On your index card:

•Summarize the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Fill the front of your card, and make sure your name is on the card.

Nonrenewable Resources

•It’s not replaced as quickly as it is used.•Takes a long time for these to form.•Currently we depend on fossil fuels,

which are nonrenewable for the majority of our energy.

Coal

CoalAdvantages Disadvantages

• Abundant supply• Currently inexpensive to

mine• Reliable and able to

generate large amounts of power

• Emits greenhouse gases and causes acid rain

• Mining can be dangerous• Eventually, the coal supply

will run out

Oil and Natural Gas

Oil (Petroleum)Advantages Disadvantages

• Good fuel for vehicles• Economical to produce• Easy to transport

• High carbon dioxide emissions

• Found in limited areas• Supply may be used up

soon• Environmental impact

through drilling and transporting

Natural GasAdvantages Disadvantages

• Widely available• Cleanest burning fossil

fuel

• Unavailable in many areas• Still pollutes some• Pipelines impact

environment

NuclearAdvantages Disadvantages

• No greenhouse gases • Produces huge amounts of

energy from small amounts of fuel.

• Produces small amounts of waste.

• Nuclear power is reliable.

• Although not much waste is produced, it is very, very dangerous. It must be sealed up and buried for many years to allow the radioactivity to die away.

• Nuclear power is reliable, but a lot of money has to be spent on safety – if it does go wrong, a nuclear accident can be a major disaster.

Reflection Questions

•Choose 1 and answer on page 35 in at least 1 sentence▫What were the two most important points

in what we just looked at?▫Compare/contrast the use of fossil fuels

and nuclear energy.▫Which of the types of energy we have

talked about do you feel is the best? Why?▫Create a simile for fossil fuels. (Fossils

fuels are like ….)

Renewable Resources

•Renewable resources can be replaced in a relatively short period of time (like your lifetime).

SolarAdvantages Disadvantages

• It’s free• There’s no waste and no

pollution• It will last for 5 billion

years

• Expensive to build power stations

• Can’t collect it at night• Can be unreliable if you’re

not in a sunny climate

WindAdvantages Disadvantages

• Wind is free and requires no fuel

• No waste• Land below can still be

used for farming• Good for remote areas• Can become a tourist

attraction

• Wind is unpredictable and sometimes there is no wind

• The land in windy areas may be expensive

• Can kill birds• Is noisy and can effect TV

reception

Hydroelectric

HydroelecticAdvantages Disadvantages

• Energy is virtually free once the dam is built

• No waste• More reliable than wind

and solar• Water can be stored for

peak demands

• Expensive to build dams• Building the dam will flood

a large area• Find the right place is

difficult• Water quality and quantity

can be effected downstream

Tidal

Tidal• Turbines are placed

underwater like with a dam. Tidal turbines have to spin 180 degrees because the tide switches directions 4 times a day!

Turbines are placedunderwater like with a dam.

Tidal turbines have to spin 180 degrees because the tide switches directions 4 times a day!

TidalAdvantages Disadvantages

• Once you've built the dam, tidal power is free.

• It produces no greenhouse gases or other waste.

• It needs no fuel. • It produces electricity

reliably. • Not expensive to

maintain. • Tides are totally

predictable

• Very expensive to build. • Affects a very wide area - the

environment is changed for many miles upstream and downstream.

• Many birds rely on the tide uncovering the mud flats so that they can feed.

• Only provides power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out.

• There are very few suitable sites for tidal power stations.

Reflection Questions

•Choose 1 and answer on page 35 in at least 1 sentence▫In your own words, explain solar, wind, and

hydroelectric power.▫Brainstorm some solutions to the

disadvantages mentioned for solar power.▫Of solar, wind, and hydroelectric, which

would you most want to use and why?▫Draw a picture of what your life would be

like using solar or wind power.

Biomass

BiomassAdvantages Disadvantages

• Abundant Supply• Fewer emissions than

fossil fuels• Cars can be easily

converted to run on biomass

• Emits some pollution• Increases air pollution• Uses fossil fuels in

conversion

GeothermalAdvantages Disadvantages

• Minimal environmental impact

• Low emissions• Low cost after initial

investment

• Few places where geothermal is workable

• Wells could be depleted

Reflection Questions

•Choose 1 and answer on page 35 in at least 1 sentence▫Define biomass so a 3rd grader would

understand.▫What could be some of the problems

associated with geothermal?▫Where would you need to live to make

geothermal a viable option as an energy source?

▫Create a one-pane cartoon and caption about biomass.