F.Sc.

/ICS Part 1 Physics Notes by Luqman Saleem BS Hons Physics - email:

luqmansaleem99@gmail.com

Non-conventional energy
sources:
Energy sources which are not very common these days are called nonconventional energy source. For example:

Energy from tides

Energy from waves
Energy form biomass
Geothermal energy

Energy from tides:

Moon produces tides on earth twice a days, these tides can be used to produce
electricity by building a basin in the ocean. As shown in figure at page 32.

Energy from waves:

Wind produces waves in ocean. These waves can be used to produce electricity
using salters duck, salters duck consist of two parts, Duck float and Balance
float. Balance float balance the device and duck float move to produce
electricity.

Solar energy:
Sun give almost 1.4 kW/m^2 energy to earth. This is called solar constant.
This energy reduces to 1 kW/m^2 when it reaches at surface of earth due to
loss with dust & gas particles.
Solar energy can be used to produce electricity using solar cells; solar cells are
made from Semi-conductor materials that convert solar energy into electricity.
Solar cells are also called Voltaic cells.
Solar energy can be used to heat the water directly, as device showed at page
93. It has a blacked surface which absorbs energy from sun, cold water passes
on the surface and heat up to 70 C

Uses of solar energy:

Solar cells use in satellites, solar calculators, solar watches, weather stations.

Energy from biomass:

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F.Sc./ICS Part 1 Physics Notes by Luqman Saleem BS Hons Physics - email:

luqmansaleem99@gmail.com

Getting energy from waste materials like animal dung, crop residue, trees is
called biomass energy.
It has two methods:

Direct combustion: in this process material is burnt to get heat energy

directly.

Fermentation: in this process waste material is rotted in closed tanks called

digester that produces biogas.

Energy from waste products: in this process material is burnt to get

heat energy

Geo thermal energy:

Heat energy in earth is called geo thermal energy. Energy in earth is due to
following process:
Radioactive decay: energy is constantly being released by the decay of
radioactive materials
Residual heat of the earth: within 10km of earths surface there are
partly molten rocks with temperature 200C or more. This is a heat energy.
Compression of material: compression of materials deep inside earth
also generate heat energy
This heat produce steam that is used to run turbines and that turbines
produce electricity.

Geyser:
A spring which discharges hot water and steam is called geyser. The geysers
releases an explosive column into the air. Most geysers erupt at irregular
intervals. They usually fount in volcanic regions.

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