AQA · GCSE · Combined Science
Course version: 8464 · Version from Sept 2018
National and global energy resources: The main energy resources available for use on Earth include: fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), nuclear fuel, bio-fuel, wind, hydro- electricity, geothermal, the tides, the Sun and water waves.
Earth offers a range of energy resources that can be classified as non-renewable or renewable.
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Earth offers a range of energy resources that can be classified as non-renewable or renewable. Fossil fuels — coal, oil and gas — and nuclear fuel are finite and will eventually run out. Bio-fuel, wind, hydro-electricity, geothermal, tidal, solar and wave energy are renewable because they are replenished naturally. Each resource supplies energy through a different transfer: burning fossil fuels or bio-fuel releases chemical energy, nuclear fuel releases energy from atomic nuclei, wind and water waves drive turbines, hydro-electricity uses falling water, geothermal uses heat from within the Earth, tides use the rise and fall of sea level, and the Sun provides radiant energy. Choosing between them involves weighing reliability, cost, environmental impact and availability.
What earns the marks
- List the non-renewable resources as fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) and nuclear fuel.
- List the renewable resources as bio-fuel, wind, hydro-electricity, geothermal, tidal, solar and wave energy.
- State that fossil fuels and nuclear fuel are finite, whereas renewable resources are replenished and will not run out.
- Describe the energy transfer for at least one named resource, such as burning coal releasing chemical energy or wind turning a turbine.
- Compare resources using criteria such as reliability, cost, environmental impact or availability.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Classing nuclear fuel as renewable.
Put it right: Nuclear fuel is finite and non-renewable, even though it produces no carbon dioxide during operation.
Treating bio-fuel as a fossil fuel.
Put it right: Bio-fuel comes from recently living material and is renewable, while fossil fuels formed over millions of years.
Assuming all renewable resources are equally reliable.
Put it right: Solar and wind are intermittent, whereas tidal, hydro-electric and geothermal supplies are more predictable.
Exam tips
- Group the resources into renewable and non-renewable before writing, so no named resource is missed.
- For comparison questions, give one advantage and one disadvantage for each resource you discuss.
- Link each resource to its energy transfer, for example wave motion driving a turbine, to show understanding rather than recall alone.
Try the lesson
The start of the National and global energy resources: The main energy resources available for use on Earth include: fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), nuclear fuel, bio-fuel, wind, hydro- electricity, geothermal, the tides, the Sun and water waves. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following is a fossil fuel that is burned to release energy?
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Renewable resources
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Non-renewable resources
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Energy transfer
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Renewable resources
- Resources such as bio-fuel, wind, hydro-electricity, geothermal, tidal, solar and wave energy that are replenished naturally and will not run out.
- Non-renewable resources
- Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) and nuclear fuel, which are finite and will eventually run out.
- Energy transfer
- The way each resource supplies energy, such as burning fossil fuels or bio-fuel releasing chemical energy, or wind and water waves driving turbines.
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Test your understanding of National and global energy resources: The main energy resources available for use on Earth include: fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), nuclear fuel, bio-fuel, wind, hydro- electricity, geothermal, the tides, the Sun and water waves.
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