OCR Cambridge National in
Science(Level 1 / 2)
R071How scientific ideas have an
impact on our livesModule 1: Using Energy
The world needs electrical power to progress and develop. Over 80% of this
power comes from power stations burning fossil fuels or from nuclear power stations
that run on radioactive fuel.
Burning fossil fuels produces CO2 which is released into the atmosphere.
Could this be contributing to global warming?
Do you think that our climate is changing due to global warming?
Is global warming causing extreme weather such as:
Droughts which cause crops to fail
Floods which devastate communities
More frequent extreme weather events
Should we be looking for different sources of energy?
sustainabilityenvironmental
effects
economic costs
efficiency
ease of use
If we do need to find alternative energy resources to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels we need to
consider:
To make energy choices we need to measure energy transfers and calculate
efficiency.
What could be the answer? Perhaps…
Wind energyWind energy
Solar energySolar energy
Hydro-energyHydro-energy
Energy from burning carbon-neutral biomass
Energy from burning carbon-neutral biomass
Will nuclear power be part of that answer?
The Government believes it will be.
The UK has signed-up to reduce the emissions of CO2 and, by 2050, virtually all
of the UK’s electricity will need to come from low-carbon sources and nuclear power may help achieve this target.
Nuclear energy does not produce CO2, but there is the potential for disaster. Think of
Chernobyl and Fukushima.
Is living with the risk too high a price to pay?
Nuclear radiation can be dangerous.
Should we be using it to produce electricity?
Are there other beneficial uses for nuclear radiation?
How do we balance the risk of nuclear radiation against the benefits?
Dangerous nuclear and electromagnetic radiations help doctors to see inside our
bodies, and to treat cancer.
Nuclear radiation is also used in industry in fire alarms and even measuring the
thickness of paper.
Not in my
backyard
But what will be the right energy source to use?
They all have disadvantages as well as advantages.
There are people who say….We all have a choice but it will only be
the right choice if it is a properly informed choice.
In this unit you will …
Evaluate the risks and benefits of using nuclear radiation
Measure energy transfers and
calculate efficiency
Communicate scientific ideas to the
public
Make choices about future energy
supplies
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