Generating Electricity Flashcards
What is Renewable Energy?
A source of energy which is not going to run out.
What is non-renewable energy?
A source of energy which is going to run out.
Name 5 Renewable energy sources.
Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Tidal, and Hydroelectric.
Advantages for wind and solar.
Renewable - No waste pollution
Advantages for Coal, Oil, Gas.
Reliable, Large power output.
What does Reliable mean?
An energy source that can provide electricity at any time.
Name 5 Examples of reliable energy.
Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Nuclear, Oil, Biomass.
What does unreliable mean?
Doesn’t produce electricity all the time.
Name some examples of an unreliable energy source.
Wind, Solar
Advantages for Nuclear energy.
Reliable, large power output, No greenhouse gases.
Hydroelectric energy advantages.
Renewable, Reliable, Short start up time, No waste pollution.
Tidal power advantages.
Renewable, No waste or pollution.
Biomass
Renewable, Reliable, Carbon neutral.
Disadvantages for Wind and Solar.
Low Power output. Unreliable, Considered unsightly. (!?)
Disadvantages for Coal, Oil, Gas
Non-Renewable, Produce Greenhouse gases, cause acid rain, ugly and can pollute air near homes. (Some people have to wear masks in China when they go outside.)
Disadvantages for Nuclear
Non-Renewable, Long start-up time, Produces radioactive waste which must be stored for a long time. Expensive to commission and decommission.
Disadvantages for hydroelectric.
Not many suitable places for this power station. Must flood a large area which affects wildlife.
Disadvantages for Tidal power.
Must flood a large area which affects wildlife.
Disadvantages for biomass.
Uses a lot of crops which requires a lot of land to grow.
Efficiency Equation:
%Efficiency = (Energy usefully transferred) / (Total energy supplied) X 100
How does a thermal power station e.g Coal, Biomass, Nuclear, Geothermal create electricity?
Heat is created in the furnace by burning a
fuel, or a nuclear reaction in nuclear power.
This heat turns water to steam which moves
through the pipes to the turbine.
This turns the turbine which in turn turns the
generator.
This generates electricity which is supplied to
the National Grid.
The steam is cooled and sent back to the
furnace to be heated again.
What is the national grid?
The national grid is a network of cables which connects every power station to every home, shop, factory, school, hospital, and every other consumer.
