P3.1 Energy demands

Question 1

How does a power station work?

Answer 1

Burning fuel heats water in a boiler

This produces steam - the steam drives a turbine that turns an electricity generator

Question 2

What is a biofuel?

Answer 2

Is any fuel taken from living or recently living organisms - one example is animal waste

Question 3

What are the properties of biofuel?

Answer 3

Renewable - because its biological source either regrows or is continually produced

Question 4

What is carbon- neutral?

Answer 4

The carbon that the living organism takes in from the atmosphere as carbon dioxide can balance the amount that is released when the biofuel is burnt

Question 5

What is Nuclear fuel?

Answer 5

Takes energy from atoms

Question 6

What is the fuel is used in a nuclear power station?

Answer 6

Uranium or plutonium

Question 7

How does a nuclear power station work?

Answer 7

Nucleus of uranium atom is unstable and can split in two - energy is transferred from the nucleus when this happens - and energy is released as gamma waves

Question 8

What is the coolant?

Answer 8

Transfer the energy

Question 9

What is the energy transferred by the coolant is used for?

Answer 9

to turn water into steam in the heat exchanger - steam drives turbines that turn electricity generators