energy and resources answers
Energy and Resources Activity:
1. What are the current percentages of electricity production for fossil fuels 63%, hydroelectric 14%, nuclear 18% and geothermal/wind/solar energies 5%?
1. How is wind energy produced? Wind turns a turbine connected to a generator.
2. What is the attitude about wind power conveyed in the article? Pro wind power and that wind power is becoming a major producer of electricity that will continue long into the future.
1. Have wind turbines been reliable in the past? No
2. What has happened to some wind farms? They have broken and have become abandoned.
3. What is the attitude about wind power in this article? It is a fad that sounds great up front but not so great when considering the long term costs.
Advantages of Hydroelectric Power
1. Of the 10 advantages listed for the use of hydroelectric power, which do you think is the most important?
I like them all - but hydroelectricity promotes guaranteed energy and price stability.
World's Largest Hydroelectric Power Plant
1. What is the world's largest hydroelectric power plant?
Three Gorges Dam
2. Where is it located?
China - on the Yangtze River
Section: Geothermal Basics
1. From which 2 Greek words does geothermal come from and what do they mean?
geo - earth
therme - heat
Section: Where Geothermal Energy is Found
2. Where does most of the geothermal activity around the world occur?
Ring of Fire and other plate boundaries
Section: Use of Geothermal Energy
3. Where is most of the geothermal energy in the US found?
California
4. Who is the leader in the use of geothermal power generation?
United States
5. Which 5 states currently have geothermal power plants?
California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Idaho
Section: Geothermal Energy and the Environment
6. What percent fewer sulfur emissions are produced by geothermal plants than fossil fuel plants?
97% less
Section: Solar Basics
1. What are the 2 ways that solar energy can be converted in to electricity?
Photovoltaic Cells - or solar cells
Solar Thermal/Electric Power Plants - they use steam
2. What states have solar thermal power plants?
California
Arizona
Nevada
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?
Advantages: No air pollution, Minimal Direct impact
Disadvanges: Not a constant supply, Large surface collectors are required and or lots of solar cells
Section: Where Solar is Found
4. Which countries have photovoltaic (PV) power plants?
China, Canada,USA
5. Which desert alone could supply almost all the world's energy demand?
Gobi - In Northwestern China and Southern Mongolia
Section: Uranium (Nuclear) Basics
1. What process is used to release energy in a nuclear power plant?
Fission - Splitting atoms
2. Which isotope of Uranium is most commonly used?
U-235
Section: Nuclear Power Plants
3. How many nuclear power plants are in the US?
65
Section: Nuclear Power and the Environment
4. Where is spent nuclear waste stored?
In super sealed containers - concrete, usually on site meaning right beside the power plant.