CHAPTER 2

ENERGY

Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. Its SI unit is Joule.

Sources of energy
Renewable sources Non-renewable sources
Which can be produce in a Sources, which can’t be
short time and used for long reproduced in a short time
time is called renewable and can’t be used for long
source. time is called non-renewable
sources.
Examples: solar energy, wind Examples: petroleum
energy, bio-mass products, coal, etc.
Major sources of energy
1. Solar energy: It is the main source of energy in the world. It
continuously produces energy due to the nuclear fusion reaction.
Due to high temperature and pressure hydrogen present in the sun
combines to form helium releasing tremendous energy.
Equations:
heat and pressure
First step: 1H1+1H1 2
1H +energy
heat and pressure
Second step: 1H2 +1H1
3
2He + energy

3 3 4
Third step: 2He +2He 2He +1H1+1H1+
energy

Slight amount of mass is lost during the reaction, which is

transformed in the form of energy. The amount of energy released is
given by
E = mc2

Where 'E' is energy, ‘m’ is lost mass and ‘c’ is velocity of light.
Conditions for nuclear fusion reaction in the sun
i. There is sufficient amount of hydrogen gas
ii. Helium gas is also present in large amount
iii. High temperature and pressure for the reaction to occur.

2. Fossil fuel energy: The fuel formed from the dead remains (fossils)
of plants and animals are called fossils fuels. Examples: coal,
mineral oil, etc.

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 a. Coal: It is a fossil fuel found in the form of hard solid, black in
colour. It is extensively used in industries, trains, etc.
b. Mineral oil: It is found in liquid state in the form of petrol,
diesel, kerosene, Mobil, etc. It is drilled from underground
mines in the form of crude oil, which is then purified and
different products like petrol, diesel, kerosene, etc are obtained
and the residue ‘Tar’ is used to make tarred roads. During the
purification process different gases and raw materials for
plastic are also obtained.
Advantages of fossil fuel
- Cheap and abundant
- Easy to be transported
- It is a multipurpose fuel
- It generates large amount of heat
3. Hydro-power: When electricity is generated by use of water stored
at certain height to turn the turbine of the generators, this energy is
called hydro-power. This type of power stations can be made only in
hilly areas.
Advantages of hydro-power
- Although its production cost is high, it is a cheaper source of
energy in long run
- Non-polluting source of energy
- Renewable source of energy
- Easy to use and transmit to different places
Alternative sources of energy
Apart from the above-mentioned three forms of energy other forms
of energy also play a major role to meet the energy needed for various
activities. These sources of energy are named as alternative energy
sources. They are as follows.
i Bio-mass energy: Energy obtained by burning organic matters
(plants and animals and their bi-products).
It is a renewable source of energy.
ii. Nuclear-energy: energy, which is released during nuclear fission
and fusion reaction. Huge amount of heat energy is released during
these reactions.
a. Nuclear fusion: Energy released during the combination of
two or more light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. This reaction
needs huge amount of temperature and pressure. Examples;
fusion reaction in the sun

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 b. Nuclear fission: A heavy nucleus breaks into two or more
smaller nuclei with the release of large amount of energy in the
form of radiation.
235 1 139 94
92 U 0n 56 Ba 36 Kr 3 0 n 1 energy
iii. Wind energy: The kinetic energy of the moving air can be used in
various purposes like running wind mills, to sail boat, to extract
underground water, etc.
iv. Tidal energy: Water collected in the tide damps during high tides
can be used for the generation of electrical energy.
v. Geothermal energy: The heat energy in the interior surface (core)
of the earth is called geo-thermal energy, which can be used as a
source of energy.

Energy crisis:
The rate of consumption of energy is very high at present. As the
population is increasing there is more demand of energy. If this trend
continues all the non-renewable energy sources will get exhausted in the
near future and there will be scarcity of energy, this is called energy
crisis.

Conservation of energy
The economic use of energy is called energy conservation, which
can be done by
i. Using renewable sources of energy
ii. Using required amount of energy only.

Important Questions

1) The sun is the main source of energy. Give two reasons to

justify this statement.
The sun is considered the main source of energy because of
following reasons.
(a) Sun provides energy to all living beings on earth either
directly or indirectly. Plants on which herbivores depend
obtain their energy from the sun.
(b) Solar energy is utilized by human beings for cooking food,
drying clothes, generating electricity, etc. Hence, other
sources of energy are obtained from solar energy only.

2) Nuclear fusion is the source of energy in sun. Justify it.

There is abundant amount of hydrogen in the sun which fuses to
form Helium under high temperature and pressure. This reaction
is known as nuclear fusion reaction. The reaction results in the

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 release of tremendous amount of energy which is given off in the
form of heat and light. Hence, nuclear fusion is the source of
energy in sun.

3) Write any two necessary conditions required for nuclear

fusion reaction to take place in sun.
The necessary conditions required for a nuclear fusion reaction
to take place in sun are
(i) Sufficient amount of Hydrogen
(ii) High temperature and high pressure

4) What is thermonuclear fusion reaction?

Thermonuclear fusion reaction is the reaction involving fusion of
hydrogen atom to form helium atom releasing tremendous
amount of energy. It is the main source of energy in sun.

5) The development of hydropower helps to reduce energy

crisis further, justify.
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy which can be
generated again and again. There are lots of appliances which
can be run by hydropower electricity. All modern heating and
lighting equipments are operated by electricity. Various
electronic devices, industries and machines are dependent upon
hydropower electricity. Hence the development of hydropower
will reduce the dependency on non-renewable sources of energy
which will help to reduce energy crisis.

6) Justify giving three reasons that the use of hydro-power

should be increased than that of coal and mineral oil for
energy.
The use of hydropower energy should be increased because of
the following reasons.
(i) Coal and mineral oil are non-renewable sources of
energy. So, once they are depleted they cannot be
regenerated. On the other hand, hydropower is a
renewable source of energy.
(ii) Coal and mineral oil are formed from the
decomposition of plants and animals which take
millions years to form. Hydropower can be
generated quickly.
(iii) Hydropower is a clean energy and do not pollute
environment and there are lots of appliances which
run on hydro-power electricity.

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 7) Nepal has high potentiality of producing hydroelectricity.
Justify this statement giving two reasons.
Nepal has high potentiality of producing hydroelectricity because
Nepal is rich in water resources and it is mountainous country. It
has steep land topography with many fast flowing rivers from
which hydroelectricity can be generated easily.

8) What type of energy sources are referred to as “Alternative

sources of energy”?
The energies other than non-renewable sources of energy which
are cheaper and durable and can be generated easily are called
alternative sources of energy. These sources of energy are
renewable. Eg: Hydropower, solar energy, wind energy, etc.

9) Write any two advantages of hydroelectricity.

The advantages of hydroelectricity are
(i) It is renewable source of energy.
(ii) It is clean, non-polluting energy.
(iii) Although the production cost is high, it is cheaper in
long term basis and easy to transmit to long
distances.

10) Write any two points to justify that urbanization brings

energy crisis.
Increasing urbanization brings energy crisis due to the following
reasons.
(i) Increased urbanization demands more industrial
products. As a result more fuel has to be consumed
by industries to increase their production.
(ii) The life styles of people are changing due to
urbanization. The desire to live a luxurious life has
increased the sale of automobiles which has not
only congested our roads and increased pollution
but also created scarcity of petroleum fuel.

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