ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO DI S. TERESA DI RIVA- ENERGY

ENERGY

What is energy?

Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, electrical, or other forms.

There are Non-renewable and Renewable energies sources.

The Non-renewable ones are:

·       Coal

·       Oil

·       Natural gas

·       Nuclear

 Coal is one the major  energy source in the world,  it comes from mines and mountains.

Oil is the main source of energy about the world and it comes from far underground.

Natural gas is found in most of the world where “natural” means  a gas formed by natural processes in the earth.

Nuclear energy uses the power of the atom to create steam power which is used to generate electricity. Nuclear power plants produce waste dangerous to human health and environment.

 The Renewable ones are:

·       Wind

·       Solar

·       Water

·       Geothermal

Wind power is a source of energy  for electricity production developed recently.

Solar power means energy from the sun, it’s used to generate electricity.

Water power is one of the oldest sources of energy in human history, it’s also called hydropower.

The term “geothermal” means “heat from the earth”, it’s very  efficient and doesn’t hurt  the environment and the sources occur near the volcanoes.

Energy world problems

The world’s population is growing very quickly, most of the energy used today is still based on burning fossil fuels; the traditional energy sources are going to extinguish and unfortunately people are wasteful with their energy use.

It's hard to imagine life without electricity. In our homes, we rely on it to power our lights, appliances, and electronics. Many of us also use electricity to provide our homes with hot water, heat, and air conditioning.

Solution

The best solution is to use a more responsible “Mix” of  renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Moreover, if we can cut waste use of energy by 50%, all sources will last longer.

Let’s see how we can make a difference. The house is a place where  a lot of energy is used and most of the time wasted.

Here are some tips:

·       Close doors and windows to keep heat inside the house.

·       Make sure to turn the lights off when you are not in a room

·       Remember to un-plug all the electronic devices

·       Don’t leave the water tabs open if not necessary.

·       Use led bulbs instead of the traditional ones

·       Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones

·       Install solar and photovoltaic panels on the roof of your house