Topic 4 - Non-Renewable Energy (Paper 2)

Question 1

what are the non-renewable fuels?

Answer 1

coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels

Question 2

what properties do non-renewable fuels share?

Answer 2

will all run out, all damage the environment, provide most of our energy

Question 3

what are the energy transfers in a power station?

Answer 3

chemical, thermal, kinetic (turbine), kinetic (generator), transferred away electrically

Question 4

what are the advantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 4

releases a lot of energy cheaply
doesnt rely on the weather
already have fossil fuel stations

Question 5

what are the disadvantages to fossil fuels?

Answer 5

release carbon dioxide
release sulphur dioxide
will eventually run out

Question 6

what is the difference between nuclear power stations and fossil fuel ones?

Answer 6

nuclear fission produces the heat rather than burning fuel

Question 7

what are the disadvantages of nuclear fuel?

Answer 7

expensive to build and maintain
risk of leaks or major disaster
radioactive waste
stations have to be decommissioned (expensive)

Question 8

what are the advantages of nuclear fuel?

Answer 8

doesn’t produce greenhouse gases
lots of uranium left