solar cells but we know that they are a good thing and good for the environment. Not so good for the economy though, evidenced by the fact that they are subsidised by the feed in tariff. They help to fight global warming and pollution so how they do it is not really that important.