energy resources Flashcards
how are energy demands met
burning gas coal and oil
what is boifuel
taken from live or recently dead oraganisms
properties of biofuel
renewable as its consantly produced and can be replaced easily as it comes from primarily vegetations or sewage
carbon neutral as the co2 made when burnt wouldve been taken in by the plant earlier
whats a neuclear fuel
fueled by uraium when its neucleas spits creating energy
explain nuclear fuel
when the neucleas splits it creates energy which is transfered by a fluid coolant to a heat exchanger and is veyr hot. the energy transferred turns water into steam which can turn electricity powered generators
what is wind power
electric generator on a tower which is turned by the wind which increases energy
cons of wind power
unreliable
noisy
what is wave power
motion from the waves moves a generator up and down and generates electricity through its movement which is trasferred to the shore by a cable
cons of wave power
small scale
not consant
lots of cables and buildings needed by the coast to connect the generators which spoils scenery
tidal flow patterns can be affected changing marine life and habitats
what is hydroelectric power
rainwater collected flows downhill and drives turbines at the bottom
what is tidal power
traps water from high tide behind a barage which is released through turbines driving generators
what are solar cells
flat pannels that turn the suns radiation energy to electricity
cons of solar pwoer
not relieable
expensive
needed in large amounts as fairly inefficient
what is a solar power toweer
tower with thousands of mirrors which reflect the suns radiation onto water at the top which turns it to steam, which is piped ti the ground and turns energy generators
what is geothermal energy
comes from radioactive substances in earth
how does geothermal energy work
energy tranferred from the susbstances to rocks which heats them, then water is pumped to the heated rocks which produces steam which turns electricity turbines
the heat water can also be pumped directly to heat pipes and under floors
cons of fossil fuels
releases co2 which earms atmosphere
finite
releases other pollutants such as sulfur impurities, NO2 making acid rain and particulates
pros of neuclear power
no carbon emission
in large supply
cons of neuclear power
prouces toxic waste
power plants are very expensive to dismantle
explostion of sorts can lead to poisoning the entire habitat around eg chernobyll
technically finite
pros of renewabel energy sourcrs
will never run out
no acid rain or greenhouse gas emission
no radioactive waste
work in area that cannot connect to the grid
cons of renewable energy
cant meet the worlds demand
cant make petrol and that that cars rely on
can be very unrelieable
require a lot- like water for hydroelectric and wave, wind for wind, sun for solar- buildings on the coast for wave
what do gas fired power stations do
produce enegry based off when it is needed in high demand
how energy demand is met
fossil fuel coal and co2 stations are very quick and reliable
gas fired stations can meed energy levels based on how much it is in demand
renewable energy is good when the conditions are right
renewable energy when demand is low so it can store energy
what is density
mass at a given volume, how packed something is w particles
examples of biofuels
ethanol can be extracted from sugar crops
woodwhips
waste vegetable oils and seeds
what can help car fuels be more renewable
mixing petrol with biofuels
three fossil fuels
coal
natural gas
crude oil
why are biofuels carbon neutral in theory and why not in practice
in theory plants take in as much co2 through photosyntehsis as they will let out by combustion so their emissions are 0
but if you deforest a ;and in order to find space to grow and harvest biofuels youre halting their ability to help the worldwide total of carbon intake, and harvesting and that takes energy
