Forms of Electricity (Solar, Geothermal, Fracking, Wind, Tidal, Hydroelectric)

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Forms of Electricity By Laura Dibble

Basic Electricity

Steam is created by burning some sort of fuel (mainly fossil fuels) and heating water

The steam turns a turbine

then spins a wire past a magnet (known as electromagnetism)

This powers the generator and makes electricity!

Geothermal

Uses steam from underground to turn the turbine

Fracking

Harvests natural gas from rocks, this heats the water to make steam to turn the turbine

Solar energy

The electrons in the panels get excited by the photons (from the sun) and create electricity ------>

Wind

Turbines spin gears, which convert the slow spinning turbines into faster RPMs. The gears increase the speed to power the generator.

Advantages

- no fuel needed

-no waste/emissions

-doesn't take up much land space

-good for supplying energy in remote energy

-touristy looking

Disadvantages

-unreliable (isn't windy everyday)

-land is expensive in windy areas (like on the coast)

-can kill birds

-can affect satellite t.v reception

-noisy

Tidal Energy

the tide going in and out turns the turbine and powers the generator

Advantages

-free (once built)

-no emissions

-no fuel needed

-reliable

-not expensive

Disadvantages

-expensive to build

-effects a wide area of the water

-provides 10 hours of power

Hydroelectric

harnesses the power of falling water (waterfalls, rapids, dams)

As the water falls, the pressure increases and turns a turbine at the bottom + powers the generator

Switzerland + New Zealand have lots

Advantages

-free energy

-no emissions

-the most reliable out of all of the energy forms

-the water can be stored at the top of the dams and be released when the demand for electricity is high

Disadvantages

-expensive to build

-can flood an area

-hard to find an area to build in

-effects the ecosystem in that area