Generating Energy Flashcards
What are the three fossil fuels and nuclear?
Oil
Coal
Natural gas
Nuclear fuels-uranium and plutonium
How are electricity generators in power stations driven
By turbines
What is an advantage of fossil fuel power stations
They are reliable, not dependant of the wether
What is a disadvantage of using fossil fuel power stations
They produce green house gasses (such as carbon dioxide) and sulphuric acid (causing acid rain)
How can we stop Carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere
By using carbon captures and storage
What is used in nuclear power stations as fuels
Uranium or plunonium
How is the energy released in a nuclear power station
By nuclear fission
What are advantages of using a nuclear power station
It doesn’t produce any greenhouse gasses, more energy is released per kg than in fossil fuels power stations
What is a disadvantage of nuclear power station
Radioactive wast is produced (stays dangerous for hundreds of years): an explosion at a nuclear power station would affect the area for many years
What do all nuclear, coal and oil power stations provide
They provide a constant amount of electricity (the base-load demand)
That is the start-up time
It is the needed before a new power station can start producing electricity.
What power station has the shortest start up time
Natural gas
Which power station has the longest start up time
Nuclear
What is ment by to decommission a nuclear power station
It means to dismantle and remove radioactive wast and fuel
What can gas fired power stations and pumped storage stations (hydroelectric) do
They can meet variations in demand
What type of energy source are biofuels
Renewable sources of energy
What are renewable source
They our sources which can be used again and again
What is a wind turbine
It is an electricity generator on top of a tall tower
Who do wave generators produce electricity
By turning a floating generator
How are hydroelectric generators turned
By water running down hill
How do tidal power stations work
They trap the water at each high tide and use it to turn the generators
What are solar cells
Th are flat, solid cells that convert solar energy directly into electrity
What do solar heating panels use the sun energy for
To heat water directly
What are some advantages of renewable sources
They will never run out
They don’t produce greenhouse gases (but most are still bad for the environment in some ways, although less than non-renewables)
Many are in remote areas
What are the disadvantages of renewable energy sources
They can affect plant and animal life
They are often weather dependant therefore are unreliable
They do not always produce as much electricity as fossil fuel power stations
List all the renewable energy sources:
Wind Wave Tidale Solar Hydroelectric Geothermal Biofuels Food
Give three facts about non-renewables:
They will run out one day
They all do damage to the environment
They provide most of our energy
What are all the energy sources
The fossil fuels (coal, gas and natural gas)
Uranium and plutonium
And biofuels
What is the process of fossil fuels becomes electrical energy ink a power station?
The fossil fuel is burner to convert tits stored chemical energy into heat (thermal) energy
The heat energy is used to heat the water (or air in some power stations) to produce steam
The turbine is connected to a generator, which transfers kinetic energy into electrical energy
What is the process of uranium, plutonium and biofuels turning into electrical energy in power stations?
In some power stations an energy source is used to heat water. The steam produced drives a turbine that is coupled to an electrical generator.
Uranium and plutonium, when energy from nuclear fission is used to heat water
Biofuels that can be burned to heat water
What else apart from steam can drive the turbines in a power station?
Water
Wind
What is the difference between a fossil fuel power station and a nuclear power station?
The difference is in the boiler-with nuclear fission of uranium or plutonium producing the heat to make the steam to turn the turbines
What are the advantages of wind power?
No pollution once constructed
No fuel cost and minimal running costs
There is no permanent damage to the landscape-is you remove the turbines, you remove the noise and the view returns to normal
What are the disadvantages of wind power?
A little pollution made during manufacturing
Spoils views
1500 wind turbines will replace one coal-fired power station
Can be noisy
No power when the wind stops and it’s impossible to increase supply when there is extra demand
May cause health problem for those living near the wind turbines
What are the advantages of solar cells?
No pollution
In sunny countries solar power is a very reliable source of energy
Solar power can still be cost effective even in cloudy countries like Britain
The energy is free and running costs almost nil
What are the disadvantages of solar cells?
They do use quite a lot of energy to manufacture in the first place
Only reliable during the day
Initial costs are high
Solar cells are usually used to generate electricity on a relatively small scale e.g. Individual homes
It’s often not practical or too expensive to connect them to the national gird-the cost of connecting them can be enormous compared with try value of the electricity generated
What are the advantages of hydroelectric power?
There is no pollution
It can provide an immediate response to an increased demand for electricity
Good for UK as there’s no problem with reliability except in time of draught
There’s no fuel and minimal running costs
Useful to generate electricity Ina small scale in remote areas
Small scale production e.g in remount areas
What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric power?
Not good for courtiers which have draughts
Initial cost is high big impact on the environment due to the flooding of the valley (rotting vegetation releases methane and CO2) and possible loss of habitats for some species (sometimes loss of whole villages)
The reservoirs can also look very unsightly when they dry up, putting hydroelectric power stations in remote villages tends to reduce their impact on humans
What is geothermal energy?
In some volcanic area hot water and steam rise to the surface. The steam can be trapped and used to drive turbines. This is known as geothermal energy
What are the advantages of small-scale production of energy?
Useful locally
Useful in some areas e.g. Hydroelectric in emote areas
Useful for some uses e.g. Solar cells for road signs
What is the problem with small-scale energy production?
It is sometime uneconomical to connect such generation to the National Grid
Using different energy sources has differs effects on the environment. These effects include:
The release of substances into the atmosphere
The production of wast materials
Noise and visual pollution
The destruction of wildlife habitats
What are the advantages of geothermal?
Free energy source
No production of polluting gases
What are the disadvantages of geothermal power?
Only economically viable in very few places
Drilling through large depth of rock is difficult and expensive
How can you prevent carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere?
We can catch it and store it in carbon captures or carbon strangers.
Some of the best natural containers are old oil and gas field such as those under the North Sea
Which power stations have the shortest start-up time?
Fossil fule
Gase-fired
In some power stations an energy source us used to heat up water. How does it work?
The steam produced drives a turbine that is coupled to an electrical generator.
What happens in a fossil fuel power station?
They are burned to hear the water or air
What happens in an uranium and plutonium power station?
Energy from the nuclear fission is used to heat the water
What happens in a biofuels power station?
They can be burned to heat water
What can water and wind be used for?
To directly drive a trubine
What can sun radiation produce?
Electricity directly
