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Flashcards in Generting Electricity Deck (52)
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1
Q

What are the fossil fuels?

A

Fuels obtained from long dead biological material such as natural gas, coal, oil

2
Q

What fuel is used in nuclear power stations?

A

Uranium or plutonium

3
Q

What is a biofuel ?

A

A fuel obtained from living or recently living organisms, they are renewable

4
Q

In a power station how is the energy produced used?

A

It heats water

5
Q

What process occurs in a nuclear power plant?

A

Nuclear fission

6
Q

What is an advantage but also a disadvantage about nuclear power stations?

A

They do not release greenhouse gases but produce radioactive waste

7
Q

Does nuclear fission release more or less energy per kg of uranium than per kg of fossil fuel?

A

More

8
Q

What happens in most power stations to produce energy?

A

Water is heated to produce steam, the steam drives a turbine which is coupled to an electrical generator that produces electricity

9
Q

How is wing used to generate electricity?

A

It drives turbines directly, the wind passing over the blades makes them rotate and drive a generator at the top of a narrow tower

10
Q

How can electricity be produced from water?

A

Falling water
Waves
Tides

11
Q

How is electricity generated from hydroelectric power?

A

Water is collected in a reservoir, this water is allowed to flow downhill and turn turbines at the bottom

12
Q

How do pumped storage systems work?

A

Surplus energy is used, at times of low demand to pump the water back up the hill to the top of the reservoir. This means the energy is stored. ThenAt times of high demand the water can be released to fall through the turbines and transfer the stored energy to electrical energy

13
Q

What are electricity generators driven by in power stations?

A

Turbines

14
Q

Explain wave power?

A

We use the movement of the waves on the sea to generate electricity. The movement drives a floating turbine that turns a generator. Then the electricity is delivered to the grid system on shore by cable

15
Q

Explain tidal power

A

The level of sea around the coastline rises and falls twice each day theses changes in sea level are called tides. If a barrage is built across a river estuary the water at each high tide can be trapped behind it when the water is released to fall down to the lower sea level it drives turbines.

16
Q

What can solar cells do?

A

Transfer solar energy directly into electricity

17
Q

Why are large numbers of solar cells often joined to make a solar panel?

A

Each solar cell only produces a small amount of energy

18
Q

Why is wave power likely to be less reliable than tidal power?

A

There is always 2 tides a day but on a calm day won’t be many waves

19
Q

Explain geothermal energy

A

Is produced inside the earth by radioactive processes and heats the surrounding rock. In volcanic and other suitable areas holes are drilled deep in the ground and water is pumped down where it is heated and then returns to the surface as steam which drives a turbine >generator

20
Q

Why are fossil fuels non renewable?

A

The rate at which they are being used up is much faster that the rate they are produced

21
Q

When will oil and gas probably run out?

A

50 years

22
Q

Ads of coal

A

Bigger reserves than other ff

Reliable

23
Q

Disadvantages coal

A

Nonq renewable
Produces co2, gh gas
Produce so2, acid rain

24
Q

Ads of oil

A

Reliable

25
Q

Dis ads oil

A

Non renewable
Produce co2
Produce so2

26
Q

Ads gas

A

Reliable

27
Q

Dis ads gas

A

Non renewable

Produce co2

28
Q

Ads Nuclear

A

No pollutant gasses

Reliable

29
Q

Disadvantage nuclear

A

Non renewable
Produces radioactive waste
Small risk of big accident

30
Q

Ads wind

A

Renewable
No pollutant gas
Free

31
Q

Disadvantage wind

A

Requires large turbines

Not reliable

32
Q

Ads falling winds

A

Renewable
No pollutant gas
Reliable in wet areas
Free

33
Q

Dis ads falling water

A

Only work in wet hilly areas
Damming areas causes flooding
Affects local ecology

34
Q

Ads waves

A

Renewable
No pollutant gases
Free

35
Q

Dis ads waves

A

Can be hazard to boats

Not reliable

36
Q

Ads tides

A

Renewable
No pollutant gas
Reliable
Free

37
Q

Dis ads tides

A

Only few river estuaries are suitable

Building a barrage affects local ecology

38
Q

Ads solar

A

Renewable
No pollutant gases
Reliable in hot places
Free

39
Q

Dis ads solar

A

Solar cells Only small amount of energy produced

Unreliable on less sunny countries

40
Q

Ads geothermal

A

Renewable
No pollutant gas
Free

41
Q

Disasads geothermal

A

Only economically viable in a few places

Drilling is hard and expensive

42
Q

What is the national grid?

A

It distributes electricity from power stations to homes

43
Q

How are the cables carried long distances?

A

Over head pylons

44
Q

How are cables carried close to homes and towns?

A

They are buried underground

45
Q

Give 2 ads of overhead cab,Es compared to underground ones

A

Easy to repair

Cheaper

46
Q

What do step up transformers do?

A

Increase the voltage, their high voltage reduces energy wasted in cables

47
Q

What do step down transformer do?

A

Reduce voltage to 230v so it is safe to use

48
Q

What is the base load demand?

A

The constant amount of electricity provided by nuclear, coal fired and oil fired power stations

49
Q

Why does the demand for electricity vary between summer and winter?

A

Demand increases in winter coz its cold

50
Q

How is the variable demand met?

A

Gas fired power
Pumped storage schemes
Renewable energy

51
Q

What happens when demand is low in pumped storage schemes?

A

Energy is stored by pumping water to the top reservoir of pumped storage schemes

52
Q

Which power stations have the shortest start up time?

A

Gas- fired power stations have the shortest time