
(a) What is the difference between a thermal power plant and a hydropower plant?
(b) Which of the two causes serious air pollution and how?
Answer
412.2k+ views
Hint:
- One of them converts heat energy into electricity while the other converts potential energy into electricity.
-Thermal power plants are of many types, while hydropower plants are of a single type.
- The thermal power plants are known to combust fossil fuels to produce heat, steam and eventually electricity.
Complete answer:
(a) The main purpose of both Thermal and Hydropower plants is to generate electricity. The raw materials and the processes involved, make them very different from each other.
(b) Out of the two types of plants, it is the thermal power plant that causes serious air pollution. This is because it uses fossil fuels, i.e. coal and its other derivatives. These fuels when burnt, release harmful gases into the environment, such as carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Hydropower plants on the other hand do not cause any air pollution at all.
Note: To prevent further air pollution, nowadays nuclear energy is used to generate electricity. In this type of plant, there is no burning of fossil fuels and thus no air pollution. But it has other problems as it uses radioactive elements to generate nuclear energy.
- One of them converts heat energy into electricity while the other converts potential energy into electricity.
-Thermal power plants are of many types, while hydropower plants are of a single type.
- The thermal power plants are known to combust fossil fuels to produce heat, steam and eventually electricity.
Complete answer:
(a) The main purpose of both Thermal and Hydropower plants is to generate electricity. The raw materials and the processes involved, make them very different from each other.
Thermal power plant | Hydropower plant |
In thermal power plants, electricity is produced by burning different types of fuels to generate heat. This heat is then used to boil water. | In hydropower plants, huge dams are built. These dams hold water at great heights. Since the water is at a great height, it has very high potential energy. |
The boiling water turns into steam and the pressure of the steam is used to turn turbines. These turning turbines generate electricity. | When this water is released from the dam, it falls down on huge turbines, thus rotating them. This generates electricity. |
(b) Out of the two types of plants, it is the thermal power plant that causes serious air pollution. This is because it uses fossil fuels, i.e. coal and its other derivatives. These fuels when burnt, release harmful gases into the environment, such as carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Hydropower plants on the other hand do not cause any air pollution at all.
Note: To prevent further air pollution, nowadays nuclear energy is used to generate electricity. In this type of plant, there is no burning of fossil fuels and thus no air pollution. But it has other problems as it uses radioactive elements to generate nuclear energy.
Recently Updated Pages
The correct geometry and hybridization for XeF4 are class 11 chemistry CBSE

Water softening by Clarks process uses ACalcium bicarbonate class 11 chemistry CBSE

With reference to graphite and diamond which of the class 11 chemistry CBSE

A certain household has consumed 250 units of energy class 11 physics CBSE

The lightest metal known is A beryllium B lithium C class 11 chemistry CBSE

What is the formula mass of the iodine molecule class 11 chemistry CBSE

Trending doubts
Full Form of IASDMIPSIFSIRSPOLICE class 7 social science CBSE

How did Douglas overcome his fear of water class 7 english CBSE

What is the square root of 04 class 7 maths CBSE

Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals a Drivers class 7 english CBSE

The southernmost point of the Indian mainland is known class 7 social studies CBSE

What crosssections do you get when you give a Vertical class 7 maths CBSE
