EDEXCEL IGCSE PHYSICS 4-4
Energy Resources and
Electricity Generation
EdexcelPOWERPOINT
IGCSE Physics pages 150IS
to 159
THIS
NOT
December 4 2010
DUE FOR COMPLETION
UNTIL
JULY 2012
th
Content applying to Triple Science only is shown in
red type on the next slide and is indicated on
subsequent slides by ‘TRIPLE ONLY’
Edexcel IGCSE Specification
Section 4: Energy resources and energy transfer
d) Energy resources and electricity generation
understand the energy transfers involved in generating electricity using:
• wind
• water
• geothermal resources
• solar heating systems
• solar cells
• fossil fuels
• nuclear power
describe the advantages and disadvantages of methods of large-scale
electricity production from various renewable and non-renewable
resources.
Red type: Triple Science Only
Thermal power stations
A thermal power station
generates electricity by
using the heat produced by
the burning a fossil fuel
such as coal, gas, oil or by
the fission of uranium.
Over 90% of our electricity
is produced by these type of
power stations.
Thermal power station block diagram
BOILER
TURBINES
GENERATOR
BOILER
Fuel is burnt to turn water into high pressure steam.
TURBINE
High pressure steam turns a turbine (like a windmill)
GENERATOR
The turbine rotates the coils of a generator to produce
electricity.
Coal-fired power station
A nuclear reactor
Comparison of uranium and fossil fuels
Energy
released per
kg of fuel
Waste
Greenhouse
gases
uranium
coal, gas, oil
1 000 000 kWh
100 kWh
radioactive waste that
needs to be stored for
many years
non-radioactive
waste
None
Yes, mostly
carbon dioxide
Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
thermal
Most of our electricity is produced by __________
power
fuels
stations. These use the _______
produced by burning _____
heat
or the fission of __________
to generate electricity.
uranium
water
The heat produced is used to change ________
into high
turbine
pressure steam. This steam is used to turn a _________
rotates
which in turn _________
an electrical generator.
90%
Over _______
of our electricity is generated by using thermal
power stations.
WORD SELECTION:
rotates
fuels
turbine
heat
water
90%
uranium
thermal
Simulations
Power Station Animation - eChalk
Generator - Fendt
Nuclear Fission - Powerpoint
presentation by Richard Miller of
5SJW (2005)
Nuclear Fission - Powerpoint
presentation that includes a link to
the 'mousetrap' demonstration
Nuclear Physics - PhET - Start a
chain reaction, or introduce nonradioactive isotopes to prevent
one. Watch alpha particles escape
from a Polonium nucleus, causing
radioactive alpha decay. Control
energy production in a nuclear
reactor!
Chain reaction demonstration
using mousetraps - University of
Michigan
BBC Bitesize Revision:
Introduction Page on AQA Generating
Electricity
Test Bite on Generating Electricity
BBC Bitesize Revision:
Fossil Fuels
Nuclear Fuels
Comparing Sources - includes short and
long term costs
Test Bite on Generating Electricity
Renewable energy sources
A renewable energy resource is one that will
not run out.
Renewable energy sources do not produce
radioactive waste, greenhouse gases or acid rain.
Examples include wind, hydroelectric, wave, tidal,
solar and geothermal.
Fossil fuels such as coal. gas and oil as well as
uranium are non-renewable energy sources.
Wind power
Wind is used to drive a
turbine directly which
rotates an electrical
generator.
A wind farm
Wind power versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable energy source
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• Inexpensive to build
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Unreliable – needs wind!
• Best used in places where
they will often be regarded
as unsightly
• Many turbines are needed
to produce the same
energy of a small thermal
power station
• Noise
• Danger to wildlife
Wave power
Waves can be used to
drive an electrical
generator.
Wave power versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• No land needed
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Unreliable
• Can only be used in areas
with suitable waves
• Prone to storm damage
• Many needed to produce
the same energy of a small
thermal power station
• Danger to shipping
Hydroelectric power
Falling water is used to
drive a turbine directly
which rotates an
electrical generator.
The Hoover Dam near Las Vegas
Hydroelectric power station
Hydroelectric power versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable
• Can produce as much
energy as a thermal
power station
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Can only be used in
mountainous areas
• A large amount of land
needs to be flooded
• Expensive to build
Tidal power
Moving water caused by the
tides is used to drive a
turbine directly which rotates
an electrical generator.
Proposed Severn Estuary Tidal
Power Scheme
Tidal power station at
La Rance, Brittany
Tidal power station
Tidal power versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Very limited locations
• Wildlife affected
• Expensive to build
Simulations
Wind Energy
Wave, Tidal & HEP
Solar power (cells)
Electricity can be
produced directly from
the Sun’s radiation
using solar cells.
Solar power (panels)
Solar panels are used to
heat water saving
electricity or gas use.
Solar power versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Unreliable in the UK! –
sunshine is needed for
solar cells
• Can only be used during
the day
• Only 10% of solar energy
is converted into electricity
by solar cells
• Many cells needed to
produce the same energy
of a small thermal power
station
Geothermal energy
In some volcanic areas
hot water and steam
rise to the surface. The
steam can be tapped
and used to drive
turbines. This is known
as geothermal energy.
Geothermal versus thermal power stations
ADVANTAGES
• Renewable
• No greenhouse gases
• No acid rain
• No radioactive waste
• Short start up time
DISADVANTAGES
• Very limited locations
• Expensive to build
Electricity generation pie-chart
Most of our electricity
is generated by
burning fossil fuels
(74% according to the
pie chart opposite)
Nearly 20% is nuclear
Less than 5% is
currently generated
using renewable
sources.
Problems with fossil fuels
Burning coal, gas and oil produces carbon
dioxide. This is a greenhouse gas which
causes global warming.
Fossil fuel burning can also produce sulfur
dioxide gas. This can dissolve in water and
produce acid rain which causes damage to
forests and buildings. Modern power stations
remove most sulfur dioxide producing
compounds before burning.
Fossil fuels are not renewable. They are
running out. Estimates vary between 50 to
200 years to when we will need to find
alternative sources of energy.
An effect of
acid rain
Problems with nuclear power stations
Nuclear fuel (uranium) does not produce
greenhouse gases and it generates
10000 times more energy per kilogram
than fossil fuels.
However:
Nuclear waste is radioactive and may
have to be stored safely for thousands of
years.
Although safe in normal operation,
accidents can release radioactive
material over a large area. The area
around Chernobyl in Ukraine has been
closed off since 1986.
The destroyed Chernobyl
nuclear reactor
Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
run out and they do not
Renewable energy sources will not _____
greenhouse gases, acid rain or radioactive waste.
cause __________
electricity
However, most of our ___________
is produced using nonfossil fuels (coal, gas and oil)
renewable sources such as ______
uranium
reliable
and _________.
These are highly concentrated and ________
energy sources.
In the near future we hope to use more renewable sources
tidal
such as wind, wave and _______
power. This will help us to
non-renewable
conserve the remaining _______________
energy sources.
WORD SELECTION:
fossil
non-renewable electricity
greenhouse
tidal reliable
uranium
run
Energy Resources
and Electricity Generation
Notes questions from pages 150 to 159
1. Answer the questions on page 159.
2. Verify that you can do all of the items
listed in the end of chapter checklist on
page 159.
Online Simulations