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Physics: 1 > Renewable Energy Resources > Flashcards

Renewable Energy Resources Flashcards

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1
Q

Name 2 advantages of renewable energy resources (compared with non-renewable)

A
  1. They can be replaced faster than they are used up; they won’t run out
  2. They do less damage to the environment
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2
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of renewable energy resources

A
  1. Generate less electricity than non-renewables
  2. Some are unreliable because weather dependent
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3
Q

What does wind power involve?

A

Putting up lots of wind turbines in exposed places e.g. moors, round the coast, off the coast…

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4
Q

How is electricity generated by wind turbines?

A

The electricity is generated directly form the wind turning the blades, which turn the generator inside the turbine

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5
Q

Name 4 advantages of wind power

A
  1. No pollution produced (except a bit when being manufactured and set-up)
  2. Renewable so won’t run out
  3. No fuel costs and minimal running costs
  4. Do not leave permanent damage to landscape
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6
Q

How many wind turbines do you need to replace a coal fired power station?

A

1 500

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7
Q

What does the fact that it takes 1 500 wind turbines to replace one coal-fired power station tells us about wind power?

A
  1. It generates less electricity than coal-fired power
  2. That amount of turbines in one place will spoil the view if farm is on land
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8
Q

Name 5 disadvantages of wind power

A
  1. They can be an eyesore
  2. They can be very noisy which can annoy local people
  3. Weather dependent - unreliable
  4. Weather dependent - impossible to increase supply even if demand increases
  5. Initial costs are quite high
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9
Q

How do solar cells generate electricity?

A

By generating electric currents directly from the sunlight

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10
Q

What are solar cells often the best source of energy for (2), and why?

A
  1. Watches
  2. Calculators

Don’t use much electricity

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11
Q

Where is solar power often usde and why?

(example)

A

In remote places (e.g. the Australian outback), because the remote nature of the place measn there’s not much choice in electrical sources

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12
Q

Solar power is often used to power ____ ____ ____ and ____

A

Solar power is often used to power electric road signs and satellites

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13
Q

Name 5 advatages of using solar energy

A
  1. No pollution (although quite a lot of energy used to manufacture them in first place, which would create pollution)
  2. Very reliable source of energy in sunny countries in day time
  3. Also can be cost-effective in cloudy countries like UK
  4. Free energy
  5. Running costs very low
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14
Q

Solar cells are usually used to generate electricity on a ____ ____ ____ e.g. powering ____ ____

A

Solar cells are usually used to generate electricity on a relatively small scale e.g. powering individual homes

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15
Q

Why is it often not practical and too expensive to connect solar cells to the National Grid?

A

The cost of connecting them to the National Grid can be enormous compared with the value of the electricity generated

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16
Q

Name 3 disadvanatages of solar power

A
  1. Large amount of energy used to manufacture them causes damage to environment
  2. High initial cost
  3. Not practical and too expensive to connect to National Grid
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17
Q

Water can be used to ____ ____ in the same way as ____

A

Water can be used to turn turbines in the same way as wind

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18
Q

Wherever water is moving, we can transfer its ____ energy into ____ energy

A

Wherever water is moving, we can transfer its kinetic energy into electrical energy

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19
Q

Name 6 advantages of using hydroelectric power

A
  1. No pollution in running it
  2. It can provide an immediate response to an increased demand in electricity (low start-up time)
  3. Reliable (except in times of drought - but Great Britain = not really a problem)
  4. No fuel costs and minimal running costs
  5. Useful way to generate electricity on a small scale in remote areas
  6. Renewable
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20
Q

Name 4 disadvantages to hydroelectric power

A
  1. Rotting vegetation releases methane and CO2
  2. Possible loss of habitat for some species (sometimes loss of whole villages)
  3. Can be an eyesore when they dry up
  4. High initial costs
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21
Q

How can we reduce the impact of hydroelectric power on humans?

Why?

A

By putting them in remote valleys

  • Reduces likelihood of ugliness being seen
  • Reduces chance of villages having to be lost
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22
Q

Hydroelectric power usually requires what?

A

The flooding of a valley by building a big dam

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23
Q

Very simply, how does hydroelectric power work?

A

Rainwater is caught and allowed out through turbines

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24
Q

Name the 4 steps to generating electricity at a hydroelectric power station, and the useful energy transfers

A
  1. Water stored in reservoir at top of valley by dam

Gravitational potential

  1. Water released down hill

Kinetic

  1. Flows through turbines, turning them
  2. Turbines connected to generator - generates elecricity

Electrical

  1. Connected to National Grid - to places that need it e.g. homes
25
Q

What does ‘pumped storage’ do?

A

Gives extra supply of energy just when it is needed

26
Q

Most large power stations have huge boilers that have to be kept running ____ ____, even though ____ is very ____.

What does this mean?

A

Most large power stations have huge boilers that have to be kept running at night, even though demand is very low.

This means there’s a surplus of energy at night

27
Q

Pumped storage is one of the best solutions to what?

A

Storing spare energy for later use

28
Q

How does pumped storage work?

A
  1. Surplus night-time electricity is used to pump water up to a higher reservoir
  2. This can then be released quickly during periods of peak demand such as teatime each evening, to supplement the steady delivery from the big power stations
29
Q

How does pumped storage differ from hydroelectric power?

A

It uses the same idea BUT isn’t a way of generating power - it’s simply a way of storing energy that has already been generated

30
Q

How much of the electricity in Britain comes from hydroelectric power

A

Only a very small percentage

31
Q

In the last few years, how much of Norway’s power has been generated using hydroelectric power?

A

99%

32
Q

How does wave power work?

(2 steps)

A
  1. You put lots of small wave-powered turbines along the coast
  2. As waves come into the shore they provide an up and down motion which can be used to drive a generator
33
Q

Name 4 advantages to wave power

A
  1. No pollution
  2. No fuel costs and minimal running costs
  3. Can be very useful on small islands
  4. Renewable
34
Q

Name 5 disadvantages to wave power

A
  1. Spoils the view
  2. Hazard to boats
  3. Fairly unreliable as waves tend to die out when the wind drops
  4. Initial costs are high
  5. Unlikely to provide energy on a large scale
35
Q

What are tidal barrages?

A

Big dams built across river estuaries with turbines in them

36
Q

How do tidal barrages work?

A
  1. As the tide comes in it fills the estuary to a height of several metres and drives the turbines
  2. This water can be allowed out through the turbines at a controlled speed
37
Q

What is the source of energy for tidal power?

A

The gravity of the Sun and the Moon

38
Q

Name 6 advantages of tidal power

A
  1. No pollution
  2. Pretty reliable - tides come twice a day and always near to predicted height
  3. Excellent for storing energy ready for periods of peak demand
  4. No fuel cards and minimal running costs
  5. Potential for generating a significant amount of energy
  6. Renewable
39
Q

Name 6 disadvantages of tidal power

A
  1. Prevent free access by boats
  2. Spoil the view
  3. Alters the habitat of wildlife
  4. Height of the tide is variable - significantly less power from lower tides
  5. Don’t work when water level is same on both sides - happens 4 times daily
  6. High initial costs
40
Q

What is a very simple definition of geothermal energy?

A

Heat from underground

41
Q

Where is geothermal energy only possible?

A

In volcanic areas where hot rocks lie quite near the surface

42
Q

What is the source of much of the heat in geothermal energy?

A

The slow decay of various radiotactive elements, including uranium, deep inside the Earth

43
Q

How does geothermal energy work?

(5 steps)

A
  1. Underground heat is caused by radioactive elements decaying
  2. We pump cold water down to the hot rocks
  3. This heats the water
  4. Hot water and steam rises to the surface
  5. It is used to turn a turbine which drives a generator
44
Q

Name 2 advantages of geothermal energy

A
  1. Free energy
  2. Renewable
45
Q

What is being done in some places with geothermal energy?

A

Geothermal heat is used to heat buildings directly, without being converted to electrical energy

46
Q

Name 2 disadvantages to geothermal energy

A
  1. Aren’t very many suitable locations for power plants
  2. The cost of building the power plant is often high compared to the amount of energy we can get out of it
47
Q

How do we use biofuels to generate electricity

A

In exactly the same way as fossil fuels:

  1. Burn
  2. Boil
  3. Turn
  4. Generate
48
Q

How else are biofuels used like fossil fuels?

A

Used in some cars

49
Q

What states can biofuels be?

A

Any - solid, liquid, or gas

50
Q

Name 3 examples of solid biofuels

A
  1. Straw
  2. Nutshells
  3. Woodchips
51
Q

Name 1 example of a liquid biofuel

A

Ethanol

52
Q

Name an example of a gaseous biofuel

A

Methane‘biogas’ from sludge digesters

53
Q

Where are sludge digesters used?

A

In sewage processing

54
Q

Where can we get biofuels from (2)?

A
  1. From organisms that are still alive
  2. From dead organic matter - like fossil fuels, but from organisms that have been living much more recently
55
Q

How do we get ethanol?

A

By fermenting crops like sugar cane

56
Q

What can plant oils be modified to produce?

A

Biodiesel

57
Q

Name 2 advantages of biofuels

A
  1. Produce less greenhouse gases (e.g. carbon dioxide) than fossil fuels when combusted
  2. Renewable
58
Q
A

Physics: 1 (24 decks)

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