New
New
Year 5

Energy production

I can reflect on the importance of electricity in my life and I can record how I use it for everyday activities.

New
New
Year 5

Energy production

I can reflect on the importance of electricity in my life and I can record how I use it for everyday activities.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Most electricity is produced in power stations and then cables deliver the energy to our houses.
  2. About 40% of UK electricity was generated in power stations by burning fossil fuels, mainly gas, in 2022.
  3. About 16% of UK electricity was generated in nuclear power stations in 2022.
  4. About 37% of UK electricity was generated from renewable sources in 2022.

Common misconception

Coal generates the most electricity.

All fossil fuels do generate electricity, however, it is natural gas which is the main contributor to UK electricity generation.

Keywords

  • Generator - A generator is a device that converts power from motion (such as water) or fuel (such as fossil fuel) into electric power.

  • Fossil fuel - Fossil fuels are natural substances that were formed over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms; they include coal, oil and gas.

  • Nuclear power - Nuclear energy from inside atoms can be used to generate huge amounts of electricity.

  • Renewable - Renewable means that something can be re-used and will not be used up or run out.

  • Turbine - A turbine is a device that uses power from liquid or air to turn a rotator to produce electric power.

You could create a class electricity use diary over the course of the week to identify the main ways you use electricity in school.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
We use to power things that we use
Correct Answer: energy
Q2.
How do we fuel our bodies to give us energy?
Petrol
Correct answer: Food
Sleep
Q3.
What power source does this use?
An image in a quiz
electricity
gas
water
Q4.
What energy source is this?
An image in a quiz
electricity
Correct answer: gas
water
Q5.
In which of the following do we use electricity?
Correct answer: home
Correct answer: school
Correct answer: workplace
Correct answer: street
woodland
Q6.
What is a renewable energy source?
one that is free to use
Correct answer: that will not run out
one that will run out

6 Questions

Q1.
Electricity is supplied to buildings through
Correct Answer: cables
Q2.
What form of energy is generated by splitting atoms apart?
solar
Correct answer: nuclear
hydro
Q3.
Rank the sources of electricity generated in Britain in 2022 from highest to lowest
1 - gas
2 - nuclear
3 - hydro
Q4.
Biomass energy is created by burning which of the following:
coal
Correct answer: natural material from plants and animals
atoms
Q5.
Which of the following is not always powered by electricity?
hair dryer
games console
Correct answer: oven
Q6.
Are these energy sources renewable or non-renewable?
Correct Answer:solar,renewable

renewable

Correct Answer:biomass,renewable

renewable

Correct Answer:hydro,renewable

renewable

Correct Answer:nuclear,non-renewable

non-renewable