National and global energy sources (1.3)

Question 1

What are the main energy resources available for use on Earth? Are they renewable (R) or non-renewable (NR)?

Answer 1

• fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) - NR
• nuclear fuel - NR
• bio-fuel - R
• wind - R
• hydro- electricity - R
• geothermal - R
• the tides (tidal) - R
• the Sun (solar) - R
• water waves - R

Question 2

What are the three fossil fuels?

Answer 2

Coal, oil and gas

Question 3

What is renewable energy resource?

Answer 3

An energy source that is being (or can be) replaced as quickly as it is used

Question 4

4 needed

What are some of the uses of energy resources?

Answer 4

transport, electricity, generation and heating

Question 5

Why are non-renewable sources sometimes more useful than renewable sources other than being more reliable?

Answer 5

Provide large amounts of energy easily, so used more for large-scale energy supplies

Still relatively abundant, so cost-effective

Question 6

Why has the development of renewable energy sources become more important?

Answer 6

due to the finite lifetime of fossil fuels

Question 7

What may some renewable energy sources be dependant on?

Answer 7

External conditions (e.g. waves for tidal, sun exposure for solar, wind for wind turbines)

Generating power through other means is often more efficient and economically beneficial

Question 8

What is the problem with fossil fuels?

Answer 8

Extraction involves destroying landscapes and use of them releases CO₂ emissions, which contributes to global warming

Also, sulfur dioxide is released which causes acid rain, which can damage buildings and crops

Question 9

What is the advantage of creating electricity with wind/solar energy sources?

Answer 9

They release no emissions

Question 10

Describe the pattern of energy sources during the industrial revolution. Why is this?

Answer 10

fossil fuels became an important source of energy as it was easy to mine, and provided a lot of energy

Question 11

Why have renewable energy sources only recently become suitable to use?

Answer 11

Technology has had to develop a lot since industrial revolution to be able to harness such energy sources efficiently

Question 12

Why today, is it both easier and harder to use energy sources (e.g. fossil fuels, nuclear)?

Answer 12

It is easier to use energy resources due to increasing pressure to cope with the public’s increasing power demands

but harder to solve environmental issues due to political, social, ethical and economic considerations.

Question 13

2 needed

What are the advantages of generating power using gas rather than coal?

Answer 13

• shorter start-up time
• less CO₂ emissions

Question 14

not non-renewable

Fossil fuels are described as (…) energy sources

Answer 14

reliable (not dependent to external conditions)

Question 15

3 needed

What are the advantages of nuclear power?

Answer 15

1. Large energy produced for little fuel
2. don’t release greenhouse gases and so don’t contribute to climate change
3. low fuel costs

Question 16

3 needed

What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?

Answer 16

1. Produces nuclear waste which is harmful to humans & must be safely stored for centuries
2. Non-Renewable energy source
3. Risk of nuclear accidents, which have fatal consequences on humans and the environment

Question 17

2 needed

What are some disadvantages of using biofuels?

Answer 17

• When plants are burned or decay they release CO2 In order to grow biofuels, you need to destroy land which leads to problems because:
  
  • The land could have been natural habitats
  • Destroying land may involve burning plants growing on it, which would release CO2
• Growing biofuels reduces the land available for growing food

Question 18

3 needed

What are advantages of tidal energy sources?

Answer 18

• They do not produce greenhouse gases
• They are quite reliable, as tides happen twice a day
• They are cheap to run as tides are natural, and so are free

Question 19

2 needed

What are disadvantages of hydro-electric power?

Answer 19

• The dam may cause flooding
• It can cost a lot to install the required infrastructure

Question 20

3 needed

What are advantages of solar panels?

Answer 20

• They don’t cause harm to the environment
• They are a renewable resource
• They can be used in remote areas where other types of energy are less accessible

Question 21

2 needed

What are some social factors which may act as a deterrent for certain types of energy production?

Answer 21

• visual pollution
• noise pollution

Both disadvantages of wind farms - may also lead to bird being killed/hurt if they fly through

Question 22

Why may a country’s energy usage decrease over time?

Answer 22

Due to increased efficiency

Question 23

What is a way into reduce the amount of CO₂ emissions from burning the same amount of fossil fuels?

Answer 23

Carbon capture

Question 24

What is the energy transfer taking place at a solar panel?

Answer 24

Light energy of sun to electrical energy of solar panel by heating

Question 25

What happens to wind turbines if it is too windy?

Answer 25

They will turn off - so no electricity produced

Question 26

Biofuels are carbon (…)

Answer 26

neutral

(use carbon capture)

Question 27

Why would placing a solar panel higher up not affect the power output?

Answer 27

Because there is an insignificant difference in the distance from the sun

on earth

Question 28

Gas-fired power stations and pumped-storage systems can meet (…) in (…)

Answer 28

variations

demand

Question 29

What does it mean to decommission a nuclear power station?

Answer 29

remove radioactive waste