Generating Electricity

Question 1

What are the advantages of nuclear fuel?

Answer 1

> lots of electricity

> no polluting gases

Question 2

What are the advantages of a hydroelectric scheme?

Answer 2

> produces a reliable renewable energy source

> very little pollution caused

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of a hydroelectric scheme?

Answer 3

> does not generate a lot of energy

> visual pollution to the landscape

> can disrupt natural habitats

Question 4

Describe tidal energy.

Answer 4

> as the tide comes in the turbines are turned, providing kinetic energy for the generator

Question 5

What are the advantages of tidal energy?

Answer 5

> reliable
renewable
no environmental pollution

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of tidal energy?

Answer 6

> not a lot of energy produced

> visual pollution

Question 7

What are the advantages of wave energy?

Answer 7

> not a lot of pollution produced (no polluting gases)

> renewable

Question 8

What is a disadvantage to geothermal energy?

Answer 8

> needs to be built in a volcanic area of geothermal activity

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of solar cells?

Answer 9

> not a lot of energy produced
- many needed to produce energy
only work during the day

Question 10

What are the advantages of solar cells?

Answer 10

> after initial cost running cost is v. Low

> almost no pollution produced

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of wind turbines?

Answer 11

> not very reliable as need wind constantly

> can be an eyesore and create a lot of noise

> not a lot of energy produced

Question 12

What are the advantages to wind power?

Answer 12

> no polluting gases produced

> easily dismantled

Question 13

What is carbon capture?

Answer 13

> CO2 produced by burning fossil fuels piped away deep under the ground
- to disused oil and gas fields underground

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of nuclear fuel?

Answer 14

> produces radioactive waste

> is non- renewable

> requires decommissioning of power plants - high costs

Question 15

Describe how a pumped storage system works.

Answer 15

> during the night when there is a surplus of electricity, the extra electricity can be used to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher one

> during peak demand the water can be released to generate electricity to supplement that which is constantly created by the national grid

> way of storing electricity which has already been created

Question 16

What is the job of the national grid?

Answer 16

> takes electrical energy from power stations to where it is needed in homes and industry

Question 17

Why is electricity stepped up when it is carried along the national grid?

Answer 17

> to transmit a large amount of electricity you need either a high current or a high voltage

> vast amount of energy is wasted through the cables of the current is high, so instead the voltage is stepped up

Question 18

What are the advantages to overhead cables compared to underground cables?

Answer 18

> lower set up cost

> easy to access

> easy to set up

> minimal disturbance to ground and land

Question 19

What are the disadvantages to overhead cables compared to underground cables?

Answer 19

> ugly

> affected by weather
need maintenance

> unreliable

> risk of electric shock and risk to aircraft