1b. Energy Resources Flashcards
What are the three fossil fuels?
Coal, oil and (natural) gas.
a) Name four renewable energy sources. b) Give one reason why renewable energy resources aren’t always used instead of non-renewable energy resources.
a) Any four from: wind, the Sun (solar), water waves, geothermal, tides, hydroelectricity, bio-fuels. b) E.g. they often produce much less energy than non-renewable resources / a lot of them are less reliable because they depend on the weather.
Give one renewable and one non-renewable resource used directly for transport (without the need for generating electricity)
E.g. renewable: bio-fuels non-renewable: petrol/diesel/coal
How can solar power be used to heat buildings without the need for generating electricity?
Electromagnetic radiation from the Sun is used to heat water which is then pumped into radiators in the building.
How is electricity generated by a wind turbine?
The wind turns the blades of the turbine, which are connected to an electrical generator inside the turbine. This generates electricity as it turns.
Give one issue associated with the reliability of using wind power.
E.g. they generate no electricity when there’s no wind / they generate no electricity when the wind is too strong.
Why are solar cells often used to power devices in remote locations?
Supplying a device in a remote location with another source of energy could be very difficult and expensive.
Where does the energy transferred by geothermal power stations come from?
Hot underground rocks (thermal energy stores).
Describe how electricity is generated in a hydroelectric dam.
Water is held behind a dam and allowed out through turbines. This turns the turbines, that are connected to generators which generate electricity.
Give two environmental problems that can be caused by building hydroelectric dams.
E.g. flooding of a valley can result in rotting vegetation which releases methane and carbon dioxide. Hydroelectric power stations can have a large impact on local habitats (and wildlife).
Explain why hydroelectric dams are often used to generate electricity in remote areas.
Remote areas can be difficult to supply with fuel or connect to the national grid. Having a hydroelectric power station in a remote location to provide electricity avoids these problems, as it can be more easily connected to homes and needs no fuel to run.
Briefly explain how electricity can be generated from waves.
Using wave-powered turbines on the coastline. When a wave reaches the coastline, the motion of the wave forces air up through a turbine which drives a generator and generates electricity. (when the wave retreats, the air is forced back out through the same turbine, generating more electricity. )
The total amount of electricity that can be generated by waves is fairly low. Give one other disadvantage associated with the reliability of generating electricity using waves.
E.g. the electricity supply is not very reliable, as no electricity can be generated when the sea is calm.
Briefly explain how a tidal barrage can be used to generate electricity.
Tidal barrages are dams with turbines in them. They stop the tide flowing into and out of a river estuary, so that a height difference of water builds up between the sides. The tide water is then allowed to flow through turbines from the higher side to the lower side. The motion of the turbines turns a generator, which produces electricity.
a) What is meant by a ‘carbon neutral’ process? b) Discuss how using bio-fuels to generate electricity could be a carbon neutral process.
a) If a process is carbon neutral, it removes as much CO2 from the atmosphere as it releases. b) E.g. the plants used to make bio-fuels absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow. If they absorb the same amount as is released when they burn they are said to be carbon neutral. The process may not be carbon neutral if the bio-fuel plants aren’t being grown at the same rate as they are being used.
