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 fr... 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 A because Model A can produce up to 72000 kWh per year (at 13 mph) while producing 6000 kWh requires wind speed of more than 13 mph for turbine B.
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 determine the annual savings, first we calculate the cost of energy needed for the barn.
total cost = £0.14 imes 6000 ext{ kWh} = £840
Thus, his annual saving is £840.
Step 3
State how he should work out the payback time.
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He should divide the installation cost by the annual saving to find the time in years.
Step 4
Suggest why this might not actually be a benefit.
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Answer
Energy saving lamps might not get hot enough to provide sufficient thermal energy. He may need to use additional heating sources, which would incur extra costs.
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 provide a consistent source of electricity, but it requires land and can affect local ecosystems due to damming and reservoir creation. It is also dependent on water availability.
On the other hand, solar power is also renewable but its generation is limited to sunny days and requires significant land area for panels. Solar energy installation is currently much less efficient compared to HEP but has a lower environmental impact since it doesn't affect land use or water ecosystems.
