31 Most generators use turbines. Turbines look a little like the sails of a windmill or the propeller of a ship. As water or gas moves past a turbine, the turbine turns. This motion is used to turn the coils of wire in a generator. Many power plants in Canada use water to push turbines. Power plants that use water power are called hydroelectric plants. The larger hydro plants use dams to control the flow of water past the turbines. With wind and water energy, no fuels are used up, and there isn’t any smoke or pollution from the power plant. Steam is also used to push turbines. The most common way to make the steam is by burning a fuel such as coal, natural gas, or oil to boil water. These fuels are called fossil fuels, because they were formed over millions of years from plant fossils. There isn’t enough fossil fuel on Earth to last forever. That is why people have looked for other ways to make steam. Nuclear power plants use tiny amounts of a metal called uranium to start a nuclear reaction. The reaction releases heat, which is used to make steam. Nuclear power plants don’t pollute the air, but their waste is very dangerous. A nuclear accident can be so dangerous that a large area around the accident may be poisoned for thousands of years. Most fuels have to be mined and carried to a power plant, but some energy sources deliver themselves. Water and wind are two energy sources that do this. Windmills have been used for over 1,400 years. Water power has been used for even longer. One other source of energy that delivers itself is solar energy. Huge mirrors can be used to collect energy from the sun. This energy boils water to make the steam to run a generator. • Which sources of electricity are renewable and which are non-renewable? • Which way of producing electricity is the most efficient? least harmful to the environment? most reliable? Make a chart to grade the different sources of electricity. 30 How Do Power Plants Use Magnets To Generate Electricity? Nearly all the electricity you use is produced by large generators that have coils of wire moving between magnets. The magnets are very strong. There is a lot of wire in the coils. The coils turn very fast. Where does the energy to turn the coils come from? How is it used to turn the coils? TURBINE Water or gas out Water or gas in Hydro electric plant in James Bay, Quebec ▲ Information Connection: Sources of electricity Which source of power do you think is used the most in Canada? in your province? Check the Internet or library to find out. Do you think this source will be the one most used in the future? Explain. New ways of using the sun, the wind, water, and other materials to make electricity are being tried out all over the world. Many of these sources of energy are free, and they are very clean because there are no waste products. But so far, these energy sources don’t produce very much of the electricity that people use. • Power plants don’t store electricity—they produce it when it is needed. Most electricity is produced at 6:00 pm. Why do you think most people would need electricity at that time? • What time of year do you think people use the most electricity. Why?

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Page 1: How Do Power Plants Use Magnets To Generate Electricity? · PDF filepower plant, but some energy ... How Do Power Plants Use Magnets To Generate Electricity? ... Hydro electric plant

Most generators use turbines. Turbines looka little like the sails of a windmill or the propellerof a ship. As water or gas moves past a turbine,the turbine turns. This motion is used to turn thecoils of wire in a generator.

Many power plants in Canada use water topush turbines. Power plants that use waterpower are called hydroelectric plants. The largerhydro plants use dams to control the flow ofwater past the turbines. With wind and waterenergy, no fuels are used up, and there isn’t anysmoke or pollution from the power plant.

Steam is also used to push turbines. Themost common way to make the steam is byburning a fuel such as coal, natural gas, or oil toboil water. These fuels are called fossil fuels,because they were formed over millions of yearsfrom plant fossils. There isn’t enough fossil fuelon Earth to last forever. That is why people havelooked for other ways to make steam.

Nuclear power plants use tiny amounts of ametal called uranium to start a nuclear reaction.The reaction releases heat, which is used tomake steam. Nuclear power plants don’t pollutethe air, but their waste is very dangerous. Anuclear accident can be so dangerous that alarge area around the accident may be poisonedfor thousands of years.

Most fuels have to be mined and carried to apower plant, but some energy sources deliverthemselves. Water and wind are two energy

sources that do this. Windmills have been usedfor over 1,400 years. Water power has been usedfor even longer. One other source of energy thatdelivers itself is solar energy. Huge mirrors canbe used to collect energy from the sun. Thisenergy boils water to make the steam to run agenerator.

• Which sources of electricity are renewableand which are non-renewable?

• Which way of producing electricity is the mostefficient? least harmful to the environment?most reliable? Make a chart to grade thedifferent sources of electricity.

How Do Power Plants Use Magnets To Generate Electricity?

Nearly all the electricity you use is produced by largegenerators that have coils of wire moving betweenmagnets. The magnets are very strong. There is a lot of wirein the coils. The coils turn very fast. Where does the energyto turn the coils come from? How is it used to turn the coils?

TURBINE

Wateror gas out

Water or gas in

Hydro electric plant in James Bay, Quebec▲

I n f o rmation Connection:S o u rces of electricity

Which source of power do you think is usedthe most in Canada? in your province? Check theInternet or library to find out. Do you think thissource will be the one most used in the future?Explain.

New ways of using the sun, the wind, water,and other materials to make electricity are beingtried out all over the world. Many of thesesources of energy are free, and they are very

clean because there are no waste products. Butso far, these energy sources don’t produce verymuch of the electricity that people use.

• Power plants don’t store electricity—theyp roduce it when it is needed. Most electricity isp roduced at 6:00 pm. Why do you think mostpeople would need electricity at that time?

• What time of year do you think people use themost electricity. Why?

GUEST

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