Fields and Forces
This type of field surrounds a magnet and can exert a force without touching.
Magnetic Field
A generator converts this type of energy (from motion) into electrical energy.
Kinetic Energy
This is the name for the interconnected network that delivers electricity from producers to consumers.
Electrical Grid
This term describes a total collapse of an electrical grid where power is lost to an entire region.
Blackout
This energy source uses the atmosphere to turn large blades, which are connected directly to a generator's shaft.
Wind Energy
When a magnet moves relative to a coil of wire, it creates this type of field, which pushes charges to create a current.
Electric Field
Most power plants use a turbine to spin this device, which converts kinetic energy into electrical energy.
Generator
This measure of "how much" charge is flowing through a wire per second is measured in mA.
Electric Current
These devices act like "safety switches" that automatically shut off power if the current becomes too high to prevent fires.
Circuit Breaker
This renewable source captures the kinetic energy of water moves from a higher elevation to a lower one.
Hydroelectric
Give an example of how you know energy was transferring through the homemade generator.
The lightbulb turned on; the compass moved
If a turbine spins twice as fast, this happens to the amount of electric current produced by the generator.
Increases/Doubles
This is a material, like rubber or plastic, that does not allow electricity to flow through it easily.
Insulator
This happens when the "demand" (people using power) is much higher than the "supply" (power being generated).
People are without power/power outages
This type of energy source uses the heat from inside the Earth to spin turbines.
Geothermal
To increase the strength of the electric current in a generator, you can increase the speed of rotation or increase the number of these in the wire.
Coils/Loops
This part of a generator provides the mechanical "spin" needed to move the magnets or coils.
Turbine
This specific component on the grid acts as a "hub" where high-voltage electricity from power plants is regulated and sent out to local neighborhoods at lower voltages.
Substation
In an electrical system, this third wire provides a low-resistance path for "stray" current to travel directly into the Earth, preventing a person from getting a shock if there is a short circuit.
Ground Wire
This energy source involves burning organic materials like wood or plant waste, essentially using stored chemical energy
Biomass
To increase the potential energy stored in a system consisting of two magnets with like poles (North and North) facing each other, you must move them in this direction.
Move them closer together
In a thermal power plant (like coal or nuclear), this substance is boiled to create high-pressure gas to spin the turbine.
Steam
Power lines/wires lose energy to the environment primarily in this form
Thermal energy/heat
What are steps that engineers could take (focusing on wires) to minimize energy loss.
Shorter wire, Increasing the wire diameter, or lowering temperature.
This energy source involves splitting the nuclei of heavy atoms, like Uranium, to release massive amounts of thermal energy used to boil water into steam.
Nuclear