Section 4 Flashcards
Examples of fossil fuels?
Oil, natural gas and coal.
What problems do fossil fuels cause?
Environmental.
What are the advantages of fossil fuels?
- the burning releases a lot of energy, relatively cheap.
- energy from fossil fuels doesn’t rely on the weather, so is reliable.
- don’t need to spend money on technology to use them as we already have stations.
What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?
- release CO2 into the atmosphere when burnt, therefore contributing to global warming and climate change.
- releases sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain, which harms trees and soil.
- they’re going to run out, non-renewable.
What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?
- expensive to build and maintain, and take longer to start up than fossil fuel ones.
- processing uranium causes major pollution, and there’s always the risks of leaks of radioactive material.
- radioactive waste is produced.
- they have to be decommissioned when they’re too old and inefficient which is expensive.
What are the advantages of nuclear power?
- doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases.
- plenty of uranium left.
What are the advantages of wind farms?
- cheap to run.
- tough and reliable.
- wind is free.
- doesn’t release any polluting gases.
- renewable.
What are the disadvantages of wind farms?
- eye sore.
- need large number to replace coal-powered stations and these take up large amounts of space.
- noisy.
- wind isn’t always strong enough.
- turbines are expensive to set up, especially out at sea.
What are the advantages of geothermal energy?
- free
- renewable
- no real environmental problem.
What are the disadvantages of geothermal energy?
- cost of drilling down.
- cost of building a power plant is high compared to the amount of energy produced.
- few places where it can be seen as an economic option.
What are the advantages of solar energy?
- renewable.
- after initial cost are free and running costs are almost nil.
- no pollution.
What are the disadvantages of solar energy?
- only really used for powering homes.
- often not practical and too expensive to connect to the nation grid.
- expensive to install initially.
What are the advantages of wave power?
- no pollution.
- renewable.
- no fuel costs and minimal running costs.
What are the disadvantages of wind power?
- fairly unreliable.
- spoils views and a hazard for boats.
- initial costs are high.
What are the advantages of tidal barrages?
- no pollution.
- renewable.
- pretty reliable.
- no fuel costs and minimal running costs.
What are the disadvantages of tidal barrages?
- prevents free access for boats.
- spoils the view.
- alters habitats.
- initial costs are moderately high.
What are the advantages of hydroelectricity?
- renewable.
- no pollution.
- immediate response to increased demand.
- no fuel and running costs are low.
What are the disadvantages of hydroelectricity?
- can flood valley and result in loss of habitat.
- initial costs are high.
