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Physics > Energy > Flashcards

Energy Flashcards

1
Q

What was the primary source of energy for most of human history?

A

Wood - which was burned to keep warm and cook food.

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2
Q

What are the main non-renewable energy sources used worldwide in the past 200 years?

A
  • Coal
  • oil
  • Natural gas (fossil fuels)
  • nuclear energy
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3
Q

What is the term for coal, oil, and natural gas?

A

Fossil fuels

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4
Q

What are some examples of renewable energy resources?

A

Solar
Wind
Hydroelectric
Geothermal
Biofuels
Tidal

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5
Q

What are fossil fuels?

A

A hydrocarbon-based material formed from the remains of dead plants and animals over millions of years

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6
Q

Name a non-renewable energy source used for electricity generation in the UK

A

Natural Gas

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7
Q

How do solar water heaters work?

A

They use the sun’s energy to heat water, which can be pumped through radiators.

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8
Q

Are biofuels renewable or non-renewable?

A

Renewable - as they are created from sources like plants

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9
Q

Is electricity renewable or non-renewable?

A

It depends on how it’s made; it can be either

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10
Q

What are the environmental disadvantages of using fossil fuels?

A

They produce greenhouse gases leading to global warming, and contribute to air pollution

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11
Q

Why are biofuels considered renewable?

A

They are made from plants or organic materials, which can be regrown or replenished

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12
Q

Describe how solar energy can be used to heat a house

A

Solar water heaters use sunlight to heat water, which is then pumped through radiators to warm the home

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13
Q

What is the main energy source for heating homes in the UK?

A

Natural Gas

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14
Q

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources?

A

Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time, whereas non-renewable resources will eventually run out

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15
Q

What percentage of the UK’s electricity is generated using non-renewable resources?

A

Nearly 80%

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16
Q

Why are fossil fuels used more than renewable resources for electricity generation?

A

Fossil fuels are
- currently more reliable and provide consistent energy
while renewable resources
- can be intermittent

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17
Q

Why may fossil fuels be burnt?

A

To provide Heat

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18
Q

How can Heat ,burnt from fossil fuels, be used?

A
  • Burned to provide heat for direct use (e.g. cooking)
  • To power engines (e.g. the internal combustion engines in cars)
  • To generate electricity
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19
Q

What Are The Pros Of Fossil Fuels?

A
  • Relatively Cheap
  • Can be used in any conditions (e.g. don’t require wind or sunshine to work)
  • Much of our current infrastructure is designed to run using fossil fuels
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20
Q

What Are The Cons Of Fossil Fuels

A
  • They’re a limited resource so will run out one day
  • They produce carbon dioxide when burned, which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming
  • They sometimes produce toxic gases when burned - such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide
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21
Q

How Is Nuclear Energy Obtained?

A

via nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fission reactions

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22
Q

What Can Nuclear Energy be used for?

A

Used to generate electricity, which can then be transmitted to homes and factories

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23
Q

What are the Pros of Nuclear Energy

A
  • Does not produce any pollutants (e.g sulphur dioxide)
  • Can be used in any conditions
  • It is very unlikely to run out for a very long time
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24
Q

What are the Cons of Nuclear Energy

A
  • Technically a finite resource
  • Nuclear power stations produce radioactive waste, which remains harmful for thousands of years
  • It’s quite expensive
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25
Q

What is a non-renewable energy recourse?

A
  • An energy resource that will eventually run out
  • Not replaced at the same rate it’s being used
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26
Q

What is a renewable energy resource?

A
  • An energy resource that will not run out
  • Can be replaced at the same rate it’s being used
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27
Q

Examples of renewable energy recourses?

A

Solar
Tidal
Wave
Wind
Geothermal
Biofuel
Hydroelectric

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28
Q

Examples of non-renewable energy resources?

A
  • Coal
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Nuclear Fuel
29
Q

How is wind power generated?

A

By wind turbines which convert the kinetic energy from the wind into electrical energy

30
Q

Where are wind turbines usually placed? And why?

A

In exposed areas like moors or coasts
where strong winds are common

31
Q

How is Solar Power generated?

A

Solar cells or solar panels which can generate electricity directly from sunlight

32
Q

Name two places where solar power works well

A
  • Low-energy devices (e.g., calculators, watches)
  • Remote regions (e.g., the Australian outback)
33
Q

Which places are you likely to see Solar Cells?

A
  • On the front of calculators
  • Roofs
  • Large scale solar farms
34
Q

What are the Pros of Solar and Wind Power?

A
  • They don’t produce any pollutants while operating
  • They have low running costs
35
Q

What are the Cons of Solar and Wind Power?

A
  • They take up a lot of land space
  • Their power production is dependent on the weather, and therefore inconsistent
  • They have relatively high upfront costs
36
Q

Why do wind and solar power take up a lot of space?

A

Many turbines or solar panels are needed to produce a significant amount of power

37
Q

What 2 reasons do people not like wind turbines?

A
  • They’re noisy
  • Some people think they don’t look nice
38
Q

Why is peak energy demand an issue for wind and solar power?

A

There’s no way to increase supply when demand is high

39
Q

What is Geothermal energy?

A

The thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth

40
Q

Where does geothermal energy come from?

A
  • The original formation of the planet
  • The radioactive decay of materials (like uranium) deep in the Earth
41
Q

How is geothermal energy used directly for heating?

A

Water is pumped into the ground,
heated by Earth’s heat,
and then pumped back up to heat homes.

42
Q

How is geothermal energy used to generate electricity?

A

Water is left underground until it turns into steam,
which rises and turns turbines to drive generators

43
Q

In what areas is geothermal energy most accessible?

A
  • Volcanic regions - Where hot rocks are near the surface
44
Q

How does geothermal energy affect the environment?

A

Installing causes slight damage, but running it doesn’t produce pollutants

45
Q

Is geothermal energy a renewable resource?

A

Yes

46
Q

What are the main disadvantages of geothermal energy?

A
  • They can only be built in certain areas of the world
  • They can be expensive to build
47
Q

What are Biofuels?

A

Fuels made from recently living organisms

48
Q

What are examples of Biofuels?

A
  • Plants
  • Algae
  • Animal Waste
49
Q

How are biofuels different from fossil fuels?

A
  • Fossil Fuel - come from organisms that lived millions of years ago
  • Biofuel - come from recently living organisms
50
Q

Why are plants and algae commonly used for biofuels?

A

They can photosynthesize,
locking up the sun’s energy,
which is later released when burned

51
Q

Why are biofuels considered carbon-neutral?

A

Because the CO₂ they release when burned
was taken in while the plants were growing

52
Q

Are biofuels renewable?

A

Yes

53
Q

What are the advantages of Biofuels?

A
  • They’re renewable
  • They can be used in cars
  • They’re easy to transport
54
Q

What are the disadvantages of Biofuels?

A
  • They require a lot of energy to harvest, process and transport
  • They require a large area of land to grow
55
Q

Why don’t biofuels require new cars?

A

They can be mixed with petrol, so existing cars can use them without modification

56
Q

What is a major environmental issue with growing Biofuels?

A

often requires converting natural land,
such as cutting down forests,
which damages the environment

57
Q

How does biofuel production release CO₂?

A

Harvesting,
processing,
and transporting biofuels require energy,
which may release CO₂

58
Q

What is a hydroelectric dam?

A

Traps water from upstream,
creating a reservoir to generate electricity

59
Q

What is a Tidal barrage?

A

Dam in estuaries that traps waters at high tide
and releases it at low to tide
to generate electricity

60
Q

How do these systems generate electricity?

A

Water from a higher level flows through turbines,
spinning them to generate electricity using generators

61
Q

What type of energy is used in hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages?

A

gravitational potential energy from stored water

62
Q

What are the advantage(s) of hydroelectric dams?

A
  • They are a source of renewable energy
  • Higher electricity demands can be met by increasing water flow
63
Q

What are the disadvantage(s) of hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages?

A
  • They can flood land upstream
  • Upfront building costs are quite high
64
Q

What are the advantage(s) of Tidal Barrages?

A
  • They generate large amounts of energy
  • Produce no pollution
65
Q

Which energy system provides an immediate response to increased electricity demand?

A

Hydroelectric

66
Q

What is a major environmental issue with hydroelectric dams?

A

They often flood large areas, submerging habitats and sometimes villages

67
Q

How do hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages affect fish migration?

A

They can block fish from traveling up or down rivers, disrupting migration

68
Q

What is the key difference between hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages?

A
  • Hydroelectric dams - trap water from upstream
  • Tidal Barrages - Use the rise and fall of sea levels caused by tides

Physics (4 decks)

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