Science of Geothermal – Starter Pack
Summary
Build foundational understanding with key geothermal terms. In this activity, students watch The Science of Geothermal video and complete a vocabulary chart defining words like plate boundary, hot spot, turbine, and radiator. The quiz reinforces comprehension, asking students to identify geothermal systems, energy flow, and efficiency.
This section develops reading and listening comprehension skills while supporting NGSS science and engineering practices in communication and information processing. Teachers can use it before or after the video for reinforcement.
Bell Ringer
Instructions: Answer the prompt provided by your teacher.
Vocabulary
Instructions: Watch the Science of Geothermal video and listen for the vocabulary words
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| plate boundary | noun phrase; the place on Earth’s surface where two tectonic plates, which are large pieces of Earth’s outer layer, meet and move | “At geological plate boundaries . . . the heat of the Earth’s interior comes very near the surface . . .” |
| hot spot | noun phrase; an area where magma, which is melted rock from beneath Earth’s surface, rises through the crust to form volcanoes, islands, or hot springs (like Yellowstone). | “At . . . geological hot spots . . . the heat of the Earth’s interior comes very near the surface . . .” |
| superheat | verb; to heat a liquid above its boiling point without it turning into vapor | “. . . the heat of the Earth’s interior comes very near the surface and it superheats the groundwater.” |
| groundwater | noun; water found underground in soil and rock layers | “. . . the heat of the Earth’s interior comes very near the surface and it superheats the groundwater.” |
| radiator | noun; a device that gives off heat from hot water or steam to warm a space | “We can drill wells to tap into this hot water and steam, which can then be circulated into people’s homes through simple radiators.” |
| turbine | noun; a machine that spins when water, air, or steam flows through it to generate electricity | “[Hot water and steam] can be used to drive steam turbines similar to those in other kinds of power plants to make electricity.” |
| hydraulically fractured | verb phrase; when rock deep underground is cracked open by fluid pumped in under high pressure | “Vertical wells are drilled and hydraulically fractured, much like an oil and gas well.” |
| experimental | adjective; describes a technology or process that is still being tested and studied | “ . . . . but today, it’s experimental and therefore expensive for the amount of energy that it returns.” |
| trenches | noun; long, narrow ditches dug into the ground for pipes, cables, or equipment | “ . . . we bury a long closed loop of pipe either in trenches or vertically to as little as 200 feet . . .” |
| conventional | adjective; describes a method or technology that is widely used and well-established | “These systems are twice as expensive to install as conventional heating and cooling . . .” |
| emissions | noun; pollutants or gases released into the air, usually from vehicles or power plants | “. . . but they’re cheaper to operate, longer lasting, and produce fewer emissions.” |
Quiz
Instructions: Circle the correct answer based on what you learned in the Science of Geothermal video.
Q1. Which location provides the rarest – but most powerful – source of geothermal energy?
- geologic plate boundaries
- deep underground water heated by magma
- artificially fractured rock (enhanced geothermal systems)
- vertical wells drilled into hot rock
Q2. How is hot water from geothermal energy systems delivered to homes for heating?
- by tank trucks
- through water processing plants
- underground through pipelines
- by large ships and planes
Q3. How can heat from hot rock beneath the Earth’s surface be used to provide geothermal energy?
- by drilling wells into hot rock and creating fractures so water can flow through
- by pumping water into fractured rock so it becomes heated
- By using naturally heated underground water to generate electricity
- all of the above
Q4. Geothermal heat pumps cost more to install than conventional heating and cooling systems, but they are usually
- cheaper to operate
- longer lasting
- lower in emissions
- all of the above