Energy Transfer And Types9 Flashcards
Energy can’t be…
Destroyed or created this means that the amount of energy in the universe is always the same.
What is energy measured in?
Joules(J)
Is all energy useful?
No some energy is classed as wasted energy. All wasted energy will end up as heat energy which spreads out(dissipates) which make surroundings slightly warmer as the energy spreads out its more difficult to reuse.
What are the 9 types of energy?
Kinetic Thermal Sound Light Gravitational Elastic Chemical Electrical Nuclear
Which energy types are classed as potential?
Gravitational
Elastic
Chemical
What is the equation for efficiency?
Useful Energy Output
——————— (x100%)
Total Energy Input
What is the process for fossil-fuel power station?
- sun produces energy
- plants take energy from the sun
- plants change to coal over millions of years
- coal is burnt in oxygen(in air)
- water heated, make steam
- steam turns a turbine
- turbine drives a generator
- generator produces electricity
- electricity travels through wires to your home
- electricity used in home
What are the three fossil fuels?
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
What is nuclear power?
Nuclear power involves splitting atoms of nuclear fuel, uranium or plutonium. When atoms are split a lot of heat energy is released. That heat energy is used to heat water to make steam. Since the fuel isn’t burnt, no greenhouse gases are produced. However dangerous radioactive substances are produced.
What arguments are for nuclear power?
- produce a lot of energy
- no sulphur dioxide, so no acid rain
- no carbon dioxide, so not affecting the greenhouse affect
- small amount of radioactive waste
What arguments are against nuclear power?
- Chernobyl nuclear power station, blew up, due to human error
- waste stays radioactive for thousands of years
- costs a lot of money to commission and decommission
- nuclear waste stored underground may leak and pollute the world
What is the process for hydroelectricity?
- sun evaporates water from the sea
- water forms clouds, producing rain
- rainwater falls downhill in rivers
- water’s collected behind a dam
- water falls down from the dam
- water turns turbine
- turbine drives a generator
- electricity is produced
What is the process for tidal power?
- moon orbits earth
- gravitational pull of the moon causes tides
- at high tide, waters trapped
- at low tide water falls back through the dam
- moving water turns a turbine
- turbine drives a generator
- electricity produced
What is the process of wave power?
- Waves trapped in small area
- up and down motion pushes air above and forces air against a turbine
- air pressure makes turbine turn
- turns generator
- producing electricity
What is meant by the term fossil fuels?
Plant/living organism which has fossilised over millions of years
What is the process of wind power? And what is a disadvantage?
- use kinetic energy of wind to turn a turbine
- turbine connected to the generator
- electricity produced
No wind, won’t work
What is the process of solar power? And what is a disadvantage?
- solar cells consist of “photovoltaic cells” these collect light energy from the sun
- these transfer it directly into electrical energy
Have to be at the right angle
Only work during the day
What is the process of geothermal power? And what is a disadvantage?
- Cold waters pumped down into the rocks
- waters heated by radioactive decay(in the earth)
- steams pumped to the surface
- steam drives a turbines
- turbine drives a generator
- electricity’s produced
Costly to install
What is the process of biomass energy? And what is a disadvantage?
- biomass is organic matter e.g.plants,wood,animal waste
- biomass burnt
- heat produced heats water to create steam
- turns turbine and generator
- like a fossil fuel power station
You still put carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere but no extra than what the biomass has absorbed in its growth
What are the advantages and disadvantages of coal?
Advantages
-cheap, easy to obtain
-flexible in meeting demand and quicker start up time than nuclear
Disadvantage
-produces carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide
-removing the sulphur dioxide costs money
What are the advantages and disadvantages of oil?
Advantages
-relatively easy to find
-flexible in meeting demand, quicker start-up time than nuclear and coal
Disadvantage
-produces carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide
-often transported between continents in tankers, higher risk of spillage and pollution
What are the advantages and disadvantages of natural gas?
Advantages -relatively easy to find -no sulphur dioxide produced Disadvantage -produces carbon dioxide -expensive pipelines and networks are often required to transport the gas
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power?
Advantages
-don’t produce carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide
-lots of uranium still left to use, use in any weather
Disadvantage
-cost of building and decommissioning adds heavily to the unit cost of energy produced
-radioactive waste stays dangerously radioactive for thousands of years
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?
Advantages
-suns energy is free
-solar panels are a cheap way of supplying warm water
Disadvantage
-solar cells are inefficient, large surface area needed
-only work when sun shines
What are the advantages and disadvantages of biomass?
Advantages -plants are renewable -uses natural waste products Disadvantage -burning fuel causes air pollution
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy?
Advantages -while wind blows, energy is free -land can still be used for farming Disadvantage -only works in windy places -contributes to noise pollution and visual pollution
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wave energy?
Advantages -whenever there's waves, energy is free Disadvantage -only works in places where there are big waves -high maintenance costs
What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydro-electric energy?
Advantages -quick response to demand -energy can be stored Disadvantage -can only be used in wet, hilly areas -floods a large area, affects ecology
What are the advantages and disadvantages of tidal energy?
Advantages -where there's tides, energy is free -barrier can be used as a causeway across an estuary Disadvantage -needs a place with high tides -affects ecology of the area
What are the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy?
Advantages -energy free -available day and night Disadvantage -only possible where hot rocks are near the surface
Some electrical energy supplied to a motor is wasted as heat. Why does this happen?
As the motor spins round friction creates heat
