The turbines can be seen inside this hydroelectric dam. Why are they located at that particular height?

Question

(1 point)
There is a small drop, so the water
• will still have a lot of potential energy to transfer to the turbine.
There is a small drop, so the water
• will still have a lot of kinetic energy to transfer to the turbine.
There is a large drop, so the water
• will have a lot of potential energy to transfer to the turbine.
There is a large drop, so the water
• will have a lot of kinetic energy to transfer to the turbine.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

There is a large drop, so the water will have a lot of potential energy to transfer to the turbine.

In hydroelectric dams, turbines are typically located where there is a significant height difference (large drop) in order to maximize the potential energy of the water. As water flows down from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, this potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, which is then used to turn the turbines and generate electricity.