Generating Electricity Flashcards

Flashcards covering the key concepts of generating electricity.

Chemical Energy

Stored in food/battery.

Gravitational Potential Energy

The energy stored in an object due to its position in a gravitational field

Elastic Potential Energy

Stored in stretched elastic band/spring.

Heat Energy

Combustion in boiler or nuclear reaction.

Kinetic Energy (Steam)

Movement of steam molecules as they are heated and expand from high to low pressure.

Thermal Power Station

Fuel (coal, gas, nuclear) -> Boiler -> Turbine -> Generator -> Transformer.

Boiler

Where fuel is used to provide heat energy to water, changing the water to steam.

Turbine

Blades turned by steam, water or air to power a generator.

Generator

Produces electricity when connected to a turbine.

Condenser

Steam cools to water.

Renewable Resource

A resource we can make more of in a short amount of time (e.g., biomass) or is produced continually (e.g., wind, rain).

Non-Renewable Resource

Resources that cannot be easily replenished, such as coal, oil, gas, and nuclear fuels.

CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)

A greenhouse gas produced when fossil fuels are burned, contributing to global warming.

Commissioning Cost

The cost to build a power station.

Decommissioning Cost

The cost of safe dismantling of a power station when it becomes too old.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

No CO2 emissions, reliable, generates large amounts of electricity, uses a small amount of fuel.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

Radioactive waste produced that needs long-term storage, high commissioning and decommissioning costs, and terrorism risks.

Advantages of Hydroelectric Energy

No CO2 emissions, generates large amounts of electricity, no fuel costs, short start-up time.

Disadvantages of Hydroelectric Energy

Needs to flood large areas of land, destroys wildlife habitats, requires building large dams.

Sankey Diagram

Visual representation of energy transfers, showing energy types and amounts involved.

Energy Efficiency

A measure of how much useful energy comes out of a device, measured in %.

National Grid

A network of cables, pylons, and transformers that transfers electrical energy.

Step-Up Transformer

Increases voltage and decreases current to reduce power loss in transmission.

Step-Down Transformer

Decreases voltage to safer levels for consumers.

Base-load

The energy produced 24/7 in power stations with long start up times such as Nuclear, Coal and Oil to cover normal energy use.

Advantage of a National Grid

it is a reliable supply, it maintains supply in the case of a breakdown, it can respond to changing demand.