There are many different ways in which electricity can be generated, stored or used. Today in groups I would like you to research ONE of the following methods and make a summary sheet. Once you have completed it, add it to the comment section with your name.
The sources of power are: Coal, “Natural” gas, hydro, wind, solar, nuclear, bio fuel, diesel.
You must answer the following questions:
- Q1. Where does your source of energy come from?
- Q2.Is it renewable? How does it renew?
- Q3. Is it “reliable”? e.g. does it stay on all the time?, is it easy to fail?
- Q4. How big are the machines that make the electricity?
- Q5. Do you think it’s good for the planet? why/why not?
Bonus Questions for Extension Students
- Q6. How much space does it use? When/where does it matter? (Energy Density)
- Q7. How deadly is the technology? (Directly or indirectly)
- Q8. Does the cost fluctuate? E.g. is the price likely to go up or down in future?
Year 7 Energy Topic
Year 7 Energy Topic Vocabulary
Mr Danic 
Nuclear power plants use “nuclear fission” (the process of splitting an atom in two). … Nuclear energy comes from uranium, a nonrenewable resource that must be mined. Every 18 to 24 months, a power plant must shut down to remove its spent uranium fuel, which becomes radioactive waste.Fossil fuels are the leading non-renewable energy sources around the world. There are others, however. Nuclear energy is usually considered another non-renewable energy source. Although nuclear energy itself is a renewable energy source, the material used in nuclear power plants is not.Nuclear energy is clean, reliable and affordable.The economics of nuclear energy generation depend on its capacity to produce enormous and uninterrupted amounts of electricity over long periods, with affordable and stable electricity costs. Nuclear generating plants can operate for 60 years or more.As of November 28, 2016 in 31 countries 450 nuclear power plant units with an installed electric net capacity of about 392 GW are in operation and 60 plants with an installed capacity of 60 GW are in 16 countries under construction.Image result for nuclear is it good for plants.Nuclear power plants are also more reliable than conventional fossil-fuel plants, and, when compared to other low-emission energy sources like wind and solar, offer much higher efficiency. These power plants take up less space than traditional ones while allowing for the same power capacity.
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Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity. Wind turbines are 240 metres tall.
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wind turbines operate by the wind, moving 3 blades on a turbine.
wind is a free and renewable source.
wind is a mostly reliable, cost effective source, but when there is no wind no energy.
the largest wind turbine stands 220 metres tall.
YES, because it is not using fossil fuels and polluting the air.
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Our energy source at home is coal also known as Anthracite it is mined out of the ground and collected by large trucks and trains take it to the power station. Coal is not renewable as the rock will eventually run out and the gases created when turning it to electricity are harmful to the environment which will and is leading to climate change. Electricity from coal is made all the time to provide you with electricity 24/7. Burning coal heats up the water in the boiler to high temperatures, which turn shafts to create the electricity so all you have to do is burn the coal which makes it reliable in that term. The machines are a big boiler, chimney and the shafts. No because it produces greenhouse gases which effect the environment and the planet.
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NUCLEAR ENERGY
QUESTION 1: Nuclear energy comes from the uranium.
QUESTION 2: Nuclear energy is a non-renewable source that must be mined.
QUESTION 3: Nuclear power is the most reliable source of electricity, sustaining the highest national average reliability.
QUESTION 4: Nuclear reactors can be about 4 metres long but can power a city the size of Boston or Seattle.
QUESTION 5: Every 18-24 months uranium fuel stations must shut down to remove its spent uranium fuel which becomes radioactive waste. Energyexplained.com states that radioactive waste is a major problem for the environment and also causes major concern for cancer, birth defects and other abnormalities depending of the time of exposure and how much deposed of.
Mia & Lucy
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Wind
The source comes from wind turbines they work by the wind pushing the propeller which has 3 blades around to create energy. The source is renewable because it is using the wind turbine to create energy. Wind energy is not reliable because what happens if it is not a windy day the propeller will not spin. They are 220 meters tall. We believe that it is good for the planet because it is using the wind instead of burning fossil fuels.
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solar energy comes from the sun in a radiation wave. It is renewable because it is natural and has no harm to the environment. Solar energy is reliable except for cloudy day or when the panels start to get dusty. The sun is on 12 hours a day so in that amount of time you should get 1,000 watts per 250-watt panel you own. The solar panel isn’t that easy to fail as they can produce alot if you own 25-30. A 17.6 square feet solar panel needs 25-30 if you own a family of five and i would recommend this for a house hold. solar panels can be almost any size. I think its good for the planet because it is renewable and environmental safe.
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Wind comes from many places. One of the main sources that creates wind is the sun. There’s different types of winds like, sea breezes and land breezes.
Yes it renewable. The sun heats up the air then it generates and makes wind.
No wind is not reliable all places. In Albury for example it does not have a constant breeze, so this is an example of it not being reliable as it’s not always happening. But in other places where it’s windy all the time it would be more reliable.
A GE 1.5 megawatt wind turbine have 3 large blades that are 116ft that sit on top of a 262ft tower. All together the turbine is 410ft.
Wind is good in some places but not all. As some places already have enough or what they need.
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The source of energy comes from wind turbines. The energy in the wind turns the propeller like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to a shaft which spins a generator which creates electricity. Wind energy is a free, renewable resource, so no matter how much is used today, there will still be the same supply in the future. Wind power is a clean energy source that we can rely on for the long-term future. A wind turbine creates reliable, cost-effective, pollution free energy. … Because wind is a source of energy which is non-polluting and renewable, the turbines create power without using fossil fuels.Wind Turbine Size and Power Ratings. A small home-sized wind machine has rotors between 8 and 25 feet in diameter and stands upwards of 30 feet and can supply the power needs of an all-electric home or small business. Utility-scale turbines range in size from 50 to 750 kilowatts.The wind is great for the earth, without wind we’ll possibly be dead by now, it helps oxygen flow and trees supply oxygen.
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The energy comes from the suns rays. Yes, the energy is renewable. It is reliable during the summer but less in the winter, it will only get energy in the sunlight but not during the night. Solar energy is very reliable seeing though most solar panels brands give the buyer a 15 30 year warranty. Solar panels are generally pretty small for how much energy they produce during the day. Solar panels are very good for the planet because they don’t use any resources while they’re working. But you can’t really recycle the old panels.
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our source of energy is water and we think it is reliable because it holds a lot of water . it renews by flowing through the river into the ocean where the sun evaporates the water turning it into clouds that rain over the lake and the only way for it to fail is to flood. The Hume dam is 51 metres (167 ft) in height, and 615 metres (5,299 ft) in length. we think it is not good for the planet when there is too much water but we think it is better than other sources of electricity because it uses a lot less resources and it can hold so much water.
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nuclear stuff
Q.1 nuclear energy comes from splitting uranium atoms, this is called fission. this generates heat to produce steam that turns turbines to produce energy.
Q.2 not really because you would have to get uranium and that is hard and dangerous.
Q.3 i don’t think it could stay on all the time as there would be maintenance needed it would be hard to fail because of all the safety in place but if it does it will kill the surrounding area
Q.4 it is really big because it has to store the uranium used in the process
Q.5 i think it is bad for the planet because you need to take apart the planet to get the uranium
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