Electricity from Moving Water
5th Grade•45 minutes
Learning Objective
I can describe how hydropower uses moving water to create electricity.
Key Concepts
Energy from moving water is called hydropower, which is a renewable and clean energy source.
A hydroelectric dam stops the flow of a river, forcing water through a pipe to turn a turbine that powers a generator to make electricity.
Building a dam can create a lake that changes the ecosystem, and the turbine blades can injure fish and disrupt their migration.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 11 practice questions to reinforce learning.
View questions preview
1. What does 'hydro' mean?
2. Is hydropower a renewable or nonrenewable energy source? Explain why.
3. How does gravity contribute to hydropower?
...and 8 more questions
Educational Video
What is Hydropower?
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