Energy part 3 Flashcards
What is an energy resource?
What are the main uses for energy resources ?
An energy resource is a large store of energy.
The main uses of energy resources are for transport, electricity generation and heating.
What two types can energy resources be ?
Energy resources can be renewable or non-renewable
What is a renewable energy resource ?
A renewable energy resource is one that is being replenished (replaced) as it is used.
👉what does this mean?
This means that renewable energy resources never run out.
What are examples of renewable energy ?
Examples of renewable energy resources include biofuel, wind, hydroelectricity, the tides, geothermal, water waves, and the Sun.
What is a non renewable energy resource ?
A non-renewable energy resource is one that cannot be replenished as it is used.
👉what does this mean?
This means that non-renewable energy resources will eventually run out.
What are examples of non renewable energy resources ?
Examples of non-renewable energy resources include fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) and nuclear fuels.
Why are fossil fuels reliable sources of energy ?
Fossil fuels are a reliable source of energy because they can generate a lot of energy.
What can also happen to fossil fuels?
What does this mean?
They can also be burned at any time.This means extra fuel can be burned quickly if there is an increase in demand.
What else is also reliable?
Examples
Some renewable energy resources are also reliable. For example, biofuel, geothermal and hydro-electric resources are consistently reliable.
How is tidal energy reliable?
Tidal energy is also reliable because the tides go in and out every day.
Give an example of how renewable resources are not reliable.
For example, solar and wind energy rely on the weather.
👉why is this?
If it is cloudy, solar panels produce less electricity.
If there is little wind, no wind or too much wind, wind turbines shut down.
What do fossils damage ?
Fossils damage the environmental several ways.
How do Fossils damage the environment?
Fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide when burned, which contributes to climate change.
What does burning coal and oil release?
Burning coal and oil releases sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain.
What do nuclear fuels produce?
How do they need to be treated?
Nuclear fuels produce radioactive waste, which needs to be carefully stored and can remain hazardous for thousands of years.
What can also damage the environment ?
Harvesting renewable energy resources can also damage the environment.
How can Hydro-electric dams damage the environment ?
Hydro-electric dams usually need large areas of land to be flooded.
This means that important natural habitats may be destroyed.
How do wind farms and solar farms damage the environment ?
Wind farms and solar farms may also need large areas of land.
How can biofuels be carbon neutral ?
Biofuels can be carbon neutral if as many plants are grown as are burned for fuel.
What does carbon neutral mean?
Carbon neutral means that the same amount of carbon dioxide is stored as is released.
👉what does this mean ?
This means the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does not increase.
What are being destroyed to grow crops for biofuels.
However, in some places, large areas of natural habitat are being destroyed to grow crops for biofuels.
What kind of resources are better for the environment ?
Renewable energy resources are generally better for the environment than non-renewable resources.
What do many people think as a result ?
As a result, many people think we should use more renewable energy resources
Why is the move towards using more renewable slow ?
But the move towards using more renewables is quite slow because of political, social and economic factors.
👉give examples
For example, some countries make lots of money from extracting fossil fuels.Their economies may rely on exporting fossil fuels.
What is the disadvantage of making the environment renewable ?
Fossil fuels are also cheap and reliable, while building renewable energy plants is expensive.
What kind of process is radioactivity?
Radioactive decay is a random process.
Define radioactive decay.
When atomic nuclei are unstable. atomic nuclei can change to become more stable.
What emits nuclear radiation ?
When a nucleus decays it emits (gives out) nuclear radiation.
What is the activity of the source ?
The activity of the source is how fast or how slow its unstable nuclei decay.
What can radiation be detected by ?
Radiation can be recorded by a detector called the Geiger-Muller tube.
What is the relative atomic mass and charge of alpha particals
Alpha particles have a relative mass of 4 and a charge of +2.
One fact about Alpha particals
Alpha particles easily take electrons from other atoms they meet, turning them into ions.
How penetrating was alpha particals
Alpha particles are the least penetrating type of radiation
What is the charge and the relative mass of beta particles ?
Beta particles have a relative mass of 0 and a charge of –1.
How ionising is beta particals ?
Beta particles are less ionising than alpha particles.
How penetrating is beta particles?
But beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles.
What is the mass of gamma rays
Gamma rays have no mass or charge.
How penetrating are the gamma rays
But gamma rays are the most penetrating type of radiation
What can the penetration be used to detect
The penetrating effect of radiation can be used to detect the thickness of materials, or leaks in pipes.
How is the mass and atomic number effected in alpha decay?
During alpha decay, the mass number of the radioactive atom decreases by 4, and the atomic number decreases by 2.
How is the mass and atomic number effected in beta decay?
During beta decay, the mass number does not change, and the atomic number increases by 1.
How is the mass and atomic number effected in gamma decay?
The emission of a gamma ray does not cause the make up of the nucleus to change.
What can happen if a living organism is irradiated ?
If a living organism is irradiated, its DNA can be damaged, which can be dangerous.
What happens if an object becomes contaminated ?
If an object gets contaminated it becomes radioactive.
Where is irradiation more dangerous ?
Irradiation from beta and gamma radiation is more dangerous than alpha radiation.
What source is dangerous if it enters your body
However, it is more dangerous to be contaminated with a source of alpha radiation if it enters your body.
What does peer review mean?
Peer review means that other scientists read and check the results.
