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Students should be able to categorize energy resources into renewable and non-renewable types, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, biofuels, geothermal power, hydro-electric power, tidal power, wave power, solar power, and wind power. They should explain how each energy resource is utilized for electricity generation and discuss the environmental, economic, and social pros and cons associated with each resource.

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Cambridge IGCSE Environmental ManagementEnergy and the environment

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Students should be able to categorize energy resources into renewable and non-renewable types, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, biofuels, geothermal power, hydro-electric power, tidal power, wave power, solar power, and wind power. They should explain how each energy resource is utilized for electricity generation and discuss the environmental, economic, and social pros and cons associated with each resource

  • This point belongs to Energy resources and the generation of electricity, especially Energy resources and the generation of electricity outcomes.
  • You need to be able to students should be able to categorize energy resources into renewable and non-renewable types, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, biofuels, geothermal power, hydro-electric power, tidal power, wave power, solar power, and wind power. They should explain how each energy resource is utilized for electricity generation and discuss the environmental, economic, and social pros and cons associated with each resource.
  • The key ideas to know are Describe, Identify, and Discuss.
  • Use the linked flashcards and practice questions to check recall, then practise applying the idea in an exam-style answer.

Key concepts

DescribeIdentifyDiscussExplain

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Paper 1 structured question: Energy resources and the generation of electricity

Paper 1Theory4 marks

Description

Energy Resources Overview

List of energy resources: coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear power, biofuels, geothermal power, hydro-electric power, tidal power, wave power, solar power, wind power.

Energy ResourceTypeElectricity Generation Method
CoalNon-renewableBurned to produce steam that drives turbines
OilNon-renewableBurned to produce steam that drives turbines
Natural GasNon-renewableBurned to produce steam or used in gas turbines
Nuclear PowerNon-renewableNuclear reactions produce heat to create steam
BiofuelsRenewableBurned to produce steam
Geothermal PowerRenewableHeat from Earth produces steam
Hydro-electric PowerRenewableFlowing water turns turbines
Tidal PowerRenewableTidal movements turn turbines
Wave PowerRenewableWave motion turns turbines
Solar PowerRenewablePhotovoltaic cells convert sunlight
Wind PowerRenewableWind turns turbine blades
  1. a

    Identify Identify two renewable energy resources from the list.

    Aim for approximately 1 distinct marking point.

    [1]
  2. b

    Explain Explain how coal is used to generate electricity.

    Aim for approximately 3 distinct marking points.

    [3]
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