Generating Electricity Flashcards

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1
Q

How is electricity generated? ( 6 marks )

A
Coal is heated
Energy is transferred as heat
This gets water and steam 
Energy is transferred as movement 
This turns the turbine 
The movement of this drives the generator 
Generator produces electricity
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2
Q

What are the disadvantages of power stations?

A

Non renuable
Sulfur dioxide - acid rain
C02 - global warming

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3
Q

What is carbon capture?

A

Separates carbon from waste gases and stores it underground

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4
Q

What is nuclear energy?

A

Radioactive
Fission release energy
Kinetic energy turns turbine which drives the generator to produce electricity

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5
Q

What are the advantages of nuclear energy?

A

No sulfur of c02 produced

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6
Q

What are the disadvantages of nuclear energy

A

Non renuable

Nuclear waste is radioactive so must be stored safely

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7
Q

What is wind energy?

A

Wind drives a turbine to produce electricity

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8
Q

Advantages of wind energy?

A

Renewable
No fuel costs
No harmful gases produced

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9
Q

Disadvantages of wind energy?

A

Noisy

Only works if there is wind so isn’t constant

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10
Q

What are the three types of water energy?

A

Wave
Tidal
Hydroelectric

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11
Q

What is wave energy?

A

Water rises and falls and the energy is used to drive generators

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12
Q

What is tidal energy ?

A

Barrage is built to use kinetic energy in running water

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13
Q

What is hydroelectric energy?

A

Dams contain gravitational potential energy
This is transferred to kinetic
Which is transferred to electrical
This turns the turbine

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14
Q

What are the advantages of water energy?

A

Renewable
No fuel costs
No harmful gases

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15
Q

Disadvantages of water energy!

A

Destroys habitats

Floods farmland

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16
Q

What is geothermal energy?

A
Radioactive decay warms rocks 
Rocks heat water 
Water turns to steam 
Turns turbine 
Generates electricity
17
Q

Advantage of geothermal

A

Renuable

18
Q

Disadvantage of geothermal energy

A

Limited suitable areas

19
Q

What is solar energy?

A

Light to electrical energy

20
Q

What are solar panels?

A

Heat energy heats water

21
Q

What are the advantages of solar energy

A

Renewable
No toxic gases
No fuel costs

22
Q

What are the disadvantages of solar energy?

A

Expensive
Inefficient
Don’t work at night

23
Q

Advantage of power stations?

A

Reliable energy source

24
Q

What is the national grid

A

System of cables and transformers

25
Q

How is energy lost in the national grid ?

A

Lost as heat

26
Q

What does higher current mean?

A

More heat is lost

27
Q

Why is the current lowered ?

A

To prevent heat lost. Higher current = more heat lost

28
Q

How does the current get lowered?

A

Voltage is increased

29
Q

How many volts in a power station ?

A

25,000 v

30
Q

What does the step up transformer do ?

A

Increases voltage to 275,000 v
Decreases current

So less heat loss

31
Q

What does a step down transformer do?

A

Decreases voltage to 230 v

Makes it suitable for homes