Comparing energy resources
There are different Useful supply or store of energy. in the world and the amount of The capacity for doing work. stored by them varies greatly. For example, the nuclear energy within 1 kg of uranium contains a very large amount of energy, but the The energy stored by an object lifted up against the force of gravity. Also known as GPE. stored by many thousands of tonnes of water held back by a dam contains less.
Fossil fuels
Fossil fuels are a chemical store of energy and include coil, oil and natural gas. Most of the UK's electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels, mainly natural gas (30% in 2015) and coal (23%). A very small amount is produced from oil (under 1%).
Using fossil fuels to produce electricity
- Fossil fuel is burnt to boil water and turn it into steam.
- The steam rises past turbines and causes them to spin.
- The turbines are connected to generators which are spun to generate electricity.
- Transformers are used to step up the voltage before feeding the electricity into the National Grid.
- Transformers are used to step down the voltage before feeding electricity into homes.
Advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuel power
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Readily available (at the moment) | Non-renewable source 鈥 will eventually run out |
| Relatively easy to produce energy from them | Increasing fuel costs |
| Release carbon dioxide (CO2 ) when burnt 鈥 greenhouse gas | |
| Release sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) when burnt 鈥 acid rain |
| Advantages | Readily available (at the moment) |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Non-renewable source 鈥 will eventually run out |
| Advantages | Relatively easy to produce energy from them |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Increasing fuel costs |
| Advantages | |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Release carbon dioxide (CO2 ) when burnt 鈥 greenhouse gas |
| Advantages | |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Release sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) when burnt 鈥 acid rain |
Nuclear power
Electricity is generated in nuclear power stations using a fission reactor powered by uranium fuel. 22% of the UK's electricity is generated using The splitting of a large nucleus to produce two smaller ones. Two or three neutrons are also released in the process. The energy from the neutrons powers a nuclear reactor..
Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| No release of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) 鈥 greenhouse gas | Non-renewable source 鈥 will eventually run out |
| No release of sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) 鈥 acid rain | Expensive to commission and decommission power stations |
| 1 kg of uranium produces millions times more energy than 1 kg of coal | Hazardous radioactive waste produced |
| Danger of release of radioactive materials into the environment |
| Advantages | No release of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) 鈥 greenhouse gas |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Non-renewable source 鈥 will eventually run out |
| Advantages | No release of sulphur dioxide (SO2 ) 鈥 acid rain |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Expensive to commission and decommission power stations |
| Advantages | 1 kg of uranium produces millions times more energy than 1 kg of coal |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Hazardous radioactive waste produced |
| Advantages | |
|---|---|
| Disadvantages | Danger of release of radioactive materials into the environment |