Gr7 - Renewable Energy Quiz

Renewable Energy Sources and Their Advantages and Disadvantages

• Hydroelectric power is generated by using water to turn turbines, and it is renewable and environmentally friendly, but dams disrupt the natural flow of rivers.
• South Africa has several hydro power schemes, with the largest being the Drakensburg Pumped Storage Scheme using water from the Thukela River.
• Wind turbines use wind energy to produce electricity and are renewable, but they can be noisy, spoil landscapes, and pose a threat to birds.
• Solar energy is collected using photovoltaic cells and is environmentally friendly and renewable, but it is expensive to set up and less efficient on cloudy days.
• Biofuels, produced from certain plants, are renewable but can lead to deforestation and habitat loss, and require engine conversion for vehicles.
• Wood, used as a fuel by low-income families, is renewable if trees are replaced, but uncontrolled wood gathering can lead to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Non-renewable energy sources include fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, and nuclear fuels like uranium, which produce harmful greenhouse gases and pollution.
• Renewable energy sources, such as water, wind, sun, and biofuels, can be continuously replaced and are environmentally friendly.
• The use of wood as a fuel can lead to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation when not gathered sustainably.
• Energy is needed to make things work, and there are two types of energy sources: non-renewable and renewable, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
• Fossil fuels and nuclear fuels are non-renewable sources of energy that produce harmful greenhouse gases and pollution.
• Most renewable sources of energy, such as water, wind, sun, and biofuels, are environmentally friendly and can be continuously replaced.

Non-Renewable and Renewable Sources of Energy

• Non-renewable sources of energy are those that cannot be replaced once used, such as fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas.
• Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago from dead plants and animals and are extracted from the earth.
• South Africa heavily relies on coal for electricity generation and liquid fuels, but this has resulted in significant greenhouse gas emissions.
• Oil and natural gas, also fossil fuels, pose similar environmental and pollution issues, and natural gas extraction through fracking is particularly destructive and contaminates water.
• Nuclear power, while a clean energy source, produces radioactive waste and poses safety concerns from the risk of nuclear meltdown.
• Advantages and disadvantages of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power as energy sources should be considered in a table format.
• Overseas oil companies are lobbying for fracking in South Africa's Karoo, leading to opposition due to water scarcity in the region.
• Renewable energy sources, such as hydropower, wind, sunlight, and biofuel, can be reused and are sustainable.
• Hydropower, also known as hydroelectricity, utilizes water stored in dams to generate electricity.
• South Africa has a nuclear power plant at Koeberg, but nuclear power has not fully lived up to its early promise of replacing fossil fuels.
• Fossil fuel consumption has led to significant environmental harm, and the government is seeking alternative energy sources.
• The text emphasizes the need to understand the issues surrounding fracking and encourages research and consideration of renewable energy sources.

Test your knowledge of renewable energy sources and their advantages and disadvantages with this informative quiz. Explore the benefits and drawbacks of hydroelectric power, wind turbines, solar energy, biofuels, and wood as fuel, as well as the environmental impact of non-renewable energy sources.