Electricity:
- Is a general term that refers to electric charge - when an atom does not have = p+ and e-
- Can be either static electricity or current electricity
Current Electricity:
Is electric charge in motion (the charges moves continuously along a path).
Generating Electrical Current:
REMEMBER: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change forms. Also, everything in the universe is matter OR energy.
- Chemical Potential Energy
- Kinetic Energy
- Thermal Energy
- Solar (light) Energy
- Piezoelectric
Chemical Potential Energy:
- Is the energy stored in the chemical bonds of a substance. This energy can be stored within atoms, molecules, and chemical bonds that make up matter.
- Turns chemical potential energy into electrical energy.
- Devices used: batteries - electrical cells; primary or secondary, AND fuel cells
Kinetic Energy:
- Is the energy an object has because of its motion.
- Devices used: wind turbine, water turbine; drive generators which use magnetism (coiled wire in magnetic field) to push.
Thermal Energy:
- Burning releases thermal energy (chemical potential energy converted to kinetic energy converted to electrical energy).
- The heat is used to boil water - steam rotates a turbine to generate electricity.
- For example: fossil fuels (chemical potential energy - breaks bonds), nuclear (nuclear reaction splits nuclei (uranium)), biomass (chemical potential energy - breaks bonds).
Solar (light) Energy:
- Any type of energy generated from the sun, or light sources.
- Device - photovoltaic cells (in solar panels).
Piezoelectric:
When a crystal is squeezed forcing negatively charged atoms in one direction. If the crystal is connected to a conductor a current results. Sound waves can squeeze a crystal eg) rochelle salt quartz.
Renewable Energy Source:
Natural energy resource that is unlimited (for example, energy from the sun or wind) or can be replenished by natural processes in a relatively short period of time (ex. biomass). Ex. Waves and wind.
Non-Renewable Energy Source:
A resource that cannot be replaced as quickly as it is consumed. Ex. Coal, Oil, Uranium, and Natural gas.
Hydroelectric Power (Dam):
Pros & Cons
- Pros: does not pollute air/water, creates large volumes of falling water, clean and sustainable, water carries big amounts of energy, and it’s a renewable energy source.
- Cons: migration of fish is disrupted, large areas of land may become flooded, costly and has many ‘invisible’ costs, not all places are suitable for hydroelectric plants.
Tidal Energy:
The Generation Cycle is how the tide occurs twice daily at specific times in a cycle. Tidal generation stations can only operate as the tide comes in, or goes out. The station is on for 5 hours and off for 7 hours. The cycle repeats when the tide changes from low tide to high tide.
Tidal Energy:
Pros & Cons
-Pros: no pollution, renewable energy source, high power output, zero emissions, and predictable energy generation.
- Cons: only built near coastlines that experience significant change in tide, expensive to operate, negative effects on plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Fossil Fuels:
- Fossil Fuels are non-renewable sources. They were formed from plants, animals, and micro-organisms that lived millions of years ago. Ex. Coal, oil, and natural gas.
- When fossil fuels are burned, they provide significant amounts of energy. They are an important resource for energy production.
- They release large amounts of greenhouse gases which cause things like climate change.
Fossil Fuels:
Pros & Cons
- Pros: produce significant amounts of energy, when coal is used in power plants it is cost effective, they can be found easily, easy to store and transport.
- Cons: non-renewable sources, irresponsible use could result in danger, emit greenhouse gases.
Nuclear Power:
The nuclei of the atoms break apart and release huge amounts of energy. This energy is used to heat water, producing steam. Thermal generation includes biomass to generate electricity.
Nuclear Power:
Pros & Cons
- Pros: clean energy and reliable source, creates many jobs, carbon free electricity, high power output, small carbon footprint.
- Cons: expensive initial cost, malfunctions can be catastrophic, limited fuel supply, uses non-renewable sources, high radioactivity.
Light (Solar) Power:
- A photovoltaic cell is a device that converts light directly into electrical energy. One type of cell is the solar cell. It captures energy from the sun and converts it into electrical energy.
- Sunlight shining on this cell creates a flow of electrons.
Light (Solar) Power:
Pros & Cons
- Pros: installed in any sunny location, does not pollute air or water, renewable; sunlight, maintenance is free when properly installed, lasts more than 40 years.
- Cons: only about 30% efficient, solar panels are expensive, doesn’t produce large amounts of electricity immediately, needs several hours of sunlight,
Future of Energy Production:
- Electricity generated in Ontario includes nuclear, hydro, coal, natural gas, and wind.
- Turbines and generators provide different purposes. A generator is attached to a turbine. The turbine requires an external source such as wind to push the blades and rotate the generator. The generator then converts the energy into electrical energy.
- Sources commonly used for thermal generation are fossil fuels, radioactive materials, plant and animal materials, thermal energy in earth’s crust, and sunlight.
The key parts of a generator system
They are the turbine, shaft, and coil of wire inside the magnet. They are used to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy.
Most electrical energy used in Canada is generated from:
Hydroelectric, nuclear, and biomass.
Environmental impacts should be considered when
assessing an energy source for its pros and cons.
Turbine -
Part of a generator system
