Energy Everywhere

Why it matters

Every joule you have ever used came, almost entirely, from ONE source: the Sun. Coal is buried sunlight. Wind is sunlight stirring air. The question is only: which account are we spending from?

The idea in plain words

The energy menu. Tap the terms.

renewable · non-renewable

Trace hydroelectric power back to the Sun.

A dam is a solar plant with extra steps

• the flow: renewable — solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, biomass — nature refills on human timescales
• the stock: non-renewable — coal, petroleum, natural gas (and uranium) — one-time geological stock
• the chain: hydroelectricity — rain (solar-lifted!) → dam PE → turbine KE → generator — 6.15's chain
• Sun evaporates sea water
• Rain falls on mountains → reservoir PE
• Falling water spins turbine → electricity

Predict first

Coal is called NON-renewable because…

Renewability is about NATURE'S refill rate vs ours. Sunlight, wind and rivers restock daily; coal's account closed millions of years ago.

• it took millions of years to form — we spend it faster than nature restocks — correct
• it cannot produce energy twice
• it is imported

What you do

Sort the six energy sources into renewable and non-renewable.

Check yourself

Which trio is all-renewable?

Sun, air and Moon-driven tides — accounts that refill themselves.

The ultimate source of wind energy is…

Uneven solar heating drives pressure differences; air rushes to even them out — wind is solar.

A major ADVANTAGE of renewable sources is that they…

Clean and endless — though intermittent (night, calm days), which is honest physics too.

• solar, wind, tidal — correct
• coal, wind, gas
• petrol, diesel, kerosene
• the Sun, heating the atmosphere unevenly — correct
• the Earth's rotation alone
• ocean currents
• don't exhaust and produce little pollution — correct
• work everywhere at all times
• need no equipment