Science SUMMATIVE: Alternative Energy Sources [WIMS 8th Grade]

Open Ended

What is a renewable resource?

Multiple Choice

Which renewable energy source became the most commonly-used for producing electricity in the U.S. since 2019?

• Hydropower

• Solar power

• Wind power

• Geothermal energy

Open Ended

Name the three main types of fossil fuels.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are steps [3] in the process of generating electricity from fossil fuels?

• Burning fossil fuels to produce steam

• Turning the blades of a turbine

• Converting mechanical energy into electrical energy

• Directly using sunlight to generate electricity

Fill in the Blank

One of the main disadvantages of fossil fuels is that they release ___ when burned, contributing to climate change.

Open Ended

Does a wind turbine use a generator? Yes or No

Multiple Select

Which [3] of the following are considered cons of wind power?

• Not reliable/consistent

• Expensive to build and maintain

• Causes air pollution

• Can kill birds

Multiple Choice

Which process occurs when sunlight hits solar cells in a solar panel?

• Release of electrons

• Absorption of water

• Production of steam

• Movement of turbine blades

Multiple Select

Which of the following are cons of solar power?

• Not reliable/consistent

• Minimal impact on the environment

• Expensive to build

• Requires a lot of space

Fill in the Blank

A dam holds water up at a high height, storing energy as ___ potential energy.

Open Ended

Do you see a pattern between many of the ways that we create energy? Can you name it?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a con of hydropower?

• Reliable and efficient

• Cost-effective to maintain

• Expensive to build

• Does not cause air pollution

Fill in the Blank

Heat from deep underground is used to produce ___ in a geothermal power plant.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a con of geothermal energy?

• Expensive to build

• Minimal impact on the environment

• Not all locations are suitable for extraction

• May contribute to air pollution

Open Ended

What kind of biomass fuel do you thing the world should use more of in the future?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following steps is NOT involved in generating electricity from biomass in a power plant?

• Burning biomass to heat water

• Producing steam to turn a turbine

• Using solar panels to generate electricity

• Converting mechanical energy into electrical energy

Fill in the Blank

Biofuels like ___ and ethanol can be produced from plant and animal products.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are cons of using biomass energy?

• Air pollution and carbon dioxide release

• Deforestation and land use

• Water pollution from fertilizers

• All of the above

Open Ended

Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion in terms of the process and the atoms involved.

Multiple Choice

Which process is used in nuclear power plants to generate energy?

• Fusion

• Fission

• Combustion

• Photosynthesis

Open Ended

Explain how a nuclear power plant converts nuclear energy into electrical energy, referring to the main components involved.

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources?

• Renewable resources are replaced faster than they are used, while nonrenewable resources are not.

• Nonrenewable resources are replaced faster than they are used, while renewable resources are not.

• Both are replaced at the same rate.

• Renewable resources are always cheaper than nonrenewable resources.

Multiple Select

Select all [3] the advantages of nuclear energy from the list below.

• Produces a lot of energy from a small amount of matter

• No emission of greenhouse gases

• Radioactive waste must be stored safely

• Uranium reserves are abundant

Open Ended

After learning about renewable and nonrenewable resources, what questions do you still have or what would you like to know more about regarding alternative energy sources?