SCIENCE 9-Q3-MELC-3

I. OBJECTIVES
A. Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate understanding of volcanoes found in the Philippines.

B. Learning Competency:
The learners should be able to illustrate how energy from volcanoes may be tapped for human
use.

 Specific Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:
1. define geothermal energy;
2. describe how energy is transformed to generate electricity in a geothermal power plant;
3. explain how volcanic eruptions affect society.

II. CONTENT: ENERGY FROM THE VOLCANO

III. PROCEDURE
(ELICIT)
A. Reviewing previous lesson or presenting the new lesson

AGREE OR DISAGREE. Write AGREE if you think that the statement is correct and DISAGREE if
it is not on the space provided before each number.

________1. All volcanic eruptions are violent.

________2. Volcanoes only erupt straight up through the vent.
________3. If a volcano doesn’t erupt for a hundred years, it’s extinct.
________4. Volcanic eruptions can be predicted.
________5. Volcanoes only affect us negatively (e.g., loss of lives, damage of properties).

(EXPLORE)
B. Discussing new concepts and practicing new skills #1
Energy from volcano
Since our country is a home to more than a hundred of volcanoes, energy has been tapped
from them. Actually, the Philippines ranks second in the world’s production of geothermal energy.
According to the Department of Energy, 14.4% of the country’s total power generation is produced from
geothermal energy. The production of electricity from geothermal energy is cheaper than the electricity
production using natural gas, coal and hydropower.

What is geothermal energy?

The Earth is believed to be extremely hot from within. This heat from the Earth’s interior is a
source of energy called geothermal energy. The heat of the Earth warms up water which is trapped in
rock formations beneath its surface.

How is geothermal energy generated?

Geothermal energy is generated in two ways: geothermal power plants and geothermal heat
pumps. They differ in depth of heat source to produce energy.

In geothermal power plants, the heat from deep inside the Earth is used to produce steam to
generated electricity compared with geothermal heat pumps that use the heat coming from close to the
Earth’s surface to heat water or provide heat for buildings.

In the Philippines, geothermal power plants are used to generate electricity in Tiwi (Albay),
Kidapawan (North Cotabato), Calaca (Laguna), Tongonan (Leyte), Bago City (Negros Occidental),
Valencia (Negros Oriental), and Bacon (Sorsogon).

Power plants are built in an area where it is particularly hot just below the surface such as near
group of geysers, hot springs, or volcanic activity.

The following steps are followed to generate electricity in a geothermal power plant:
1. Wells are drilled deep into the earth to pump steam or hot water to the surface.
2. When the water reaches the surface, the drop in pressure causes the water to turn into steam.
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 3. The steam spins a turbine, which is connected to a generator that produces electricity.
4. Cooling tower cools the steam which it condenses back to water.
5. The cooled water is pumped back into the earth to begin the process again.

Guide Question:
1. Use a flowchart to describe how energy is transformed to generate electricity in a geothermal power
plant.

thermal energy
from inside the
Earth

C. Discussing new concepts and practicing new skills #2

----------

(EXPLAIN)
D. Developing mastery
Let’s Study This! Read How do volcanic eruptions affect society? (LM pp. 177-178).
How do volcanic eruptions affect society?

Volcanic eruption is often associated with negative effects. It can cause loss
of lives and properties. As the lava flows or pyroclastic materials are ejected in the air,
they can destroy anything in their way. Actually, it has a good and a bad side. For
example, the eruption of Pinatubo in 1991, one of the longest volcanic eruptions, has
caused the decrease in the Earth’s surface temperature for almost two years. The strong
winds during its eruption spread the aerosol particles from the plume around the globe.
The result was a measurable cooling of the Earth’s surface for a period of almost two
years.
Volcanoes also affect people positively. For example, the eruption of Pinatubo
Volcano has created spectacular scenery in its wake. Likewise, the eruption of Musuan
Volcano in Bukidnon has produced very rich soils for farming years after its eruption in 1867.
People also became creative in making earthenware out of the ash fall from the Pinatubo
Volcano eruption.

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 Figure 1. The Pinatubo caldera

(ELABORATE)
E. Finding practical applications of concepts and skills in daily living
Despite the advantages that people get from volcanic eruption, the major concern now is how to
reduce the negative effects of disasters to reduce loss and save lives.

Read Signs of an impending volcanic eruption (LM p. 178)

Signs of an impending volcanic eruption

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS, the

government agency tasked with monitoring earthquakes and volcanoes in the country, the following are
commonly observed signs that a volcano is about to erupt. These may vary from one volcano to
another.
1. Increase in the frequency of volcanic quakes with rumbling sounds; occurrence of
volcanic tremors;
2. Increased steaming activity; change in color of steam emission from white to gray due to
entrained ash;
3. Crater glow due to presence of magma at or near the crater;
4. Ground swells (or inflation), ground tilt and ground fissuring due to magma intrusion;
5. Localized landslides, rock falls and landslides from the summit area which are not
attributable to heavy rains;
6. Noticeable increase in the extent of drying up of vegetation around the volcano’s upper
slopes;
7. Increase in the temperature of hot springs, wells (e.g., Bulusan and Canlaon) and crater
lake (e.g., Taal) near the volcano;
8. Noticeable variation in the chemical content of springs, crater lakes within the vicinity of
the volcano;
9. Drying up of springs/wells around the volcano; and
10. Development of new thermal areas and/or reactivation of old ones; (appearance of
solfataras)

Knowing the signs of an impending volcanic eruption, write on the table below the things to do
before, during and after a volcanic eruption.

WHAT TO DO
BEFORE DURING AFTER

F. Making generalizations and abstractions about the lesson

Concepts to remember!
 Geothermal energy- heat coming from inside the Earth
 The heat flowing from inside the Earth is tapped as source of electricity in the geothermal
power plant.

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(EVALUATE)
G. Evaluating learning
Complete the chart below to show how the heat from the Earth is tapped as a source of
electricity in a power plant.

heat from
inside the
Earth

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