Generating Electricity Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the advantages of underground cables?

A
  • Cannot be seen
  • Not a hazard to aircraft
  • Less likely to damaged by the weather
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2
Q

What are the disadvantages of overhead cables?

A
  • Higher risk of electric shock
  • Can be damaged by weather
  • Hazard to aircraft
  • Can spoil the view
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3
Q

What are the disadvantages of underground cables?

A
  • Harder to access for repairs
    • Cost more to repair
  • More expensive to repair
  • Needs thicker cables
  • Needs a cooling system
  • Disruptive to land to install
  • Needs electrical insulating
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4
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind turbines?

A
Adv.
-Wind is a renewable resource
-They don't produce pollutants
Dis.
-Wind farms are noisy
-Don't run in low or high wind speeds (They are unreliable)
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5
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar cells?

A
Adv.
-Renewable
-No fuel costs
-No pollutants produced
Dis.
-Expensive and inefficient
-Produce less at night/when its cloudy
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6
Q

Evaluate geothermal energy.

A
Adv.
-Renewable
-Reliable
-No fuel costs
-No pollutants
Dis.
-Only a few locations where it is suitable
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7
Q

What are the advantages of overhead cables?

A
  • Easy to access for repairs
  • Lower install costs than underground cables
  • Air acts as an insulator
  • Cooled by the air
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8
Q

Why does the national grid use transformers?

A

The supply from the power station is stepped-up to 400,000V so that there is less energy lost as heat in the power lines.
It is stepped-down to 230V to be used by homes and business.

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9
Q

Evaluate nuclear fission power stations.

A
Adv.
-Reliable
-Good for constant baseline power supply
-Don't produce CO2
Dis.
-Expensive to build and decommission
-Long decommission time
-Slow start-up times
-Slow to adjust output
-Produce radioactive waste
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