Physics Yr 10 Flashcards
What are the 6 renewable energy sources?
•tidal
•solar
•wave
•hydroelectricity
•wind
•biomass
What are the 4 non-renewable energy sources?
•gas
•coal
•oil
•nuclear
Renewable meaning
Can be easily replaced
Non-renewable meaning
Cannot be easily replaced
Coal advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•efficient
•reliable
Disadvantages:
•produces CO2 which contributes to global warming
•produces SO2 which contributes to acid rain
Wind advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•doesn’t need fuel
•doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect
Disadvantages:
•unreliable
Nuclear advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•reliable
• doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect
Disadvantages:
•nuclear waste is difficult and expensive to remove
•target for terrorist attacks
Geothermal advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect
•doesn’t need fuel
Disadvantages:
•not many places to build geothermal power stations
•hazardous gases and minerals may come up from underground
Tidal advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect
•doesn’t need fuel
Disadvantages:
•changes the environment for miles upstream and downstream
•only provides power when the tide is moving in or out (~10hrs a day)
Hydroelectricity advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
•can be used at times of high demand
•more reliable than other renewable energy sources eg wind or solar
Disadvantages:
•expensive
•building a dam will cause areas to flood
• finding a suitable site can be difficult
How do wind power stations work?
Wind turns a turbine which turns on a generator and produces electricity
How do coal power stations work?
Burning coal produces heat and turns water to steam, which turns a turbine that turns on a generator to produce electricity
How do hydroelectric power stations work?
Water is pumped up through a pipe from a bottom lake to a top lake to be stored at times of low demand. The water is allowed to flow down the pipe at times of high demand to produce instant electricity.
How to find the efficiency of an appliance?
(Useful energy / total energy) x 100
Definition of current
The flow of electrons around a circuit or through a wire
Definition of voltage
The energy that pushes the electrons around the circuit
How does current work in a series circuit?
It’s the same everywhere
How does current work in a parallel circuit?
It splits at junctions
How to find the total current in a parallel circuit?
Sum of the all currents in the junctions
At = A1 = A2 + A3
How does voltage work in a series circuit?
It splits across components