What Is It?
What is hydroelectric energy?
Energy generated by the movement of water.
How do hydroelectric dams generate energy?
Water flows through turbines, which spin generators
What is one major advantage of hydroelectric power?
It produces no direct air pollution.
What is coal's biggest environmental concern?
Air pollution and carbon emissions
What was the worst coal mine disaster in U.S History>
The Monongah Mine Disaster in 1907
What is coal made of?
Organic material, primarily, carbon, from ancient plant matter.
What process is used to burn coal for electricity?
Combustion in power plants to produce steam, which drives turbines.
What is one major disadvantage of coal energy?
It releases high amounts of CO2, contributing to climate change.
How does hydroelectric power affect river ecosystems?
Changes water flow, temperature, and disrupts habitats
What dam collapse in 1975 caused over 170,000 deaths?
Banqiao Dam failure in China
What is the most common method for generating hydroelectric power?
Using a dam to direct water flow through turbines.
What is pumped-storage hydroelectricity?
Dams block migration routes and other ecosystems,
What is acid rain, and how is it linked to coal?
What was the biggest coal ash spill in the U.S?
Kingston Fossil Plant spill in Tennesse, 2008.
What are the two main types of coal mining?
Surface mining and underground mining.
How is coal transported after it is mined?
By trains, ships, and pipelines in slurry form.
Why is coal still widely used despite its pollution?
It is abundant, relatively cheap, and provides stable energy.
How do hydroelectric dams contribute to methane emissions?
Decomposing plant matter in reservoirs releases methane
WORKS CITED PAGE
WORKS CITED PAGE
WORKS CITED PAGE
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). "Coal Explained." www.eia.gov.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). "Hydropower Basics." www.nrel.gov.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Effects of Coal on the Environment." www.epa.gov.
World Energy Council. "Global Hydroelectric Power Status." www.worldenergy.org.
National Geographic. "Hydroelectric Power and Its Impacts." www.nationalgeographic.com.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). "Coal Mining and its Environmental Effects." www.usgs.gov.
What percentage of the world's electricity is generated by coal?
Around 35%
What device in a hydroelectric dam converts kinetic energy into mechanical energy?
A turbine.
What is one downside of hydroelectric power in dry regions?
Low rainfall reduces energy production
What is coal ash, and why is is it hazardous?
Toxic residue from burning coal, containing heavy metals
How did the Chernobyl disaster relate to nonrenewable energy?
It was a nuclear fission plant failure, not coal-related but still nonrenewable.