Power from Nature

Multiple Choice

What is the Genre of our story?

• Expository

• Fantasy

• Science Fiction

• Drama

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an Expository text?

• Harry Potter and the Sorcers Stone

• Bob Jones Very Bad Day

• The Wild Robot

• The Encyclopedia of Pizza

What are some ways we get power from nature?

​Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy

​What does
Renewable mean?

​What does
Nonrenewable mean?

​Click! You just turned on a lamp. A faraway power plant most likely supplied the electricity for that lamp by burning coal. Coal, which has to be extracted from deep within the earth, is a natural resource.

Natural resources are nature’s gifts, the riches that exist in the natural world. They include metals and minerals, along with vegetation, soil, and animals in the wild. They include the things that are a necessity for all life—water, air, and sunlight.

​One important use for natural resources is to provide energy. Energy makes things work. It runs our cars, computers, heating and cooling systems, kitchen appliances, telephones, televisions, and industrial machinery. Where do we get all this energy? Natural resources serve as energy sources.

Energy sources are divided into two categories. Renewable energy sources—such as sunlight and wind—can be renewed, or continuously refilled. They do not run out. In contrast, nonrenewable energy sources can be depleted, or used up. Coal, natural gas, and oil—also called petroleum—fall into this category. Only a limited amount of these substances, called fossil fuels, exists. Nuclear energy is also nonrenewable because it requires uranium. Amounts of uranium are finite, or limited.

Categorize

Options (8)

sunlight

wind

water

coal

oil

natural gas

trees

nuclear

Which are renewable and nonrenewable?

Renewable

Nonrenewable

From the start of human history, people used renewable energy. For example, sails captured wind to move ships, and wood was burned to cook food. Then, about 150 years ago, human energy needs exploded. New machines required more energy. New ways to harness, or control, energy for use had to be developed. From the 19th century on, most energy has come from nonrenewable sources.

​Challenges and Problems

Nonrenewable energy has filled our needs on a huge scale. However, satisfying our energy hunger has been challenging. Supplies of coal, natural gas, oil, and uranium are buried underground. They must be discovered and extracted. Also, human technology is needed to transform natural resources into usable forms of energy. For example, gasoline has to be manufactured from oil and then delivered to customers.

​Although nonrenewable energy sources have filled our needs, continuing to use them poses problems. They not only can run out but also can pollute the environment. Burning coal produces gases that can poison the air. Some scientists argue that these gases have heated up our atmosphere. They say global warming will affect our climate so dramatically that glaciers will melt and sea levels will rise.

In addition, it is not just our atmosphere that can be polluted. Oil from spills often seeps into the ocean. Extracting natural gas can pollute a site’s surroundings. Nuclear energy creates dangerous waste.

What are solutions to our energy challenges? We must find some answers. One possibility is a return to renewable energy, which generally causes less pollution than fossil fuels. However, renewable energy is currently expensive and complex to harness on a large scale.

​Have a good look at the chart

Multiple Choice

Use of Fossil Fuels is going...

• Up

• Down

Multiple Choice

Use of Nuclear Power is going....

• Up

• Down

​Solutions for the Future

​Solar power, or power from the sun, shows promise. Solar panels on houses can absorb the sun’s energy to provide heat. Nonetheless, because Earth rotates on its axis and circulates in a yearly cycle around the sun, the sun’s energy is less available at certain times and seasons and in different places. It will take innovation and investment to maximize our use of solar power and other renewable energy.

We also can learn to use nonrenewable energy more wisely. Government and private industry have a role to play in protecting our natural resources and in reducing pollution. Moreover, individuals can try to conserve energy. We can remember to turn off lights, TVs, computers, and other devices when we are not using them. Small personal efforts can add up to big changes in our energy future.

Multiple Choice

What is a natural resource?

• A type of technology used to create energy.

• A gift from nature, like sunlight or water.

• A machine that converts coal into electricity.

• A type of renewable energy source.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a nonrenewable energy source?

• Wind

• Sunlight

• Water

• Coal

Multiple Choice

Why is nuclear energy considered nonrenewable?

• It is made from sunlight.

• It requires uranium, which is limited.

• It can be easily replenished.

• It is made from wind energy.

Multiple Choice

What does the term "renewable energy" mean?

• Energy that can be extracted from deep within the earth.

• Energy that can be renewed or continuously refilled.

• Energy that causes pollution.

• Energy that requires human technology to transform.

Multiple Choice

According to the article, why has using nonrenewable energy been challenging?

• Nonrenewable resources must be discovered, extracted, and transformed into usable forms.

• It is impossible to find nonrenewable resources.

• Renewable energy is more affordable.

• Nonrenewable resources are not needed by machines.

Multiple Choice

What is one negative impact of burning coal?

• It creates renewable energy.

• It releases gases that can poison the air.

• It generates clean energy without pollution.

• It increases supplies of renewable energy.

Multiple Choice

What do scientists argue about global warming?

• It will make the air cleaner.

• It has no impact on climate.

• It could cause glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise.

• It will create more fossil fuels.

Multiple Choice

Why is solar power considered a promising solution?

• It absorbs the sun’s energy to provide heat.

• It is the most affordable form of energy.

• It can be used all day and night without interruption.

• It requires fossil fuels to function.

Multiple Choice

What does the article suggest individuals can do to help with energy conservation?

• Build solar panels at home.

• Invest in oil companies.

• Turn off lights, TVs, and other devices when not in use.

• Use more nonrenewable energy sources.

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the article?

• To promote the use of nonrenewable energy.

• To explain how to build wind turbines.

• To describe different types of energy and discuss challenges and solutions.

• To argue against the use of solar energy.

​Put some headphones on and go to the next slide.

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