Introduction to energy sources

• What was the primary source of energy for humans throughout most of history?

  • Wood
• Why did humans initially burn wood as their primary energy source?

  To keep warm and cook their food
• Over the past 200 years, what major change has occurred in the primary sources of energy consumed globally?

  The primary source of energy changed from wood to non-renewable energy resources like fossil fuels and nuclear energy
• What are the two main categories of non-renewable energy sources?

  • Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
  • Nuclear energy
• Name five types of renewable energy sources that have risen in usage in the past 50 years.

  • Solar
  • Wind
  • Hydroelectric
  • Geothermal
  • Biofuels
  • Tidal
  • Many more
• Why is the rise in renewable energy sources significant in the past 50 years?

  It signals a shift towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources
• What are the two main uses of energy in the UK?

  • Transport
  • Domestic uses
• Which fuels primarily power road vehicles and planes in the UK?

  • Petrol and diesel for road vehicles
  • Kerosene for planes
• What was the primary power source for trains in Britain traditionally?

  Coal
• What power source is used by most trains in Britain now?

  Electricity
• What are biofuels and from what sources are they created?

  • Biofuels are fuels created from renewable sources like plants
• Name two non-renewable sources of heat used in domestic settings in the UK.

  Natural gas and coal
• How do solar water heaters work to provide renewable heating?

  • They use the sun's energy to heat water
  • Heated water is pumped through radiators in houses
• In what way can biofuels be used for heating?


  They can be burned over heat like coal
• How does the renewability of electricity depend on its source?

  • Electricity itself is neither renewable nor non-renewable
  • Its renewability depends on the method of generation
• According to the pie chart, what percentage of electricity in the UK is generated from fossil fuels?

  • Almost 60 percent
• What percentage of electricity in the UK is generated from non-renewable resources?

  Nearly 80 percent
• What does the pie chart indicate about the main sources of electricity in the UK?

  The vast majority is from non-renewable resources