Electricity Production – Burning Fossil Fuels

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Explanatory video on how electricity is produce by burning fossil fuels and the associated environmental consequences. Visit ngscience.com for a range of related media, interactive resources and printable worksheets.

Coal, natural gas and petroleum are fossil fuels commonly used to produce electricity. In this process, the fuels are burned to transform the chemical energy in the fuel into heat energy. The heat energy is used to heat water and convert it to steam. The steam generated spin turbines which then turn a generator. As the generator turns, it converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy. The electricity produced by the power station is sent along power lines that connect homes, buildings and cities through an electrical grid. When fossil fuels are burned, harmful gases are released into the Earth’s atmosphere. This can cause air pollution along with other impacts on the environment.

When fossil fuels are burned to turn water into steam, emissions are produced. An emission is the release of a substance, often a gas, into the environment. Some emissions can be harmful to organisms and the environment. These harmful emissions are called pollutants.

Pollutants released into the air when fossil fuels are burned can combine with oxygen and water droplets in clouds. The rain that falls from the clouds, called acid rain, carries the pollutants back to the surface of the Earth. Acid rain can pollute water sources, such as lakes and rivers, and is harmful to plants. It can also cause the soil to become polluted.

Burning fossil fuel also produces carbon dioxide which is released into the air. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. When greenhouse gases are added to the air, they cause the atmosphere to retain more heat. This is slowly causing the Earth to get hotter faster than it normally would. Emissions from fossil fuel power stations along with vehicle and factories is a major cause of climate change.

Nuclear Energy
All matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. The parts inside an atom are held together by strong forces. In the 1930s, scientists discovered that the bonds inside atoms can be broken apart to release a huge amount of energy as light and heat. The energy from inside atoms is called nuclear energy.

Scientists designed nuclear power stations to convert nuclear energy into electricity.

Like in a coal-fired power plant, heat is used to boil water and produce steam. The steam spins turbines which produce electricity. Electricity produced in this way is called nuclear power.

Nuclear power plants do not release high levels of greenhouse gases or other pollutants into the air. However, the process of uranium mining and making electricity produces radioactive wastes such as uranium tailings and used fuel rods. Radioactive materials are very harmful to people and other organisms. They also remain dangerous for thousands to millions of years. For this reason, nuclear wastes need to be carefully contained and isolated. If containment fails, the impact on the environment can be catastrophic.

Nuclear power plants also produce a lot of hot water, which needs to be cooled. This can be done by cycling the water through a larger body of water, such as the ocean or a lake. This can change the water environment and affect the organisms living there.