Important points you should know..

(Unit 1 of MEX3212)
What is energy? It is capacity to do work.
What are the SI Units of measurement of Energy and Power? Energy Joule (J), Power Watt (W)
What is the first Law of Thermodynamics?
The first law of thermodynamics is also called the Law of Conservation of Energy. This
states that energy can be transferred from one system to another in many forms. It
cannot be created or destroyed. Thus, the total amount of energy available in the
Universe is constant.
What are the sources of energy used in Sri Lanka to satisfy its energy demand? What
purposes these energy sources are mainly used?
Firewood: main supply of energy for cooking and some industries like bakeries, in kilns
(brick and tiles production)
Petroleum products: for transport, electricity generation and some industries
Hydropower: for supply of electricity for various applications
What is meant by alternative energy sources? Give examples
Those energy sources that had not been exploited on a large scale.
Examples: Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass, Wave, Tidal, chemical
What is meant by renewable energy sources?
The most common definition is that renewable energy is from an energy resource
that is replaced by a natural process at a rate that is equal to or faster than the
rate at which that resource is being consumed.
What is geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is thermal energy stored in the Earth core. Earth's geothermal
energy originates from the original formation of the planet, from radioactive decay of
minerals, from volcanic activity, and from solar energy absorbed at the surface. The
geothermal gradient, which is the difference in temperature between the core of the
planet and its surface, drives a continuous conduction of thermal energy in the form of
heat from the core to the surface. This flow of heat is utilized to derive useful energy.
What is fuel cell? Briefly explain its operation.
A Fuel cell converts the hydrogen into electricity by chemically mixing it with oxygen,
from which results water. It is like a battery that is constantly fed with fuel. Hydrogen is
not found in nature and is not an energy source, but an energy carrier. It has to be
produced first, and if this is done by burning fossil fuels, it does not help for energy
problems. But, the hydrogen fuel cell will help against environmental problems in future,
because scientists are trying to find new ways to make hydrogen without using fossil
fuels.

What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, some bacteria, and some protistans use
the energy from sunlight to produce sugar, which cellular respiration converts into
ATP, the "fuel" used by all living things. The conversion of unusable sunlight energy into
usable chemical energy is associated with the actions of the green pigment chlorophyll.
Most of the time, the photosynthetic process uses water and release the oxygen that we
absolutely must have to stay alive.
Energy content in foods is given by the unit kcal. Define 1kcal.
One kilocalorie is the amount of energy required to increase the temperature of 1kg of
water by 10C.