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.