Science of Energy Storage – Starter Pack
Summary
This energy storage starter pack combines a vocabulary list with a quiz to reinforce key concepts from the video. The quiz assesses students’ understanding of the major types of energy storage and why they are necessary to solve the problem of intermittent power from sources like wind and solar. The vocabulary list defines essential terms like baseload power, flywheel, capacitor, and utility-scale, helping students with comprehension.
Bell Ringer
Instructions: Answer the prompt provided by your teacher.
Vocabulary
Instructions: Watch the Science of Energy Storage video and listen for the vocabulary words.
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Electrons | noun; tiny particles with a negative charge that move through atoms and create electricity | “Electricity is the flow of electrons . . .” |
| Commercial | adjective; related to buying, selling, or using something for business purposes | “Today’s batteries are too expensive and low-powered to work at a huge commercial scale.” |
| Generator | noun; a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy | “We could have [electricity] whether the generators are going or not.” |
| Fleet | noun; a group of similar machines, vehicles or facilities managed and operated together | “Today we have a whole fleet of power plants that we ramp up and turn off to follow electricity demand.” |
| Baseload Power | noun phrase; the minimum amount of electricity that is always needed on the grid | “Keeping plants running continuously like we do with baseload power is efficient and cheaper.” |
| Power Plant | noun; a facility that produces electricity for homes, businesses, or industries | “With affordable energy storage, we can generate power whenever and however it’s cheapest, and then use storage, not power plants, to follow demand.” |
| Flywheel | noun; a heavy, rotating device that stores energy and helps keep machines running smoothly | “The same can be done with compressed air, flywheels, or advanced capacitors.” |
| Capacitor | noun; a device that stores and releases electrical energy in a circuit | “The same can be done with compressed air, flywheels, or advanced capacitors.” |
| Utility-Scale | adjective; large enough to supply electricity to a grid, not just individual homes or buildings | But, if we could invent affordable, utility-scale storage, it would completely change the way we make, and use, electricity.” |
Quiz
Instructions: Circle the correct answer based on what you learned in the Science of Energy Storage video.
Q1. What is the most common electricity storage method today?
- storage in chemical batteries
- storage in large wells
- storage in nuclear power plants
- storage in electric vehicles
Q2. How do solar and wind-generated electricity compare to daily electricity demands?
- Wind and solar generate the most electricity at midday, which matches the time when demand typically peaks.
- Wind and solar generate more electricity during nighttime hours, while demand is greatest during the day.
- Wind and solar generate solar intermittently, while electricity demand typically peaks midday.
- Wind and solar generate electricity at a constant level, while demand is greatest at night.
Q3. What is one benefit of using electricity storage?
- Storing sufficient energy to meet current demand is easy.
- Stored energy allows power plants to ramp up production quickly.
- Stored energy from intermittent energy sources helps meet energy demands.
- Storing energy allows power plants to double their energy production capacity.
Q4. Which of the following is an example of mechanical energy storage?
- Batteries storing chemical energy.
- Pumped hydroelectric reservoirs storing gravitational potential energy.
- Solar panels converting sunlight into electricity.
- Fuel cells producing electricity through chemical reactions.