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physics > energy resources > Flashcards

energy resources Flashcards

1
Q

examples of fossil fuels

A

coal, oil and natural gas

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2
Q

fossil fuels

A

fossils fuels are formed from dead vegetation and tiny creatures millions of years ago.Once we have used them,it will take millions of years for new reserves of these fuels to be formed. They are examples of non-renewable energy resources.

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3
Q

What is non-renewable energy resources?

A

A non-renewable energy resource is one that effectively can’t be replaced once it has been used.

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4
Q

burning fossil fuels

A

burning fossil fuels affect the environment, mainly by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse glass and it traps the sun’s heat in the earth’s atmosphere and causes the average temperature to increase. This effect is called global warming.

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5
Q

Effects of global warming

A

Climate changes

Melting of the polar ice caps.

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6
Q

Coal

A

Burning coal releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than burning oil or gas.

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7
Q

Natural gas

A

natural gas produces the least carbon dioxide for the same energy output.

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8
Q

sulphur

A

Most types of coal and oil contain some sulphur and when it is burned sulphur dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it is then combined with water to form acid rain.

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9
Q

acid rain

A

acid rain causes damage to people, plants and buildings. It is possible to remove sulphite from the fuels or sulphur dioxide from the waste gases but it increases the cost.

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10
Q

What does a nuclear reactor use to produce energy?

A

A particular form or isotope of uranium.
Although a small amount is needed, it is in limited supply since it was formed in the earth before the solar system was formed. So once it is used up there will be no further supplies. therefore it is an example of a non-renewable source of energy.

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11
Q

advantage of nuclear fuel.

A

it does not produce greenhouse gases or polluting gases so it is considered ‘clean’.

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12
Q

disadvantage of nuclear fuel.

A

Nuclear power stations are expensive to build.
There is a huge chance of accidents and the problem of disposal of radioactive material once the power station is finished with it.
Accidents that release radioactive material like uranium and plutonium into the atmosphere pose long-lasting risks to living things.

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13
Q

What is electricity?

A

electricity is not an energy resource because it has to be generated using other resources of energy.

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14
Q

The heat from nuclear fuel or from burning fossil fuels is used to _____

A

heat water. this produces High-pressure steam that makes the blades of a turbine spin.

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15
Q

What is a turbine?

A

A turbine is like a windmill or a fan but with more blades, it is used to turn the generator which generates the electricity.

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16
Q

why is electricity called a secondary source of energy?

A

it is called so since it is derived from primary resources, including coal, natural gas, nuclear fission reactions, sunlight, wind and hydropower.

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17
Q

flow chart of electricity from fossil fuels.

A

The potential energy in coal—->water and steam—->turbine—->generator—->power lines—->homes, shops , businesses and industry—->appliances .

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18
Q

What is a renewable energy resource?

A

a renewable energy resource is one that will not run out.

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19
Q

Hydroelectric power

A

the kinetic energy in large quantities of moving water has been harnessed for many hundreds of years. Water wheels have been used to transfer the energy stored by water in rivers to break down corn and power industrial machinery. (water wheels are turbines).

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20
Q

how does hydroelectric power stations work?

A

These power stations use the GPE of water in High reservoirs built in mountains. The GPE is transferred to mimetic energy as the water flows down the mountain to the power station below.

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21
Q

How is hydroelectric power renewable?

A

The energy transferred in this way is renewable because the sun causes the water to evaporate and it is then drawn down as rai. It is again collected in the reservoir and used

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22
Q

Advantages of hydroelectric power.

A

hydroelectricity is very clean(does not produce polluting gases) and very safe

Inexpensive and no standby losses.

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23
Q

Disadvantages of hydroelectric power.

A

building the reservoirs and power stations can spoil the landscape. Can destroy or alter the natural habitat for wildlife.
Costly to build.
Can cause a flood.
Uncertainty of availability of water.

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24
Q

tidal power.

A

the tides also involve the movement of huge amounts of water. as the tide falls and the water flows out of the estuary the turbines turn again.

25
Q

how are the tides controlled?

A

the energy for the movement of the tides is provided by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. This is a renewable energy using a small fraction of the continuous supply of gravitational energy.

26
Q

disadvantages of tidal power.

A

there are not many places suitable for building dams for tidal energy.

If a dam is built, it affects the rise and fall of water in the estuary

Most likely to damage the habitat for wildlife

27
Q

Wave energy

A

the continuous movement of the surface of the seas and oceans is the result of a combination of tides and wind

28
Q

why is wave energy renewable?

A

wave energy is renewable as the movement energy of the waves is continuously available.

29
Q

Wind power.

A

winds are powered by the sun’s heat. It is a renewable source of energy that has been used for centuries.

30
Q

What are windmills used for?

A

windmills have been used to grind and corn power machinery like pumps to drain lowland areas. Wind turbines drive generators to provide electrical energy.

31
Q

advantages of wind energy.

A

no air or water pollution.
Free source of energy.
Wind farms are inexpensive.
The land used can be used for other purposes.

32
Q

Disadvantages of wind energy.

A

requires a constant and significant amount of air.
Requires a significant amount of space.
Have a visual impact on landscapes.
Can only be harvested in regions where the wind blows with enough energy for a significant proportion of the year.
They cause noise pollution and may kill birds and bats.

33
Q

photovoltaic cells.

A

photovoltaic cells (solar cells) transfer light energy directly to electrical energy. They are around 15% efficient(15% of the sun’s energy is transferred to useful electric energy).
They are becoming cheap to produce so more PV energy farms are being set up to provide large amounts of electrical energy.
They are used to provide small amounts of electricity for use in places that can’t easily be connected to the electricity mains supply.

34
Q

Where are PV cells used?

A

PV cells are used to power the Hubble space telescope and in PV energy farms.

35
Q

advantage of solar power producing electricity.

A

they are renewable and don’t produce greenhouse gases.

36
Q

The disadvantage of solar power producing electricity.

A

some people think it can spoil the countryside and that Good farming land is lost with the PV farms are built.

37
Q

Solar power producing heat

A

panels are use heat from the sun to warm water. they provide small quantities of hot water and reduce the amount of energy that might otherwise come from non-renewable resources.

38
Q

describe the solar panels.

A

solar heating panels absorb thermal radiation and use it to heat water. the panels are placed to receive the maximum amount of the sun’s energy.

In the northern hemisphere, they must face south and be angled so that light falls on them as directly as possible for as long as possible.

39
Q

describe the structure of the solar heating panel.

A

1-glass at to top to trap an air layer.
2-copper water pipes with matt Black surface, brazed to a sheet of copper with a black matt surface.
3-thermal insulation layer faced with reflective foil on both upper and lower surfaces.

40
Q

Describe the process.

A

water is pumped through copper pipes brazed onto a copper sheet, copper is used since it is a great thermal conductor.
The surfaces of the sheets and the pipes have to black and matt as they are the best absorbers of heat radiation
The glass traps a layer of air above the copper to help insulate the unit and retain the heat. The backing is also designed to stop heat from escaping to the surroundings.
The energy produced is more cost-efficient than the PV cells

41
Q

how can electricity be generated by solar panels?

A

electricity can also be generated using solar heating. Curved mirrors are used to focus thermal radiation onto a boiler or pipes containing water to produce steam. The mirrors are controlled to reflect the sun’s heat onto the central tower throughout the day. The steam can be then used to drive turbines that are used to drive electricity generators.

42
Q

disadvantage of solar energy.

A

manufacture is expensive.
Storage and backup are mandatory.
Workability depends on the sun.

43
Q

advantage of solar energy.

A

Infinite source of energy supply.

No water or air pollution.

44
Q

What is geothermal energy?

A

geothermal energy is thermal energy stored deep inside the earth.

45
Q

how is geothermal energy formed?

A

the heat in regions of volcanic activity was produced by the decay of radioactive elements like uranium.
Volcanoes are evidence of the enormous heat and energy beneath the earth’s surface but do not provide a safe or reliable energy resource.

46
Q

how can heat from the ground be used?

A

The geothermally heated water is used to drive the turbines in electricity generation stations. the hot water is used to provide domestic heating by sending it directly to houses.

47
Q

where can geothermally heated water be used?

A

in springs and geysers.

48
Q

Advantages of geothermal energy.

A

potentially infinitive energy supply.
Does not produce pollution.
Does not have a great impact on the environment.

49
Q

Disadvantages of geothermal energy.

A

set up and development cost can be expensive.

50
Q

Supply and demand.

A

the demand for electricity can vary from hour to hour, day to day and season to season.it can be predicted to some extent.

51
Q

Example of a predicted increase in the supply of electricity.

A

1-there is a rise in demand in the early morning as people wake up, turn on lights and heaters and start to make breakfast.
2-there is a rise in demand in winter more than in summer because of the use of heaters etc…

52
Q

Example of an unpredicted increase in the supply of electricity.

A

1-a popular TV programme with an exciting episode can keep millions of viewers inform of the tv and they all decide to make a cup of tea as soon as the adverts begin so the electricity usage increases.

53
Q

Nuclear power stations.

A

they can’t be turned on instantly, the process of starting the fission reaction and heating up the core if the nuclear reactor is a long one so it can’t meet the sudden variations in demand.

54
Q

Power stations that burn fossil fuels.

A

they can be started more quickly but can take hours to start producing electricity. Coal-fired stations take longer than oil-fired stations to develop the heat required to drive steam through the turbines. Gas-fires stations can respond most quickly to rises in demand.

55
Q

Hydroelectric power stations.

A

they provide a reliable energy resource with the advantage of being able to respond very quickly to changes in the national demand for electricity. They are also able to cope in reverse, so if extra electricity produced by other power stations that can’t be shut down quickly to pump water back up into High-level reservoirs. The transfer of the electrical energy back to gravitational potential energy, which can be re-transferred when needed later.

56
Q

wind power

A

it is dependent on the strength, direction and frequency of the wind. It can’t be relied upon to produce electricity at the times when it is needed the most.

Tidal power is not available continuously but the times at which it will be available are predictable.

57
Q

Cost of nuclear power.

A

it is relatively cheap. Uranium produces a huge amount of energy so the cost of energy per unit of fuel is low, however, building the station I really expensive.
It requires complex technology and very high standards of safety.
The start-up costs and the decommissioning cost must be kept in the mind of the planner as it is quite expensive.
Radioactive materials must be handled carefully with great care and stored in a way to ensure that none escape.
The running costs of nuclear power are relatively low, the payback time is very long(the payback time is how long it takes for the income from selling electricity to cover the cost of building the power station).

58
Q

Cost of a wind farm.

A

the cost of setting a wind farm is much lower than building a nuclear power station and there are no fuel costs.
The amount of energy produced by wind farms is comparatively low. The payback time for wind generators is therefore quite long.

physics (1 decks)

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