75 Energy Resources-High

Energy Resources Written by David Dreier

Introduction Prehistoric people consumed very little energy. They didn't have computers, TVs, or cars. The first type of energy people discovered how to control was fire. They began to use fire's energy for light, warmth, and cooking. Today, people use vast amounts of many types of energy. Energy is the ability to do work or to move something. We use energy to make and operate the products that we use each day. Our energy needs are far greater today than ever before, and they are still growing. In order to meet these demands, we constantly seek new sources of energy. This book looks at some of the important energy resources of the past, present, and future. Each resource has its benefits, but each has drawbacks as well. As you read, examine the different types of energy resources in the charts to compare the costs and the pros and cons.

Electrical Energy In order to understand energy and energy resources, it is important to know that energy can change from one form to another. For example, light can change to heat, and heat and light can be used to produce electricity. Electricity can be changed to many other kinds of energy, including heat, light, sound, and motion. In fact, electricity is our most important form of energy. Take a moment to think of all the ways you have used electricity today: As you read about the different energy sources we depend on, you will learn that most of them are used to make electricity.

Generators Think of electricity as a flow of tiny particles called electrons. All matter is made of atoms. Each atom contains electrons that whirl around the center of the atom, called the nucleus. Most of the electricity we use is made by large generators. These complex machines have two main parts: magnets and large coils of wire. In a generator, magnetic energy makes electrons flow through coils of wire. This flow creates a current of electricity. A generator will produce electricity if magnets spin inside coils of wire, or if coils of wire spin between magnets.

So what makes the magnets or wire coils spin? In most electrical power plants, a source of energy is used to boil water to produce high-pressure steam. The steam is forced against a windmill- like device called a turbine. The steam makes the turbine spin. The turbine is attached to the magnets or wire coils, so they spin when the turbine spins. As they spin, they make the electrons flow in the wire, which creates electricity.

We use many sources of energy to power our generators, to fuel transportation, and to keep all of our power-hungry gadgets working. These energy sources can be classified as either nonrenewable or renewable. Nonrenewable resources are fuels such as oil that, once used, cannot be replaced on a human timescale. Renewable resources, which include energy from the Sun and wind, never run out.