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? _energy basics , forms of energy, energy calculators, periodic
tables_______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2) Explain the law of conservation of energy. Give examples of energy
transformations._________________conservation and efficiency and
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3) What is energy efficiency? __the use of technology that requires less energy to perform the samef
fucntions____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4) What does it mean for energy to be nonrenewable? Renewable? _cannot be replen ished ; can be
replenished__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________
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? 13% and 91%

Renewable Energy Sources

6) What are the 6 forms of renewable energy resources? __biomass geothermal hydropower solar
wind______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Solar

7) What is solar energy? __energy produced by the sun

________________________________________________________________
8) Solar energy is converted into what energy? ____heat and
electricy____________________________________________
9) Give two examples of how solar energy is used. _______electricity for houses and warm up cool places
in the house______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
10) What do solar cells do? _____concert energy directly into electrical
power___________________________________________________________
11) What do solar power plants do? _use the sun rays to heat fluid to high
temperatures._________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
12) What are the 2 main disadvantages to solar energy? __sunlight is not is not constant and sun doesnt
diliver that much energy________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
13) Explain how solar energy is beneficial for the environment. __no air pollutants and minimal impact on
environment_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_________
Wind.
14) What is wind and how is it caused? _____energy from moving air and is caused by uneven heating of
the earths surface by the sun
____________________________________________________________________________________
15) What did American colonists use windmills for? ____to tell which direction it was going in to collect the
most wind for energy________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
16) What do wind machines produce?
___energy_____________________________________________________

17) Describe a wind power plant. __require careful planning

__________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
18) Describe the negative effects of wind machines. __produce of bad air for
___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Geothermal
19) What does the word geothermal mean? ____heat with in the
earth______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
20) What is geothermal energy? _renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside
earth____________________________________________________________
21) Geothermal energy is generated in the earth core____________________________.
22) Where is geothermal energy found? __slow decay radioactive
particles____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
23) Name 2 ways people have used direct geothermal energy? __heat buildings or generate
electricity__________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
24) Describe how has Iceland used geothermal energy? __to produce the heat that was
needed.________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Biomass
25) What does Biomass mean and what does it contain? ___renewable energy from plants and animals and
contains stored energy from sun
____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
26) Name 5 things that are biomass materials. ___water carbon dioxide sunlight and
glucose_______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
27) What is the most common biomass material?
____photosyntheisis___________________________________________
28) 84% of wood energy is used where? ____heatin and
cooking__________________________________________________
29) How can biomass energy be negative to the environment? __harms the air with pollutant
subatance___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Hydroelectric.
30) Hydroelectric power generates what type of energy?
_____hydropower____________________________________
31) What 3 states hold over one-half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electricity is
___oregon______________, __washington_______________. and __new york__________.
32) Most dams in the United States were not built to provide electricity, but for ____run of the river
system_________________ and __storage system______________________.

Ocean
33) Tides are the rising and falling of the ocean shore. What are tides caused by? ______energy from the
moon and
sun______________________________________________________________________________
34) Compare wind turbines and wave turbines. _________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
35) Not only could the ocean provide us with tidal energy, but ________hydro____________ energy.
36) What is Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion? _______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

37) 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? _____________________________________________________________________________

Use of Energy.

38) What are the 4 areas in which energy is used? ___renewable, non and hydrogen and
electricity___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Residential- homes.

39) List the 5 ways in which energy is used in our homes. ___stove , heater , tv, phone and
light_____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
40) What is the most used type of energy in the home? ___the
bulbs_______________________________________

Saving Energy
Energy Efficiency
41) How much energy does the United States use?
_____85%_________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
42) The average American consumes ___way_______________________ more energy than the world
average.
43) Identify 5 different ways in which we can conserve energy. _ride bikes , turn lights off , dont run car too
long , use the sun for heat, and brick floors___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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