1 Sources of Energy

What is a Good Source of Energy

In our daily lives, use energy from various sources for
doing work. We use diesel to run our trains. We use
electricity to light our street-lamps. Or we use energy in
our muscles to cycle to school.
The muscular energy for carrying out physical work,
electrical energy for running various appliances, chemical
energy for cooking food or running a vehicle all come from
some source. We need to know how do we select the
source needed for obtaining the energy in its usable form.
The particular source of energy, or fuel, we select for
performing some work depends on many different factors.
For eample, while selecting a fuel, we would ask
ourselves the following !uestions.
i. "ow much heat does it release on burning#
ii. $oes it produce a lot of smoke#
iii. Is it easily available#
%an you think of three more relevant !uestions to ask
about a fuel#
&iven the range of fuels we have today, what are the
factors which would limit our choices when it comes to a
particular task like cooking our food# Would the fuel
selected also depend on the work to be done# For eample,
would we choose one fuel for cooking and another for
heating the room in winter#
We could then say that a good source of energy would be
one
which would do a large amount of work per unit
volume or mass,
be easily accessible,
be easy to store and transport, and
'erhaps most importantly, be economical.
Conventional Sources of Energy
Fossil Fuels
In ancient times, wood was the most common source of
heat energy. The energy of flowing water and wind was
also used for limited activities. %an you think of some of
these uses# The eploitation of coal as a source of energy
made the industrial revolution possible. Increasing
industrialisation has led to a better !uality of life all over
the world. It has also caused the global demand for energy
to grow at a tremendous rate. The growing demand for
energy was largely met by the fossil fuels ( coal and
petroleum. Our technologies were also developed for using
these energy sources. )ut these fuels were formed over
millions of years ago and there are only limited reserves.
The fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy, so
we need to conserve them. If we were to continue
consuming these sources at such alarming rates, we would
soon run out of energy* In order to avoid this, alternate
sources of energy were eplored. )ut we continue to be
largely dependent on fossil fuels for most of our energy
re!uirements +Fig. ,-.,..
Figure 14.1 Pie-chart showing the major sources of
energy for our requirements in India
)urning fossil fuels has other disadvantages too. We learnt
in %lass I/ about the air pollution caused by burning of
coal or petroleum products. The oides of carbon, nitrogen
and sulphur that are released on burning fossil fuels are
acidic oides. These lead to acid rain which affects our
water and soil resources. In addition to the problem of air
pollution, recall the green-house effect of gases like carbon
dioide.
The pollution caused by burning fossil fuels can be
somewhat reduced by increasing the efficiency of the
combustion process and using various techni!ues to reduce
the escape of harmful gases and ashes into the
surroundings. )esides being used directly for various
purposes ( in gas stoves and vehicles, do you know fossil
fuels are the ma0or fuels used for generating electricity#
1et us produce some electricity at our own small plant in
the class and see what goes into producing our favourite
form of energy.
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Take a table-tennis ball and make three slits into
it.
'ut semicircular fins cut out of a metal sheet into
these slits.
'ivot the tennis ball on an ale through its centre
with a straight metal wire fied to a rigid support.
2nsure that the tennis ball rotates freely about the
ale.
3ow connect a cycle dynamo to this.
%onnect a bulb in series.
$irect a 0et of water or steam produced in a
pressure cooker at the fins +Fig. ,-.4..
Figure 14.2 A model to demonstrate the process of
thermoelectric productio
This is our turbine for generating electricity. The simplest
turbines have one moving part, a rotor-blade assembly. The
moving fluid acts on the blades to spin them and impart
energy to the rotor. Thus, we see that basically we need to
move the fan, the rotor blade, with speed which would turn
the shaft of the dynamo and convert the mechanical energy
into electrical energy 5 the form of energy which has
become a necessity in today6s scenario. The various ways
in which this can be done depends upon availability of the
resources.
Thermal Power Plant
1arge amount of fossil fuels are burnt every day in power
stations to heat up water to produce steam which further
runs the turbine to generate electricity. The transmission of
electricity is more efficient than transporting coal or
petroleum over the same distance. Therefore, many thermal
power plants are set up near coal or oil fields. The term
thermal power plant is used since fuel is burnt to produce
heat energy which is converted into electrical energy.
Hydro Power Plants
7nother traditional source of energy was the kinetic energy
of flowing water or the potential energy of water at a
height. "ydro power plants convert the potential energy of
falling water into electricity. 8ince there are very few
water-falls which could be used as a source of potential
energy, hydro power plants are associated with dams. In
the last century, a large number of dams were built all over
the world. 7s we can see from Fig. ,-.,, a !uarter of our
energy re!uirement in India is met by hydro power plants.
Figure 14.3 A schematic view of a hydro power plant
In order to produce hydel electricity, high-rise dams are
constructed on the river to obstruct the flow of water and
thereby collect water in larger reservoirs. The water level
rises and in this process the kinetic energy of flowing water
gets transformed into potential energy. The water from the
high level in the dam is carried through pipes, to the
turbine, at the bottom of the dam +Fig. ,-.9.. 8ince the
water in the reservoir would be refilled each time it rains
+hydro power is a renewable source of energy. we would
not have to worry about hydro electricity sources getting
used up the way fossil fuels would get finished one day.
)ut, constructions of big dams have certain problems
associated with it. The dams can be constructed only in a
limited number of places, preferably in hilly terrains. 1arge
areas of agricultural land and human habitation are to be
sacrificed as they get submerged. 1arge eco-systems are
destroyed when submerged under the water in dams. The
vegetation which is submerged rots under anaerobic
conditions and gives rise to large amounts of methane
which is also a green-house gas. It creates the problem of
satisfactory rehabilitation of displaced people. Opposition
to the construction of Tehri $am on the river &anga and
8ardar 8arovar pro0ect on the river 3armada are due to
such problems.
Bio!ass
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We mentioned earlier that wood has been used as a fuel for
a long time. If we can ensure that enough trees are planted,
a continuous supply of fire-wood can be assured. :ou must
also be familiar with the use of cow-dung cakes as a fuel.
&iven the large live-stock population in India, this can also
assure us a steady source of fuel. 8ince these fuels are plant
and animal products, the source of these fuels is said to be
bio-mass. These fuels, however, do not produce much heat
on burning and a lot of smoke is given out when they are
burnt. Therefore, technological inputs to improve the
efficiency of these fuels are necessary. When wood is burnt
in a limited supply of oygen, water and volatile materials
present in it get removed and charcoal is left behind as the
residue. %harcoal burns without flames, is comparatively
smokeless and has a higher heat generation efficiency.
8imilarly, cow-dung, various plant materials like the
residue after harvesting the crops, vegetable waste and
sewage are decomposed in the absence of oygen to give
bio-gas. 8ince the starting material is mainly cow-dung, it
is popularly known as ;gobar-gas6. )io-gas is produced in
a plant as shown in Fig. ,-.-.
The plant has a dome-like structure built with bricks. 7
slurry of cow-dung and water is made in the miing tank
from where it is fed into the digester. The digester is a
sealed chamber in which there is no oygen. 7naerobic
micro-organisms that do not re!uire oygen decompose or
break down comple compounds of the cow-dung slurry. It
takes a few days for the decomposition process to be
complete and generate gases like methane, carbon dioide,
hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide. The bio-gas is stored in
the gas tank above the digester from which they are drawn
through pipes for use.
Figure 14.4 Schematic diagram of a bio-gas plant
)io-gas is an ecellent fuel as it contains up to <=>
methane. It burns without smoke, leaves no residue like
ash in wood, charcoal and coal burning. Its heating
capacity is high. )io-gas is also used for lighting. The
slurry left behind is removed periodically and used as
ecellent manure, rich in nitrogen and phosphorous. The
large-scale utilisation of bio-waste and sewage material
provides a safe and efficient method of waste-disposal
besides supplying energy and manure.
Wind Energy
We saw that how une!ual heating of the landmass and
water bodies by solar radiation generates air movement and
causes winds to blow. This kinetic energy of the wind can
be used to do work. This energy was harnessed by
windmills in the past to do mechanical work. For eample,
in a water-lifting pump, the rotatory motion of windmill is
utilised to lift water from a well. Today, wind energy is
also used to generate electricity. 7 windmill essentially
consists of a structure similar to a large electric fan that is
erected at some height on a rigid support +Fig. ,-.=..
To generate electricity, the rotatory motion of the windmill
is used to turn the turbine of the electric generator. The
output of a single windmill is !uite small and cannot be
used for commercial purposes. Therefore, a number of
windmills are erected over a large area, which is known as
wind energy farm. The energy output of each windmill in a
farm is coupled together to get electricity on a commercial
scale.
Figure 14.5 A windmill
Wind energy is an environment-friendly and efficient
source of renewable energy. It re!uires no recurring
epenses for the production of electricity. )ut there are
many limitations in harnessing wind energy. Firstly, wind
energy farms can be established only at those places where
wind blows for the greater part of a year. The wind speed
should also be higher than ,= km?h to maintain the
re!uired speed of the turbine. Furthermore, there should be
some back-up facilities +like storage cells. to take care of
the energy needs during a period when there is no wind.
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2stablishment of wind energy farms re!uires large area of
land. For a , @W generator, the farm needs about 4
hectares of land. The initial cost of establishment of the
farm is !uite high. @oreover, since the tower and blades
are eposed to the vagaries of nature like rain, 8un, storm
and cyclone, they need a high level of maintenance.
"lternative or #onConventional Sources of Energy
With technological progress, our demand for energy
increases day by day. Our life-styles are also changing, we
use machines to do more and more of our tasks. Our basic
re!uirements are also increasing as industrialisation
improves our living standards.
7s our demand for energy increases, we need to look for
more and more sources of energy. We could develop the
technology to use the available or known sources of energy
more efficiently and also look to new sources of energy.
7ny new source of energy we seek to eploit would need
specific devices developed with that source in mind. We
shall now look at some of the latest sources of energy that
we seek to tap, and the technology designed to capture and
store energy from that source.
Solar Energy
The 8un has been radiating an enormous amount of energy
at the present rate for nearly = billion years and will
continue radiating at that rate for about = billion years
more. Only a small part of solar energy reaches the outer
layer of the earth6s atmosphere. 3early half of it is
absorbed while passing through the atmosphere and the
rest reaches the earth6s surface.
7 black surface absorbs more heat as compared to a white
or a reflecting surface under identical conditions. 8olar
cookers +Fig. ,-.A. and solar water heaters use this
property in their working. 8ome solar cookers achieve a
higher temperature by using mirrors to focus the rays of the
8un. 8olar cookers are covered with a glass plate. Becall
what we have learnt about the green-house effect.
Figure 14.7 A solar cell panel
Figure 14.6 A solar cooker
It is easy to see that these devices are useful only at certain
times during the day. This limitation of using solar energy
is overcome by using solar cells that convert solar energy
into electricity. 7 typical cell develops a voltage of C.=(, D
and can produce about C.< W of electricity when eposed
to the 8un. 7 large number of solar cells are, combined in
an arrangement called solar cell panel +Fig. ,-.<. that can
deliver enough electricity for practical use.
The principal advantages associated with solar cells are
that they have no moving parts, re!uire little maintenance
and work !uite satisfactorily without the use of any
focussing device. 7nother advantage is that they can be set
up in remote and inaccessible hamlets or very sparsely
inhabited areas in which laying of a power transmission
line may be epensive and not commercially viable.
8ilicon, which is used for making solar cells, is abundant in
nature but availability of the special grade silicon for
making solar cells is limited. The entire process of
manufacture is still very epensive, silver used for
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interconnection of the cells in the panel further adds to the
cost. In spite of the high cost and low efficiency, solar cells
are used for many scientific and technological applications.
7rtificial satellites and space probes like @ars orbiters use
solar cells as the main source of energy. Badio or wireless
transmission systems or TD relay stations in remote
locations use solar cell panels. Traffic signals, calculators
and many toys are fitted with solar cells. The solar cell
panels are mounted on specially designed inclined roof
tops so that more solar energy is incident over it. The
domestic use of solar cells is, however, limited due to its
high cost.
Energy from the Sea
Tidal Energy
$ue to the gravitational pull of mainly the moon on the
spinning earth, the level of water in the sea rises and falls.
If you live near the sea or ever travel to some place near
the sea, try and observe how the sea-level changes during
the day. This phenomenon is called high and low tides and
the difference in sea-levels gives us tidal energy. Tidal
energy is harnessed by constructing a dam across a narrow
opening to the sea. 7 turbine fied at the opening of the
dam converts tidal energy to electricity. 7s you can guess,
the locations where such dams can be built are limited.
Wave Energy
8imilarly, the kinetic energy possessed by huge waves near
the seashore can be trapped in a similar manner to generate
electricity. The waves are generated by strong winds
blowing across the sea. Wave energy would be a viable
proposition only where waves are very strong. 7 wide
variety of devices have been developed to trap wave
energy for rotation of turbine and production of electricity.
$cean Thermal Energy
The water at the surface of the sea or ocean is heated by
the 8un while the water in deeper sections is relatively
cold. This difference in temperature is eploited to obtain
energy in ocean-thermal-energy conversion plants. These
plants can operate if the temperature difference between
the water at the surface and water at depths up to 4 km is
4E9 F +4CG%. or more. The warm surface-water is used to
boil a volatile li!uid like ammonia. The vapours of the
li!uid are then used to run the turbine of generator. The
cold water from the depth of the ocean is pumped up and
condense vapour again to li!uid.
The energy potential from the sea +tidal energy, wave
energy and ocean thermal energy. is !uite large, but
efficient commercial eploitation is difficult.
Geothermal Energy
$ue to geological changes, molten rocks formed in the
deeper hot regions of earth6s crust are pushed upward and
trapped in certain regions called ;hot spots6. When
underground water comes in contact with the hot spot,
steam is generated. 8ometimes hot water from that region
finds outlets at the surface. 8uch outlets are known as hot
springs. The steam trapped in rocks is routed through a
pipe to a turbine and used to generate electricity. The cost
of production would not be much, but there are very few
commercially viable sites where such energy can be
eploited. There are number of power plants based on
geothermal energy operational in 3ew Healand and Inited
8tates of 7merica.
#uclear Energy
"ow is nuclear energy generated# In a process called
nuclear fission, the nucleus of a heavy atom +such as
uranium, plutonium or thorium., when bombarded with
low-energy neutrons, can be split apart into lighter nuclei.
When this is done, a tremendous amount of energy is
released if the mass of the original nucleus is 0ust a little
more than the sum of the masses of the individual
products. The fission of an atom of uranium, for eample,
produces ,C million times the energy produced by the
combustion of an atom of carbon from coal. In a nuclear
reactor designed for electric power generation, such
nuclear ;fuel6 can be part of a selfsustaining fission chain
reaction that releases energy at a controlled rate. The
released energy can be used to produce steam and further
generate electricity.
The ma0or haJard of nuclear power generation is the
storage and disposal of spent or used fuels ( the uranium
still decaying into harmful subatomic particles +radiations..
Improper nuclear-waste storage and disposal result in
environmental contamination. Further, there is a risk of
accidental leakage of nuclear radiation. The high cost of
installation of a nuclear power plant, high risk of
environmental contamination and limited availability of
uranium makes large-scale use of nuclear energy
prohibitive.
3uclear energy was first used for destructive purposes
before nuclear power stations were designed. The
fundamental physics of the fission chain reaction in a
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nuclear weapon is similar to the physics of a controlled
nuclear reactor, but the two types of device are engineered
!uite differently.
Environmental Conse%uences
We have studied various sources of energy in the previous
sections. 2ploiting any source of energy disturbs the
environment in some way or the other. In any given
situation, the source we would choose depends on factors
such as the ease of etracting energy from that source, the
economics of etracting energy from the source, the
efficiency of the technology available and the
environmental damage that will be caused by using that
source. Though we talk of ;clean6 fuels like %3&, it would
be more eact to say that a particular source is cleaner than
the other. We have already seen that burning fossil fuels
causes air pollution. In some cases, the actual operation of
a device like the solar cell may be pollution-free, but the
assembly of the device would have caused some
environmental damage. Besearch continues in these areas
to produce longer lasting devices that will cause less
damage throughout their life.
How long will an Energy Source &ast 's
We saw earlier that we cannot depend on the fossil fuels
for much longer. 8uch sources that will get depleted some
day are said to be ehaustible sources or non-renewable
sources of energy. On the other hand, if we manage bio-
mass by replacing the trees we cut down for fire-wood, we
can be assured of a constant supply of energy at a
particular rate. 8uch energy sources that can be regenerated
are called renewable sources of energy.
Benewable energy is available in our natural environment,
in the form of some continuing or repetitive currents of
energy, or is stored in such large underground reservoirs
that the rate of depletion of the reservoir because of
etraction of usable energy is practically negligible
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1 Sources of Energy
When we use energy in its usable form we convert the
form of energy and get our work done during the process.
8ince we cannot reverse the change involved in this
process so we cannot get back the original usable form of
energy. $ue to this, it becomes important to think about
energy shortage and the related energy crisis.
%haracteristics of a good source of energyK
It should be able to do large amount of work for
each unit of mass or volume.
It should be easily accessible.
It should be easily transported.
It should be economical.
%onventional 8ources of 2nergyK
The sources of energy which have been in use since a long
time are called conventional sources of energy. %oal,
petroleum, natural gas, hydel energy, wind energy and
nuclear energy are considered to be the conventional
sources of energy. 7dditionally, firewood is also a
conventional source of energy but its usage is now limited
to kitchens in the rural parts of India.
Fossil FuelsK- %oal and petroleum are the fossil fuels.
%oalK- %oal was formed millions of years ago. The plants
got buried under swamps and due to high pressure and high
temperature inside the earthL they were converted into coal.
%oal is the highest used energy source in India. $uring the
days of steam engine, coal was used in steam engines.
@oreover, coal was also used as kitchen fuelL before 1'&
became popular. 3ow-a-days, coal is mainly being used in
the industries.
'etroleumK 'etroleum was also formed millions of years
ago. The animals got buried under the ocean surface and
were converted into petroleumL in due course of time.
'etroleum is the third ma0or source of energy being used
today. 'etroleum products are used as automobile fuel and
also in the industries. 3atural gas mainly comes from the
oil wells and is also a ma0or source of energy.
3on-renewable 8ources of 2nergyK
It takes millions of years for the formation of fossil fuels.
8ince they cannot be replenished in the foreseeable future,
they are known as non-renewable sources of energy.
Benewable 8ources of 2nergyK
Those sources of energy which can be replenished !uickly
are called renewable sources of energy. "ydel energy, wind
energy and solar energy are eamples of renewable sources
of energy.
"ydel 2nergyK- "ydel energy is produced by utiliJing the
kinetic energy of flowing water. "uge dams are built over a
source of water. Water is collected behind the dam and
released. When the water falls on the turbineL the turbine
movesL because of kinetic energy of water. Thus, electricity
is generated by the turbine. 2lectricityL thus generated is
called hydel energy or hydroelectricity. Water in the
reservoir is replenished with rainwater and so availability
of water is not a problem for hydroelectricity.
$rawbacks of "ydel 'lantK )uilding large dams is not
good for the ecosystem. When a large dam is built, a vast
tract of land in its vicinity gets submerged. This destroys a
large part of vegetation and wildlife which does immense
damage to the ecosystem. @oreover, when the submerged
vegetation decomposesL it produces a huge amount of
methane gas. @ethane is a potential greenhouse gas and
thus is not good for the environment.
)uilding large dam also affects a huge section of
population which lives in the surrounding areas. @any
villages need to be evacuated. 7lthough the government
comes with some rehabilitation plan for them but the
displacement of people from their roots has its own costs
involved.
Thermal 'ower 'lantK In a thermal power plant, coal or
petroleum is used for converting water into steam. The
steam is used to run the turbineL to generate electricity.
)io-massK The plants and animals constitute the biomass.
Firewood from plants is used as kitchen fuel. If large
number of trees can be planted, then a continuous supply
of firewood can be ensured. Farm wasteL such as stalks of
harvested plants and dung of cattleL can be used to generate
methane. The decomposition of biomass produces
methaneL which can be channeliJed for useful purposes.
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)io-gas 'lantK )io-gas plant can be very useful in solving
the energy need of rural areas. 7 bio-gas plant is a dome-
like structure which is usually built from bricks and
concrete. In the miing tankL the slurry is made from cow-
dung and water. The slurry then goes to the digesterL which
is a closed chamber. 8ince oygen is absent in the digester,
the anaerobes carry on their work of decomposition. The
process of decomposition produces biogas. )iogas has
about <C> of methane and the rest is composed of other
gases. The biogas is channeliJed through a pipe and can be
utiliJed as kitchen fuel and also as fuel for getting light.
The slurryL left behindL is removed. It is used as manure,
once it dries.
Wind 2nergyK Wind energy has been in use since ages. The
sail boats of the pre-industrialiJation era used to run on
wind power. Windmills have been in useL especially in
"ollandL since the medieval period. 3ow-a-days,
windmills are being used to generate electricity. The
kinetic energy of wind is utiliJe to run the turbinesL which
generate electricity.
7t present, &ermany is the leading country in terms of
wind energy production and India comes at number five. In
India, Tamil 3adu is the largest wind energy producing
state. The largest wind farm in India is near FanyakumariL
in Tamil 3aduL which generates 9MC @W of electricity.
1imitations of Wind 2nergyK Wind farms can only be
established at those places where the wind speed is high
enough and is more than ,= km?hr for most parts of the
year. Wind farms need to be established on large tracts of
land. The fan of the windmill has many moving partsL so
cost of maintenance and repair is !uite high. The fact, that
it has to suffer the vagaries of the nature further
compounds the problem. Initial cost of establishing a wind
farm is very high.
3on-conventional 8ources of 2nergyK 2nergy sources
which are relatively new are called non-conventional
sources of energy, e.g. nuclear power and solar energy.
8olar 2nergyK The sun is the main source of energy for all
living beings on this earth. 2ven the energy in the fossil
fuels has come from the sun. The sun has an endless
reservoir of energy which would be available as long as the
solar system is in eistence. Technologies for harnessing
the solar energy have been developed in recent times.
8olar %ookerK 8olar cooker is very simple in design and
mode of function. It is usually made from mirrors. 'lain
mirrors are placed inside a rectangular bo. The light
reflected from the plain mirrors concentrates the solar
energy inside the solar cooker which generates enough heat
to cook food.
8olar FurnaceK 8olar furnace is made like a concave mirror.
1arge solar furnace has many smaller mirrors to compose a
very large conve mirror. The thing to be heated is place
near the focus of the mirror.
8olar %ellsK 8olar cells are made from silicon. The solar
panel converts solar energy into electrical energy which is
stored in a batteryL for later use.
1imitations of 8olar 2nergyK The technologies for
harnessing solar energy are at a nascent stage. 7t present,
the cost benefit ratio for using solar energy is not
conducive. Ising solar energy is ehorbitantly costly.
2nergy from 8ea
Tidal 2nergyK $ue to the gravitational pull of the moon,
tides happen near seashores. Water rushes up near the
seashore during a high tide and goes down during a low
tide. $ams are built near seashores to collect the water
which comes during a high tide. When the water runs back
to the ocean, the flow of water can be utiliJed to generate
electricity.
Wave 2nergyK Waves can also be a good source of energy.
@any devices are being designed and tested to produce
wave energy. For eampleL a hollow tower is built near the
seashore. When water gushes in the tube because of wave,
it forces the air upwards. The kinetic energy of air in the
tube is used to run a turbine. When the wave goes downL
air from up goes down the tube which is also used in
running the turbine.
Ocean Thermal 2nergyK The water at sea surface is hot
during daytime, while the water at lower level is cold. The
temperature differential in water levels can be utiliJed to
generate energy. If the temperature differential is more than
4CG%, then ocean thermal energy can be utiliJed from that
place. For this, a volatile li!uidL like ammoniaL is boiled
using the heat from the hot water at the surface. The steam
of the volatile li!uid is utiliJed to run the turbine to
generate electricity. %older water from the surface below is
utiliJed to condense ammonia vapour which is then
channeliJed to the surface to repeat the cycle.
Darious methods of harnessing energy from the sea are still
at eperimental stages.
&eothermal 2nergyK The molten rocks from the inside of
the earth are pushed in certain regions of the earth. 8uch
regions are called the hot spots of the earth. When
groundwater comes in contact with such hot spots, lot of
steam is generated. This steam can be harnessed to produce
energy. @any power plants in 3ew Healand and I87
operate on geothermal energy.
3uclear 2nergyK 3uclear fission is the process during
which two nuclei fuse to form one nucleus. The process
generates a huge amount of energy. This phenomenon is
utiliJed in nuclear power plants. 3uclear power is safest
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for the environment but the risk of damage due to
accidental leaks of radiation is pretty high. Further, storage
of nuclear waste is a big problem because of potential risk
of radiation involved. 3onetheless, many countries are
using nuclear power in a big way. India too has built many
nuclear power plants. Becent accidents in the nuclear
power plants in %hernobyl and Napan have forced the
policymakers to rethink about the nuclear power.
OuestionK , - What is a good source of energy#
7nswerK 7 good source of energy should be renewable and
environment friendly.
OuestionK4 - What is a good fuel#
7nswerK 7 good fuel should have many desirable
characteristics. 8ome of them are as followsK
It should produce a high amount of energy for
each unit of mass or volume.
It should be easily available and should be easy to
transport.
It should be economical.
OuestionK9 - If you could use any source of energy for
heating your food, which one would you use and why#
7nswerK I will use 1'& +1i!uefied 'etroleum &as. for
heating my foodL because it is easily available in my
kitchen, gives no smoke on burning and takes less time to
do the 0ob.
OuestionK- - What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels#
7nswerK Following are the disadvantages of fossil fuelsK
a. They are non-renewable
b. They produce air pollutants on burning.
OuestionK= - Why are we looking at alternate sources of
energy#
7nswerK )ecause of growing population, the energy
demand is rising. Fossil fuels are going to be ehausted in
the near future and burning them is causing air pollution.
"ence, we need to find an alternate source of energy which
renewable and environment friendly.
OuestionKA - "ow has the traditional use of wind and water
energy been modified for our convenience#
7nswerK )efore the beginning of the Industrial revolution,
wind and water energy were used for serving many
purposes but the ways of their use were not efficient. For
eampleL windmills were used to power smaller millsL like
flour mills or saw mills. The flow of water was used for
transporting wooden logs. 3ow-a-days, both wind energy
and water energy are being harnessed to produce electricity
which means a better and more efficient use of these forms
of energy.
OuestionK< - What kind of mirrorL concave or conve or
plain would be best suited for use in a solar cooker# Why#
7nswerK 7 concave mirror is best suited for use in a solar
cooker. The reason for this is the ability of a concave
mirror to converge the solar energy at a point. This enables
the concave mirror to produce a larger amount of heatL
compared to other types of mirror.
OuestionKM - What are the limitations of the energy that can
be obtained from the oceans#
7nswerK 1imitations of energy which can be obtained from
the oceansK
These forms of energy can be harnessed only in
coastal areasL which would leave a vast portion of
the human habitation.
The technologies for harnessing them are still at
eperimental stage and hence are very costly and
less efficient.
OuestionKE - What is geothermal energy#
7nswerK The energy which can be harnessed from the heat
of inside of the earth is called geothermal energy.
OuestionK,C. What are the advantages of nuclear energy#
7nswerK 7dvantages of nuclear energy are as followsK
7 small amount of radioactive material can
generate a huge amount of energy.
It does not produce air pollution.
7 nuclear power plant is more efficient than other
power plants.
OuestionK,,. %an any source of energy be pollution free#
Why or why not#
7nswerK @any sources of energy can be pollution free.
When burning of biomass is not involved in production of
energy, then there is no chance of pollution. For eampleL
wind energy, hydel energy, solar energy, etc. are pollution
free.
OuestionK,4. "ydrogen has been used as a rocket fuel.
Would you consider it a cleaner fuel than %3&# Why or
why not#
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7nswerK "ydrogen is a much cleaner energy source than
%3&. %3& +compressed natural gas. is derived from
biomass and hence burning the %3& causes air pollutionL
albeit on a much smaller scale than coal and petroleum.
Ise of hydrogen as energy source does not polluting gases.
OuestionK,9. 3ame two energy sources that you would
consider to be renewable. &ive reasons for your choices.
7nswerK 8olar energy and wind energy are eamples of
renewable energy sources because they get !uickly
replenished.
OuestionK,-. &ives the names of two energy sources that
you would consider to be ehaustible. &ive reasons for
your choice.
7nswerK %oal and petroleum are ehaustible energy
sources because their stock is going to be finished in the
near future and it takes millions of years for their
formation.
#CE(T) E*ercise "nd Solution
OuestionK,K- 7 solar water heater cannot be used to get hot
water on
a. 7 sunny day
b. 7 cloudy day
c. 7 hot day
d. 7 windy day
7nswerK- +b. 7 cloudy day
OuestionK4K- Which of the following is not an eample of a
bio-mass energy source#
a. Wood
b. &obar-gas
c. 3uclear energy
d. %oal
7nswerK- +c. 3uclear energy
OuestionK9K- @ost of the sources of energy we use
represent stored solar energy. Which of the following is not
ultimately derived from the 8un6s energy#
a. &eothermal energy
b. Wind energy
c. 3uclear energy
d. )io-mass
7nswerK- +c. 3uclear 2nergy
OuestionK-K- %ompare and contrast fossil fuels and the 8un
as direct sources of energy.
7nswerK 8un is the direct source of energy, while fossil
fuels are formed because of the solar energy stored in
them. When green plants prepare food, they convert the
solar energy into chemical energy which is stored in the
form of biomass. The same biomass gets transferred to the
animals. Thus, the energy in the form of biomass which is
stored in fossil fuels has come from the sun.
OuestionK=K- %ompare and contrast bio-mass and
hydroelectricity as sources of energy.
7nswerK )iomass and hydroelectricity are different in
many aspects. "ydroelectricity is generated using the
kinetic energy from moving water, while the energy from
biomass is generated by decomposition of farm waste.
8ince biomass is composed of organic compounds so
energy from biomass results in air pollution.
"ydroelectricity, on the other hand, is pollution free.
OuestionKA. What are the limitations of etracting energy
fromK
+a. Wind
7nswerK 1arge tract of land is re!uired for establishment of
wind farms. They can be established only at those places
where wind speed is high enough. Initial cost of
establishing a wind farm is very high and the cost of
maintenance is also high.
+b. Waves
7nswerK 2nergy from waves can be harnessed only at
selected placesL only in coastal areas.
+c. Tides
7nswerK 2nergy from tides can be harnessed only at
selected placesL only in coastal areas.
Technologies for harnessing energy from waves and tides
are still at eperimental stage and hence are less efficient
and very costly.
OuestionK<. On what basis would you classify energy
sources asK
a. Benewable and non-renewable
b. 2haustible and inehaustible
7re the options given in +a. and +b. are the same#
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7nswerK Options given in +a. and +b. are almost same. 7n
energy source which can be !uickly renewed is called
renewable or inehaustible. On the other hand, the energy
source which cannot be renewed in foreseeable future are
called non-renewable or ehaustible.
OuestionKM. What are the !ualities of an ideal source of
energy#
7nswerK %haracteristics of an ideal source of energyK
It should be able to do large amount of work for
each unit of mass or volume.
It should be easily accessible.
It should be easily transported.
It should be economical.
OuestionKE. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
using a solar cooker# 7re there places where solar cookers
would have limited utility#
7nswerK 7dvantages of 8olar %ookerK
They are environment friendly.
Ise of a solar cooker does not involve recurring
epenses on fuel.
$isadvantages of 8olar %ookerK
8olar cooker is very slow.
8olar cooker can work only during summer
months and is useless during winters and on
cloudy days.
8olar cooker can be useful at those places which
receive plenty of sunshine. This is useless in
colder climates.
OuestionK,C. What are the environmental conse!uences of
increasing demand for energy# What steps would you
suggest to reduce energy consumption#
7nswerK 2nvironmental conse!uences of increasing
demand for energy are as followsK
Ise of fossil fuels is increasing air pollution
which is not good for our health.
7ir pollution is causing much damage to the
ecosystem.
&reenhouse effect has resulted in global warming
which is manifesting itself in strange changes in
the weather pattern around the world.
Too much eploitation of fossil fuels is going to
create a situation when there would be not fossil
fuel.
8teps to reduce energy consumptionK
Nudicious use of energy is the only way.
Ise public transport instead of private modes of
transport.
Ise bicycle whenever possible.
Walk for short distance commute.
7void unnecessary use of modern gadgets which
consume lot of energy.
&et a solar water heater installed for winter
Sources of Energy
(Q & A)
+1) Fill in the ,lan-s.
+a. "ydro power plants convert PPPPPPPPP energy of
falling water into electricity.
+b. When wood is burnt in a limited supply of oygen,
PPPPPP is left behind as residue.
+c. &ases like PPPPPP, PPPPP, PPPPPP and PPPPPP are
generated in a biogas plant.
+d. )iogas contains PPPPP > methane.
+e. To maintain the re!uired speed of the turbine, wind
speed should be higher than PPPPP.
+f. To establish , @W generator, the wind energy farm
needs about PPP hectares of land.
+g. Ocean Thermal 2nergy plants can operate if the
temperature difference between the water at the surface
and water at depths up to PPPPPP km is PPPPPPP or more.
+h. PPPPPP and PPPPPPP countries have number of power
plants based on geothermal energy.
7nswerK
+a. potential
+b. charcoal
+c. methane +%"-., %O4, "ydrogen +"4. and "48
+d. <=>
+e. ,= km per hr
+f. 4 hectares
+g. 4km, 4E9 F +4CG%.
+h. 3ew Healand and Inited 8tates of 7merica
+/0#CE(T1) " solar water heater cannot ,e used to get
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hot water on
+a. a sunny day.
+b. a cloudy day.
+c. a hot day.
+d. a windy day.
7nswerK +b. a cloudy day.
+20#CE(T1) Which of the following is not an e*am3le
of a ,iomass energy source4
+a. wood
+b. gobar-gas
+c. nuclear energy
+d. coal
7nswerK +c. nuclear energy
+50#CE(T1) !ost of the sources of energy we use
re3resent stored solar energy. Which of the following is
not ultimately derived from the Sun6s energy4
+a. geothermal energy
+b. wind energy
+c. nuclear energy
+d. bio-mass.
7nswerK +c. nuclear energy
+7) Which 3ower 3lant wor-s on the ,asis of gravity of
earth4
+a. &eothermal
+b. Wind farms
+c. "ydropower
+d. 3uclear power
7nswerK +c. "ydropower
+8) Which of the following is not a fossil fuel4
+a. Wood
+b. %oal
+c. 'etroleum
+d. 3atural &as
7nswerK +a. Wood
+9) The energy source which will eventually run out is
-nown as ::::: .
+a. renewable resource
+b. non-renewable resource
+c. endangered resource
+d. none of these
7nswerK +a. renewable resource
+;) Which country is the leader in harnessing wind
energy4
+a. $enmark
+b. &ermany
+c. India
+d. I87
7nswerK +b. &ermany
+<) Which of the following is a renewa,le source of
energy4
+a. Iranium
+b. 'etroleum
+c. %oal
+d. )iomass
7nswerK +d. )iomass
+1=) Which of the following element is used in ma-ing
solar cells4
+a. &old
+b. %arbon
+c. 8ilicon
+d. 8ilver
7nswerK +c. 8ilicon. +3oteK silver is used for
interconnection of the solar cells in the panel..
+110#CE(T1) What is a good fuel4
or
What are the %ualities of a good fuel4
7nswerK
+1/0#CE(T1) What is a good source of energy4
7nswerK Following attributes are considered for a good
source of energyK
,. Besource should provide ade!uate amount of
energy. i.e. which would do a large amount of
work per unit volume or mass
4. 8hould be convenient to use and is accessible.
9. 2asy to transport and store.
-. 8hould be able to fulfill demand of energy for a
longer duration.
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=. 2asily be converted to energy forms used in day
to day operations.
+120CBSE1) Which one of the following is a renewa,le
resource4
+a. 3atural gas,
+b. petroleum,
+c. ground water,
+d. coal.
7nswerK +c. ground water
+15) How do fossil fuels lead to acid rain4
7nswerK @ost of the fossil fuels like coal or petroleum
products contain carbon and traces of nitrogen and sulphur.
The oides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur that are
released on burning fossil fuels are acidic oides. These
lead to acid rain which affects our water and soil resources.
+17) Which form of energy is harnessed ,y a tur,ine to
convert it into an electrical energy4
7nswerK @echanical energy.
+18) Which one of the following is main reason that
Solar energy is not a main source of generating
electrical 3ower4
+a. It pollutes the environment.
+b. It is a non-renewable source.
+c. It is very epensive.
+d. It produces very less amount of energy.
7nswerK +c. It is very epensive.
+19) The s3ots are sources of ::::::: energy.
+a. Wind
+b. &eothermal
+c. 3uclear
+d. "ydroelectric
7nswerK +b. &eothermal
+1;) 1 atomic mass unit 0u1 is e%uivalent to how many
electron volts4
+a. , @ev
+b. E9, @eD
+c. ,.AC4 @eD
+d. ,C @eD
7nswerK +b. E9, @eD
+1<) What are the disadvantages of Hydro 3ower
3lant4
7nswerK $isadvantages areK
,. Be!uires epensive infrastructure.
4. 7ll river sites are not suitable for construction of
dams.
9. 7 large of human habitation and land gets
submerged at the dam-site. 'eople displaced loose
their business and homes. 8ocial problems arise.
-. 2nvironmental challenges eist. Flooding of
nearby areas gives constant threat to natural
environment.
=. It may increase the risk of earth!uakes.
+/=) Where in >ndia 3ro?ects are run to harness Tidal
energy4
7nswerK &ulf of Futch, &u0arat and West )engal.
+/1) What is 3yrolysis4
7nswerK It is a thermochemical process of decomposing
organic matter at high temperature in the absence of
oygen. e.g. charcoal is obtained by this process.
+//) How charcoal is o,tained4 Why is charcoal a
,etter fuel when com3ared to wood4
7nswerK %harcoal is obtained through pyrolysis process
i.e. when wood is burnt in a limited supply of oygen,
water and volatile materials present in it get removed and
charcoal is left behind as the
residue.
%harcoal burns without flames, is comparatively smokeless
and has a higher heat generation efficiency.
+/2) What is ,iomass4
7nswerK )iomass is any organic matter that is renewable
over time. )iomass has been a steady source of fuel. e.g.
wood, live stock, agriculture bio-mass are sources of
renewable energy.
2amples of fuel obtained from bio-mass areK
,. %harcoal is obtained from wood.
4. )io-gas is obtained from animal waste +cow-dung
etc..
9. )io-diesel is obtained from sugar cane and oilseed
crops.
+/5) Why are thermal 3ower 3lants setu3 near coal
and oil fields4
7nswerK It minimiJes the cost of transportation and
therefore it reduces the cost of production also.
Transporting +Transmission. electricity over wires is lot
cheaper than transporting raw material +oil and coal..
+/70CBSE1)#ame the largest com3onent of ,iogas. 01
mar-1
7nswerK @ethane <=>
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+/8) What is Solar Constant4
7nswerK The solar energy fall on the earth6s atmosphere
eposed perpendicularly to the rays of the 8un at the
average distance between the 8un and earth is known as
the solar constant. It is estimated to be ,.- kW per s!uare
meter.
+/9) What are the advantages of Solar Panel4
7nswerK
,. 1ow cost maintenance
4. "ave no moving parts
9. %an work efficiently without any aid of focussing
device.
-. %an be set up in remote and inaccessible hamlets
or very sparsely inhabited areas.
=. 'rovides pollution free, noiseless energy.
+/;) What are the advantages and disadvantages of
Wind energy4
7nswerK 7dvantages of Wind 2nergy areK
Benewable 8ource
2co friendly
$isadvantages of Wind energy areK
Wind speed is not available all the time and its
speed is not uniform.
"uge investment is re!uired for setup.
3eeds a large area to setup series of wind mills.
Output gains may be !uite low when compared to
investment cost.
Sources of Energy
!C+s
+1) Green house effect is caused ,y gases li-e
+a. "elium
+b. Oygen
+c. 3itrogen
+d. %arbon dioide
+/) " solar water heater cannot ,e used to get hot
water on
+a. a sunny day
+b. a cloudy day
+c. a hot day
+d. a windy day
+2) Chief constituent of #atural gas is)
+a. @ethane
+b. 2thane
+c. )utane
+d. 'ropane
+5) The 3ower 3lant which converts 3otential energy of
falling water into electricity is
+a. 3uclear plant
+b. Thermal plant
+c. "ydro power plant
+d. Wind plant
+7) !ost of the sources of energy we use re3resent
stored solar energy. Which of the following is not
ultimately derived from the Sun6s energy4
+a. geothermal energy
+b. wind energy
+c. fossil fuels
+d. bio-mass.
+8) Wood is a ::::::::
+a. primary fuel
+b. seconadry fuel
+c. li!uid fuel
+d. processed fuel
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+9) Which of the following is not an e*am3le of a ,io
mass energy source4
+a. wood
+b. gobar-gas
+c. nuclear energy
+d. coal
+;) The 3o3ular name of ,io gas is
+a. &obar gas
+b. @arsh gas
+c. 2thane gas
+d. "elium gas
+<) The country of winds is
+a. India
+b. %hina
+c. $enmark
+d. 3etherlands
+1=) Which of the following is the ultimate source of
energy4
+a. water
+b. uranium
+c. sun
+d. fossil fuel
"nswersK
,K +d. %arbon dioide
4K +b. a cloudy day
9K +a. @ethane
-K +c. "ydro power plant
=K +a. geothermal energy
AK +a. primary fuel
<K +c. nuclear energy
MK +a. &obar gas
EK +c. $enmark
,CK +c. sun
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