GCSE Geography | Wave generators, electricity from the sea

Geography Quiz - Wave Generators (Questions)

This GCSE Geography quiz looks at wave generators, exploring how coastal locations can use the power of waves to produce renewable electricity and support sustainable energy supplies.

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Fascinating Fact:

Wave power is a renewable energy source, because it relies on wind driven waves that are continually produced over the oceans.

In GCSE Geography, wave generators are studied as a type of coastal renewable energy. You will learn how devices capture wave motion, how output varies with wave conditions, and the environmental and economic issues involved.

Key Terms

Wave generator: A device that converts the movement of surface waves into electrical energy.
Oscillating water column: A wave power structure where rising and falling water drives air through a turbine.
Renewable energy: Energy from sources that are naturally replenished, such as wind, waves, and sunlight.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How do wave generators produce electricity in GCSE Geography?

Wave generators use the up and down motion of waves to move parts of the device, such as floats or air in a chamber. This movement turns a turbine that drives a generator to produce electricity.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of wave power?

Wave power is renewable and produces very low carbon emissions once built. However, it can be expensive to install, difficult to maintain in rough seas, and may affect marine habitats or navigation if not carefully planned.

Where are wave power stations usually located?

Wave power stations are usually located along exposed coastlines with strong, regular waves, often on the western edges of continents and islands where prevailing winds create higher wave energy.

Try These Related Quizzes

What is a renewable resource?

[ ]	A resource that will quickly replenish itself naturally
[ ]	A resource that requires careful management
[ ]	A resource that is mined in Australia
[ ]	A resource that will last for 100 years

What is the name given to the floats used in wave generators?

[ ]	Ducks
[ ]	Geese
[ ]	Barges
[ ]	Bouncers

Where might wave generators be sited?

[ ]	In the middle of oceans
[ ]	A few hundred metres away from the shore
[ ]	On a beach
[ ]	In harbours

In what direction do the floats of off-shore wave generators move?

[ ]	Side to side
[ ]	Round and round
[ ]	Backwards and forwards
[ ]	Up and down

Which of the following is a technical problem of wave generators?

[ ]	Wave generators are expensive to build
[ ]	It is difficult to scale them up from wave tank models
[ ]	They look ugly
[ ]	It takes many years of research and development to produce a working wave generator

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of off-shore wave generators?

[ ]	They need to be built to withstand extreme weather conditions
[ ]	On-shore wave generators need to be built in remote locations
[ ]	There are nearly always waves on the sea so they will be constantly in motion
[ ]	You need a lot of them to generate a small amount of electricity

Why are on-shore wave generators unlikely to be developed on a large scale?

[ ]	They look really ugly
[ ]	No-one can afford to build them
[ ]	They don't work
[ ]	Habitat destruction

Which of the following would be an advantage of building on-shore wave generators?

[ ]	There would be no worries about the wave generators breaking loose at sea
[ ]	It would be a lot easier to get the electricity to the National Grid
[ ]	Maintenance would be easier
[ ]	They are all advantages of on-shore wave generators

Which of the following is a reason for the government of a country paying for research into wave generators?

[ ]	They wish to reduce the country's dependence on foreign supplies of fossil fuels
[ ]	They have a long coastline
[ ]	They wish to reduce the carbon footprint of the country
[ ]	All of the above

10.

Which of the following countries is least likely to invest in wave generators?

[ ]	Australia
[ ]	Japan
[ ]	The UK
[ ]	Tibet

Geography Quiz - Wave Generators (Answers)

What is a renewable resource?

[x]	A resource that will quickly replenish itself naturally
[ ]	A resource that requires careful management
[ ]	A resource that is mined in Australia
[ ]	A resource that will last for 100 years

The key here is quickly. Coal, oil and gas will form again at some point in the future, however, the time scale for that to happen is millions of years

What is the name given to the floats used in wave generators?

[x]	Ducks
[ ]	Geese
[ ]	Barges
[ ]	Bouncers

The first floats used for wave generators resembled a duck's head

Where might wave generators be sited?

[ ]	In the middle of oceans
[x]	A few hundred metres away from the shore
[ ]	On a beach
[ ]	In harbours

In the middle of an ocean would be no good because it would be hard to anchor the generators and to get the electricity back to the shore. On a beach would be no good as there would only be waves at high tide. If they were in harbours, they would get in the way of boats and ships

In what direction do the floats of off-shore wave generators move?

[ ]	Side to side
[ ]	Round and round
[ ]	Backwards and forwards
[x]	Up and down

As the waves pass, the floats of an off-shore wave generator will bob up and down

Which of the following is a technical problem of wave generators?

[ ]	Wave generators are expensive to build
[x]	It is difficult to scale them up from wave tank models
[ ]	They look ugly
[ ]	It takes many years of research and development to produce a working wave generator

The first and last alternatives are economic problems whilst the third is a social problem

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of off-shore wave generators?

[ ]	They need to be built to withstand extreme weather conditions
[ ]	On-shore wave generators need to be built in remote locations
[x]	There are nearly always waves on the sea so they will be constantly in motion
[ ]	You need a lot of them to generate a small amount of electricity

Make sure that you know the benefits and drawbacks of all of the renewable enrgy resources that you have studied

Why are on-shore wave generators unlikely to be developed on a large scale?

[ ]	They look really ugly
[ ]	No-one can afford to build them
[ ]	They don't work
[x]	Habitat destruction

To get a lot of electricity from wave generators would require large numbers to be built. Large areas of seashore would be damaged and building new access roads to get the people, materials and equipment there to build and maintain them would also destroy wildlife habitats

Which of the following would be an advantage of building on-shore wave generators?

[ ]	There would be no worries about the wave generators breaking loose at sea
[ ]	It would be a lot easier to get the electricity to the National Grid
[ ]	Maintenance would be easier
[x]	They are all advantages of on-shore wave generators

They are also simpler and cheaper to build