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What do I need to know?
"Energy Resources" is NOT the same
thing as "Types of energy".
"Types of energy" means "kinetic energy",
"chemical energy" and so forth.
"Energy Resources"
is about ways of getting energy so we can generate electrical power.
For Science GCSE, you'll need to know:-
- the names of the energy resources
in these pages
- how each one works
- the advantages & disadvantages
of each
- which ones are renewable
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Each page has a summary
and a quiz for you to try.
But I hope you'll learn a lot more than just that! |
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Most
of the Earth's energy comes from the Sun
Solar power, that's obvious, but the energy
in coal originally came from the Sun too. Prehistoric
plants stored the Sun's energy in their leaves, and when they died and
eventually formed coal seams, that energy was still there. So when we
burn coal (or any fossil fuel), we're releasing
chemical energy that was stored in plants millions of years ago.
The same goes for Wind
and Wave power. Waves occur because of winds,
and winds blow because the Sun warms our atmosphere. Warm air tends
to rise, and winds are due to other air moving in to replace it.
Most power stations burn coal,
oil or natural gas to run the generators. Others use uranium,
or the flow of water. Electricity is sent around the country using
high-voltage power lines. Nearly all of the power we use comes from
large power stations, although some places such as isolated farms,
or hospitals, have their own diesel generators. |
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in popup window. You can get to all of these using the menu on each page.

Want to find out more? Visit www.cus.net
for information about energy resources, where to get grants to install
them at home.
Scottish Power are one of the cheapest energy providers around - get a free online home energy quote now! You could save a lot of money on your utility bills. Really. I did! :)
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