Ch - 7 Flashcards
What is the function of sun on earth?
- Heats up the atmosphere, creating wind and producing waves.
- Water evaporated by the sun falls as rain, filling up reservoirs.
- Plants grown using sunlight from fuels - biofuels and fossil fuels
What are the diff forms of energy other than sun?
- Geothermal - produced in Earth’s core
- Nuclear - Elements that make up Earth’s crust.
- Tidal - Gravitational attraction of the moon
How is the energy that falls from the sun transferred?
Radiation (Visible light & Infrared radiation)
Why does solar energy need large collecting devices?
Low energy density
What is one issue with collecting solar energy?
- Expensive
- Inefficient
How do solar cells generate electrical power?
- Transfer energy from sunlight electrically producing a current
- This generates electricity.
What are solar cells also called?
Photovoltaic cells
What are solar cells made of?
Semiconducting materials
What are the advantages of a solar cells?
- Renewable
- Reliable
- No greenhouse gasses or pollution.
-Remote places
what are the disadvantages of solar cells?
- Need to be large scale
- Expensive
- sunlight is not a reliable source
What is the function of solar panels?
- Solar panels transfer energy from sunlight to thermal store of solar panels.
- Used to heat water in the pipes.
What does the solar furnace consist of?
- Large curved mirrors that focus the sun’s rays on to a small area.
What is the solar furnace used for in the end?
- Boil water
- Generate steam to turn turbine
- Generate electricity
What are the advantages of using solar panels?
- Renewable
- reliable
- No Greenhouse gasses or pollution
- Cut cost
What are the disadvantages of using solar panels?
- Large scale to produce High temp.
- Heat water in High temp.
- Not reliable
What are the fossil fuels?
Formed from remains of dead plants and animals
What are the diff types of fossil fuels?
- Coal
- Natural gas
- Crude oil
Where does chemical energy stored in fossil fuels come from?
Sunlight
Where was the energy from the sun transferred to?
Chemical energy store of plants by photosynthesis
What are the advantages of fossil fuels?
- Transport of electricity heavily relies on fossils available
- reliable