Electricity - Section 4

Question 1

What are fossil fuels?

Answer 1

Fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas that are formed from The decomposition of prehistoric plants and animals

Question 2

How are fossil fuels used to generate electricity?

Answer 2

Fossil fuels are burned to produce heat

The heat then boils water and superheats the resulting steam to a high temperature pressure

The steam provides mechanical energy to a large turbine, which rotates large electromagnetic coils in the generator, producing electrical energy

Question 3

What are some alternative sources of energy?

Answer 3

Nuclear Fission
Geothermal Energy
Biomass
Hydro-electricity
Tides
Wind Power
Solar Energy

Question 4

What is nuclear fission?

Answer 4

The splitting of atoms in a nuclear reactor can also release large amounts of energy that can produce the steam to drive a turbine in a generator

Question 5

What is Geothermal Energy?

Answer 5

Heat from the Earths core creates steam naturally within the earths surface

Question 6

What is biomass?

Answer 6

Biodegradable waste/garbage that is buried in landfills decomposes, creating combustible gases

Question 7

What is hydro-electricity?

Answer 7

Is produced using the energy possessed by moving water

This is usually maximized by using the gravitational energy of falling water

Question 8

What are renewable resources?

Answer 8

Materials that can be renewed or replenished naturally over relatively short periods of time

Question 9

What are nonrenewable resources?

Answer 9

Materials that cannot re replaced or replenished after they have been used up

Question 10

What are some examples of renewable resources?

Answer 10

Wind energy
Tidal energy 
Solar energy
Geothermal energy 
Biomass energy

Question 11

What are some examples of nonrenewable resources?

Answer 11

Fossil fuels
Coal
Crude oil
Natural gas
Nuclear