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This lesson covers the different energy resources used to generate electricity and heat, as required by the Edexcel GCSE Physics specification (1PH0), Topic 3: Conservation of Energy. You need to know the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources, their advantages and disadvantages, and their environmental impacts.
Energy resources are classified into two groups:
| Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Non-renewable | Resources that will eventually run out — they are being used faster than they can be replaced | Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear fuel (uranium) |
| Renewable | Resources that will not run out — they are replenished naturally within a human lifetime | Solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, wave, geothermal, biomass |
Exam Tip: Nuclear fuel (uranium) is classified as non-renewable because there is a finite supply of uranium ore. Do not confuse nuclear with renewable — this is a very common mistake.
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