Hydroelectric Turbine — Questions and answers
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What did Benoît Fourneyron think was important to make water power better than simple water wheels?
Choices
- To simply make the paddles flatter so water could splash more.
- To make the water react against specially shaped blades with consistent pressure. ✓
- To build the water wheels much smaller so they would not waste energy.
- To only use water from very small streams.
Answer: To make the water react against specially shaped blades with consistent pressure.
From page 2
What was the special design that Benoît Fourneyron created in 1827?
Choices
- A new kind of boat that could sail faster.
- An outward-flow reaction turbine that used curved vanes to make the wheel spin with continuous pressure. ✓
- A windmill that could turn without any wind.
- A simple water wheel that just let water hit flat paddles.
Answer: An outward-flow reaction turbine that used curved vanes to make the wheel spin with continuous pressure.
From page 3
How did James B. Francis's turbine design improve upon earlier models?
Choices
- It made water flow outward from the center.
- It used air instead of water to spin the blades.
- It directed water inward towards the runner's center and then downwards, making it more efficient. ✓
- It was much smaller and could only power a single light bulb.
Answer: It directed water inward towards the runner's center and then downwards, making it more efficient.
From page 4
What special part did Lester Pelton add to his wheel to make it work well with little water flow but a big drop?
Choices
- He used very long, flat paddles.
- He added a series of unique 'split buckets' that split the water jet and turned it almost 180 degrees. ✓
- He painted the wheel a bright color.
- He made the wheel out of clear glass.
Answer: He added a series of unique 'split buckets' that split the water jet and turned it almost 180 degrees.
From page 5
How does a hydroelectric turbine system start to make power?
Choices
- By waiting for a very windy day.
- By capturing water's potential energy in a large reservoir held by a dam at a high place. ✓
- By burning wood to heat up water.
- By digging a very deep hole in the ground.
Answer: By capturing water's potential energy in a large reservoir held by a dam at a high place.
From page 6
What were some important benefits of building large dams with hydroelectric turbines in the 20th century?
Choices
- They made rivers flow faster for boats.
- They only helped grow a few small gardens.
- They provided lots of clean electricity, helped control floods, and watered farms. ✓
- They made it harder for people to travel by river.
Answer: They provided lots of clean electricity, helped control floods, and watered farms.
From page 9