Topic 8

Question 1

Burning fuels

Answer 1

Thermo-electric. Burning things( coal in Alberta) to create electricity.

Advantage- lots of coal, cheap
Disadvantage
- open put mining causes disruption of soil and vegetation
-Sulphur dioxide is produced(causes acid rain)
- carbon dioxide is produced(greenhouse gas)

Question 2

hydro electricity

Answer 2

Use water pressure to create electricity

Dams block off rivers. The water build up pressure and the pen stock directs the water to the turbines. The water rapidly spins the turbines which then turn a massive generator.

Advantage- clean, no emissions, renewable
Disadvantage- destroys habitats and people lose homes and valuable land

Question 3

nuclear

Answer 3

Fission- bombarding uranium atoms with neutrons causing them to split. This causes a tremendous amount of energy. Heat creates steam which turns turbines which turns generators.
Advantage-lots of energy, clean source
Disadvantage- radioactive material for 1000 years

Fusion- joins small atoms to create larger ones.
advantage- so much energy, clean source
disadvantage- very difficult, only seconds

Question 4

geo-thermal

Answer 4

using the hot spots in earths crust and the steam to turn turbines and generators

advantage- clean, renewable
disadvantage- only in certain parts of world

Question 5

wind

Answer 5

using wind to turn turbines and then generators

advantage- clean, renewable
disadvantage- expensive, need lots of land, need tons of wind

Question 6

solar

Answer 6

using solar cells or using the heat to create steam and turn a turbine which turns a generator

advantage- clean, renewable
disadvantage- needs lots of sun
Solar cells- fragile, expensive, only 15% conversion

Question 7

tidal

Answer 7

using the tide and creating water pressure to turn turbines and then generator

advantage- clean, renewable
disadvantage- only where tide is super high

Question 8

thermal pollution

Answer 8

When warm water is returned directly to its source and increasing the water temperature.

organisms die because they are not adapted or cannot adapt. Other organisms take over the originals

to stop we have cooling ponds or towers where waste water can return back to normal temp

Question 9

co generation

Answer 9

produce electricity and also create thermal energy, such as hot water or steam for industrial or commercial systems