National and Global Energy Resources
Understand National and Global Energy Resources for GCSE Physics with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style questions with worked answers for AQA, Edexcel and OCR. Energy resources include renewables such as wind, solar and tidal, and non-renewables such as fossil fuels and nuclear, each with benefits and drawbacks.
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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.
Topic overview
Energy resources are either renewable or non-renewable. A renewable resource can be replenished as it is used, whereas a non-renewable one will eventually run out.
The non-renewable resources are the fossil fuels — coal, oil and gas — and nuclear fuel. The renewable ones are solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, wave, geothermal and bio-fuel.
Each has trade-offs. Fossil fuels are reliable and produce large amounts of energy but release carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming, and sulfur dioxide, causing acid rain. Renewables produce little or no pollution during use but many are unreliable, depending on weather or time of day, and have high set-up costs or visual impact.
Revision notes
The two categories
Non-renewable: coal, oil, gas and nuclear fuel. These will run out and cannot be replenished.
Renewable: solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, wave, geothermal and bio-fuel. These are replenished as they are used.
Reliability
Fossil fuels and nuclear are reliable — they can generate whenever needed.
Solar depends on daylight and weather. Wind depends on the wind blowing. Tidal is predictable but only generates at certain times. Hydroelectric and geothermal are reliable where the geography allows.
Environmental and other impacts
Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming, and sulfur dioxide, causing acid rain.
Nuclear produces no carbon dioxide but creates radioactive waste that must be stored safely for thousands of years. Renewables have high set-up costs, and wind and hydroelectric affect the landscape and habitats.
Key points
- Non-renewable resources will eventually run out.
- Fossil fuels are coal, oil and gas.
- Nuclear fuel is also non-renewable.
- Renewables include solar, wind, tidal and hydroelectric.
- Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
- Many renewables are unreliable.
Worked examples
Example 1
Explain the difference between a renewable and a non-renewable energy resource. [2 marks]
Model answer
A renewable resource is replenished at the same rate as it is used, so it will not run out (1 mark). A non-renewable resource is being used faster than it can be replaced and will eventually run out (1 mark).
Example 2
Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using wind to generate electricity. [2 marks]
Model answer
Advantage: it is renewable and produces no carbon dioxide during use (1 mark). Disadvantage: it is unreliable because it only generates when the wind is blowing, and some people object to the visual impact on the landscape (1 mark).
Example 3
Explain why fossil fuels contribute to global warming. [2 marks]
Model answer
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (1 mark), which is a greenhouse gas that absorbs radiation and increases the average global temperature (1 mark).
Common mistakes
Calling nuclear fuel renewable.
Nuclear fuel is non-renewable, though it produces no carbon dioxide.
Saying renewables have no disadvantages.
Reliability, set-up cost and environmental impact are all valid drawbacks.
Giving only one side in an evaluation.
Questions on energy resources almost always want advantages and disadvantages.
Saying tidal is unreliable.
Tidal is predictable, though it only generates at certain times.
Exam tips
- Learn which resources are renewable and which are not.
- Always give both an advantage and a disadvantage.
- Distinguish unreliable from unpredictable.
- Name the specific pollutant when discussing environmental impact.
Key terms
- Renewable
- A resource replenished as fast as it is used.
- Non-renewable
- A resource that will eventually run out.
- Fossil fuel
- Coal, oil or gas, formed from ancient organisms.
- Reliable
- Able to generate whenever needed.
Related topics
Written and reviewed against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Spotted an error? Let us know.