Comparing Energy Resources (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway))
Revision Note
Comparing Energy Resources
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Energy Resources
Each energy resource has various advantages and disadvantages associated with it
A renewable energy resource is one that is replenished at a faster rate than the rate at which it is being used
As a result of this, renewable energy resources will not run out
A reliable energy resource is one that can produce energy at any time
Non-reliable resources can only produce energy some of the time (e.g. when it’s windy)
The table below shows a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the different energy resources:
Trends in the Use of Energy Resources Due to their Effect on The Environment
The current evidence for climate change is overwhelming – in order to limit global warming, carbon emissions must be limited globally
Doing so, however, requires a balanced approach – carbon-neutral energy resources either lack public support, reliability or cannot produce sufficient energy to meet the demand
Nevertheless, over the past 20 years, there has been a gradual shift towards cleaner technologies
Government grants have encouraged the development of wind and solar farms
Coal has gradually been replaced with cleaner natural gas
A new generation of nuclear power stations are currently in development – although with old power stations being shut down, nuclear power is becoming a smaller option
Further reduction of carbon emissions will require some further measures:
More nuclear power stations will be needed to replace existing fossil fuel stations
A means of storing energy from unreliable sources (such as solar and wind) will need to be developed
Although science can identify environmental issues arising from the use of energy sources, political, social, ethical and economic considerations must be taken to deal with these issues
In the past 30 years in the UK:
Fossil fuel use has dropped from 75% to 38%
Renewable energy use has increased from 2% to 35%
Coal used to be the main provider of energy in the UK, but now it is natural gas
This is because, out of the 3 main fossil fuels, coal produces the most carbon dioxide, while natural gas produces the least
Switching to gas is not the solution to reducing carbon emissions, but as the use of carbon-neutral energy resources increases, it is a step in the right direction
The Greenhouse Effect
Global warming is a problem caused by the Greenhouse Effect
The Greenhouse Effect is caused by the increased concentration and effect of greenhouse gases, mainly methane and carbon dioxide
The process of global warming is as follows:
The Sun emits rays that enter the Earth’s atmosphere
The infrared radiation is emitted back from the Earth’s surface
Some infrared radiation is reflected back out into Space
Some infrared radiation is absorbed by Greenhouse gases and becomes trapped within the Earth’s atmosphere, causing the Earth’s average temperature to rise as a result
The higher the concentration of greenhouse gases, the higher the Earth's average temperature will rise
Once the temperature increases too much, this will lead to devastating consequences:
Climate change due to the increase in Earth’s temperature
Sea levels will rise as glaciers melt because of high temperatures, causing flooding in low-lying countries
Extinction of species due to the destruction of natural habitats
Migration of species (including humans) as they will move to areas that are more habitable (with no droughts or wildfires)
Spread of diseases caused by warmer climate
Loss of habitat due to climate change (animals that live on glaciers)
Many of these consequences have already begun to take effect
It is predicted many of these will have taken full effect by 2050 if carbon emissions are not drastically reduced
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