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Energy (powerpoint) Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the advantages of coal power?

A
  • it is a cheap way to generate power
  • coal power stations can be built anywhere with transport links and cooling water
  • there are lots of coal reserves in the world
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2
Q

What are the advantages of oil?

A
  • oil is easy to transport by pipeline or ship
  • power stations can be built anywhere with transport links and cooling water
  • one power station generates a lot of electricity
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3
Q

What are the advantages of gas?

A
  • light and easy to transport by pipeline
  • large amounts of electricity generated by each power station
  • gas power stations are built near rivers but can be built anywhere
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4
Q

What are the advantages of nuclear?

A
  • uranium is readily and cheaply available, fuel is easily stored
  • a small amount of fuel produces lots of electricity
  • no carbon dioxide is produced from nuclear fission
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5
Q

What are the advantages of hydroelectric?

A
  • operating costs are low and energy is virtually free
  • no carbon dioxide is produced
  • sustainable/renewable
  • electricity is constantly generated
  • the times when electricity is made can be controlled
  • power output can be quickly increased to meet demand
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6
Q

What are the advantages of wind?

A
  • operating costs are low
  • no carbon dioxide is produced
  • land occupied by wind farms can still be used for farming
  • wind is renewable
  • wind farms are safe and easy to build
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7
Q

What are the advantages of solar?

A
  • solar energy is renewable
  • light from the sun is free
  • electricity can be generated in remote places
  • no carbon dioxide is produced
  • energy can be generated where it is used, lowering distribution costs
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8
Q

What are the advantages of wave?

A
  • huge potential resource for the UK
  • more predictable than wind
  • no fuel costs
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9
Q

What are the advantages of tidal?

A
  • tides are predictable
  • operating costs are low
  • no fuel needed
  • produces no carbon dioxide or waste
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10
Q

What are the disadvantages of coal?

A
  • produces carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide, which is found in acid rain
  • non-renewable
  • power stations need a lot of fuel
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11
Q

What are the disadvantages of nuclear?

A
  • some people have concerns about safety
  • non-renewable as uranium will run out
  • produces radioactive waste, which must be buried in sealed containers
  • power stations can’t be switched on and off easily
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12
Q

What are the disadvantages of wind?

A
  • wind turbines shut down in weak/strong winds
  • they can only be built in certain areas
  • not everyone likes the appearance of wind farms
  • can cause noise pollution
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13
Q

What are the disadvantages of biomass?

A
  • an expensive method of generating electricity

- power plants need to be built near a supply of fuel

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14
Q

What are the disadvantages of wave?

A
  • equipment has to be able to survive bad conditions such as storms
  • there are high maintenance costs as devices can be far out at sea
  • there is no leading device at the moment
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15
Q

What are the disadvantages of tidal?

A
  • the plants only produce electricity for 20 hours a day when tides are flowing
  • barrages can be expensive to build
  • there isn’t a leading tidal stream device
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16
Q

How does gas generate electricity?

A
  • gas is burned in a turbine (like a get engine on a plane)
  • this turns a generator and produces electricity
  • the hot exhaust gases are used to make high pressure steam, which turns another generator
  • the steam can be used to heat buildings or for making substances
17
Q

How does biomass generate electricity?

A
  • biomass is plant/animal matter, like waste or sewage
  • energy crops are plants that are grown for fuel
  • biomass is burnt in boilers
  • steam is produced
  • a turbine is turned and a generator produces electricity
  • sewage can be broken down to produce methane, which can also be burnt to produce electricity
18
Q

How does wave generate electricity?

A

-wave energy devices can be fixed to the shoreline or placed out at sea

Oscillating water columns:

  • contain a turbine
  • waves act like a piston and push air up and down
  • the turbine rotates and powers the generator

Point absorbers:

  • capture energy as different parts of them move with the waves
  • the movement pumps air or liquid through a turbine
  • the turbine is attached to a generator
19
Q

How does tidal generate electricity?

A

Artificial tide lagoons and reservoirs:

  • water is trapped through turbines which are on an artificial wall
  • the tide rises and they fill up
  • energy is generated

Tidal barrage:

  • can be built across and estuary
  • hold water back like a lagoon
  • creates a difference in tidal height
  • water is released through turbines to generate electricity

Devices are placed into tidal streams and extract energy as water flows through blades.

20
Q

What is renewable energy?

A
  • energy from a source that is not depleted when used

- energy from a source that naturally replenishes within a human’s lifetime

21
Q

What are the advantages of biomass?

A
  • renewable because new plants and trees can be grown
  • supports farmers and foresters
  • carbon neutral - has no overall effect on carbon dioxide levels
22
Q

What are the advantages of geothermal?

A
  • produces no pollution

- running costs are low

23
Q

What are the disadvantages of oil?

A
  • produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect, and sulphur dioxide
  • non-renewable
  • oil is expensive compared to coal and gas
24
Q

What are the disadvantages of gas?

A
  • produces carbon dioxide
  • non-renewable
  • the UK imports gas, so it could become expensive if prices rise
25
Q

What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric?

A
  • dams are expensive to build
  • reservoirs flood land
  • good sites aren’t always near towns
  • there are not many suitable sites in the UK
26
Q

What are the disadvantages of solar?

A
  • PV cells don’t work when it is cloudy or night time
  • the UK is not sunny/hot, so use is limited
  • large scale solar panels are only effective where there is lots of sunshine
27
Q

What are the disadvantages of geothermal?

A
  • it is difficult to find suitable sites for a power station
  • boreholes can run out of steam and not be useable for several decades
  • dangerous gases and minerals can come out of a borehole and be difficult to dispose of
28
Q

How does coal generate electricity?

A
  • coal is burned to heat water
  • steam is produced
  • the steam pushes turbine blades and makes them spin
  • the turbines are connected to generators, which create electricity
29
Q

How does oil generate electricity?

A
  • oil is burned to heat water
  • steam is produced
  • the steam pushes turbine blades and causes them to spin
  • the turbines are connected to generators, which generate electricity
30
Q

How does nuclear generate electricity?

A
  • nuclear fission produces heat
  • water is heated and produces steam
  • turbine blades spin, which are connected to generators which make electricity
  • the steam generated in nuclear power stations is lower pressure than coal and oil stations
31
Q

How does hydroelectric generate electricity?

A
  • a dam is built across a river
  • the flow of water can be controlled
  • the kinetic energy of flowing water spins a turbine
  • the turbine is connected to a generator which generates electricity
32
Q

How does wind generate electricity?

A
  • the blades of a wind turbine work similar to aeroplane wings
  • air flows around the blades of a wind turbine, creating low pressure that turns it round
  • the blades are linked to a generator, the blades generate electricity as they rotate
33
Q

How does solar generate electricity?

A
  • solar photovoltaic (PV cells) convert light energy into electricity
  • they can be arranged in panels to fit to roofs and buildings
  • hot water can also be made
  • a black panel is tilted to face the sun
  • fluid inside the panel is heated up
  • the fluid is circulated to the hot water tank and used inside the home
34
Q

How does biomass produce alcohol?

A
  • alcohol/ethanol can be produced by fermentation
  • plant sugars, or plants such as sugar cane, are used
  • alcohol is made from plant sugars using fermentation by yeast
  • ethanol can be used as a biofuel (fuel produced by living things) by mixing it with petrol
  • this creates a mixture called gasohol
  • countries such as Brazil use it due to their waste from the sugar industry and growth of sugar cane being used to make it
  • in countries with bigger oil reserves it is less economically viable
35
Q

How does geothermal generate electricity?

A
  • holes are drilled to a hot area beneath the ground/surface
  • water is pumped down the holes
  • it is heated and drawn up again
  • it is used to heat homes or drive steam turbines and generate electricity
36
Q

Name 3 environmental impacts of coal, oil, and nuclear.

A

coal:
-power plants release sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, causing acid rain and smog

  • carbon dioxide is emitted, which contributes to global warming
  • coal mines destroy forests and farmland

oil:

  • power plants release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
  • this can cause acid rain, smog and global warming
  • drilling for oil disturbs land and ocean habitats
  • oil spills cause significant damage to wildlife

nuclear:
-radioactive waste has to be buried to be disposed of

  • if power plants aren’t properly maintained, the reactors can have meltdowns
  • this releases radiation into the environment, which can have a significant impact on the health of living things and has a wide area of effect

-areas around power stations that have had meltdowns remain inhabitable for a long time due to the lingering radiation

37
Q

What is non-renewable energy?

A
  • energy from a source that is not being made

- energy from a source that is being made at a slower rate than it is being used

38
Q

Name 7 types of renewable energy

A
  • hydroelectric
  • wind
  • solar
  • biomass
  • geothermal
  • wave
  • tidal
39
Q

Name 4 types of non-renewable energy

A
  • coal
  • oil
  • gas
  • nuclear

Physics (78 decks)

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