Electricity in the Home A Scavenger Hunt

Lesson Goals To introduce you to the different types of electricity generation and how it gets to us To give you some background information to help you with the take-home assignment

Where does our electricity come from?

Hydro-Electric Niagara Falls Large, renewable source of falling water

Steam (Coal-Fired) Turbines turned using steam from burning coal Cheap and plentiful but burns dirty (climate change) Nanticoke, ON (south of Brantford on Lake Erie)

Nuclear Nuclear reaction powers turbines Clean energy but environmental, waste concerns Along Lake Ontario (Darlington, Pickering)

Whatever the source, electricity transported to our area via overhead transmission lines 140,000 to 760,000 V

Transformer Stations Once electricity gets to our area, voltage needs to be reduced Current increased for household use 500,000 V to 125,000 V Eg. Dobbin station (Lily Lake Road)

Utility Poles On your street Have transformers that reduce voltage again from about 50,000 V to household voltage Look like a garbage pail

Underground Utilities Newer homes have underground wires bringing them electricity Can’t see them, but you can see transformers Wires travel from these, along your road and into your house

Into your home Electricity enters your home at the electrical meter Meter records how much power you use so that you can be billed Service panel will be found on inside wall near the meter