Energy Resources Flashcards
How do fossil fuel work?
gas, coal or oil is burned in power stations
What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?
- creates a lot of pollution e.g global warming, acid rain
- will run out
What are the advantages of fossil fuels?
- cheap and reliable
- gives out a lot of thermal energy when they burn
What are the disadvantages of nuclear energy?
- very expensive to dispose
- risk of accident
- nuclear waste produced
Advantages of nuclear energy:
no greenhouse gases
produces lots of energy
How does nuclear energy work?
chain reaction heats water
- turn turbine and generates electricity
Advantages of wind energy:
- free and lasts forever
- no greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of wind energy:
- unreliable
- not suitable in all areas
How does solar energy work?
sun energy makes electricity
Advantages of solar energy?
- free and lasts forever
- no greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of solar energy?
- does not work at night
- very expensive to set-up
Disadvantages of wave energy?
unreliable
does not produce much power
Advantages of wave energy?
free and lasts forever
no greenhouse gases
How does wave energy work?
wave motion makes turbine turn and generate electricity
Advantages of tidal energy?
free and lasts forever
no greenhouse gases
reliable
Disadvantages of tidal energy?
causes lots of local damage and flooding
not all areas are suitable
How does biomass work?
living material can be burnt
Disadvantages of biomass?
produces greenhouse gases when burnt
Advantages of hydroelectric power?
reliable and no greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of hydroelectric power?
causes lots of local damage and flooding
How does geothermal energy work?
heat from rocks underground can turn water to steam and power a turbine
Advantages of geothermal energy?
reliable and no greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of geothermal energy?
very few sire available and can sometimes run out
How does hydroelectric power work?
water flowing downhill turn a turbine
