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Test your geography skills in this quiz.

Energy Generation

Where does our electricity really come from? This GCSE Geography quiz looks at power stations, renewable energy, and how different choices affect people, landscapes and the environment.

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Fascinating Fact:

Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and tidal power, are naturally replenished and have much lower greenhouse gas emissions.

In GCSE Geography, energy generation explores how fuels and renewable resources are turned into electricity and heat. Students compare energy mixes, think about sustainability, and weigh up social and environmental impacts.

Key Terms

Renewable energy: Energy from sources that are naturally replenished, such as wind, sunlight, flowing water, and waves.
Non-renewable energy: Energy from finite fuels like coal, oil, and gas that will eventually run out when supplies are used up.
Energy mix: The combination of different energy sources a country uses to generate its power.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy?

Renewable energy comes from sources that are quickly replaced, like wind or solar power. Non-renewable energy relies on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, which take millions of years to form.

Why are countries increasing their use of renewable energy?

Countries are turning to renewables to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy security, and rely less on imported fossil fuels as they move towards more sustainable energy systems.

What factors affect where power stations are built?

Power stations are usually built where there is access to fuel or strong natural resources, enough space, good transport links, and a connection to the national grid to supply electricity.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

How is electricity generated for use in the National Grid?

By burning biofuels

By burning wood

By burning fossil fuels

By burning nuclear fuels

Although some of the electricity in the National Grid is produced from using nuclear fuels, to say they are being burnt is incorrect. They produce energy from nuclear reactions and not by burning

2 .

Why is the global demand for energy increasing?

Populations are increasing

More technology is available

Increased wealth

All of the above

Urbanisation and the development of emerging economies increases the need for energy

3 .

Which of the following is not a practical way of reducing the energy generation needs of an urban area?

Banning nightclubs and late night parties

Adding insulation to schools and public buildings

District heating schemes

Replacing older public transport vehicles

Insulating buildings reduces heat loss and therefore less energy is needed to heat them when the weather is cold, district heating schemes can be set up to burn waste in order to provide heating for local homes and other buildings. Newer vehicles are more energy efficient than older ones

4 .

In some countries, alcohol that has been fermented from sugar cane is added to petrol to make a biofuel. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of biofuels?

They don't contribute significant greenhouse gases to the atmosphere

Less land is available for food crop farming

Cars that run on petrol need to be converted to run on biofuels

It requires intensive farming

They emit back to the air only the carbon dioxide that was absorbed by the crop in the first place

5 .

Why does Scotland have a higher percentage of electicity generated from hydro-electric schemes than other areas of the UK?

It has a high rainfall

It is windy

It is the most northerly country of the British Isles

It gets snow in the winter

As well as high rainfall, Scotland has highlands that have a low population density

6 .

Which of the following is not a way that an individual can help to reduce energy usage in an urban area?

Insulating their home

Using public transport instead of a car

Turning off the street lights for a few hours each night

Buying energy efficient appliances

Some local councils turn off some or all of the street lights for a few hours each night when they are least needed in order to reduce local energy consumption

7 .

Which of the following would be a suitable location for a wind farm?

In a valley

On high ground

Alongside a river

On a hill in a national park

They need to be in a place that they will catch the wind. Placing them in a national park would be controversial as some people believe they are an eyesore, too noisy and are bad for wildlife

8 .

What is a wind farm?

A farm that produces wind

A farm that uses wind

A farm that uses a windmill to grind wheat and other crops to make flour

A collection of wind turbines that feed electricity into the National Grid

For the GCSE, you need to know the for and against points of wind farms

9 .

Which of the following methods of energy generation is not considered as being sustainable?

Electricity generation from fossil fuels

Electricity generation from a solar cell

Using modified vegetable oil in place of diesel

Heating a home using a wood burning stove

Provided that we have the materials available to manufacture solar cells, grow crops to produce vegetable oils and manage woodlands carefully, these are three ways that can contribute to solving future energy generation issues

10 .

Why is it important to find alternative ways to generate electricity?

To make electricity cheaper

To reduce the quantity of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere

To get a better quality of electricity to use for charging up smartphones and tablet computers

To get rid of the National Grid

There are other good reasons too, for example, to make sure that we still have electricity when reserves of fossil fuels are eventually exhausted

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Energy

Author: Kev Woodward (PGCE, Science & Chemistry Teacher, Quiz Writer)