Question

Jaden listed the similarities of using coal, natural gas, and petroleum to generate electricity.

Coal, natural gas, and petroleum:
– use turbines
– require heat
– convert electrical energy to kinetic energy
– produce pollution in the form of smoke

Which best describes Jaden’s mistake?

Only coal-fired power plants use turbines.
Power plants do not require heat.
Kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy.
Coal does not produce pollution.

Answer 1

Kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy.

Jaden reversed the energy conversion: in coal, natural gas, and petroleum plants heat produces kinetic/mechanical energy (turning turbines), and the generator converts that mechanical/kinetic energy into electrical energy.