Light bulb
Electricity is one of the main discoveries that has made very big changes in how people live. Imagine a day without electricity! Think of all the things which you use, from the time your alarm clock rings in the morning to switching off your light at night, in which you used electricity. Imagine no electric light, fridge, electric cooker or kettle, computer, radio or TV!
But electricity is also very dangerous and can kill you; so be very careful and do not play around with it. Only use it in the way it was meant to be used, and do not use damaged electrical gadgets.
Making Electricity
Making electricity: magnet near a coil of wire
Making electricity: magnet near a coil of wire
Making electricity: magnet near a coil of wire
In order to make electricity you usually have to turn a coil of wire near a magnet or a magnet near a coil of wire. To do this you need some other kind of energy.
In Ireland this energy comes in different ways:
Bogland Map
The distribution rainfall in the different types bog in Ireland.
Source: The Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (1997) p. 107.Bogland Map
Source: The Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (1997) p. 107.
Source: The Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (1997) p. 107.
Bogland Map
The distribution rainfall in the different types bog in Ireland.
Source: The Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape (1997) p. 107.
- From burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and turf. Ireland has a lot of bogs so burning turf has been used for making electricity. (Some of the power stations which used turf are now closed, like in Portarlington, Co. Offaly, and there are only a few left, like in Lanesboro, Co. Longford).
But fossil fuels take thousands of years to form and they are running out. They also give out ‘greenhouse’ gases which are bad for the environment. This contributes to global warming which affects our climate.
Wind Turbines
Wind Turbines, Kingsmountain, Co. Sligo
Wind Turbines
Wind Turbines
Wind Turbines, Kingsmountain, Co. Sligo
- Electricity can also be produced from renewable energy sources, like from falling water (called hydro-electric), wind and waves. These will not run out and they do not give out greenhouse gases. So the government is encouraging people to make electricity using these methods.
Do you have a power station near you? Where does its energy come from in the first place? Oil? Turf? Coal? Wind? Falling water? Any other way?