Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Energy Lesson | GCSE Physics Edexcel Higher Triple

Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Energy

This lesson covers:

What fossil fuels are, and their pros and cons
What nuclear energy is, and its pros and cons

Fossil Fuels

A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals.

Illustration showing coal, crude oil, and natural gas as the three main types of fossil fuels.

There are three main types of fossil fuels that you need to know about:

Illustration showing fossil fuels burning with flames and smoke.

Fossil fuels may be burned to provide heat. That heat can be used in multiple different ways:

Illustration of a pot on fire with food items inside, representing the burning of fossil fuels to provide heat.

1Burned to provide heat for direct use (e.g. cooking).

2To power engines (e.g. the internal combustion engines in cars).

Illustration of three yellow lightning bolts on a black background.

3To generate electricity.

How long does it take for fossil fuels to form?

Thousands of years

Millions of years

Billions of years

What is the physical state of coal?

Solid

The pros and cons of fossil fuels

Pros

Illustration showing money being exchanged for barrels of fossil fuels.

1Relatively cheap

2Can be used in any conditions (e.g. don't require wind or sunshine to work)

Illustration of a car with a magnified view of a fossil fuel droplet.

3Much of our current infrastructure is designed to run using fossil fuels (e.g. most of our cars use petrol or diesel which are both made from crude oil)

Cons

Illustration showing a large oil droplet with an arrow pointing to a smaller oil droplet.

1They're a limited resource so will run out one day

Illustration showing combustion of fossil fuels and the release of carbon dioxide molecules.

2They produce carbon dioxide when burned, which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming

Illustration showing the cons of fossil fuels with flames, smoke, and a toxic symbol.

3They sometimes produce toxic gases when burned - such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide

Are fossil fuels relatively cheap or expensive compared to most other fuels?

Cheap

Expensive

Are fossil fuels a renewable or finite resource?

Renewable

Finite

What is the name of the gas produced by the combustion of fossil fuels that contributes to global warming?

Carbon dioxide

Nuclear energy

Diagram showing nuclear fission with a nuclear power station and the process of splitting atomic nuclei.

Nuclear energy is energy obtained via nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fission reactions in nuclear power stations.

Diagram showing nuclear energy converting to electricity and being transmitted to buildings.

This energy can be used to generate electricity, which can then be transmitted to homes and factories across the country.

The pros and cons of nuclear energy

Pros

Illustration showing a skull and crossbones symbol with a prohibition sign, indicating the cons of nuclear energy.

1Nuclear fuels do not produce any pollutants like sulfur dioxide, or greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide

2Can be used in any conditions (e.g. nuclear power doesn't depend on environmental forces like sunshine or wind)

3Although nuclear fuel (like uranium) is a limited resource, it is very unlikely to run out for a very long time

Illustration showing a nuclear reaction inside the Earth with glowing particles.

Cons

1Nuclear fuels (like uranium) are technically a finite resource (although nuclear power stations only use very tiny amounts so it won't run out any time soon)

2Nuclear power stations produce radioactive waste, which remains harmful for thousands of years and so must be stored very carefully

Illustration of a scale balancing money bags and glowing nuclear energy.

3It is quite expensive

Illustration showing a cartoon lion observing a glowing yellow object on the ground, representing the pros and cons of nuclear energy.

4If there is a problem at the power station, there is a very small chance of a nuclear meltdown which could release large amounts of radioactive material into the environment

Is nuclear power relatively cheap or expensive compared to most other fuels?

Cheap

Expensive

Is the fuel for nuclear power a renewable or finite resource?

Renewable

Finite

Give 3 disadvantages of nuclear power.