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Unit 5: Earth and Space, Part 2
Lesson 3: Alternative Energy Resources
Biofuels
The prefix bio- means life. Biofuels are fuels made from plants.
Think about—
Gasoline is a fuel that is burned in a car engine to make the
car run.
Have you ever seen the word ethanol on a gasoline pump?
Gasoline may contain ethanol. Ethanol is a biofuel made
from corn.
Ethanol is an alternative energy resource.
Another example of a biofuel is biodiesel. Biodiesel is a fuel
that can be made from vegetable oils or fats. Biodiesel is an
alternative energy resource.
Facilitation Questions
What is wind? Wind is moving air. Wind is an alternative energy resource.
How is
wind energy collected and turned into electricity? Wind causes the blades
of a wind turbine to turn. The turning of the blades runs the generator, producing
electricity.
What is solar energy? Solar energy is energy from the Sun. It is an alternative
energy resource.
How is
solar energy collected and used? Solar energy is collected by solar panels
and changed into usable electrical energy.
What is geothermal energy? Geothermal energy is heat energy found beneath
Earth’s crust. It is an alternative energy resource.
How is
geothermal energy collected and used? Wells are drilled into geothermal
reservoirs beneath Earth’s surface. The hot water and steam from the reservoir
rise up through the wells to Earth’s surface. The hot water and steam spin the
turbines in a power plant. Electricity is produced.
What is hydroelectric energy?
Hydroelectric energy
is the energy in moving water.
It is an alternative energy resource.
What is the purpose of a dam in producing hydroelectric energy?
A dam holds
back the water of a moving river. The water is collected in a reservoir behind the
dam. Water is released from the reservoir. The moving water causes the turbines
to turn. Electricity is produced.
