Eric owns a small farm where chicks are hatched from eggs - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 6
Eric owns a small farm where chicks are hatched from eggs.
He is considering generating his own electricity to heat and light a barn rather than using electricity f... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Eric owns a small farm where chicks are hatched from eggs - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
Use the data in the graph to recommend the best turbine for Eric's barn.
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Answer
The best turbine is Model A because it can produce up to 72000 kWh per year at an average wind speed of 13 mph, while Model B produces less than 6000 kWh at the same wind speed.
Step 2
Calculate how much he could expect to save each year by using the energy from this wind turbine to heat and light the barn.
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Answer
To calculate the annual saving, we use the formula:
total
total ext{ savings} = ext{Energy required} imes ext{Cost per kWh}
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Answer
He should divide the initial installation cost of the turbine by the annual savings gained from using it. This will give him the number of years it will take to recover the installation cost.
Step 4
Suggest why this might not actually be a benefit.
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The energy saving lamps may not transfer as much thermal energy as halogen lamps do. This means Eric may need to use additional heating sources, leading to increased costs for running or purchasing these additional devices.
Step 5
Compare hydro-electric power with solar power as energy resources for the large-scale generation of electricity.
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Hydro-electric power (HEP) is renewable and can generate electricity consistently, but it requires significant land and can damage river ecosystems due to reservoir creation. On the other hand, solar power is also renewable, but its generation heavily relies on sunlight availability, making it less consistent. Furthermore, solar installations are limited by geographic location and currently provide less energy output compared to HEP, which can impact large-scale electricity generation capacities.
