Question

Observe the following figure and answer the questions below:

1. What does the flow chart depict?
2. Why the energy in the coal is called chemical energy?
3. Why such plants are known as thermal power plants?

Answer 1

1. Transformation of energy in a thermal power plant.
2. A fossil fuel called coal was formed from plants millions of years ago. The original source of the energy contained in fossil fuels was sunlight. Plants produce their chemicals through photosynthesis, which requires light energy from the Sun. Animals that consumed the plants also stored chemical energy, which was transferred to them. The living creatures were gradually buried by rock layers as they died. They eventually transformed into fossil fuels. Coal stores chemical energy. A hydrocarbon is coal. Burning coal releases chemical energy in the form of heat and light, which causes water and carbon dioxide (C0₂) vapors to form (H₂0).
3. These power plants are referred to as thermal power plants because thermal energy is utilized to produce electrical energy in them.