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Physics > Generating Electricity > Flashcards

Generating Electricity Flashcards

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1
Q

What are fossil fuels?

A

Fossil fuels are coal, oil and natural gas. They were formed from the remained of living organisms millions of years ago and they release heat energy when burned. They are non renewable.

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2
Q

What is used as a nuclear power station fuel?

A

Uranium or plutonium.

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3
Q

What are biofuels?

A

Biofuels are renewable sources of energy which can generate electricity.

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4
Q

Most power stations burn fuels to produce energy to heat water. However in a nuclear power station uranium isn’t burned. So where does the energy come from?

A

It comes from the process of nuclear fission.

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5
Q

How is lots of the energy released in nuclear power stations?

A

There are lots of uranium nuclei, so lots of fission reactions take place, releasing lots of energy. This energy is used to heat water, turning it into steam.

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6
Q

What do nuclear power stations release if they don’t release any greenhouse gases what do they release instead?

A

Nuclear power stations produce radioactive waste that must be safely stored for a long period of time.

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7
Q

Give an advantage and disadvantage of coal

A
  • They produce energy efficiently and fast

- They will run out eventually and they give off pollutants like CO2 and sulphur.

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8
Q

Give all the renewable energies

A 
Wind
Water- hydroelectric
Tidal
Wave
Solar
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9
Q

What is a wind turbine?

A

An electricity generator on top of a tall tower.

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10
Q

What can we use energy from the wind and water for?

A

To drive turbines directly

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11
Q

What happens in a wind turbine?

A

The wind passing over the blades makes them rotate and drives a generator at the top of a narrow tower.

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12
Q

In water how can electricity be produced?

A

From falling water
Waves
Tides

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13
Q

How does hydroelectric power work?

A

At a hydroelectric power station water is collected in a reservoir. This water is allowed to flow downhill and turn turbines at the bottom of the hill.

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14
Q

What form of energy is stored in the water in the top of the reservoir of a pumped storage scheme?

A

Gravitational potential energy

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15
Q

What can we do with wave power?

A

We can use the movement of the waves on the sea to generate electricity. The movement drives a floating turbine that turns a generator. Then the electricity is delivered to the grid system on shore by a cable

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16
Q

How can we use tidal power?

A

The level of sea around the coastline rises and falls twice each day. These changes in the sea levels are called tides. If a barrage is built across a river estuary, the water at each high tide can be trapped behind it. When the water is released to fall down to the lower sea level, it drives turbines.

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17
Q

Why is wave power likely to be less reliable than tidal power?

A

There are always two tides daily but on a calm day there may not be any waves.

18
Q

Where does solar energy travel?

A

It travels from the sun and through space into the earth as electromagnetic radiation.

19
Q

What can solar cells do?

A

They transfer solar energy directly into electricity.

20
Q

What do solar heating panels do?

A

They use the suns energy to heat water directly

21
Q

Why are large numbers of solar cells often joined together to make a solar panel?

A

Each solar cell only produces a small amount of electricity.

22
Q

Where does geothermal energy come from?

A

Inside the earth

23
Q

How can electricity be produced by geothermal energy?

A

Geothermal energy is produced inside the earth from heats surrounding rocks. Very deep holes are drilled and cold water is pumped down to the hot rocks. There it is heated and comes back to the surface as steam which is used to drive turbines to turn generators.

24
Q

Why are only a few places in the world able to have geothermal energy?

A

In many places the hot rocks may be too far below the surface to be used.

25
Q

What do burning fossil fuels produce?

A

Greenhouse gases that cause global warming

26
Q

What do nuclear fuels produce?

A

Radioactive waste

27
Q

Give advantage and disadvantage of oil

A

Advantage- reliable

Disadvantage- non renewable, production of co2 a greenhouse gas and production of so2 causing acid rain.

28
Q

Give an advantage and disadvantage of gas?

A

Advantage- reliable

Disadvantage- non renewable, co2 produced a. Green house gas

29
Q

Give an advantage and disadvantage of nuclear

A

A- no production of polluting gases, reliable

D- non renewable, produces hazardous nuclear waste which is hard to dispose safely. Small risk of a nuclear accident.

30
Q

Give advantage and disadvantage of wind

A

A- renewable, no production of polluting gases , free resource
D- requires large turbine, not reliable as wind doesn’t always blow

31
Q

Advantage and disadvantage of falling water

A

A- renewable, no pollution, reliable in wet areas, free

D- only works in wet and hilly areas, damming the areas causes floods

32
Q

Advantages and disadvantage of waves

A

A- renewable , no pollution, free

D- can be hazardous to boats, not reliable

33
Q

Advantages and disadvantage of tides

A

A- renewable, no pollution, reliable, free resource

D- only a few rivers are suitable, building can affect local ecology

34
Q

Advantages and disadvantages of solar

A

A- renewable, no pollution, reliable in hot countries ,free resource
D- solar cells produce very little electricity, unreliable in less sunny countries

35
Q

Advantage and disadvantage of geothermal

A

A- renewable, no pollution, free resource

D- drilling through large depth of rock is difficult and expensive

36
Q

What’s the difference between a renewable and non renewable energy resource?

A

A renewable energy source is produced as fast as it’s used. A non renewable energy resource is one that is used at a much faster rate than produced.

37
Q

Why do hydroelectric power stations have to be built in hilly areas?

A

The water must fall from a height to transfer gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy.

38
Q

What is a solar cell?

A

A solar cell is a decide that produces electricity directly from the sun.

39
Q

What is a solar heating panel?

A

A solar heating panel is a device that heats the water using energy from the sun.

40
Q

In power stations how is a turbine driven to produce electricity?

A

In most power stations water is heated to produce steam. The steam drives a turbine, which is coupled to an electrical generator that produces the electricity.

Physics (9 decks)

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