Hydropower and Energy Generation

What is the reason behind water producing massive amounts of kinetic energy?

What was historically used to power mills that milled wheat into flour?

What is the term used to describe the production of electricity using hydropower?

What is the process by which kinetic energy is transformed into mechanical energy?

What was the invention that led to a century of advancement in the production of electricity using hydropower?

What percentage of the total clean energy produced in the U.S. comes from hydroelectric power?

What is the primary purpose of building a dam in a hydroelectric power plant?

What is the main advantage of hydroelectric power over fossil fuels?

What is the term for the pattern of water being evaporated, condensed, and falling back to Earth?

What is the primary mechanism by which hydropower generates electricity?

What is an advantage of using hydroelectric power in the United States?

What is a disadvantage of damming waterways for hydroelectric power?

What is a practice that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions during the creation of a reservoir?

What is the purpose of fish ladders in hydroelectric power plants?

Why is hydroelectric power considered cost-effective?

What is Hydropower?

Hydropower is the natural force created by water as it moves from areas of high elevation to areas of low elevation.
Water produces massive amounts of kinetic energy due to the force of gravity pulling it down.

Historical Use of Hydropower

Hydropower has been used historically to power mills, papermaking, and break and process ore.
In the late 1700s and 1800s, the invention and use of the turbine led to the production of electricity using hydropower.

Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric power is the use of hydropower to produce electricity.
The U.S. uses hydroelectric power to produce 7.3% of its total generated electricity and 37% of its total clean energy produced.

Electricity Generation

To produce electricity using water, a flow of water and a turbine connected to an electrical generator are required.
The water cycle provides the flow of water, which comes from rivers and streams.
Hydropower plants are built on the waterfront, and some have dams that create artificial bodies of stored water (reservoirs).

Hydropower Plant Process

Water flows through holes in the dam (penstock) and turns a turbine, which powers a generator.
The turbine turns a shaft connected to magnetic steel filaments that spin inside a coil of conductive material (usually copper wire), producing electricity.

Hydropower Pros and Cons

Benefits of Hydropower

Hydropower is a renewable resource because water is constantly recycled in the water cycle.
It is a clean energy resource, producing no fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere.
Hydropower is flexible, cost-effective, and provides a local power source.

Disadvantages of Hydropower

Damming waterways can have negative impacts on local ecosystems, disrupting natural water temperatures and affecting organisms.
Creating reservoirs can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and disrupt the natural flow of rivers.
Damming can affect migratory fish and other organisms that rely on the natural shape and location of the water flow.

Learn about the power of water and its various applications in generating energy. From creeks to waterfalls, discover how water has been harnessed as a source of power throughout history.