Simple Description

Electricity that is generated using water falling through a dam - a renewable energy source

Further Detail

The energy change in a hydroelectric plant is gravitational potential energy (of the water) turning into kinetic energy and then turning into eletrical energy. Hydroelectric plants are usually built in a dam and the construction of the dam usually involves flooding farmland in the upper areas around the upper reservoir. Hydroelectricity is considered a renewable energy source because the water can be returned to the upper reservoir and then used again.

Related Words:

• Renewable
• Non-renewable
• Fossil fuels

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