fossil fuels & nuclear energy

• FOSSIL FUELS:


  a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals like:

  • COAL (solid)
  • crude OIL (liquid)
  • NATURAL GAS (gaseous)

  These fuels continue to be a major energy source worldwide due to their HIGH ENERGY CONTENT & ease of EXTRACTION.

  
• Fossil fuels cons:

  • Non-Renewable Resource
  • expensive to buy

  Environmental Impact:

  • Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change, air pollution, global dimming & acid rain.

  Health Risks:

  • Air pollution from fossil fuel combustion like sulphur dioxide & carbon monoxide can lead to respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases & other health issues.

  Water Pollution:

  • Extraction & processing of fossil fuels can lead to water pollution through spills, leaks & wastewater discharge.  

  
• NUCLEAR POWER:


  Energy by nuclear reactions & from atoms, particularly uranium or plutonium, through nuclear fission in nuclear power stations.

  • This energy can be used to generate electricity, which can then be transmitted to homes & factories across the country. 

  
• Nuclear fission:


  A process that releases a considerable amount of energy & is then used to heat water.

  • Producing steam that drives turbines to generate electricity.

  
• Cons of nuclear power plants:

  Nuclear Waste:

  • Radioactive waste generated during nuclear power production remains hazardous for thousands of years.

  High Initial Costs:

  • The building & commissioning requires a significant upfront investment (can be a financial barrier)

  Safety Concerns:

  • Accidents at nuclear power plants can have catastrophic consequences, raising concerns about public safety & environmental contamination.

  Non-Renewable Resource:

  • Uranium is a finite resource that will eventually deplete.

  
• Fossil fuels may be burned to provide heat. That heat can be used in multiple different ways:

  • Burned to provide heat for direct use (e.g. cooking)
  • To power engines (e.g. the internal combustion engines in cars)
  • To generate electricity

  
• Pros of fossil fuels:

  • They're widely readily Available globally.
  • Historically, they have been a relatively cheap source of energy, but prices can fluctuate due to various factors.
  • Reliable & Predictable - Fossil fuel power plants can easily meet energy demands.

  Much of our current infrastructure is designed to run using fossil fuels

  • Most of our cars use petrol or diesel (both made from crude oil).

  High Energy Density:

  • They store a large amount of energy in a relatively small volume.
  • So it's a convenient & efficient source of energy.

  
• Pros of nuclear power plant:

  • Reliable & Baseload Power, it doesn't depend on environmental forces like sunshine or wind.
  • Low Operating Costs due to the high energy density of nuclear fuel.
  • Although nuclear fuel (like uranium) is a limited resource, it's very unlikely to run out for a very long time.

  Clean & Carbon-Free Electricity:

  • They do not release greenhouse gases or air pollutants during electricity generation (contributing to a cleaner environment & combating climate change).

  High Energy Density:

  • They produce a large amount of electricity from a small amount of fuel.

  
• Cons of nuclear power plants:

  • Accidents at nuclear power plants can have catastrophic consequences.
  • Raising concerns about public safety & environmental contamination.
  • Uranium is a non-Renewable Resource
  • Radioactive waste generated during nuclear power production, remains hazardous for thousands of years.
  • There's a very small chance of a nuclear meltdown which could release large amounts of radioactive material into the environment.
  • High Initial Costs - The building & commissioning requires a significant upfront investment (can be a financial barrier).

  
• • coal has chemical energy
  • burning coal produces thermal energy
  • heat energy is used to heat water
  • this produces steam
  • steam drives the turbine
  • turbine spins & generates electricity
• • Uranium nucleus has nuclear energy.
  • fission of uranium produces heat energy, used to heat water to produce steam.
  • steam drives the turbines that spins & generates electricity.