Renewable Energy WebQuest

Use the following link to help you complete the questions on energy.
o http://www.eia.gov/kids/energyfacts/index.html

1) How do scientists define energy? power from physical or chemical resource

2) Explain the law of conservation of energy. Give examples of energy transformations. Energy cannot be
created or destroyed but can change form EX: Eating food then your body stores the energy from the
food
3) What is energy efficiency? The percentage you get back from what you put in
4) What does it mean for energy to be nonrenewable? Renewable? Nonrenewable means it cannot be
replenished while renewable can be
5) According to the U.S. Energy Consumption by Energy Source, 2012, what percentage of energy that
we use is renewable? What percent is nonrenewable? 10% Renewable 90% nonrewable
Renewable Energy Sources
6) What are the 6 forms of renewable energy resources? Solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydropower

Solar

7) What is solar energy? energy from the sun

8) Solar energy is converted into what energy? Heat or electricity
9) Give two examples of how solar energy is used. Heat water for a home or generate electricity to turn a
turbine
10) What do solar cells do? they convert solar energy into electricity
11) What do solar power plants do? Use solar thermal to produce steam that turns a turbine
12) What are the 2 main disadvantages to solar energy? Need water to clean and producing solar cells that
contain toxic materials
13) Explain how solar energy is beneficial for the environment. No air , water and greenhouse pollution is
created
Wind.
14) What is wind and how is it caused? Movement of air by the uneven heating of earth
15) What did American colonists use windmills for? grind grain, pump water and cut wood
16) What do wind machines produce? Electricity
17) Describe a wind power plant. A bunch of wind machines together
18) Describe the negative effects of wind machines. Ugly and use of rare minerals

 Geothermal
19) What does the word geothermal mean? Heat from earth
20) What is geothermal energy? Heat from the earth
21) Geothermal energy is generated in the inside of earth
22) Where is geothermal energy found? Near earths core and at plate boundaries
23) Name 2 ways people have used direct geothermal energy? heat homes and pump water

Describe how has Iceland used geothermal energy? They use the energy to turn a turbine

24) What does Biomass mean and what does it contain? It means energy from plants and animals and it
contains organic material
25) Name 5 things that are biomass materials. Wood, crops, garbage landfill gases and alcohol fuel
26) What is the most common biomass material? wood
27) 84% of wood energy is used where? developing countries
28) How can biomass energy be negative to the environment? burning solid waste and getting the remains
Hydroelectric.
29) Hydroelectric power generates what type of energy? electricity
30) What 3 states hold over one-half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electricity is WA, OR. And
CA.
31) Most dams in the United States were not built to provide electricity, but for irrigation and flood control.

Ocean
32) Tides are the rising and falling of the ocean shore. What are tides caused by? The moon
33) Compare wind turbines and wave turbines. Theyre the same expect wave turbine is bulkier and collects
more energy
34) Not only could the ocean provide us with tidal energy, but thermal energy.
35) What is Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion? A machine that produces electricity

36) Since the ocean expands almost two-thirds of the Earth, it makes sense to use that open ocean to provide
us with energy. What are the two forms of energy have scientists considered placing over the open
ocean? wave farm and underwater wave collector

Use of Energy.

37) What are the 4 areas in which energy is used? industrial, transportation, residential and commercial

Residential- homes.

38) List the 5 ways in which energy is used in our homes. Space heating, water heating, appliances, air
conditioning and refrigeration
39) What is the most used type of energy in the home? space heating

Saving Energy
Energy Efficiency
40) How much energy does the United States use? 100 billion watts
41) The average American consumes 30% more energy than the world average.
42) Identify 5 different ways in which we can conserve energy. Turn off lights, recycle, be energy efficient,
turn off water and invest in renewable energy