73 Energy Resources-Low

ENERGY RESOURCES Written by David Dreier

戴维·德雷尔著

Introduction Long long ago, people used very little energy. They got all the energy they needed from food. Then they learned how to control fire. People began to use fire for light, heat, and cooking. Today we use large amounts of energy. We use it to fuel our cars and to make electricity. We also use energy to make many products. Our energy needs are still growing. This book will look at energy resources in the past, present and future.

很久很久以前，人们使用很少的能源。 它们从食物中获得所需的能量。 然后他们学会了如何控制火。 人们开始用火来照明、取暖和做饭。 今天我们使用大量的能源。 我们用它来为汽车提供燃料和发电。 我们也使用能源来制造许多产品。 我们的能源需求仍在增长。 这本书将着眼于能源的过去、现在和未来。

Electrical Energy Without energy, nothing can happen. Nothing can move, and no work can get done. We need energy for everything we do. Energy can change from one form to another. For example, light energy can change to heat energy. Both heat and light can be used to make electricity. Electricity is our most important form of energy. Think about all the ways you have used electricity today.

没有能量，什么也不会发生。 没有东西可以移动，没有工作可以完成。 我们做任何事情都需要能源。 能量可以从一种形式转变为另一种形式。 例如，光能可以转化为热能。 热和光都可以用来发电。 电是我们最重要的能源形式。 想想你今天用电的所有方式。

Generators Electricity is a flow of tiny particles called electrons. All matter is made of atoms. Electrons whirl around the center of each atom. That center is called the nucleus. Most of the electricity we use is made by large machines called generators. A generator has two main parts: magnets and coils of wire. The magnets make electrons flow through coils of wire. The flow of electrons creates an electric current.

发电机电是一种叫做电子的微小粒子的流动。 一切物质都是由原子构成的。 电子围绕每个原子的中心旋转。 这个中心叫做原子核。 我们使用的大部分电力是由称为发电机的大型机器产生的。 发电机有两个主要部分:磁铁和线圈。 磁铁使电子在线圈中流动。 电子流产生电流。

A place where electricity is made is called a power plant. In most power plants, a fuel is used to boil water and make steam. The steam rushes through a machine called a turbine. The turbine has blades that spin when steam hits them. The turbine is attached to a generator and makes it spin. This makes electrons flow in wire coils and produces an electric current.

发电的地方叫做发电厂。 在大多数发电厂，燃料是用来烧水和产生蒸汽的。 蒸汽通过一台叫做涡轮的机器。 涡轮的叶片在蒸汽撞击时旋转。 涡轮机连接在发电机上，使其旋转。 这使得电子在线圈中流动并产生电流。

We use many sources of energy in today's world. These energy sources are either renewable or nonrenewable. Nonrenewable resources are fuels that cannot be replaced after they are used. Oil is an example of a nonrenewable resource. Renewable resources never run out. These resources include energy from the Sun and wind.

在当今世界，我们使用多种能源。 这些能源要么是可再生的要么是不可再生的。 不可再生资源是指使用后不能被替代的燃料。 石油是不可再生资源的一个例子。 可再生资源永不枯竭。 这些资源包括太阳能和风能。