1.2.1
Fossil Fuels & Nuclear
Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of dead plants and animals. They take millions of years to form.

Fossil fuels
- Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of dead plants and animals.
- They take millions of years to form.
- Fossil fuels are finite resources as they cannot be replaced as they run out.

Types of fossil fuels
- The three main types of fossil fuels are:
- Coal.
- Gas.
- Oil.

Advantages
- Advantages include:
- A small amount of fuel creates large amounts of energy.
- Fuel is very safe and stable to transport and use.

Disadvantages
- Disadvantages include:
- CO2 is produced when fossil fuels are burned which causes pollution and can contribute to global warming.
- The supply of fossil fuels is limited and as demand is increasing we will eventually run out.
Nuclear Power
Nuclear power is generated in nuclear power plants or stations where heat is created from fission in a nuclear reactor.

How it works
- A high energy source of heat is created.
- This heats water into steam.
- The steam drives a turbine.
- The turbine then generates electricity.

Advantages
- Advantages include:
- The process is clean and efficient.
- Power plants don’t need a lot of space.
- It is a reliable source of energy.

Disadvantages
- Disadvantages include:
- The waste that the process creates is radioactive.
- This creates serious damage to the environment and life forms if there is a leak.
- If there is a problem in the plant or station and the reactor explodes the effect is disastrous.
- The waste that the process creates is radioactive.
1Core Technical Principles
1.1New & Emerging Technologies
1.2Energy Generation & Storage
1.3Developments in New Materials
1.4Systems Approach to Designing
1.5Mechanical Devices
1.6Materials Categories
2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles
2.1Selection of Materials
2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses
2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint
2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins
2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials
2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production
2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes
2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes
3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles
3.1Timber: Selection of Materials
3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses
3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint
3.4Timber: Sources & Origins
3.5Timber: Using Materials
3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
3.7Timber: Scales of Production
3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes
3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes
4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles
4.1Metals: Selection of Materials
4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses
4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint
4.4Metals: Sources & Origins
4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials
4.6Metals: Using Materials
4.7Metals: Scales of Production
4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes
4.9Metals: Quality Control
4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes
5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles
5.1Polymers
5.2Polymer Categories
5.3Polymer Forms
5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control
6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles
6.1Textile Materials
6.2Selection of Materials
6.3Forces & Stresses
7Designing & Making Principles
7.1Investigation & Data
7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges
7.3The Work of Others
7.4Design Strategies
7.5Communication of Design Ideas
7.6Prototype Development
7.7Selection of Materials
7.8Tolerances
7.9Material Management
7.10Specialist Equipment
7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes
Jump to other topics
1Core Technical Principles
1.1New & Emerging Technologies
1.2Energy Generation & Storage
1.3Developments in New Materials
1.4Systems Approach to Designing
1.5Mechanical Devices
1.6Materials Categories
2Paper & Board: Specialist Technical Principles
2.1Selection of Materials
2.2Paper & Board: Forces & Stresses
2.3Paper & Board: Ecological & Social Footprint
2.4Paper & Board: Sources & Origins
2.5Paper & Board: Using Materials
2.6Paper & Board: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
2.7Paper & Board: Scales of Production
2.8Paper & Board: Specialist Techniques & Processes
2.9Paper & Board: Surface Treatments & Finishes
3Timber: Specialist Technical Principles
3.1Timber: Selection of Materials
3.2Timber: Forces & Stresses
3.3Timber: Ecological & Social Footprint
3.4Timber: Sources & Origins
3.5Timber: Using Materials
3.6Timber: Stock Forms, Types & Sizes
3.7Timber: Scales of Production
3.8Timber: Specialist Techniques & Processes
3.9Timber: Surface Treatments & Finishes
4Metal: Specialist Technical Principles
4.1Metals: Selection of Materials
4.2Metals: Forces & Stresses
4.3Metals: Ecological & Social Footprint
4.4Metals: Sources & Origins
4.5Metals: Alloy-Based Materials
4.6Metals: Using Materials
4.7Metals: Scales of Production
4.8Metals: Specialist Techniques & Processes
4.9Metals: Quality Control
4.10Metals: Surface Treatments & Finishes
5Polymers: Specialist Technical Principles
5.1Polymers
5.2Polymer Categories
5.3Polymer Forms
5.4Polymer Production, Techniques & Quality Control
6Textiles: Specialist Technical Principles
6.1Textile Materials
6.2Selection of Materials
6.3Forces & Stresses
7Designing & Making Principles
7.1Investigation & Data
7.2Environmental, Social & Economic Challenges
7.3The Work of Others
7.4Design Strategies
7.5Communication of Design Ideas
7.6Prototype Development
7.7Selection of Materials
7.8Tolerances
7.9Material Management
7.10Specialist Equipment
7.11Specialist Techniques & Processes
Practice questions on Fossil Fuels & Nuclear
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Advantages of fossil fuels:Fill in the list
- 2Disadvantages of fossil fuels:Fill in the list
- 3Which of these energy sources is NOT a fossil fuel?Multiple choice
- 4How Nuclear Power is GeneratedPut in order
- 5Advantages of nuclear power:Fill in the list
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