Virtual Power Plant Tour Observe the animations and images of the various power plants.

Create a graphic organizer summarizing some of the similarities and differences among the different types of power plants. For each example, ask: What parts do they have in common? What energy transformations are happening? What is turning the turbine? Is the resource renewable or non-renewable? Coal Power Plant: http://www.srpnet.com/education/tour/default.aspx start Open page, click on !Start the Tour, then !View the Entire Tour from Start to Finish "lick speaker "lick to #oad "lick speaker Identify parts of the power plant and what they do. $ote sound effects as you pass the cursor over the different parts of the image. %angling: can hold &' tons of rock at a time (mechanical sound) coal isn*t right on top, millions of tons of rocks have to get removed before the machines can reach the coa "oal #oading: +ach haul truck can carry , hundred and fifty tons of coal coal low in sulfer burns cleaner once coal is removed dirt is replaced and plants are put to grow "onveyer: convery belt moves coal off the plato brings to giant siloes that can hold -.,... tons at once coal loaded by gravity takes coal to electricity generating plant "oal /ard 0 coal is fed to pulverizes which crush the coal into fine sand so that the coal will burn easier with less waste. Hydroelectric Project: http://fwee.org/nw0hydro0tours/walk0through0a0 hydroelectric0 pro1ect/
,. 2+$34O"5 a large pipe that can be above or below ground, is used to direct the water flow. -. 46789$+ 8#:%+3 are pushed by water flowing through the penstock, causing them to rotate. 4he shape and angle of the turbine blades transfers the energy of falling water to rotate the shaft. ;. =. 3<:F4 connects the turbine to the generator, turning at the same speed as the turbine. 9nside the >+$+7:4O7 the spinning shaft turns magnets inside a stationary ring of copper, moving

electrons to produce electricity. ?. '. A. B. 34+2062 47:$3FO7@+73 increase the voltage of electricity produced by the generator. 47:$3@933O$ #9$+3 carry high voltage electricity to substations in our communities. 36834:49O$3 the voltage is decreased. C:4+7 F#OC used to turn the turbines returns to the river.

&. +#+"479"94/ is then distributed to homes and businesses. ,.. 329##C:/3 release water downstream that is not directed to the powerhouse to generate electricity.

Nuclear Power Plant: http://www.nrc.gov/reading0rm/basic0ref/students/ reactors.html "lick on Diew animated image of the 2ressurized Cater 7eactor. Does water in the reactor mix with water in the boiler? Cater from the reactor and the water in the steam generator that is turned into steam never mix and it doesn*t boil. "lick on 7eturn to 3tudents $uclear 7eactors page "lick on Diew animated image of 8oiling Cater 7eactor. Does water in this reactor mix with water in the boiler? Cater from the reactor and the water in the steam generator that is turned into steam never mix and it doesn*t boil. Wind Power Generator: http://www.alternative0energy0news.info/technology/ wind0 power/wind0turbines/ 7ead about Wind Turbines Ta!e notes generate electricity from use of kinetic power of the wind one of the cleanest forms of producing power from a renewable source no pollution no burning of fossil fuels Geothermal Power Plant: http://www.midamericanrenewablesllc.com/ tourEgeothermal.aspx

 6se natural heat of the earth to generate electricity for homes and businesses. 7enewable, does not rely on coal or other fossil fuels heat comes from magma, rainwater collects an underground reservoir magma heats the fluid F production wells brings fluid to generate electricity to give energy to homes and business 4urns fluid to steam that turns a turbine to generate electricity through production wells the fluid goes up to separate and turn into steam inside separate the heat of fluid is reduced F high pressure steam turbines transform geothermal energy to useable energy the force of the steam is used to spin the turbines F electrical charge created sustainable resource because it can be renewable, but it is possible to use it all up How are these power- eneratin systems ali!e and how are they different" Create a raphic or ani#er to summari#e your ideas$ "enewable or #onrenewable What energy What is turning What parts do transformations the turbine? they have in are happening? common?
"hemical F thermal F kinetic F electrical Cater turned into steam F steam turning turbine F thermal energy and kinetic is used F steam F kinetic energy and mechanical energy is used F steam turning turbine F thermal, kinetic and mechanical energy F steam turning turbine F mechanical energy

Coal Power

$onrenewable

Hydroelectric Project

7enewable

2otential (water) +lectromagnetic F kinetic (forced induction turbines through turbine) F mechanical energy (blades) $uclear energy F thermal energy (expressed as kinetic) F mechanical energy F turbine 5inetic (wind) F mechanical energy F generates turbine 4he steam is turning turbine. 4he mechanical energy spins turbine 4he mechanical energy produced drives the generator and

Nuclear Power $onrenewable

Wind Power

7enewable

makes electricity

Geothermal Power Plant

7enewable

4hermal F 3team mechanical kinetic F electric potential

F steam turns turbine F thermal, mechanical, kinetic

4he process each system goes through in some parts is very different, but for the most part they all use practically the same ways to transform energy and how to turn the turbine. 4he main difference 9 see is the amount of pollution each creates and if the power source is renewable or not. Out of the ? the one 9 like the most is Cind 2ower 9 think it*s effective and it*s very clean. 4he down side is that it takes up a lot of space, is noisy so will probably be built somewhere isolated and it kills birds, but regardless it*s a good source of energy because the wind won*t run out. 4he worst is between nuclear and coal. For me they are both bad because coal produces so much waste and it*s very dangerous for humans for their health. $uclear is 1ust dangerous for example if there are leaks there could be another 4hree @ile 9sland situation which was scary. <opefully though within the next couple of years people will be more willing to switch to alternative energy and the government will be willing to supply more money for alternative energy research. For example 9 know there needs to be done more research on biofuels which should be done because the idea of using biomass as oil is a good and clean idea.