energy resources - text chapter 3

Question 1

What is wave energy?

Answer 1

The floating generator moves up and down as the waves pass. The motion turns the generator and electricity is generated and passed along a cable to the shoreline.

Question 2

What is tidal energy?

Answer 2

Water from each high tide is trapped and let out through turbines.

Question 3

Negatives of geothermal energy?

Answer 3

• volcanically active areas only

- Expensive to build

Question 4

What are cons of wind energy?

Answer 4

• takes up alot of room
• expensive
• unreliable

Question 5

Positives of geothermal energy?

Answer 5

• reliable
• renewable
• no carbon dioxide is released

Question 6

What is geothermal energy?

Answer 6

geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. People can capture geothermal energy through: Geothermal power plants, which use heat from deep inside the Earth to generate steam to make electricity.

Question 7

What is hydroelectric energy?

Answer 7

Water is stored on high ground then allowed to turn down through turbines, which then turn generators

Question 8

What are the pros of wave energy?

Answer 8

-free fuel

Question 9

Positives of solar cells?

Answer 9

-free fuel

Question 10

Positives of nuclear energy?

Answer 10

• carbon dioxide not released
• very high energy density
• reliable•
• nuclear energy power stations can work all the time

Question 11

What are solar panels?

Answer 11

Water is heated by the sun which can then be used in bathrooms

Question 12

What is nuclear energy?

Answer 12

Substances like uranium and plutonium are used in nuclear reactions. The energy from these reactions is used to heat water.The water then turns into steam and rises turning a generator which turns a turbine to generate electricity.

Question 13

Negatives of hydroelectric?

Answer 13

• Expensive to build

- valley floods → habitat damage

Question 14

Positive of hydroelectric?

Answer 14

• renewable
• No carbon dioxide released
• reliable

Question 15

Negative of solar cells?

Answer 15

-Very inefficient so can only be used for small amounts of electricity are needed.

Question 16

Name the two types of solar energy?

Answer 16

cells and panels

Question 17

Negatives of nuclear energy?

Answer 17

-radioactive waste
-long start up time
-waste products need to be stored for many years
- nuclear power stations have
high commissioning and
decommissioning costs

Question 18

What is wind energy?

Answer 18

Wind passes over the turbine blades and turn it which turns a generator. The faster the wind speeds, the more power produced.

Question 19

Negatives of biofuel?

Answer 19

• low energy density fuel
• lots of land use
• does release carbon dioxide

Question 20

What are cons of wave energy?

Answer 20

• lots of cabling needed which can spoil the coastline (visual pollution)
• Tidal flow patterns may be affected which could affect marine habitats

Question 21

What are the cons of tidal energy?

Answer 21

• can spoil the landscape

- damage aquatic landscapes

Question 22

What is biofuel?

Answer 22

A fuel taken from a living or recently living organisms eg.animal waste, woodchip. It is burnt and used to turn water into steam which then turns a turbine.

Question 23

What is solar cells?

Answer 23

Sunlight is absorbed by the cell and 10% is turned into electricity.

Question 24

What are pros of tidal energy?

Answer 24

• free fuel

- reliable

Question 25

What are solar power towers?

Answer 25

In hot countries the sun is reflected onto a water tank which is then turned into steam which passed through turbine.

Question 26

Positives of biofuel?

Answer 26

- renewable - carbon neutral - reliable

Question 27

What are pros of wind energy?

Answer 27

-free fuel

Question 28

What is ment by renewable energy source?

Answer 28

energy source replenished by natural processes at same rate as it is used e.g., ethanol, when sugar cane grows

Question 29

Compare a tidal power station and a hydroelectric power station. Give 2 similarities and 2 differences

Answer 29

similarities:  both rely on water flow  both transfer GPE stored in water to electrical energy. differences:  tidal in estuaries but hydroelectric in hilly areas  tidal use sea water whereas hydroelectric use rain water  tidal produce more power than hydroelectric.

Question 30

name the renewable energy resource that transfers the kinetic energy of moving air to energy

Answer 30

wind

Question 31

name the renewable energy resource that transfers the gravitational potential energy of water running downhill into energy transferred by an electric current

Answer 31

hydroelectricity

Question 32

name the renewable energy resource that transfers the kinetic energy of water moving up and down to energy transferred by an electric current

Answer 32

waves

Question 33

Is wood 1 renewable or non renewable 2fossil fuel or non-fossil fuel

Answer 33

non-renewable | non-fossil fuel

Question 34

why is the demand for electricity lower than in summer than in winter in the UK

Answer 34

 warmer weather so less heating used  lighter days so less lighting used  people tend to spend more time outside

Question 35

Discuss whether wind turbines or solar panels could be used to meet a sudden increase in demand for energy?

Answer 35

when conditions are suitable, wind and solar power can be used when demand is high but conditions may not be suitable (i.e., it may not be windy or sunny) when conditions are suitable and demand is low, wind and solar energy resources can be used to store energy in pumped storage schemes (i.e., pump water into uphill reservoirs in hydroelectric power stations) when demand is high, the pumped storage schemes can then release more energy for use

Question 36

The lagoon tidal barrage system is claimed to be able to generate electricity for 14 hours a day. Give 2 reasons why its necessary to connect houses to the National Grid rather than to the lagoon tidal barrage system alone. Apart from cost why would people object to this

Answer 36

- the system cannot generate electricity for 24 hours a day -the system may need to shut down for maintenance or breakdown -damage to the environment, harm fish, etc.

Question 37

Evaluate the benefits of growing and using ethanol made from sugar cane grown in Brazil. (environmental and economic gains)

Answer 37

plants, such as sugar cane, for biofuels use up carbon dioxide using sugar cane ethanol reduces the amount of fossil fuels burnt burning fossil fuels causes environmental problems such as global warming and acid rain Brazil benefits economically from export of sugar cane ethanol provides employment for farmers in Brazil