42
Copyright © 2012 Xcel Energy Inc. Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. Northern States Power Company. Northern States Power Company - Wisconsin. Public Service Company of Colorado. Southwestern Public Service Company. xcelenergy.com ® Energy Classroom: Answers Some resources in ENERGY CLASSROOM ask for answers or calculations. This document presents those answers and calculations - and additional supporting information, as needed - for those resources. This includes most of the worksheets - and some experiments, activities, and information sheets. Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document to jump directly to the resource you are considering. Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title, to expand or condense a section. INTRODUCTION

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Page 1: Energy Classroom: · PDF file · 2016-04-18Energy Classroom: Answers This section includes information for resources in ... Decisions about energy sources should include... a. cost

Copyright © 2012 Xcel Energy Inc.

Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. Northern States Power Company. Northern States Power Company - Wisconsin. Public Service Company of Colorado. Southwestern Public Service Company.

xcelenergy.com

®

Energy Classroom: Answers

Some resources in ENERGY CLASSROOM

ask for answers or calculations.

This document presents those answers

and calculations - and additional supporting

information, as needed - for those resources.

This includes most of the worksheets -

and some experiments, activities, and

information sheets.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

INTRODUCTION

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Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. Northern States Power Company. Northern States Power Company - Wisconsin. Public Service Company of Colorado. Southwestern Public Service Company.

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Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in

POWER SOURCES.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

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Generating Electricity

This diagram shows how electricity is generated in a steam plant.

Fill in the numbered blanks, using the list on the right.

FUEL STEAM YOUTURBINE GENERATOR TRANSFORMER

D I S T R I B U T I O N

- reduced 71% from large version - document size: 495w 217h1. _______________________________________ Turbine

2 _______________________________________ Fuel

3. _______________________________________ Generator

4. _______________________________________ Distribution

5. _______________________________________ Steam

6. _______________________________________ Transformer

5

6

4321

7. In a hydroelectric power plant, turns the turbine blades.

8. In a power plant, the fuel used to generate heat is uranium.

9. In power plants that burn coal, pushes the turbine blades to make them turn.

Fill in the blanks in these sentences.

7. In the space below, draw and explain how wind is used to generate electricity.

N A M E

how do we get electricity?

Fuel

Steam

Turbine

Generator

Transformer

Distribution

water

nuclear

steam

Wind blows.It turns the blades of a windmill

The blades turn a generator to make

electricity.

A transformer increases the

voltage.

Electricity is sent over wires to your home.

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Energy Source Matching

This energy source…

1. ______ uses heat from splitting atoms of uranium to generate electricity.

2. ______ uses the force of water to generate electricity.

3. ______ looks like rough, black rocks when it is dug out of the ground.

4. ______ is invisible and odorless when it comes out of the ground.

5. ______ uses the movement of air to generate electricity.

6. ______ is a thick, brown liquid pumped out of the ground.

7. ______ uses heat from burning trash to make electricity.

8. ______ uses the sun to heat air or water and to make electricity.

A . biomass

B. coal

C. hydropower

D. natural gas

E. nuclear fission

F. oil

G. solar energy

H. wind power

9. Hydroelectric power plants often use water released from a .

10. Oil that comes out of the ground is called .

11. Wind machines have huge that turn turbine-generators to make electricity.

12. Solar on buildings provide heat or hot water for the buildings.

13. Most oil is used to make .

14. Most coal is used to make .

15. Most natural gas is used for in buildings.

16. Some waste can be changed into liquid or gas .

17. has an odor added to it.

18. The fuel for nuclear fission is uranium, which is a .

19. Solar produce a little bit of electricity.

20. Trash is burned to make electricity at power plants.

Match the energy source on the right with its description on the left.

Fill in the blanks in these sentences.

N A M E

How mucH do you know about energy sources?

crude oil

dam

blades

collectors

gasoline

electricity

heat

fuels

Natural gas

mineral

cells

waste-to-energy

E

C

B

D

H

F

A

G

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Power Profile: Multiple Choice

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. The energy source that splits atoms or uranium to make heat to generate electricity is... a. wind power b. coal c. nuclear fission

2. The energy source that uses plants or waste to produce energy is... a. biomass b. nuclear fission c. hydropower

3. The energy source that uses collectors to heat water or air in buildings is... a. solar energy b. natural gas c. biomass

4. The energy source that is dug out of the ground and mostly burned to make electricity is... a. oil b. coal c. natural gas

5. Most of our energy comes from... a. wind power b. nuclear fission c. fossil fuels

6. Hydropower is used to make... a. chemicals b. electricity c. heat

7. Most oil is used to make... a. electricity b. gasoline c. steel

8. Fossil fuels are... a. nonrenewable b. renewable c. not used to make electricity

9. Radioactive waste is produced by... a. coal b. biomass c. nuclear fission

10. Our cleanest fossil fuel is... a. natural gas b. coal c. oil

11. The energy source that uses water rushing out from dams to make electricity is... a. hydropower b. solar energy c. fossil fuels

12. The energy source that uses big machines with blades to pump water, grind grain or make electricity is... a. biomass b. wind power c. nuclear fission

13. The energy source that comes out of the ground invisible and odorless and is mainly used for heat is... a. oil b. natural gas c. coal

14. The energy source that is pumped out of the ground and used mainly to make gasoline is ... a. oil b. natural gas c. coal

15. Solar cells are used to make... a. fuels b. heat c. electricity

16. The fuel for nuclear fission is.. a. uranium b. the sun c. trash

17. Most coal is used to make... a. gasoline b. asphalt c. electricity

18. Decisions about energy sources should include... a. cost b. availability c. environmental effects

d. all of the above

19. To make electricity with wind, we must have... a. strong winds b. a sunny day c. gentle breezes

20. A problem with solar energy is... a. it can’t be used to make electricity b. we don’t know how to use it c. the sun doesn’t always shine

N A M E

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH POWER SOURCE?

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Power Profile: Short Answer

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGESENERGY

Every power source on earth has both advantages and disadvantages, and we need to understand both to make good energy choices.

COAL

HYDRO

WIND

NUCLEAR

List as many of each as you can for each source. Think about cost, availability and environmental effects.

WHAT ARE THE TRAdE-offS of EACH PoWER SoURCE?

N A M E

PA G E 1

• Renewable.

• Costisverylowatexistingplants.

• Noairemissions.

• Limitedbythenumberofsuitable riverlocations.

• Newplantsaremoderately expensivetobuild.

• Adamchangestheriverenvironment forfisthandanimals.

• Adamchangesthenaturallook andflowofrivers.

• Plentifulnow.

• Costislowatexistingplants..

• Nonrenewable

• Wedon’tknowhowlongitwilllast.

• Newplantsareexpensivetobuild.

• Producesairemissionssuchas sulfurdioxide,nitriousoxide,carbon dioxideandasmallamountofash.

• Uraniumisplentiful.

• Uraniumissignificantlycheaper thancoal.

• Costisverylowatexistingplants.

• Noairemissions.

• Uraniumisnonrenewable.

• Newplantsareexpensiveand complextobuild.

• Spentfuelrodsmustbestored carefullyformanyyears,because theirradiationcanbedangerous.

• Renewable.

• Windisfree.

• Costislowtobuildwindmills.• Noairemissions.

• Onlyworkswhenthewindblows.

• Windfarmsmustbeinwindylocations.

• Windmillscanbemoderately expensivetomaintain.

• Mayneednewtransmissionlines.

• Windmillscanmakenoise.

• Peoplemaynotlikehowwindmillslook.

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Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. Northern States Power Company. Northern States Power Company - Wisconsin. Public Service Company of Colorado. Southwestern Public Service Company.

xcelenergy.com

®

Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Power Profile: Short Answer

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGESENERGY

Every power source on earth has both advantages and disadvantages, and we need to understand both to make good energy choices.

SOLAR

List as many of each as you can for each source. Think about cost, availability and environmental effects.

NATURAL GAS

OIL

BIOMASS

WHAT ARE THE TRAdE-offS of EACH PoWER SoURCE?

N A M E

PA G E 1

• Plentifulnow.

• Wemaydiscovermore.

• Costislowatexistingplants.

• Verylittleairemissions.

• Nonrenewable.

• Newplantsaremoderatelyexpensive andcomplextobuild.

• Smallamountofairemissions suchascarbondioxide.

• Plentifulnow. • Nonrenewable

• Wedon’tknowhowlongitwilllast.

• Expensiveanddifficulttogetout ofthegroundorbuyfromother countries.

• Airemissionssuchassulfurdioxide, nitrousoxideandcarbondioxide.

• Renewable.

• Sunlightisfree.

• Solarcelltechnologyisimproving whichisgraduallyincreasingthe amountofelectricitytheyproduce, andisloweringtheircost.

• Noairemissions.

• Onlyworkswhenthesunisshining.

• Affectedbythebrightnessofthesun.

• Solarcellsaregenerallystillexpensive andproducesmallamountsof electricity.• Manysolarcellsinalargearraymay requirelargeareasofspace.

• Plentiful.

• Renewable.

• Littleairemissions.

• Requireslotsoftrashforfuel.

• Trashisexpensivetotransport andsort.

• Newplantsareexpensivetobuild.

• Smallamountofairemissions suchasnitrousoxide.

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Power Source: Word Scramble

A E Z B S E G R F T A C O A L

E F I A U R A N I U M E A G A

B P 0 Z Q B S C A R A W T E R

A N T S T O R O J B T K O N J

T R A N S M I S S I O N A E O

O R M R A I T R A N R E A R E

M W A E S T L I N E G A D A I

K U Y N E J X Y K A E Y A T A

N Y A E S A T O T R H O T O E

S J E W A F S L A C T R E R A

A E C A O A O E A Z Y O S A V

B T O B M V L R E A C T O R E

E S A L E C R I M L T O L S O

O R E E U S O E J E J Z A X K

U W I N D T R O N A R O R L A

ATOMRENEWABLE

HYDROTURBINE

URANIUMVOLTAGE

GASTRANSFORMER

WINDREACTOR

TRANSMISSIONSOLAR

GENERATORNUCLEAR

COALFOSSIL

Circle each of the power source words in the puzzle below. One word has already been circled for you.The words you are looking for may be horizontal, vertical or at an angle.

N A M E

CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS?

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Make a Steam Boat

POWER WORDS

Steam is created when water is heated to the boiling point. It expands and creates pressure in a closed space, which creates power.

TRy ThiS

1. With a teacher’s help, use a knife to cut the plastic bottle lengthwise. Remove the top half of the bottle, but you can leave the bottom because it is usually harder to cut. Put electrical tape over the mouth of the bottle to keep water out. If you keep the bottle cap on, it may be too heavy.

2. With a teacher’s help, use the tube cutter to cut the copper tubing to about 24 inches. If you have a “thermocouple,” cut off the ends, and pull out the copper wire inside the tubing.

3. At the center part of the tubing, gently bend the tubing two times around a large pen or felt tip marker to form a coil.

4. Poke two holes in the back of the plastic bottle with a nail.

5. Put the two ends of copper tubing through the holes, and bend them down so the ends of the tube will be under water.

6. Bend the tubing so it rests on the bottom of the bottle, and the coil is just above the candle. Place the candle just below the coil. Use modeling clay to hold the tubing and candle in place.

7. Hold one end of the copper tubing under water, and suck on the other end until the tubing is filled with water. Quickly rest the boat on the water, so the tubing is filled with water, and both ends of tubing are under water.

5. Have the teacher light the candle. Wait until the tubing is hot enough to boil the water inside the tubing.

Steam is a powerful force used to generate electricity at many power plants.

ThingS yOu nEED• 1 votive candle

• 1 20-ounce plastic soda pop bottle

• 24 inches of 1/8 inch soft copper tubing, which you can find in a hardware store, as separate tubing, or as a “thermocouple,” which is shown here,

• Tube cutter, which you can also find at the hardware store.

• Modeling clay

• Electrical tape

• Sharp knife

• Scissors

• Nail

• Water

WhAT DO yOu ThinK?

How does the boat move forward?

What is happening inside the metal tube?

What kinds of power plants use steam power? How do they create steam?

Create some steam power of your own in this experiment.

WHAT MAKES A STEAM BOAT GO?

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Make a Steam Boat

WhAT hAPPEnS

1. When the coil of copper tubing being heated by the candle flame becomes hot enough to boil the water inside, the boat will jerk ahead suddenly. Then it will start moving forward steadily .

2. If you put your fingers in the water just behind the ends of the copper tubing, you can feel little pulses of water, which are pushing the boat forward.

3. Just behind the boat, you will see ripples in the water. These are caused by pulses of water that the hot copper tubing makes as it operates.

hOW DOES iT DO ThAT?

1. When the water in the coil boils, the steam expands, which pushes water out of the copper tubing, which pushes the boat forward.

2. As the steam continues to expand, it reaches the cool sections of the tubing. The steam condenses back into water, which creates a vacuum, which allows water to rush back into the tubing, filling it up, and starting the cycle again.

3. You might expect the boat to move backwards when water rushes back into the tubing, but it is quickly pushed out again by expanding steam in the coil. The back and forth action is rapid, causing ripples at the back of the boat, and the boat continues to move forward.

Here is a summary of how this steamboat works, and why it does what it does.

TO gO FASTER

To make the boat move faster, try replacing the candle inside the votive tin with a piece of charcoal starter cake. When you light that, it creates a bigger flame, which creates more steam, and makes the boat go faster.

FOR MORE inFORMATiOn

Look for additional information on “pop-pop boats” or “water circulating engines” to find out more about this experiment.

You can also check out Simon Quellen Field’s version of this experiment at www.scitoys.com. This and more experiments are in his book “Gonzo Gizmos.

POP-POP BOATS

This boat is known as a “pop-pop” boat. The “motor” is a called a “water circulating engine.” They have a long history as toy boats, dating back to the 1800’s.

They make no sound, expect for an occasional “gurgle” out the exhaust tubes.

WHAT MAKES A STEAM BOAT GO?

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Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in

CONSERVATION.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

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® Copyright © 2012 Xcel Energy Inc.

xcelenergy.com The name and figure of Reddy Kilowatt ® and Reddy ® are federally and internationally registered trademarks and service marks, and may be used only under license from Xcel Energy, Inc.

Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

How We Use Energy

In fact, American use of energy at home has grown 19 (3) times since 1949, when the government first began keeping track. Your grandparents probably remember when televisions were a luxury and many homes kept food cold with big blocks of ice, before refrigerators were common. Today many American households have several televisions, one or more refrigerators, plus computers, air conditioners, DVDs and microwaves. No wonder we use so much more energy!

How much energy do we use? We Americans use more energy than people in any other country. The United States has about 5% (1) of the world’s population, yet we consume 24% (2) of all the energy used on the planet.

(3) SOURCE

www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aerwww.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/ptb0201b.html

U.S. DOE: Energy Information Adminis-tration: Annual Energy Review 2002 >Energy Consumption by Sector >Residential Sector Energy Consumption, 1949-2002 >

Table 2.1b Residential Sector Energy Consumption, 1949-2002 (Trillion Btu) Electricity Retail Sales*

(*Electricity retail sales to ultimate customers reported by electric utilities and other energy service providers.)

1949: 228 Trillion Btu2001: 4,103 Trillion Btu2002: 4,327 Trillion Btu

2001: 4,103 ÷ 228 = 17.99 % increase2002: 4,372 ÷ 228 = 19.17 % increase

(2) SOURCE

www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ieawww.eia.doe.gov/emeu/iea/tablee1.html

U.S. DOE: Energy Information Admin-istration: International Energy Annual > Consumption / Btu >World Primary Energy Consumption >

Table E1 World Primary Energy Consumption, 1992-2001 (Quadrillion (1015) Btu)

2001 United States 97.05 World Total 403.92

97.05 ÷ 403.92 = 24%

United States energy consumption as a percent of total World energy consumption

(1) SOURCE

www.prb.org

Population Reference Bureau >World Population Data Sheet >(Billion)

2003 World Total 6,314,000,000 United States 291,500,000

291,500,000 ÷ 6,314,000,000 = 4.6 %

United States population as a percent of total World population

Reddy Kilowatt ®

See those numbers?

They came from these sources.

WILL WE HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY IN THE FUTURE? PA G E 1

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Conservation CulpritDO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE SMART ENERGY CHOICES AT HOME?

1. Which light source uses the least energy? 2. What’s the energy smart way to dry your clothes?

Circle the best conservation choice.

3. When you want to stay cool, which uses less energy?

4. Which generally uses less energy?

5. When is the best time to run your dishwasher? 6. Which generally uses less energy?

7. If you need to heat up some leftovers, what should you use?

8. If you feel a little chilly in your room, what should you reach for?

N A M E

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Conservation Word Scramble

T H E R M O S T A T E O M B N

A I O W E A T H E R I Z E O I

E N V I E R M V A O C T I A B

B S R T A N A Z U R S T A B E

S U E E S W V A E C A U L K E

O L C A O D O I O V E T R A N

L A Y R F L U O R E S C E N T

E T C I E O D E S O B Q U I U

B I L T O N S O M E N U S I O

M O E A S N E L S O E M E N A

O N F A O S R W O A S X E A W

T E A C A L W O A L V O A N A

N O N R E N E W A B L E A T T

E N V E M O N E S T L A E N T

O T E M P E R A T U R E B A N

FANCONSERVATION

CAULKMICROWAVE

SAVEINSULATION

ENVIRONMENTRECYCLE

REUSETHERMOSTAT

FLUORESCENTWATT

WEATHERIZENONRENEWABLE

TEMPERATURERENEWABLE

Circle each of the conservation words in the puzzle below. One word has already been circled for you.The words you are looking for may be horizontal, vertical or at an angle.

N A M E

CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS?

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Saving Energy: At HomeWhat can YOUR FaMILY dO tO save eneRgY?

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

Can you remember four things that you can do to save energy? Write in your answers below.

7.

9.

8.

10.

1. What daytime temperature do energy experts recommend for homes in winter?

a. 62 degrees

b. 68 degrees

c. 72 degrees

3. To save 10 percent on your heating bill, how many degrees should you turn down the thermostat while you’re sleeping?

a. 2 degrees

b. 5 degrees

c. 10 degrees

5. We use the most energy in our homes for:

a. Lighting

b. Cooking

c. Heating

2. Suppose that your family bought a new refrig-erator to replace an older one of the same size. How much energy would the new one use?

a. Less than the old one

b. About the same as the old one

c. More than the old one

4. Your home can be made more energy efficient by:

a. planting trees to shade the house

b. caulking and weather stripping to seal air leaks

c. both of the above

6. How do new energy-saving appliances save us money?

a. They cost less to make.

b. They cost less to buy.

c. They cost less to run.

N A M E

Turn things off. Recycle.

Spread the word.Close doors.

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Saving Energy: Government & Industry

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. When did people become much more interested in conservation? a. In the 1990s during the Gulf War b. In the 1970s when the price of oil became more expensive c. In the 1980s when many new products

came to market

3. What is one way that American industries have cut their use of energy? a. Make fewer products b. Turn off energy-users when they are not being used c. Use less packaging for products

2. Which of the following uses more than one-third of our country’s energy each year?

a. Industry

b. Government

c. Transportation

4. Which U.S. government agency creates policies that support conservation?

a. The Food and Drug Administration

b. The Central Intelligence Agency

c. The Environmental Protection Agency

5. What do you think government and industry can do to help save energy? List as many energy-saving ideas as you can.

GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY

What can GOVERnMEnt & InDUStRY DO tO SaVE EnERGY?

N A M E

Set standards.

Encourage conservation.

Support new energy sources.

- may also include other ideas which students create.

Develop energy-saving products.

Use energy carefully.

- may also include other ideas which students create.

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®

Shower or Bath? Do the Math!

Tony Hernandez takes a shower every morning before work. Maria Hernandez usually showers every other day.Ray Hernandez , their young son, likes to play in the dirt and needs a bath every night.

1. How much water does the Hernandez family use to keep clean in a year? Show your work.

Use this information to find the answer.

• Ashowerlasts5minutesand releases 6 gallons of water per minute.

• 66%ofthewaterusedina warm shower or bath needs to be heated.

• Abathusesabout35gallons of water.

• Itcosts1centtoheatagallon of water.

2. How much money does it cost in energy for this family to take one shower? One bath?

3. Canyougivethefamilysomesuggestions to help them save money and energy?

BONUS QUESTIONS

4. How much are they spending per year to keep clean?

HOW MUCH DOES A FAMILY SPEND TO KEEP CLEAN?

N A M E

To calculate the cost of a shower:66%of30gallons=19.80gallonshotwaterAt1centtoheatpergallon,19.80galx$.01=$.198 or 20 cents per shower.

To calculate the cost of a bath:66%of35gallons=23.1gallonshotwaterAt1centtoheatpergallon,23.1galx$.01=$.231 or23centsabath.

Tony:Uses6gallonsx5minutes=30gallonsperday30x365days=10,950gallonsayear

Maria:Showers half as often as her husband, so her use is half his:10,950/2=5,475gallonsayear.

Ray:Uses35gallonsperbathx365days=12,775gallonsayear

Total annual water usage;10,950 Tony12,775 Ray5,475 Maria29,200 TotalGallons

Cost for showers: (365+182.5showers)x$.20=$109.50

Cost of baths: 365bathsx$.23=$83.95

TheHernandezfamilyspends$109.50+$83.95=$193.45

Takeshowersinsteadofbaths.

Install a high efficiency showerhead.

Takeshortershowers.

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

How We Use Energy

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

Can you remember the four ways we use huge amounts of energy? Write in your answers below.

7.

9.

8.

10.

1. Energy is used to make:

a. shopping centers

b. cars

c. soft drink cans

d. all the above

3. In our homes, we use the most energy for:

a. heating

b. cooking

c. lighting

5. What country uses the most energy?

a. China

b. Japan

c. United States

2. In the United States, since 1949, the energy we use at home has increased by:

a. 5 times

b. 10 times

c. 19 times

4. Compared to people in other countries with similar climates, people in the United States keep their homes:

a. cooler in summer b. warmer in winter c. both of the above

6. The United States has about 5% of the world’s population, and we use:

a. 5% of the world’s energy.

b. 10% of the world’s energy

c. 24% of the world’s energy

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW WE USE ENErgY?

N A M E

Producing electricity Driving our cars

Manufacturing goodsand products

Heating our homesand businesses

(2)

(3)

(2) Source: www.prb.org --- Population Reference Bureau - 2003 World Population Data Sheet

(3) Source: www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/iea/tablee1.html --- US DOE Energy Information Administration: International Energy Annual > 2003 World Primary Energy Consumption

(1) Source: www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/ptb0201b.html --- US DOE Energy Information Administration: Annual Energy Review > Residential Sector Energy Consumption 1949-2002

(1)

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Compare Showers and Baths

Taking showers and baths not only uses water, but also uses energy, because gas or electricity is used to heat the water

things you need

• Combination bathtub and shower with closeable drain

• Yardstick

• Paper to make a chart

try this

1. Ask an adult to supervise while you do this experiment at home.

2. Fill your bathtub to take a bath the way you normally do.

3. Measure the depth of the water and write it down. Be sure there are no items in the water when you measure.

4. Another day, close the bathtub drain and take a shower the way you normally do.

5. When you’re done, turn off the water and measure the depth of the water. Write it down on your chart. Be sure there are no items in the water when you measure, and take your measurement at the same location in the bathtub as your previous measurement.

6. Bring your results to class and compare. Which used more water, a bath or shower?

WhAt do you thinK?What if your whole family agreed to limit showers to seven minutes or less? Would your water and energy bills go down?

How else can you save money and energy on showers?

Is your showerhead wasting hot water? To find out, try this:Rinse out an empty half-gallon milk carton and hold it under the spray to catch all the water. If the carton fills in less than 10 seconds, your shower is wasting water.

How much water is your community using? Multiple the results of your experiment by the number of people in your town, or your state.

How mucH water do you use to get clean?

Find out which uses more water and energy: a shower or a bath.

WAys to sAVe Money And energy

• Install high-efficiency shower-heads and faucet aerators.

• Insulate your water heater with a specially designed water heater blanket (follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific water heater)

• Don’t leave water running unless you’re using it – turn off the shower while you’re washing your hair and turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Energy Baseball

Tell students that they are going to review their know-ledge of power sources and conservation by playing “energy baseball.”

Rules of the Game• Dividetheclassintotwoteams.Explainthat

everyone on each team gets a turn at bat and they will be answering questions to hit a single, a double, a triple or a home run. Singles questions are easier and count less than doubles, doubles are easier and count less than triples, and so on. Each wrong answer is an “out,” and after three outs the other team takes a turn at bat.

• Drawabaseballdiamondonthechalkboard.Advance players around the bases with chalk marks on the board, or use some other marker taped onto the board.

When a player comes to bat and answers a question correctly, advance him or her to first, second, or third all the way around the bases depending on whether the question was for a single, double, triple or home run. When a batter misses a question, record an out and do not advance any players on base; they advance only when another player gets a hit and advances to thenextbase.Scoreonerunfortheteamatbateach time a player reaches home.

• Eitherchoosethetypeofquestionforeachbatter (single, double, triple etc.) or allow the batter to choose, or have the batter randomly draw questions.

This in-class game is a comprehensive review of Power Sources and Conservation materials.

Note: An alternative way of playing this game is to simply alternate asking questions to each team and award points for each right answer: 1 point for singles, 2 points for doubles, 3 points for triples, and 4 points for a home run.

Will YOU HiT AN ENERGY HOME RUN? PA G E 1

Singles

1. What country uses the most energy? (United States)

2. For what purpose do we use the most energy in our homes? (heating them)

3. What kind of fuel provides most of our energy? (fossil fuels)

4. What energy source do we burn to make most of our electricity? (coal)

5. What fossil fuel is gasoline made from? (oil)

6. Where can people get free or low-cost advice about saving energy at home? (from their utility company, Xcel Energy, their electric company, their natural gas company)

7. What energy source heats more than half our homes? (natural gas)

8. What is the name for energy sources that can be used over and over without being used up? (renewable)

9. Where do fossil fuels come from? (prehistoric plants and animals that were trapped in the earth)

10. Do most new home appliances today use more or less energy than older ones? (less)

11. What is the recommended summer temperature to conserve energy in your home? (78 degrees)

12. What is the name for energy sources that are gone once we use them? (nonrenewable)

13. What is one way that industries have cut their energy use? (developed ways to make new products using less energy; weatherized buildings; turned off motors, lights, etc., when not in use)

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Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Energy BaseballWill YOU HiT AN ENERGY HOME RUN? PA G E 2

Triples1. Name the three fossil fuels.

(oil, natural gas, coal)

2. Name three renewable energy sources. (solar energy, wind power, hydropower, or water power.)

3. Name three nonrenewable energy sources. (oil natural gas, coal)

Home Runs1. Name two reasons why is it important to save

energy (save natural resources and save money).

2. What are the four main ways Americans use huge amounts of energy? (driving our cars, manufacturing things, heating our homes and businesses)

3. Name five ways that saving energy helps us. (helps the environment, makes our energy last longer, lowers use of foreign oil, saves us money, creates jobs)

4. What are five things you can do to save energy? (turn things off, recycle, buy recycled products, spread the word,)

5. Where are three things your parents can do to save energy? (buy energy-saving products, weatherize your home, cut car travel, control temperatures at home)

6. What are four things the government can do to save energy and help the environment? (set standards for energy use, encourage conservation, support clean energy, provide incentives,suchastaxcreditsforindustriesthatproduce renewable energy alternatives)

7. What are three things industry can do to save energy and help the environment? (develop energy-saving products, develop cleaner sources, use energy more prudently and efficiently)

Doubles1. What is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel?

(natural gas)

2. How many trees are saved by recycling a daily newspaper every day for a year? (five)

3. What are the recommended daytime and nighttime temperatures for homes in winter? (68 degrees daytime, 62 degrees nighttime)

4. How long would your color television run on the energy saved by recycling a soft-drink can? (three hours)

5. Why did Americans get in the habit of using lots of energy long ago? (It was cheap and easy to get. Also there were lots of uses for it.)

6. Name two energy sources that might provide lots of clean energy in the future. (solar energy and nuclear fusion)

7. What are scrubbers? (devices that lower emissions from electric power plants)

8. Name four materials that can be recycled. (paper, glass jars or bottles, aluminum cans, plastic, steel)

9. Why don’t we use much solar power today? (It costs more than electricity from several other sources.)

10. How much of our country’s energy do American industries use? (more than one-third)

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xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc. Northern States Power Company. Northern States Power Company - Wisconsin. Public Service Company of Colorado. Southwestern Public Service Company.

Based on content prepared for The Energy Source Education Council by Educational Development Specialists, Lakewood, CA.

Recycling Math

BONUS ACTIVITY

To emphasize the power of cumulative individual actions, have the students estimate how many televisions or 100-watt light bulbs there might be in their school, neighborhood block, city or state.

Then using the calculations above, determine how many soft drink cans or bottles need to be recycled to run those televisions or light bulbs for specific periods of time.

how MUCh PowER Do CANS USE?

Soft Drink Cans and TV ViewingRemind the class that recycling one soft-drink can saves enough energy to run a color TV for 3 hours.

Have each student indicate the number of hours a color television is on in their home (total hours for all sets) rounded to the nearest 3: 0 hours, 3 hours, 6 hours, 9 hours, 12 hours or 15 hours.

Have the students calculate how many cans they would need to recycle to save enough energy to run their TV.

(Number of hours of TV per day) x 3 = number of recycled cans

Soft Drink Bottles and LightsRecycling one soft-drink bottle (2-liter plastic) saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

How many bottles would you have to recycle to run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours?

(Three bottles)

Coal Used to Burn a LightIt takes about 100 pounds of coal to produce the electricity to light a 100-watt light bulb 3 hours a day for a year.

How much coal would it take to light a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours a day?

(About 400 pounds.)

Help students discover the power of cumulative individual actions.

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Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in

POWER & WILDLIFE.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

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Peregrine Falcon Quiz

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. Peregrine falcons typically have how many babies at a time?

a. One to two

b. Three to five

c. Seven or more

3. “Raptor” means a bird that:

a. Kills another animal for food and carries it off

b. Fishes for food

c. Is a vegetarian

5. Peregrine falcon babies learn to fly when they’re about:

a. 20 days old

b. 30 days old

c. 40 days old

2. In the Middle Ages, the people who hunted with peregrine falcons were::

a. Kings

b. Earls

c. Priests

4. Most Minnesota peregrine falcons:

a. Stay through the winter

b. Fly south for the winter

6. A peregrine falcon’s favorite food is:

a. Fish

b. Mice

c. Birds

d. Corn

7. Falcon babies have both legs banded to:

a. Make them prettier

b. Keep track of them as they grow up

c. Tell the boys from the girl

9. Female peregrine falcons are:

a. 1/3 bigger than the males

b. 1/3 smaller than the males

c. 2/3 bigger than the males

8. Peregrine falcons are ready to be parents when they’re:

a. 6 months old

b. 1 year old

c. 2 years old

10. Falcon babies in Minnesota usually hatch in:

a. March

b. April

c. May

11. Falcon moms like to nest among small stones to:

a. Have more calcium nearby to eat

b. Keep the eggs from rolling away

c. Make their living area attractive

What do you knoW about peregrine falcons?

N A M E

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®

Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in

CAREERS IN ENERGY.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

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®

Energy Career Crossword Puzzle

Nearly every job you will have requires that you use your language skills to communicate clearly and listen well.

Try this crossword puzzle to show your mastery of these Energy Career words.

ACROSS

5. This person keeps track of money the company earns and spends.

6. Something that shows the amount of money a customer owes for energy.

7. This person helps to repair transmission lines to restore power after an outage.

11. An _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Executive is a person who works with big customers like hospitals, shopping centers, and manufacturers to help them buy and use energy.

12. Energy customers are interested in this as a way to save money and help protect the environment.

13. Metallurgists may advise about this method of joining pieces of metal.

14. This person promotes the company’s products and services.

16. An _ _ _ _ _ _ Trader is a person who buys extra power from other utilities to make sure customers have enough on really hot days.

17. Someone who buys and uses energy.

19. This person studies how wildlife is affected by what an energy company does.

20. A _ _ _ _ Fitter is a person who installs and fixes gas lines, meters and appliances.

DOWN

1. Something you know how to do.

2. A _ _ _ _ Center is the place where customer service associates work to answer customers’ questions.

3. Something that is unloaded from rail cars by plant helpers and plant specialists, so it can be burned to create energy.

4. Another name for an energy company.

8. There are four kinds of these people who work for energy companies: electrical, mechanical, chemical and civil.

9. This is a subject you should study now if you’re interested in an environmental career in the energy industry.

10. A large thing that a civil engineer might build to create hydroelectric power.

15. A _ _ _ Street Helper is a beginning worker on gas construction crews.

18 Utility workers spend most of their day here.

1 2 3 4

5

6

7 8

9

10 11

12

13

14 15 16

17 18

19

20

DO YOU LIKE WORDS?

A C C O U N T A N T

C O N S E R V A T I O N

B I L LL I N E M A N

A C C O U N T

W E L D I N G

M A R K E T E R E N E R G Y

C U S T O M E R

B I O L O G I S T

P I P E

S K I L L

C A L L

C O A L

D A M

S C I E N C E

E N G I N E E R G

A S O

U T S I D E

U T I L I T Y

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To help create ideas, you can use brainstorming to invent, combine and spark new ideas, and idea mapping to organize your ideas.

Here is a short summary of these two methods. More information on each method can be found by searching on the internet for the words: brainstorming, idea mapping, or mind mapping.

Rules of Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a way to create a lot of ideas quickly.Here a few guidelines to help your brainstorming.

Brainstorming usually works best with small groups of 3 to 7 people, so everyone has a chance to contribute.

Set a short time for each brainstorming session, perhaps 5 to 10 minutes, or what is appropriate for your group and the topic.

Usually one person is writing down the ideas as they are being created, usually on a big sheet of paper. This role could switch across 2 or more sessions.

When brainstorming starts, use these guidelines:• Everyonegetstotalkandgiveideas.• Don’tcriticizeanideaorjudgeanideaduring this time. Write every idea down.• Letideasbe“free-wheeling,”whichmeans they can sound wild or crazy or funny.• Giveasmanyideasasyoucan,asfastasyou can think of them and they can be written down.• “Hitchhike”onideas,whichmeansoneidea may trigger another idea for someone else.• Combine,split,expandorchangeideasinto more ideas.

After5or10minutes,stop.Decidewhichideasaresimilar. Your group may decide to combine them. Thenprioritizethegroup’sideasfrommostimportantto least important.

Here is one way you can prioritize ideas. Each person marks each idea with a number 1, 2, or 3. Number 3 is the most important. Number 1 is the least important. You can use post-it notes to do this. Then add up the numbers. The ideas with the highest numbers are the most important ideas.

Idea Mapping

Idea Mapping is a way to both invent new ideas and organizethem.It’ssimilartobrainstorming,butyoudraw how new ideas are connected. It is little like making a visual outline.

This works best if you have big sheet of paper to draw the idea map. In the center of the paper, write your main idea, and draw a circle around it. For this activity, this could be one of your customer needs.

Think about big ideas that are connected to the main idea.Thisisa“category”or“group”ofideas.Writeordraw all of them on the map, and connect them to the main idea with lines.

Then think about ideas that are connected to the big ideas. Put them on the map, and connect them to their big idea. Soon you get a map that looks something like this.

You could use color to mark the sections of your map. Yourideascanbepictures,notjustcircles.Youcancreateseveralmaps,toexpandononeofyourideas.

Keep going until you find an idea that you think will make a great new energy product. Pick the ideas in that branch of your map to start writing and creating your presentation.

Use less energy(main idea)

idea

idea

ideaidea

idea

idea

ideaidea

idea

idea

ideaidea

idea

idea turn lights OFF

a smart light switch

DO YOU LIKE TO COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS?

Invent a New Energy Product

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Energy Math

As in all businesses, energy company employees use mathematics to analyze problems and choose the best solutions.

Here are three situations where math affects an energy company. Can you find the answers?

How much electricity do you use?

One of the responsibilities of Xcel Energy engineers is to determine how much energy we need to generate for all the businesses and households in the area we serve. Our engineers can calculate this by looking at the energy that has been used in past years and forecasting for future changes. We know that the average household uses 750 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per month. The charge for a kilowatt-hour is $.08.

How much does an average house pay for electricity each month?

Ask your parents to look at your bill and see how your family compares to the average. How many kilowatt-hours did you use last month? What was the cost?

How much electricity is used for a million average houses?

How much does that cost?

How can you reduce your electricity use?

Here is one example of how to save energy. Megan uses a hair dryer to dry her hair every day. The time she uses it adds up to 2 hours each week. The hair dryer uses 1200 watts of electricity each hour. Xcel Energy charges $.08 per kilowatt hour.

How much will Megan save on her bill each year if she stops using her hair dryer and air-dries her hair instead?

(Hint: Divide watts by 1000 to get kilowatts.)

Look at the electricity that other things in your house use. Calculate how much it costs to pay for the electricity each thing uses each year.

Will different light bulbs save electricity?

Xcel Energy encourages customers to save energy because it helps to preserve the environment. Using energy efficient light bulbs is one way to save energy and also save money. Our engineers calculate that cost. See how much money you can save if you switch to using an energy efficient light bulb.

Eric uses his bedroom light 4 hours a night. It uses a regular 60 watt light bulb, which means it uses 60 watts of electricity each hour. Eric wants to save energy, so he decides to change to a compact fluorescent bulb that gives the same amount of light, but uses only 15 watts of electricity each hour. If electricity costs $.08 per kilowatt-hour, how much money will Eric save in electricity costs for one year?

(Hint: Divide watts by 1000 to get kilowatts.)

Cost of using a regular 60-watt light bulb for 1 year

Cost of using an energy efficient 15-watt light bulb for 1 year

Cost comparison for 1 year

DO YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH NUMBERS?

750 kWh x .08 = $60.00

750 kWh x 1,000,000 = 750,000,000 kWh

750,000,000 kWh x .08 = $60,000,000

1200 / 1000 = 1.2 kW1.2 kW x 2 hours = 2.4 kWh2.4 kWh x $.08 = $0.192 each week$0.192 x 52 weeks = $9.98 in savings each year

60 watts / 1000 = .06 kW.06 kW x 4 hours = .24 kWh each day.24 kWh x 365 days = 87.6 kWh each year87.6 kWh x $.08 = $7.00 each year

15 watts / 1000 = .015 kW.015 kW x 4 hours = .06 kWh each day.06 kWh x 365 days = 21.9 kWh each year21.9 kWh x $.08 = $1.75 each year

$7.00 – $1.75 = $5.25 in savings per year

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What’s My Job?

Who responds when a wire is down?

Who must first learn “on the job” as an apprentice before getting this job?

Who uses addition and subtraction every day?

Who meets with customers to help them become more energy efficient?

Who spends most days outside?

Who works in an office where many different languages are spoken?

Who needs college degrees for their jobs?

Who monitors equipment, runs plant systems and checks out alarms?

Who keeps track of air emissions at the plant?

Who uses large equipment to dig in the dirt

Who makes new and old technology work together in power plants?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Each of these people works in a different energy job. Use the “Ask Our Employees” video to ask questions about their careers. Look for this video in the “Careers In Energy” section in Energy Classroom.

After you have finished your interviews with each employee, test what you learned by matching up their jobs with the questions below. Some questions may have more than one correct answer.

Remember these employees? You can interview them on Xcel Energy’s web site. To do that, go to: www.xcelenergy.com – then click these buttons: Community > Energy Classroom > Careers In Energy > Ask Our Employees.

Circle the number, or numbers, that answer each question.

Call Center Supervisor

Accountant MarketingRepresentative

Engineer Environmental Scientist

Lineman / Troubleman

GasFitter

Plant Operator

87654321

CAN YOU MATCH THE qUEsTiONs WiTH THE JOBs?

N A M E

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®

Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in the

POWER PLANT TOUR.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

Note: Two resources – Generating Electricity and PS Word Scramble –

are also available within the Power Sources section.

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Power Plant Crossword Puzzle

1 2 3 4

5

6 7

8

9 10

11

1312

14

15

Do you know the parts of a power plant? Some are very big – and some are very small.

Try this crossword puzzle. Use the definitions to find the words.

15. Has electrostatically charged plates that act as magnets to help clean power plant emissions.

DOWN

2. Chimney of the power plant.

3. Where coal is ground into powder.

4. Where electric current generated by a power plant is stepped up to higher voltage.

7. Tiny particles whose movement is known as electricity.

11. One million watts.

12. Acts like a vacuum cleaner to clean up power plant emissions.

ACROSS

1. A solid waste by-product left after coal is burned.

5. A large, efficient power plant that operates all the time. ( 2 words )

6. Can be seen rising from cooling towers.

8. Has huge blades that are pushed by steam.

9. Used to carry water and steam in a power plant.

10. How coal arrives at power plants.

12. Where coal is burned.

13. Where steam cools back to water so it can be reused in the power plant.

14. Emission control equipment that uses sprayers to remove particles.

N A M E

WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A POWER PLANT?

A S H

T

C

K

B A S E L O A D P L A N T

S T E A M

T U R B I N E

T R A I NP I P E S

B O I L E R C O N D E N S E R

S C R U B B E R S

P R E C I P I T A O R

M

I

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S

F

O

M

R

L

C

R

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M

G

A

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S

E

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Power Plant Quiz

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. Xcel Energy uses coal that is:

a. low sulphur because it burns cleaner

b. low carbon because it burns hotter

c. low moisture because it weighs less

2. A coal mill is where:

a. coal is dried out

b. coal is crushed to a powder

c. coal is mixed with steam

3. The boiler is so big because:

a. it’s cheaper to do things in big batches

b. it has to make a lot of steam to turn the turbine

c. otherwise it would explode from the pressure

7 Xcel Energy power plants may use water from:

a. rivers and lakes

b. municipal sewage systems

c. all of the above

8. After the steam turns the turbine:

a. it helps to heat the power plant

b. it is condensed and recycled

c. it evaporates from the cooling towers

9. A power plant scrubber is used to clean:

a. air

b. water

c. coal

4. The boiler burns coal to make:

a. steam

b. hot oil

c. highly pressurized air

5. The inside of a generator contains:

a. very hot steam

b. wrapped coils of wire

c. huge blades

10. A precipitator works something like this to clean ash from air:

a. a vacuum cleaner

b. a sprayer

c. a magnet

11. The power stack:

a. releases air back into the atmosphere

b. takes in air used to blow the coal powder

c. releases high pressure steam into the atmosphere

6. Voltage describes:

a. how brightly a light bulb shines

b. how fast electricity travels

c. how much pressure or force the electricity is under

12. Which type of power plant works most like a coal plant?

a. hydro

b. biomass (garbage or refuse)

c. wind farm

N A M E

What haPPENS at a COaL PLaNt?

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Power Plant Loctor

What if you built a power plant?Where would you put everything?All these things can be found in a power plant.Write them in the correct areas below.

scrubbertransformercoal barnturbineash house

transmission linesconveyer beltscooling towersgeneratorbaghouse

switching yardtrainprecipitatorboilercondenser

COOLING

EMISSIONCONTROLCOAL

HANDLING

POWERGENERATION

TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

N A M E

Where do you put the parts of a poWer pLaNt?

scrubber

baghouse

precipitator

ash house

train

coal barn

conveyer belts

boiler

turbine

generator

transformer

switching yard

transmission lines

condenser

cooling towers

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Generating Electricity

This diagram shows how electricity is generated in a steam plant.

Fill in the numbered blanks, using the list on the right.

FUEL STEAM YOUTURBINE GENERATOR TRANSFORMER

D I S T R I B U T I O N

- reduced 71% from large version - document size: 495w 217h1. _______________________________________ Turbine

2 _______________________________________ Fuel

3. _______________________________________ Generator

4. _______________________________________ Distribution

5. _______________________________________ Steam

6. _______________________________________ Transformer

5

6

4321

7. In a hydroelectric power plant, turns the turbine blades.

8. In a power plant, the fuel used to generate heat is uranium.

9. In power plants that burn coal, pushes the turbine blades to make them turn.

Fill in the blanks in these sentences.

7. In the space below, draw and explain how wind is used to generate electricity.

N A M E

how do we get electricity?

Fuel

Steam

Turbine

Generator

Transformer

Distribution

water

nuclear

steam

Wind blows.It turns the blades of a windmill

The blades turn a generator to make

electricity.

A transformer increases the

voltage.

Electricity is sent over wires to your home.

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Power Source: Word Scramble

A E Z B S E G R F T A C O A L

E F I A U R A N I U M E A G A

B P 0 Z Q B S C A R A W T E R

A N T S T O R O J B T K O N J

T R A N S M I S S I O N A E O

O R M R A I T R A N R E A R E

M W A E S T L I N E G A D A I

K U Y N E J X Y K A E Y A T A

N Y A E S A T O T R H O T O E

S J E W A F S L A C T R E R A

A E C A O A O E A Z Y O S A V

B T O B M V L R E A C T O R E

E S A L E C R I M L T O L S O

O R E E U S O E J E J Z A X K

U W I N D T R O N A R O R L A

ATOMRENEWABLE

HYDROTURBINE

URANIUMVOLTAGE

GASTRANSFORMER

WINDREACTOR

TRANSMISSIONSOLAR

GENERATORNUCLEAR

COALFOSSIL

Circle each of the power source words in the puzzle below. One word has already been circled for you.The words you are looking for may be horizontal, vertical or at an angle.

N A M E

CAN YOU FIND THESE WORDS?

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Energy Classroom: Answers

This section includes

information

for resources in

CLEAN ENERGY PLANET.

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.

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Clean Energy Crossword Puzzle N A M E

WHAT ARE IDEAS FOR CLEAN ENERGY?

Do you know some of the ideasabout making clean energy?

Try this crossword puzzle. Use the definitions to find the words.

109

1 2 3 4

5 6

7

8

11

12

14 15

16

17

13

ACROSS

1. energy with no emissions

5. harvested at a special kind of farm

7. environmentalists’ favorite color

8. how power plant production is measured

11. corn, paper, garbage

14. the USA has a lot of this energy source

15. what goes up a power plant stack

16. energy from the closest star

17. wind, water, sun, coal

DOWN

2. ability to do work

3. garbage used to make electricity

4. solar technology

5. leftover lumber

6. produces light and heat

9. a place to catch the wind

10. has big blades

11. where combustion happens

12. the cabin on top of a wind turbine

13. the gas in turkey litter

E M I S S O S

M E A W A T T S

R E S O U R C E S

I M S S

S O L R

C L E A N

G R E E N

O A

W I N DA

S

E

W

O

O

D

P

H

O

T

O

V

O

L

T

A

I

C

C

O

M

B

U

S

T

I

O

N

N

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G

Y

N

A

C

E

L

L

E

R

F

B

O

I

L

E

R

F

A

R

M

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U

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B

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M

T

H

A

N

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Clean Energy Quiz N A M E

Circle the letter of the correct answer to each question.

1. _________ , _________ and _________ are three things in nature that take carbon dioxide out of the air.

a. Trees, plankton and algae b. Coal mines, gas fields and uranium deposits c. Clouds, wind and sun

3. Without ________ there is no way to get the electricity produced at wind farms to the customers who need it.

a. railroads b. transmission lines c. pipelines

2. Wind turbines have big _________ designed like airplane propellers.

a. towers b. engines c. blades

5. A __________ building is one that saves energy.

a. new b. tall c. green

6. When garbage is treated so that it can be burned in a power plant, it’s called __________.

a. ash b. RDF, or refuse-derived fuel c. sewage

7. A growing population means we’ll see an even greater _________ for electricity in the future.

a. demand b. storage c. technology

8. ____________ is celebrated around the world to remind people to take care of the environment.

a. Lights Out Night b. Take Your Kids to School Day c. Earth Day

4. ___________ panels capture the sun’s energy and turn it to electricity.

a. weather b. photovoltaic c. wind-powered

WHAT DO YOU knOW AbOUT cleAn energY?

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1. ., . and . are three things in nature that take carbon dioxide out of the air.

2. Wind turbines have big designed like airplane propellers..

3. Without there is no way to get the electricity produced at wind farms to the customers who need it.

4. . panels capture the sun’s energy and turn it to electricity.

5. A . building is one that saves energy.

6. When garbage is treated so that it can be burned in a power plant, it’s called

.

7. A growing population means we’ll see an even greater for electricity in the future.

8. is celebrated around the world to remind people to take care of the environment.

Clean Energy Quiz

Fill in the blanks in these sentences.

Answer these questions.

1. When a type of energy production is described as “clean”, what does that mean?

2. Why do we need many different energy sources?

3. New coal plants are being built to run more cleanly. How are they different from traditional plants?

N A M E

WHAT DO YOU knOW AbOUT cleAn energY?

Trees plankton

blades

Photovoltaic

green

demand

Earth Day

transmission lines

algae

RFD - or Refuse Derived Fuel

- no emissions are created,- no greenhouse gases,- uses fewer natural resources

- in case any single source becomes unavailable or really expensive, so we always have enough energy for the things we want to do.

- new high temperature, high pressure boilers,- new high speed turbines- better emission controls, - cooling systems that use less water, or recycle water

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Catch the Wind

Think about the ways that people use wind to work and play. Do people across the world, or at different times of history use wind differently? Do people also make wind to do their work?

Now use these spaces to show 4 ways that people use wind. You can write about each one, or draw pictures.

N A M E

HOW DO YOU USE WIND?

A few ideas for using WIND to PLAY:

• Windsurfing• Fly a kite• Fly a flag• Parachuting• Play a trumpet

(make “wind” by blowing)• Play a wind chime• Sail a toy boat• Fly a toy airplane• Blow bubbles• Make a wind sock• Spin a pinwheel• Fly a boomerang• Fly a frisbee• Spin a lawn ornament• Spread the smell of perfume

A few ideas for using WIND to WORK:

• Windmill to pump water (for a farm, or Dutch windmills)

• Modern wind turbine to make electricity• Sail a boat• Fly an airplane• Fly a helicopter• Fly a glider• Use a wind tunnel to test airplane design• Design cars for least air resistance

(thinking about the wind for products)• Dry clothes on a clothesline• Use a fan to make wind to cool down.• Make wind with a hair dryer to dry hair• Spin the blades of airplane propeller• Bird fly using the wind• Dry food in the wind

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Name a Wind Turbine

The parts of this wind turbine are numbered. Write the name of each part by its number.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

N A M E

do you KNoW the parts of a WINd turBINe?

wind

blade

gear box

generator

tower

power cable

transformer

transmission lines

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®

Energy Classroom: Answers

THE END

Click the bookmarks on the left side of this PDF document

to jump directly to the resource you are considering.

Click the triangles ( ) next to a bookmark title,

to expand or condense a section.