GCSE Physics · AQA 8463 · Topic 4.1.3
National and global energy resources
Key points
- Non-renewable resources (coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fuel) will run out. Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and can cause acid rain.
- Renewable resources are replenished as they are used: wind, solar, hydro-electricity, geothermal, tidal, wave power and bio-fuel.
- Some renewables are unreliable (wind, solar, waves depend on the weather or time of day); tidal and geothermal are more predictable.
- Nuclear power gives no carbon dioxide while running and is reliable, but produces radioactive waste and has high decommissioning costs.
- Energy is used for transport, electricity generation and heating. Most transport still uses fossil fuels.
- Choices about resources involve science plus economic, political, social and environmental factors, such as cost, public opinion and the visual impact of wind farms.
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Every light switch, car journey and central heating system depends on an energy resource. This sub-topic is about which resources we use, why, and the trade-offs involved, so most questions ask you to compare and evaluate rather than…
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