Question

A hydroelectric plant takes energy from water and turns it into electrical energy. What are the transformations of energy in the water molecules that are used in the process of generating electricity this way?

Answer 1

Answer: First, the potential energy of the water molecule gets converted into the kinetic energy. Then the kinetic energy of the water molecules gets converted into the electrical energy.

Explanation: The water is stored into the dam having certain height. There is a potential energy due to height.

Then the water is made to fall on turbine from the dam. The water molecules has kinetic energy due to the motion of the water molecules. In this way the potential energy is converted into the kinetic energy.

The kinetic energy of the moving water turns the turbine which is used for generating the electricity this way.

Therefore, the potential energy of the water molecules gets converted into the kinetic energy. Then the kinetic energy of the water molecules gets converted into the electrical energy.