A coal-fired power station burns fossil fuels to produce electricity.
Our energy needs are mostly being met by fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. These are non- renewable. This means that they will eventually run out.
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Renewable energy sources will not run out. Examples of renewable energy sources include wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass and wave energy.
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Nuclear power comes from releasing the energy that binds particles together in the nucleus of an atom. There are two ways of producing energy from the nucleus: nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
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Nuclear fission is the splitting of a large nucleus into two smaller nuclei with the release of a large quantity of energy. This is used in a nuclear power station to generate electricity.
TheBIGChallenge
There is an ongoing ‘food versus fuel’ debate. Should land be used to grow biofuel crops instead of being used to grow food crops that could feed people in underdeveloped parts of the world?
Research this issue and prepare a speech for your classmates titled ‘My views on the “food versus fuel” debate’.
r o 422 l ?
Go to your Portfolio to check what you have learned in this chapter.
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Nuclear fusion occurs when two smaller nuclei combine to form a single larger nucleus, releasing a very large quantity of energy.
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Nanotechnology is the science of the very small.
Graphene is a material that is very strong, ultra-thin and can conduct large electric currents.
