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Year 8

Using renewable energy resources

I can describe how renewable energy resources can be used to generate electricity.

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New
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Year 8

Using renewable energy resources

I can describe how renewable energy resources can be used to generate electricity.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Renewable energy resources will not run out because they are replenished more quickly than we use them up
  2. Electricity can be generated by spinning coils of wire in an electric generator with a turbine
  3. Turbines can be spun using falling water or wind
  4. Turbines can be spun using moving steam made by burning biomass, oil or gas
  5. Solar panels produce electricity without electric generators

Keywords

  • Electric generator - a machine that generates electricity when wire coils inside it are made to spin in a magnetic field

  • Turbine - a series of angled blades that turn electrical generators that produce electricity

  • Renewable resource - an energy resource that can be replenished as quickly as it is used so will not run out

  • Sustainable resource - a resource that can be replenished naturally and used with little or no negative impact on the environment

  • Non-renewable resource - a resource that cannot be replenished

Common misconception

Biomass is a renewable energy resource because plants can be regrown.

Discuss the idea that renewable resources **will not** run out, whereas biomass **could** run out or be seriously depleted if it is not used sustainably.


To help you plan your year 8 science lesson on: Using renewable energy resources, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This lesson appears in two units in Y8 Science and should be taught only once. In **Fuels and energetics** it can be used to follow a lesson on power stations, or in **Climate change and greenhouse gases** it can be used after lessons on reducing GHG emissions from transport and industry.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Combustion is the reaction between a fuel and .
Correct Answer: oxygen
Q2.
Which of the following are disadvantages of burning non-renewable energy resources?
Correct answer: they produce greenhouse gas emissions
Correct answer: they produce pollutants such as carbon dioxide
they can be used to generate large amounts of electricity
they are relatively easy to access
Q3.
Wood pellets can be burned in a power station to generate electricity. Which of the following are products of the combustion of wood pellets?
Correct answer: Water
Correct answer: Carbon dioxde
Oxygen
Hydrogen
Q4.
Burning a fuel is an example of a combustion reaction and .
Correct answer: an oxidation reaction
Correct answer: an exothermic reaction
an endothermic reaction
a thermal decomposition reaction
Q5.
In a power station, steam turns a which turns electrical generators that produce electricity.
Correct Answer: turbine, turbines
Q6.
Which of the following are examples of non-renewable sources of energy?
Correct answer: Natural gas
Correct answer: Oil
Sun
Wind

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the following terms to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:Renewable energy resource,an energy resource that can be replenished as quickly as it is used
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an energy resource that can be replenished as quickly as it is used

Correct Answer:Non-renewable energy resource,a resource that cannot be replenished
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a resource that cannot be replenished

Correct Answer:sustainable resource,a resource that can be replenished naturally
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a resource that can be replenished naturally

Q2.
Which of the following are examples of renewable energy resources?
Natural gas
Oil
Correct answer: Geothermal
Correct answer: Biomass
Q3.
Which of the following are disadvantages of solar power?
Correct answer: They generate electricity during hours of daylight, but not at night.
They do not cause pollution.
Correct answer: Solar farms can be a blot on the landscape.
They can be placed on the roofs of buildings.
Q4.
Which of the following are advantages of wind power?
They are expensive to manufacture and install.
Correct answer: They are cheap to run.
Correct answer: They do not directly cause pollution.
They can disturb wildlife.
Q5.
generates electricity with falling water spinning turbinesand connected to electric generators.
Correct Answer: hydroelectricity, hydroelectric, hydroelectric power
Q6.
What is an advantage of a geothermal power station?
not many places have sufficiently hot rock close to the surface
Correct answer: it produces very few greenhouse gas emissions
digging may trigger earthquakes
geothermal power stations need to be away from populated areas