Section 4

Question 1

Examples of fossil fuels?

Answer 1

Oil, natural gas and coal.

Question 2

What problems do fossil fuels cause?

Answer 2

Environmental.

Question 3

What are the advantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 3

• 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.

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 4

• 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.

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?

Answer 5

• 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.

Question 6

What are the advantages of nuclear power?

Answer 6

• doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases.

- plenty of uranium left.

Question 7

What are the advantages of wind farms?

Answer 7

• cheap to run.
• tough and reliable.
• wind is free.
• doesn’t release any polluting gases.
• renewable.

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of wind farms?

Answer 8

• 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.

Question 9

What are the advantages of geothermal energy?

Answer 9

• free
• renewable
• no real environmental problem.

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of geothermal energy?

Answer 10

• 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.

Question 11

What are the advantages of solar energy?

Answer 11

• renewable.
• after initial cost are free and running costs are almost nil.
• no pollution.

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of solar energy?

Answer 12

• only really used for powering homes.
• often not practical and too expensive to connect to the nation grid.
• expensive to install initially.

Question 13

What are the advantages of wave power?

Answer 13

• no pollution.
• renewable.
• no fuel costs and minimal running costs.

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of wind power?

Answer 14

• fairly unreliable.
• spoils views and a hazard for boats.
• initial costs are high.

Question 15

What are the advantages of tidal barrages?

Answer 15

• no pollution.
• renewable.
• pretty reliable.
• no fuel costs and minimal running costs.

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of tidal barrages?

Answer 16

• prevents free access for boats.
• spoils the view.
• alters habitats.
• initial costs are moderately high.

Question 17

What are the advantages of hydroelectricity?

Answer 17

• renewable.
• no pollution.
• immediate response to increased demand.
• no fuel and running costs are low.

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of hydroelectricity?

Answer 18

• can flood valley and result in loss of habitat.

- initial costs are high.