P3 Energy resources (paper 1) Flashcards
What does non-renewable resource mean
that the energy resource will run out one day
What does renewable resource mean
that the energy resource will never run out
What are fossil fuels
natural resources that form underground over millions of years
what are the three main fossil fuels
coal
oil
natural gas
what can you assume about a resource if it is non-renewable
- it will all ‘run out’ one day
- it damages the environment
- it is reliable
what can you assume about a resource if it is renewable
- it will never run out
- it will not damage the environment excessively
- it is unreliable
what are the non-renewable resources
- nuclear fuel
- coal
- oil
- natural gas
what are the renewable resources
- solar
- wind
- hydroelectricity
- biofuel
- tidal
- geothermal
how can non-renewable energy resources be used for transport
- petrol and diesel powered vehicles ~ oil
- coal in steam trains ~ coal
how can renewable energy resources be used for transport
- vehicles ~ biofuel
how can non-renewable energy resources be used for heating
- heating homes ~ natural gas
- fireplaces ~ coal
how can renewable energy resources be used for heating
- heat buildings ~ geothermal & solar
what is the national grid
a giant web of wires that covers the whole of Britain, distributing electricity from power stations to homes everywhere
Why do we not use renewable resources more than non-renewable if they don’t harm the environment as much
because they don’t generate as much energy
how does coal, oil and natural gas generate electricity
- either coal, oil or natural gas is burnt
- steam is produced
- steam rotates turbine, connected to the generated
- generator rotates producing electricity
what are the advantages of coal
- cheap
- good transport links
- built anywhere
what are the advantages of oil
- easy to transport
- built anywhere
- produces large amounts of electricity
what are the advantages of natural gas
- easy to transport
- produces large amounts of electricity
- built anywhere
what are the disadvantages of coal
- produces CO2
- produces sulphur dioxide
- non-renewable
what are the disadvantages of oil
- produces CO2
- produces sulphur dioxide
- non-renewable
what are the disadvantages of natural gas
- produces CO2
- non-renewable
- expensive
how does nuclear power stations generate electricity
- nuclear fission heats water
- water produces steam
- steam rotates turbines
- turbines rotate generator
what are the advantages of nuclear energy
- uranium is cheap
- no CO2
- produces a lot of electricity
what are the disadvantages of nuclear energy
- safety concerns
- non-renewable
how does biomass generate electricity
- biomass burnt directly in boilers
- steam is produced
- steam turn turbine
- turbine turns generator
what are the advantages of biomass energy
- renewable
- neutral carbon emissions
what are the disadvantages of biomass energy
- expensive
- need to be built near a large supply of biomass
how does solar energy generate electricity
solar cells generate electric currents directly from sunlight
what are the advantages of solar energy
- renewable
- no CO2
- free operating
what are the disadvantages of solar energy
- needs light
- doesn’t work at night
how does wind power generate electricity
- air flows around the blades
- Low pressure created
- low pressure turn the blades
- blades turns the generator
what are the advantages of wind power
- no CO2 produced
- renewable
- land occupied can still be used
What are the disadvantages of wind power
- unreliable ~ can’t control the wind
- Have to be built in high grounds
how does hydroelectric power generate electricity
- flowing water spins a turbine
- turbine spins a generator
- generator produces electricity
what are the advantages of hydroelectric power
- no CO2 produces
- sustainable
- low operating costs
what are the disadvantages of hydroelectric power
- very expensive to build
- land floods
how does tidal power generate electricity
- trapped water releases through turbines
- energy is extracted when the water flows
what are the advantages of tidal power
- tides are predictable
- no CO2
- renewable
what are the disadvantages of tidal power
- needs tide to be flowing
- expensive to build
what appliances are solar cells best for
calculators and watches
In tidal power were is the water kept
barrages
what are bio-fuels made from
plants and waste
What releases sulfur dioxide
burning coal and oil
what does burning sulfur dioxide cause
acid rain
What problems do oil spillages cause
it affects mammals and birds that live in and around the sea
what are we currently still dependant on for electricity
fossil fuels
What can decrease the use of energy
- making appliances more efficient
- being more careful with how much we use
What is the use of renewable energy limited by
reliability
money
politics
