Topic 1-Generating Electricity From Fosssil Fuels And Nuclear Power Flashcards
How is electricity the most useful energy?
It’s easy to generate and it’s easily transforms into other forms of energy, such as light and heat
What is the most useful energy?
Electricity
Where is 90% of the UK’s electricity?
It’s generated in power stations using fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas, or by using nuclear power stations
What are the advantages of fossil fuels and nuclear power?
1) cheaper cost of electricity
2) can be generated on large scales - large amounts of electricity can be produced in the same location
3) uninterrupted supply
4) can be built anywhere (with good access to fuel source - fossil fuels)
5) nuclear power stations do not produce any carbon dioxide when generating the electricity
6) nuclear power stations do not produce sulfur dioxide or oxides of nitrogen and so does not contribute to acid rain
7) nuclear power stations use very little amounts of fuel to produce very large amounts of electricity and only leave small amounts of waste
The disadvantages of fossil fuels and nuclear power?
1) very expensive to build
2) the sulfur and nitrogen impurities in fossil fuels produce sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen which make acid rain
3) coal mining and oil or gas extraction have large effects on the environment
4) large-scale strip-mining of coal produces huge scars on the landscape and the extraction and transportation of oil can produce large amounts of pollution when things go wrong
5) fossil fuel power stations require good rail or sea links to bring large amounts of fuel to the power station. They also need large areas close to the power station to store coal, gas or oil
6) the small amounts of waste produce by nuclear power stations is highly radioactive and very dangerous and requires very (expensive) secure storage
7) nuclear power stations require very expensive and robust safety systems
