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Physics · Energy

National and global energy resources

Describe the main energy resources, distinguish renewable from non-renewable, compare their uses and reliability, and evaluate their environmental impact.

  • 6 key terms
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Teacher resources

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Student handouts

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Warm-up

Answer each one, then check.

  1. 1

    Name a fossil fuel.

    Show answerHide answer

    Coal, oil or natural gas

  2. 2

    What does renewable mean?

    Show answerHide answer

    Can be replenished as it is used

  3. 3

    What gas do fossil fuels release when burned?

    Show answerHide answer

    Carbon dioxide

  4. 4

    What is generated in a power station?

    Show answerHide answer

    Electricity

  5. 5

    Name a use of energy resources other than electricity.

    Show answerHide answer

    Transport or heating

Learning Objectives

  1. 1Name the main energy resources.
  2. 2Distinguish renewable and non-renewable resources.
  3. 3Compare their uses: transport, electricity generation, heating.
  4. 4Explain why some resources are more reliable than others.
  5. 5Describe environmental impacts and explain trends in resource use.

RENEWABLE

A renewable energy resource is one that is being, or can be, replenished as it is used.

Non-renewable resources will run out: fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) and nuclear fuel. Renewable: bio-fuel, wind, hydro-electricity, geothermal, tides, the Sun and water waves.

Comparing Energy Resources

Use this to compare for evaluation questions.

  • Coal, oil, gas

    Renewable?: No. Reliable?: Yes. Main environmental issue: Release carbon dioxide (global warming); coal and oil also cause acid rain or pollution

  • Nuclear fuel

    Renewable?: No. Reliable?: Yes. Main environmental issue: Radioactive waste; risk of accidents; very low carbon dioxide

  • Wind

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: No: depends on wind speed. Main environmental issue: Visual and noise impact; can affect birds

  • Solar

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: No: only in daylight and sunshine. Main environmental issue: Land use for large solar farms

  • Hydro-electric

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: Mostly, if water is stored. Main environmental issue: Flooding valleys destroys habitats

  • Tides and waves

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: Tides are predictable; waves vary. Main environmental issue: Can affect marine life and sea views

  • Bio-fuel

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: Yes, can be stored. Main environmental issue: Land used for crops; carbon dioxide released when burned

  • Geothermal

    Renewable?: Yes. Reliable?: Yes. Main environmental issue: Only possible in some places

Uses of Energy Resources

  • Transport

    Petrol, diesel and bio-fuels power vehicles.

  • Electricity generation

    Fossil fuels, nuclear fuel, wind, solar, hydro, tides, waves and geothermal turn generators or solar cells.

  • Heating

    Gas and bio-fuels heat homes; geothermal and solar can heat water directly.

  • Descriptions of the power station process

    are not required for this specification.

Why Are Some More Reliable?

Reliability means the resource can supply energy on demand.

  • Fuels

    Coal, oil, gas, nuclear fuel and bio-fuel can be stored and used when needed.

  • Weather

    Wind and solar depend on weather and time of day.

  • Predictable

    Tides are predictable because they depend on the Moon and Sun.

Patterns and Trends

Use of renewables has grown.

  • Reasons for growth

    To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, government targets, falling costs of wind and solar.

  • Slow change

    Building new power stations is expensive and takes time.

  • Science and society

    Science can identify environmental problems but political, social, ethical and economic factors decide how they are tackled.

Evaluate the Options

A town needs a new power source. In groups, choose between a wind farm, a gas power station and a nuclear power station, giving two advantages and two disadvantages of each.

1. List advantages.

2. List disadvantages.

3. Decide and justify.

A good answer shows: Wind: no fuel or CO2 in use but not reliable, visual impact. Gas: reliable but produces CO2 and uses a finite fuel. Nuclear: reliable and low CO2 but produces radioactive waste and is costly to build and decommission.

Can I...?

  1. 1Name the main energy resources.
  2. 2Say which are renewable.
  3. 3Compare uses of resources.
  4. 4Explain reliability.
  5. 5Describe environmental impacts.
  6. 6Describe trends in use.
  7. 7Evaluate two resources.
  8. 8Use data to justify a conclusion.

Summary & Exam Focus

  • Renewable resources are replenished as they are used.
  • Fossil fuels and nuclear fuel are non-renewable.
  • Wind and solar are not reliable; fuels are reliable.
  • Each resource has environmental impacts.

Exam focus

State two renewable energy resources. (2 marks) (2 marks)

Give complete, specific resources such as wind or hydro-electricity.

Key terms

The vocabulary this lesson expects you to use. Each one is linked from the first place it appears above.

Renewable
A resource that is replenished as it is used.
Non-renewable
A resource that will run out.
Fossil fuel
Coal, oil or natural gas formed from ancient organisms.
Reliable
Able to supply energy whenever it is needed.
Bio-fuel
A fuel made from plant or animal matter.
Global warming
Rise in the Earth's average temperature linked to greenhouse gases.

Questions and answers

11 questions set on this lesson, with the mark schemes and model answers open.

1. Exam question State 2 marks Easier

Give two examples of non-renewable energy resources.

Mark scheme — 2 marks available

  • First example — 1 mark
  • Second example — 1 mark

Model answer

Any two from: coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fuel.

2. Exam question State 2 marks Easier

What is meant by a renewable energy resource?

Mark scheme — 2 marks available

  • Replenished — 1 mark
  • As it is used — 1 mark

Model answer

A resource that is being or can be replenished as it is used.

3. Exam question Use the data 4 marks Easier

The bar chart shows the percentage of a country's electricity generated by different resources in 2000 and in 2020. (a) Describe two changes between 2000 and 2020. (b) Suggest one reason for one of these changes.

A bar chart comparing the percentages of electricity from coal, gas, nuclear, wind and other resources in 2000 and 2020.

Mark scheme — 4 marks available

  • First change with data — 1 mark
  • Second change with data — 1 mark
  • Reason — 1 mark
  • Linked to the change chosen — 1 mark

Model answer

(a) Any two: coal fell from 40% to 10%; gas rose from 20% to 30%; wind rose from 2% to 25%; nuclear fell slightly. (b) To reduce carbon dioxide emissions and global warming; government targets or falling cost of wind turbines.

4. Exam question Explain 3 marks Easier

Wind turbines and gas power stations can both generate electricity. Compare the reliability of the two and explain the difference.

Mark scheme — 3 marks available

  • Gas is more reliable — 1 mark
  • Gas can be stored or supplied on demand — 1 mark
  • Wind depends on the weather — 1 mark

Model answer

Gas power stations are reliable because gas can be stored and burned when needed. Wind turbines are less reliable because the wind speed changes and they only produce electricity when it is windy.

5. Exam question Evaluate 6 marks Core

Evaluate the use of nuclear fuel and wind to generate electricity. Include environmental effects and reliability in your answer.

Mark scheme — 6 marks available

  • Level 3 (5 to 6 marks): a balanced comparison covering reliability, environmental impact and at least one of cost, carbon dioxide or waste, and a justified conclusion — 5 to 6 marks
  • Level 2 (3 to 4 marks): several valid points for both, with some comparison — 3 to 4 marks
  • Level 1 (1 to 2 marks): simple statements about one or both — 1 to 2 marks

Model answer

See levels-of-response scheme.

6. Exam question Suggest 2 marks Easier

Some countries still use fossil fuels even though they know about the environmental problems. Suggest two reasons for this.

Mark scheme — 2 marks available

  • First reason — 1 mark
  • Second reason — 1 mark

Model answer

Any two from: renewable resources can be expensive to set up; renewables are not always reliable; countries have economic, political or social reasons or depend on fossil fuel industries.

7. Multiple choice 1 mark Easier

Which is a renewable resource?

  1. A Coal
  2. B Oil
  3. C Gas
  4. D Wind Correct

Why: Wind is replenished as it is used.

8. Multiple choice 1 mark Core

Which is non-renewable?

  1. A Nuclear fuel Correct
  2. B Solar
  3. C Tides
  4. D Geothermal

Why: Uranium will run out.

9. Multiple choice 1 mark Core

Which resource is least reliable?

  1. A Coal
  2. B Solar Correct
  3. C Gas
  4. D Nuclear fuel

Why: Solar depends on sunshine.

10. Multiple choice 1 mark Core

Burning fossil fuels contributes to...

  1. A ozone gain
  2. B tides
  3. C global warming Correct
  4. D static electricity

Why: They release carbon dioxide.

11. Multiple choice 1 mark Stretch

Which resource produces radioactive waste?

  1. A Wind
  2. B Solar
  3. C Bio-fuel
  4. D Nuclear fuel Correct

Why: Nuclear reactors produce waste that stays radioactive for a long time.