Energy Generation And Storage

Question 1

What is needed in manufacturing?

Answer 1

Power is needed for all manufacturing, whether it’s heat, light or electricity. There are several ways of generating this power which all have pros and cons attached to them.

Question 2

What are fossil fuels?

Answer 2

Fossil fuels are formed underground over millions of years, the three main types are coal, oils and gas. They are burnt to generate power generally by heating water to turn a turbine to power a generator.

Question 3

Pros of fossil fuels

Answer 3

• It’s a cost effective way of generating power.
• There is currently enough available.
• We have resources available in this country.

Question 4

Cons of fossil fuels

Answer 4

• They will eventually run out and can’t be replaced(finite resource)
• They release greenhouse gases which are harmful to the environment.
• Getting the fuel out of the ground can damage the environment around it.

Question 5

What does nuclear fission from uranium do?

Answer 5

Generates heat to power turbines in the same way as fossil fuels.

Question 6

Pros of nuclear power

Answer 6

• It’s very reliable.
• Nuclear fuel (uranium) is cheap and needs less to produce power than fossil fuels.
• It produces very low levels of emissions.

Question 7

Cons of nuclear power

Answer 7

• Uranium will eventually run out.
• Power plants are expensive to build and run.
• Waste product is dangerous to dispose of.
• There is a small risk of meltdown which would be catastrophic for the environment around the power plant.

Question 8

What is renewable energy?

Answer 8

Renewable energy has infinite power, it will never run out. To help the environment renewable energy generation is being encouraged worldwide

Question 9

State examples of renewable energy

Answer 9

Wind power
Solar power
Tidal power
Hydro-electric power
Biomass boilers

Question 10

What does wind power use?

Answer 10

harnesses the wind to turn a turbine to generate power.

Question 11

What does solar power use?

Answer 11

solar cells generate electricity from the sun.

Question 12

What does tidal power use?

Answer 12

Barrages generate power by turning a turbine as the tide comes in and out.

Question 13

What does hydro-electric power use?

Answer 13

generates power through water falling through a turbine, from the top of a hill to the bottom

Question 14

What does biomass boilers use?

Answer 14

Use waste products from wood or crops to burn creating the heat to turn the turbine.

Question 15

Pros of renewable energy

Answer 15

• After set up costs the energy supply is free
• The energy source is infinite and will never run out

Question 16

Cons of renewable energy

Answer 16

• It costs a lot to set up
• You are dependent on the weather for wind, solar, and hydroelectric power
• The turbines and cells needed to generate power can be ugly and have a detrimental impact on the environment

Question 17

What can energy be stored in?

Answer 17

Energy can also be stored in batteries. The store energy inside comes in various sizes, from watch batteries to car batteries. They can provide a movable source of electricity.

Question 18

What are the two main types of batteries?

Answer 18

Alkaline batteries and rechargeable batteries

Question 19

What are the characteristics of alkaline batteries?

Answer 19

Can’t be used again once the power is used, they are hard to dispose of unless they are recycled properly. They are used in remote controls, toys, torches and clocks.

Question 20

What are the characteristics of rechargeable batteries?

Answer 20

Unlike alkaline batteries these can have power put back in. They are more expensive but better for the environment as they last longer. Used in cars, mobile phones and power tools.