Energy Resources and Energy Transfer

Question 1

What are the three ways heat can be transferred?

Answer 1

Conduction
Convection
Radiation

Question 2

Where does conduction occur?

Answer 2

In solids

Question 3

What type of electromagnetic waves is thermal radiaton?

Answer 3

Infrared

Question 4

Where does convection occur?

Answer 4

Liquids and gases

Question 5

Is black a Good / Reasonable / Poor / Very Poor absorber and emitter of heat energy?

Answer 5

Good absorber
Good emitter

Question 6

Is white a Good / Reasonable / Poor / Very Poor absorber and emitter of heat energy?

Answer 6

Poor absorber
Poor emitter

Question 7

Is a shiny surface a Good / Reasonable / Poor / Very Poor absorber and emitter of heat energy?

Answer 7

Very poor absorber
Very poor emitter

Question 8

Is a dull surface a Good / Reasonable / Poor / Very Poor absorber and emitter of heat energy?

Answer 8

Reasonable absorber
Reasonable emitter

Question 9

Explain how convection current is formed in the air / water (4 marks)

Answer 9

• The temperature of the air / water increases
• The air / water expands meaning the air / water particles are further apart
• The density of air /water decreases as a result
• The warm heated and less dense air / water rises
• Cooler denser air / water replaces the warmed air / water
• Process repeats as is continuous

Question 10

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels

Answer 10

• Solar is renewable – Advantage
• There are no fuel or transportation costs – Advantage
• No air pollution / greenhouse gases generated – Advantage
• The sun doesn’t shine all of the time so cannot generate electricity all the time, therefore unreliable – Disadvantage
• The output (electricity generated) depends on the geographical location, needs a favourable climate - Disadvantage
• Requires a large area of panels to generate required electricity so takes up significant land – Disadvantage
• Solar panels can look ugly / cause visual pollution – Disadvantage
• Solar cannot respond to rapid changes in demand - Disadvantage

Question 11

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wave power generation

Answer 11

• Wave power generation is renewable and causes no pollution – Advantage
• Can spoil coastal views – Disadvantage
• Can be a hazard to boats – Disadvantage
• It is unreliable as waves reduce when the wind drops – Disadvantage
• Initial costs are high but then no fuel costs and minimal running costs – Disadvantage / Advantage

Question 12

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind power generation

Answer 12

• Renewable energy resource - Advantage
• No carbon emission or air pollution so will not add to global warming - Advantage
• Source of energy is free and running costs are relatively low - Advantage
• Provides employment for construction / maintenance to remote areas to support local economy - Advantage
• Wind turbines can be more efficient than conventional power stations - Advantage
• Unsightly, can damage views and impact landscape – Disadvantage
• Can be noisy / cause noise pollution – Disadvantage
• Wind turbines only generate electricity when the wind blows so not reliable – Disadvantage
• Each generator can only produce a small amount of electricity so a significant number of turbines are required – Disadvantage
• Costly to construct – Disadvantage

Question 13

What are the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal power generation

Answer 13

• Geothermal is free and is a renewable energy with no environmental impacts – Advantage
• The cost of drilling down several km is extremely expensive - Disadvantage
• The cost of building a power plant is high versus the amount of energy got out of it – Disadvantage
• There are very few places where geothermal is an economically viable option - Disadvantage

Question 14

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power generation

Answer 14

• Nuclear power plants don’t produce any greenhouse gases – Advantage
• Nuclear power plants provide a reliable electricity output e.g., not dependant on the weather – Advantage
• The amount of Uranium 235 available on earth is high so it wont run out for a very long time – Advantage
• Fuel such as uranium 235 is high density so a small amount provides a lot of energy - Advantage
• Nuclear power plants are expensive to build, maintain and decommission – Disadvantage
• Potential for a nuclear accident – Disadvantage
• High security risk - Disadvantage
• Waste products are radioactive, therefore very difficult to dispose of

Question 15

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric power generation

Answer 15

• It is a renewable energy resource – Advantage
• There is no pollution generated by the generation – Advantage
• Low running costs – Advantage
• Can respond to peaks in demand quickly - Advantage
• Initial cost are very high – Disadvantage
• Impact on the environment through flooding a valley disturbing ecosystems - Disadvantage
• Reservoirs can look unsightly in a countryside environment - Disadvantage

Question 16

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tidal barrage power generation

Answer 16

• Tidal barrages are renewable and cause no pollution - Advantage
• They have low running costs and no fuel costs – Advantage
• Tides are pretty reliable – Advantage
• The height of tides can vary therefore power generation can fluctuate – Disadvantage
• The initial costs are moderately high – Disadvantage
• Tidal barrages prevent free access by boats, spoiling the view and altering the local habitats - Disadvantage

Question 17

Why have wind farms not replaced coal power stations? (4 marks)

Answer 17

• The wind does not always blow at the right speed to generate electricity, therefore wind is unreliable as a back up generator is needed to maintain electricity production
• Wind farms can spoil views and can be noisy and can destroy habitats and are a hazard for birds
• A large and windy site is required which can be difficult to find
• Wind farm sites are usually found in remote locations or out at sea, therefore more difficult to maintain
• Approximately 800 wind turbines are required to give the same output as a coal powered station so significant resources (money, infrastructure, land etc required)