Sources of Energy Blog 1

SOURCES OF ENERGY  

 Important Instructions:

(i) Keep your text book open for reference.

(iv) Home Assignment need to be done in your physics note book.

(v) Complete your index, put chapter name, date, Physics note book.

(vi) Important links are provided in the blog for better understanding.

Home Assignment to be done in the Physics copy

 After this class, you will be able to:

• identify the parameters needed to classify a source as a good energy source.
• interpret the advantages of using fossil fuels, thermal power plants and hydro power as sources of energy

INTRODUCTION

• Energy is the ability to do work or the total power derived from our natural resources. 
• The energy exists in many forms and can be converted from one form of energy into another. 
• Energy is mainly derived from natural sources like the sun, oceans, fossil fuels, wind etc and is converted into electrical energy that we consume for our daily needs and benefits.

SOURCES OF ENERGY

• Sources can be classified as renewable / inexhaustible and nonrenewable / exhaustible  sources of energy.

• Any source of energy that does not get depleted or gets exhausted is considered a good source of energy and are usually called as renewable.

Conventional sources of energy are the natural energy resources which are present in a limited quantity and are being used for a long time. They are called non-renewable sources as once they are depleted, they cannot be generated at the speed which can sustain its consumption rate.

Non-conventional sources of energy are also called renewable sources of energy. Examples are Bio energy, solar energy, wind energy and tidal energy.

Fossil fuels

• Fossil fuels are formed due to compression of dead organic matter over millions of years, buried deep under the earth. Eg. coal or natural gas.
• We rely heavily on fossil fuels for most of our work.
• Fossil Fuels are non-renewable sources of energy as they have limited reserves and hence finding alternative sources is essential to avoid an energy crisis.

Disadvantages of burning fossil fuels

• Fossil fuels also produce byproducts due to combustion which causes air pollution.
• Burning coal and petroleum produces harmful oxides of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur which pollute the air leading to acid rain and greenhouse effect.
• Gases emitted by the combustion of fossil fuels are the main contributor to global warming.

Thermal power plants

• Thermal power plants use steam produced by burning fossil fuels (mainly coal) to move the turbines to generate electricity.
• Usually, Thermal power plants are located near coal or oil fields as it is easier to transmit electricity than transport coal.

Hydropower Plants

• Another traditional source of energy is from the kinetic energy of flowing water or harnessing potential energy of water falling from a height.
• Hydropower plants are usually constructed near dams or waterfalls.

Disadvantages

     •  Highly expensive

     •  Dams can be made at limited areas

     •  Large areas of human habitation and agricultural fields are submerged

     •  Problem of rehabilitation of displaced people

HOME ASSIGNMENT