8. Energy production

8. Energy production

8.1 – Energy sources

Nature of science:

  • Risks and problem-solving: Since early times mankind understood the vital role of harnessing energy and large-scale production of electricity has impacted all levels of society. Processes where energy is transformed require holistic approaches that involve many areas of knowledge. Research and development of alternative energy sources has lacked support in some countries for economic and political reasons. Scientists, however, have continued to collaborate and share new technologies that can reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources.

Understandings:

  • Specific energy and energy density of fuel sources

  • Sankey diagrams

  • Primary energy sources

  • Electricity as a secondary and versatile form of energy

  • Renewable and non-renewable energy sources

Applications and skills:

  • Solving specific energy and energy density problems

  • Sketching and interpreting Sankey diagrams

  • Describing the basic features of fossil fuel power stations, nuclear power stations, wind generators, pumped storage hydroelectric systems and solar power cells

  • Solving problems relevant to energy transformations in the context of these generating systems

  • Discussing safety issues and risks associated with the production of nuclear power

  • Describing the differences between photovoltaic cells and solar heating panels

8.2 – Thermal energy transfer

Nature of science:

  • Simple and complex modelling: The kinetic theory of gases is a simple mathematical model that produces a good approximation of the behaviour of real gases. Scientists are also attempting to model the Earth’s climate, which is a far more complex system. Advances in data availability and the ability to include more processes in the models together with continued testing and scientific debate on the various models will improve the ability to predict climate change more accurately.

Understandings:

  • Conduction, convection and thermal radiation

  • Black-body radiation

  • Albedo and emissivity

  • The solar constant

  • The greenhouse effect

  • Energy balance in the Earth surface–atmosphere system

Applications and skills:

  • Sketching and interpreting graphs showing the variation of intensity with wavelength for bodies emitting thermal radiation at different temperatures

  • Solving problems involving the Stefan–Boltzmann law and Wien’s displacement law

  • Describing the effects of the Earth’s atmosphere on the mean surface temperature

  • Solving problems involving albedo, emissivity, solar constant and the Earth’s average temperature

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