Physics P1 - Generating Electricity

Physics P1 - Generating Electricity

1. Fuel for Electricity

   • Fossil fuel burnt to turn wter to steam
   • Steam turn turbine and generator, generating electricty
   • Biofuel, obtained from living organisms, could be burnt instead
   • Uranium can undergo fission to heat water

2. Energy from Wind and Water

   • Wind
     • Turns turbines directly
   • Water
     • Hydroelectric
       • Water flowing downhill to turn turbine
     • Wave
       • Uses movement of waves to drive floating turbine
     • Tidal
       • Barrage traps water at high tide to fall down, turning the turbine

3. Power from the Sun and the Earth

   • Solar
     • Solar cells convert sunlight to electrical energy
     • Solar heating heats water directly
   • Geothermal
     • Cold water pumped on to hot rocks, generating steam, which turns the turbine

4. Energy and the Environment

5. The National Grid

   • Distributes electricity to homes
   • Step-up and step-down transformers used to reduce current in wires, reducing heat loss
   • 230V

6. Big Energy Issues

   • Base Load- Average demand of electricty
     • Covered by coal, oil and nuclear
   • Variable demand met by gas power stations, as they have shortest start up time