Section 4.

07
Energy Resources
4.07
Energy sources can be renewable or non-
renewable.
Wood is renewable; we can grow more of it.
Oil is non-renewable; once used, it cannot be
replaced.
4.07 Non-renewable resources
 Fossil Fuels
Coal, oil and natural gas come from the remains of
plants and animals which lived long ago. They are
concentrated sources of energy.
Fracking is a controversial process for removing
natural gas from shale.
When burned, they produce waste gases that
pollute the atmosphere.
4.07 Non-renewable resources
 Nuclear fuels
 Mostly uranium. 1 kg contains the same amount of
energy as 55 metric tons of coal. Energy is released by
splitting the nuclei of the uranium atoms.
 The waste material is dangerous, and stays radioactive
for thousands of years.
 Nuclear plants are expensive to construct and
decommission.
4.07 Renewable Resources
 Hydroelectric – A river fills a
lake behind a dam. Water
flowing down from the lake
turns generators.
 Tidal – Similar to hydroelectric.
The lake fills when the tide
comes in and empties when it
goes out.
 Wave – Generators are driven
by the up-and-down motion of
waves at sea.
4.07 Renewable Resources
 Wind – Generators are driven
by wind turbines.
 Geothermal – Water is
pumped down into the hot
earth and returns hotter.
 Solar – converts radiation
from the sun into electricity.
Biofuels – Made from
plants from which their
seeds can be replanted.
Section 4.08
How the world gets its
Energy p.96-97

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