Energy resources

• What is a non-renewable resource?

  source of energy that cannot be replenished as its used
• What are fossil fuels?

  Chemical store of energy. (e.g coal, oil, natural gas)
• What is Nuclear Power?

  Energy from the structure of the atoms.
• What happens in the use of fossil fuels?

  1. Fossil fuels burnt, turning water into steam
  2. Steam rise past turbines, causing them to spin
  3. Turbine spins generators to generate electricity
  4. the transformers increase the voltage of electricity before entering as it enters national gride
  5. transformers decrease voltage as it enters homes (safe for use)
• What are the advantages of using fossil fuels?

  1. readily reliable
  2. relatively easy to produce energy from them
• What are disadvantages of using fossil fuels?


  1. will eventually run out
  2. increasing fossil fuels
  3. release CO2 (greenhouse gas) when burnt
• What happens in nuclear power?


  The process of a nuclear fission power reactor
• What are the advantages of using nuclear power?

  1. no release of CO2 (greenhouse gas)
  2. no release of SO2 (acid rain)
  3. 1 kg of uranium produces millions times more energy than 1 kg of coal
• What are the disadvantages of using nuclear power?

  1. will eventually run out
  2. expensive to commission and decommission power stations
  3. hazardous radioactive waste produced
  4. danger of release of radioactive material into the environment
• What is a renewable resource?

  Source of energy that can be replenished as its used
• What is Biomass energy?


  living/dead material that can be burned as fuel
• What is geothermal energy?


  Energy from the radioactivity of rocks
• What is Hydro electric power?


  Water is carried into high places, through the water cycle, which occurs due to the suns energy.
• What is solar energy?


  Sun’s heat is used to heat water. Or, solar cells convert sunlight to electricity.
• What is Tidal energy?


  Energy from the gravitational pull of the moon
• What is wind energy?


  Movement of air, air moves from a higher to lower pressure. Caused by air being unevenly heated by sun
• What is wave energy?


  Wind blowing on sea, wind's energy comes from sun
• What is energy from plants?

  Biofuels are fuels made from plant materials. These include biodiesel, made from plant oils, and

  bioethanol, made by fermenting sugar and wheat.
• What are advantages of biofuel?


  1. renewable source
  2. less carbon emissions
  3. reduce reliance on fossil fuels
• What are disadvantages of biofuel?


  1. use land that could be used to grow food
  2. need a lot of labour
  3. cannot be used in cars without modifying the engine
• what are advantages of using wind power?


  1. renewable resource
  2. cheap to run
  3. no polluting gases produced
• what are disadvantages of wind power?


  1. expensive to build
  2. visual pollution
  3. noise pollution
  4. unreliable (depends on strength of wind)
• What are advantages of hydroelectric power?


  1. renewable resource
  2. cheap to run
  3. no polluting gases produced
  4. very reliable
  5. can be switched on when needed
• What are disadvantages of hydroelectric power?


  1. visual pollution
  2. damage to habitats
  3. damaged to valley habitats by flooding
  4. can block access to ports for shipping
  5. Trapped and rotting vegetation can produce greenhouse gases such as methane
• What are advantages of solar power?


  1. renewable resource
  2. cheap to run
  3. no polluting gases produced
  4. Solar cells can generate electricity at the top of mountains when there is no connection to the National Grid
• What are disadvantages of solar power?


  1. not efficient
  2. cost money to increase efficiency
  3. unreliable (not always sunny)