Iceland is a country that generates most of its electricity using geothermal power stations and

1. hydroelectric power stations.

(a) (i) Complete the following sentences to describe how some geothermal power stations
work.

In regions where volcanoes are active, the ground is hot.

Cold _______________________ is pumped down into the ground

and is _______________________ by hot rocks.

It returns to the surface as steam. The steam is used to turn a turbine.

The turbine drives a _______________________ to produce electricity.

(3)

(ii) Which one of the following statements about geothermal power stations is true?

Tick ( ) one box.

Geothermal power stations use fossil fuels.

Geothermal power stations produce carbon dioxide.

Geothermal power stations provide a reliable source of electricity.

(1)

(b) What is needed for a hydroelectric power station to be able to generate electricity?

Tick ( ) one box.

Falling water

A long coastline

Lots of sunny days

(1)
(Total 5 marks)

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 (a) The pie chart shows the proportions of electricity generated in the UK from different energy
2. sources in 2010.

(i) Calculate the percentage of electricity generated using fossil fuels.

______________________________________________________________

Percentage = ______________________ %
(1)

(ii) The pie chart shows that 7% of electricity was generated using renewable energy
sources.

Which one of the following is not a renewable energy source?

Tick ( ) one box.

Oil

Solar

Wind

(1)

(b) Complete the following sentence.

In some types of power station, fossil fuels are burned to heat ________________ to
produce steam.
(1)

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 (c) Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Why do many scientists think adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere is harmful to the
environment?

Tick ( ) one box.

Carbon dioxide is the main cause of acid rain.

Carbon dioxide causes global warming.

Carbon dioxide causes visual pollution.

(1)
(Total 4 marks)

An eco-house is designed to be environmentally friendly.

3.
The diagram below shows a picture of an eco-house.

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(a) The solar panels and a wind turbine are used to generate electricity for the eco-house.

Solar and wind are both renewable energy resources.

What does renewable energy resource mean?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

It can be replenished as it is used.

It is unreliable.

It has no fuel costs.

It produces no greenhouse gases.

(1)

(b) Biomass, nuclear and natural gas are three other energy resources.

Complete the table to show whether each energy resource is renewable or non-renewable.

✓) one box for each energy resource.

Tick (✓

Energy resource Renewable Non-renewable

Biomass

Nuclear

Natural gas

(2)

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(c) Moving air makes the wind turbine spin.

The wind turbine generates electricity which is used to charge a battery.

Complete the sentences.

Choose answers from the box.

chemical electrical gravitational kinetic

When the wind turbine spins faster there is an increase in its _______________ energy.

Charging the battery increases the _______________ store of energy of the battery.
(2)

(d) The roof of the eco-house is covered with soil.

Covering the roof with soil decreases the thermal conductivity of the roof.

What are the advantages of having a roof with a lower thermal conductivity?

✓) two boxes.
Tick (✓

Less energy is needed to heat the house.

The rate of energy transfer by conduction is greater.

The roof is a better insulator.

The roof is less likely to leak.

Weather will have a greater effect on the temperature of the

house.

(2)

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(e) The average power transferred to the solar panels by sunlight is 26 000 W

Calculate the average energy transferred to the solar panels in 30 seconds.

Use the equation:

energy transferred = power × time

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Average energy transferred to solar panels = _______________ J

(2)

(f) Write down the equation that links efficiency, total power input and useful power output.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(g) The solar panels on the roof of the eco-house have an efficiency of 0.15

The average power input to the solar panels is 26 000 W

Calculate the average useful power output from the solar panels.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Average useful power output = _______________ W

(3)

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(h) Explain why it is a good idea for the eco-house to have both a wind turbine and solar
panels.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 15 marks)

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 A student investigated how the area of a solar panel affected the output potential difference of
4. the solar panel.

The student placed different sized solar panels under a lamp.

The photograph shows a solar panel under a lamp.

(a) Which variable should be controlled?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

The area of the solar panels

The brightness of the lamp

The output potential difference of the solar panels

(1)

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(b) The student measured the output potential difference using a voltmeter.

When the voltmeter was not connected, the reading on the voltmeter was 0.7 V

What name is given to this type of error?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Zero error

Random error

Measurement error

(1)

The table shows the results of the investigation.

Solar Area of solar panel Output potential difference

panel in cm2 in volts

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Mean

A 10 2.5 2.4 2.6 2.5

B 20 5.0 5.0 4.9 5.0

C 30 7.5 11.9 7.5 7.5

D 50 12.4 12.6 12.5 12.5

(c) The readings for which solar panel show an anomalous result?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A B C D

(1)

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(d) The student did not have a solar panel with an area of 40 cm2

Determine the most likely value for the mean output potential difference of a 40 cm2 solar
cell.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Mean output potential difference = ____________________ V

(1)

(e) The total input energy transfer to one of the solar panels was 8.0 joules.

The useful output energy transfer was 0.96 joules.

Calculate the efficiency of the solar panel.

Use the equation:

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Efficiency = ____________________
(2)

(f) Solar power is a renewable energy resource.

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

burned replenished consumed

A renewable energy resource is one that is ____________________ as it is used.

(1)

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(g) Some homes have solar panels which generate electricity.

On a sunny day the potential difference across a solar panel is 31 volts.

A charge of 490 coulombs flows through the solar panel.

Calculate the energy transferred by the solar panel.

Use the equation:

energy transferred = charge flow × potential difference

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Energy transferred = ____________________ J

(3)

(h) Why do solar panels on homes help reduce the environmental impact of using electrical
devices?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Less electricity is used in the home.

Less fossil fuel is burned.

The electricity from the solar panels is cheaper.

(1)
(Total 11 marks)

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 On 7th June 2017 more than 50% of the electricity generated in the UK was from renewable
5. sources.

(a) Suggest two environmental conditions in the UK on 7th June 2017.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) At midday 35.4 GW of electricity was generated.

20.8% of this was provided by gas-fired power plants.

Calculate the energy per second that was provided by gas-fired power stations.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Energy per second = ____________________ J

(3)

(c) Some of the electricity generated was from low-carbon sources.

Low-carbon sources emit very little carbon dioxide.

Name one non-renewable resource that is a low-carbon source.

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

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(d) In the UK, electricity is delivered to consumers by the National Grid.

Explain the main features of the National Grid.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(6)

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 (e) The National Grid supplied a house with 18 000 000 J of energy in 1 hour.

What was the average current supplied to the house during that hour?

Write any equations that you use.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Current = ____________________ A
(5)
(Total 17 marks)

Solar intensity is a measure of the radiation received from the Sun at the surface of the Earth.
6.
Figure 1 shows how the mean solar intensity changes with the distance from the equator.

Figure 1

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(a) The city of Athens is 4200 km from the equator.

What is the mean solar intensity in Athens?

Mean solar intensity = _______________ W/m2

(1)

Solar water heaters use radiation from the Sun to heat water.

The heated water is stored in a water tank.

Figure 2 shows a solar water heater on the roof of a building.

Figure 2

(b) Cities closer to the equator have many more buildings with solar water heaters than cities
further away from the equator.

Suggest why.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) The use of solar water heaters may reduce the need to burn fossil fuels.

Complete the sentence.

Choose the answer from the box.

carbon dioxide nitrogen oxygen

Burning fossil fuels contributes to global warming because there is an increase in

the amount of ____________________ in the atmosphere.
(1)

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(d) The efficiency of the solar water heater is 0.61

Calculate the useful power output when the total power input to the solar water heater is
1100 W.

Use the equation:

useful power output = efficiency × total power input

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Useful power output = _______________ W

(2)

(e) Different solar water heaters have different sized heating panels.

Suggest how the size of the heating panels affects the input power to a solar water heater.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(f) Water has a high specific heat capacity.

What is meant by the specific heat capacity of water?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

The energy required to change the state of 1 kg of water from liquid

to gas.

The energy required to increase the temperature of 1 kg of water by

1 °C.

The power required to change the state of 1 kg of water from liquid

to gas.

The power required to increase the temperature of 1 kg of water by

1 °C.

(1)

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(g) The water tank contained 80 kg of water.

The change in thermal energy of the water was 8 400 000 J.

specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J/kg °C

Calculate the temperature change of the water.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Temperature change = _______________ °C

(3)

(h) The water tank is thermally insulated.

How does thermal insulation affect the rate of energy transfer from the water in the tank?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

Thermal insulation decreases the rate of energy

transfer.

Thermal insulation does not change the rate of

energy transfer.

Thermal insulation increases the rate of energy

transfer.

(1)

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(i) The table below shows information about different materials.

Thermal conductivity in
Material
arbitrary units

A 3

B 2

C 8

D 4

Which material in the table above is the best thermal insulator?

✓) one box.
Tick (✓

A B C D

(1)
(Total 12 marks)

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