Lesson 1: Robotics and Humanity

I. About Robotics
● Robots are now widely used in so many forms of industries.
● Robots are by products of an array of scientific skills and technological advancements
brought about by innovative minds.
● The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) are the governing bodies with the task of formulating
work definitions for service robots.
● A preliminary extract of the definition is (IFR 2012): A robot is an actuated mechanism
programmable in two or more axes with a degree of autonomy, moving within its
environment to perform intended tasks. Autonomy in this context means to perform
intended tasks based on the current state and sensing human intervention.

II. Types of Robot

a. Service Robot
● a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment, excluding industrial
automation applications.
b. Personal Robot
● a service robot for personal use is a service robot used for non-commercial task,
usually by laypersons
● Examples: domestic servant robots, automated wheelchairs, personal mobility
assist robots, and pet exercising robots.

III. Roles Played by Robot

● Just like any other human, robots should perform well and good.
● With this, rules and characteristics that define a good robot is set. Isaac Asimov, back
in the 1940s, formulated laws when he was thinking about the consequences of robots.
● He formulated the following laws:

➢ Law One: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a
human being to come to harm.
➢ Law Two: A robot must obey the orders given by human beings except when such
orders would conflict with the first law.
➢ Law Three: A robot must protect its existence as long such protection does not
conflict with the first and the second law.
 IV. Ethical Dilemma/s Faced by Robotics
● There are so many concerns that can be encountered in robotics:
1. Safety

➢ Who should be blamed when someone's safety is compromised? Should it be

the manufacturer, the inventor, or the agent that is using the robot? Who will
be held accountable for this? Those are the pressing questions that might be
raised in the advent of using robots.

2. Robots Developing Emotional Component

➢ It is a little absurd, but with the advancement of technology, it is no longer

impossible for robots to develop emotions. (Evans, 2007).

Lesson 2: Information Age

I. Description
● Also known as the Digital Age, a period characterized by the widespread use of digital
technology and the rapid exchange of information
● Information is quickly disseminated and easily available to many parts of the world

II. General Characteristics

● Information is fast, cheap, powerful
● Networking
● Engaging
● Empowering
● Ubiquitous - it can be anywhere
● Hyperconnected
● High blend

III. Specific Characteristics about:

● Economics

➢ Less labor, high productivity

➢ Capital Intensive
➢ Network enables
➢ Business spread globally
 ➢ Virtual business

● Employment

➢ Increase in working
➢ Work at home
➢ Travel around
➢ Self-employed

● Education

➢ More informed than before

➢ Changing ways of learning

Lesson 3: Biodiversity and Healthy Society

I. What is Biodiversity?
● Refers to the existence of different species of organisms in a specific environment.
● Biodiversity comes from two different roots.
● ‘Bios’ is Greek for ‘life’. ‘Diversus’ means ‘different or various’.

II. Importance of Biodiversity to Humans

● Ecosystem Service

➢ Biodiversity provides crucial ecosystem services, such as clean air and water,
pollination of crops, climate regulation, and disease control.

● Food Security

➢ Biodiversity is essential for agriculture and food production. Diverse ecosystems

support a variety of crops, livestock, and seafood, reducing the risk of crop failures and
enhancing Nutrition.

● Medicine
 ➢ Many medicines are derived from plants and animals. Biodiversity is a source of
potential pharmaceuticals and plays a role in traditional and modern medicine.

● Natural Disasters

➢ Biodiversity can act as a buffer against natural disasters. Ecosystems like mangroves,
coral reefs, and forests provide protection against the devastating impact of events
like tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods. They help save lives and reduce economic losses.

● Economic Benefits

➢ Biodiversity supports various industries, including agriculture, forestry, and tourism. It

contributes to economic stability and job creation.

III. Natural Services

● Natural Services - Biodiversity provides a wide range of natural services that are essential
for the well-being of ecosystems and humanity. Some of these services include:

➢ Cultural and Aesthetic Values

○ Biodiversity is central to the cultural and spiritual identities of many communities.

It also provides aesthetic and inspirational value, enriching human lives through
art, literature, and traditions.

➢ Erosion Control

○ Plant diversity helps stabilize soil and prevents erosion. The root systems of various
plant species bind the soil, reducing the risk of landslides and maintaining soil
fertility.

➢ Climate Regulation

○ Biodiverse ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, play a crucial role in

regulating the climate. They sequester carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and help
mitigate climate change by capturing and storing greenhouse gases.

➢ Water Purification
 ○ Wetlands, forests, and other biodiverse habitats act as natural filters, purifying
water by trapping and breaking down pollutants, which helps ensure a clean and
safe water supply.

➢ Disease Regulation

○ Biodiversity can help regulate diseases. Some species, like certain predators and
parasites, control populations of disease-carrying organisms, reducing the risk of
disease outbreaks.

➢ Food Resources

○ Biodiversity provides a diverse array of food resources, including wild plants,

animals, and fish, which are essential for the nutrition and livelihoods of many
communities.

➢ Medical Resources

○ Many medicinal plants and organisms are sourced from diverse ecosystems.
Biodiversity supports the discovery of new medicines and natural remedies for
various health conditions.

➢ Recreation and Tourism

○ Biodiverse areas, such as national parks and wildlife reserves, offer recreational
opportunities and attract tourism, which can contribute to local economies.

IV. Threats to Biodiversity

● Habitat loss and destruction

➢ Deforestation
➢ Urbanization
➢ Release of pollutants

● Alterations in Ecosystem Composition

➢ Urbanization
➢ Agriculture
➢ Overfishing
 ● Over-Exploitation

➢ Overfishing
➢ Overhunting

● Pollution and Contamination

➢ Greenhouse gas emissions

➢ Plastic waste
➢ Oil spills

● Global climate change

➢ Intensity and frequency of fires

➢ Storms or period of droughts

V. How to Protect Biodiversity

● Government legislative
● Habitat restoration
● Captive breeding and seed banks
● Reduce climate change
● Education and research
VI. Human activity that cause the loss of Biodiversity
● Deforestation

➢ Deforestation refers to the decrease in forest areas across the world that are lost for
other uses such as agricultural croplands, urbanization, or mining activities.

● Overexploitation

➢ Human activities such as overfishing, over-hunting, and poaching have led to the
depletion of many species, causing their populations to decline and, in some cases, go
extinct.

● Burning Fossil Fuels

➢ The burning of fossil fuels refers to the burning of oil, natural gas, and coal to generate
energy.
 ● Chemical Use

➢ Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides can cause damage to non-targeted

organisms leading to a loss of biodiversity.

● Infrastructure Development

➢ Human activities such as the construction of housing, roads, and other infrastructure
can fragment habitats and disrupt ecosystems, leading to a loss of biodiversity.

● Invasive Species

➢ An invasive species is an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area.

Invasive species can cause great economic and environmental harm to the new area.

Lesson 4: GMO, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

I. What is GMO, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology?

● a GMO (genetically modified organisms) is a plants, animal, or micro-organism that has
had it's genetic material (DNA) changed using technology that generally involves the
specific modification of DNA, including the transfer or specific DNA from one organism to
another. Scientist often refers to this process as genetic engineering

II. Why are genetically modified organisms important?

● Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) provide certain advantages to producers and
consumers. Modified plants, for example, can at least initially help protect crops by
providing resistance to a specific disease or insect, ensuring greater food production.
GMOs are also important sources of medicine.

III. Three most common traits found in GMO crops are:

● Farmers can use less spray pesticides when they plant GMO crops. This saves farmers
money and reduces the amount of pesticides that end up on crops.
1. Resistance to certain damaging insects
2. Tolerance of certain herbicides used to control weeds
3. Resistance to certain plant virus
IV. Give examples of GMO
1. Corn
● Corn, the most widely grown crop in the US, is primarily GMO, primarily designed to
resist insect pests or tolerate herbicides. These GMO corn proteins are toxic to insects
but not humans or animals.
2. Soybean
● GMO soy, primarily grown in the US, is primarily used for animal feed, soybean oil
production, and as ingredients in processed foods.
3. Cotton
● GMO cotton, resistant to bollworms, revives Alabama cotton industry, provides textile,
cannon seed oil, and is used in packaged food, restaurants, and animal food.
4. Potato
● GMO potatoes are developed to resist pests, disease, and bruising, but they can also
cause bruising and browning, leading to food waste due to misconceptions.
5. Papaya
● In the 1990s, Hawaii's papaya industry was nearly destroyed by ringspot virus disease,
but the Rainbow papaya, a GMO, was created to save farming.

6. Summer Squash
● GMO summer squash is resistant to some plant viruses. Squash was one of the first
GMOs on the market, but it is not widely grown
7. Canola
● GMO canola is primarily used in cooking oil, margarine, animal food, packaged foods,
and herbicide resistance, aiding farmers in controlling weeds in their fields.
8. Alfalfa
● GMO alfalfa, primarily used for dairy cows, is resistant to herbicides, allowing farmers
to spray crops to protect against weeds, reducing alfalfa production and hay nutritional
quality.
9. Apple
● A few varieties of GMO apples were developed to resist browning after being cut. This
helps cut down on food waste, as many consumers think brown apples are spoiled.
10. Sugar Beet
● GMO sugar beets are used in granulated sugar production, with over half of grocery
store shelves made from these resistant to herbicides, aiding farmers in controlling
weeds.
11. Pink Apple
 ● The GMO pink pineapple was developed to have pink flesh by increasing the levels of
lycopene. Lycopene is naturally found in pineapples, and it is the pigment that makes
tomatoes red and watermelons pink.

V. Genetic Engineering
● Genetic engineering also known as recombinant DNA technology, means altering the
genes in a living organism to produce a Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) with a new
genotype
● Various kinds of genetic modification are possible inserting a foreign gene from one species
into another, forming a transgenic organism altering an existing gene so that its productbis
changed or changing gene expression so that it is translated more often or not at all

VI. Genetic engineering is accomplished in three basic:

1. The isolation of DNA fragments from a donor organism
2. The insertion of an isolated donor DNA fragment into a vector genome and
3. The growth of a recombinant vector in an appropriate host.

VII. What is Biotechnology

● Bio - alive or living
● Technology - The application of science to achieve industrial or commercial objective so
basically we're talking about using living material for commercial or industrial purpose

VIII. Different processes used to Genetically Modify Corps/Animals

● Traditional Modification

➢ Humans have used traditional methods like selective breeding and cross-breeding for
thousands of years, such as crossing two different breeds from the same species to
create new species, such as horses or donkeys.

● Genetic Engineering

➢ Scientists identify desired traits for crops, locate organisms with genes containing
those traits, copy the gene, insert it into the crop, and grow it to ensure it adopts the
desired trait, like Bt Corn.

● Genome Editing
 ➢ Also known as Gene Editing. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created by
controlled DNA changes using precise tools to modify specific genes. Examples include
AquAdvantage salmon, which promotes faster growth by adding a gene from the
Chinook salmon.

● Transgenesis

➢ Microinjection of DNA involves transferring a gene from one species into another using
a fertilized egg. This process involves injecting the DNA of another species into a
surrogate mother, resulting in a GMO offspring.

● Viral Vector Technology

➢ The virus transports genetic material into cells, integrating with DNA in GMO crops to
improve resistance, nutritional value, or growth characteristics, potentially enhancing
pest or disease resistance.

● Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

➢ Genetic modification involves transferring a somatic cell's nucleus into an egg cell,
resulting in an embryo blastocyst with donor cell characteristics, like "Dolly the Sheep".

IX. Advantages
● Enhancing Nutrients
● Cheaper price
● Reduce the use of pesticides
● Higher efficiency in farming
● Increase in production
● Improvement of decibel characters

Lesson 5: Gene Therapy

I. What is Gene Therapy?

● Is a potential method that may treat, cure, or prevent genetic-related human illnesses
 ● A medical technology which aims to produce a therapeutic effect through the
manipulation of gene expression or through altering the biological properties of living cells.
● Examples:

➢ Color blindness
➢ Leber congenital amaurosis
➢ Spinal muscular atrophy

II. The Basic Process

1. Replacement of gene that causes disease with a healthy copy of the gene
2. Inactivation of a mutated gene that is functioning improperly or turning on healthy genes
that help prevent disease so that they can inhibit the disease.
3. Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a disease.

III. 2 Gene Therapy Methods

1. Ex Vivo
● Genes or cells are altered outside the body and returned to the patient
2. In Vivo
● Genes or cells are directly inserted or altered inside the patient.

IV. Examples of Genetically related diseases and how genetic therapy may benefit the patient
● Color Blindness

➢ Primarily affects the retina, which is the specialized tissue at the back of the eye that
detects light and color. People with this disorder typically have severe visual
impairment beginning at birth or shortly afterward.

● Hearing Impairment

➢ Being unable to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of
20 deciBels or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be
mild, moderate, severe, or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to
difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.

● Spinal Muscular Atrophy

 ➢ Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and
atrophy. SMA can affect a child's ability to crawl, walk, sit up, and control head
movements. Severe SMA can damage the muscles used for breathing and swallowing.

● Sickle Cell Disease

➢ Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Normally, red blood
cells are disc-shaped and flexible enough to move easily through the blood vessels. In
sickle cell disease, red blood cells become crescent- or “sickle”-shaped due to a genetic
mutation. These sickled red blood cells do not bend or move easily and can block blood
flow to the rest of the body.

V. Two types of Gene Therapy

1. Somatic Gene Therapy
● Involves the manipulation of genes in cells that will be helpful to the patient but not
inherited to the next generation.
2. Germ-Line Gene Therapy
● Involves the genetic modification of germ cells or the origin cells that will pass the
change on to the next generation.

Lesson 6: Nano World

I. Introduction
● Advancements in science and technology have led to the development of innovative
nanoscale tools, enhancing various aspects of life, including healthcare, environment,
energy, food, water, and agriculture, with widespread implications.
● Nanotechnology is the study and application of small, 1 to 100 nanometers-sized things in
various fields such as materials science, engineering, physics, biology, and chemistry.
● Nanotechnology and nanoscience originated in 1959 when physicist Richard Feynman
discussed directing and controlling individual atoms and molecules. Professor Norio
Taniguchi coined the term a decade after ultraprecision machining.

II. How small is a Nanoscale?

● A nanometer, a billionth of a meter or 10% of a meter, is a small particle or material that
is significantly smaller than other particles or materials.
 ● Understanding the types and dimensions of nanomaterials, such as particles, tubes, wires,
films, flakes, or shells, is crucial for effective manipulation and maximizing their unique
characteristics.

III. How to view Nanomaterials?

● Scientists utilize microscopes like electron, field, scanning tunneling, and atomic force
microscopes to view nanomaterials, with modern advancements including scanning
tunneling and atomic force microscopes.
1. Electron Microscope

❖ Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll invented the first electron microscope in the 1930s,
which uses electron beams to magnify objects up to a million times, producing
higher resolution than conventional light microscopes.

2. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)

❖ Gerd Binig, Calvin Quate, and Christoph Gerber developed a mechanical probe in
1986 to gather information from a material's surface.

3. Scanning Tunneling Microscope

❖ Gerd Binig and Heinrich Rohrer won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 for their
invention of a special microscope for observing and manipulating nanoscale
particles and molecules.

IV. Nanomanufacturing
● Nanomanufacturing involves the production of nanoscale materials, structures, devices,
and systems, involving research, improvement, and process incorporation, leading to the
development of new products and improved materials.
1. Bottom-up Fabrication

❖ Scientists and engineers are exploring methods to create self-assembled molecular

components from the bottom-up, despite the time-consuming nature of this
manufacturing process.

2. Top-down Fabrication
 ❖ The process involves reducing large materials into nanoscale, requiring larger
quantities of materials and discarding excess raw materials.
• There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials based from the application
of principles in top-down and bottom-up fabrication. These include:
➢ Dip Pen Lithography
❖ Atomic force microscopes are used to "write" on a surface using a chemical fluid,
similar to an old-fashioned ink pen on paper.

➢ Self-assembly
❖ The approach involves assembling a set of components to create an organized
structure without any external direction.
➢ Chemical vapor deposition
❖ It is a procedure wherein chemicals act in response to form very pure, high-
performance films.
➢ Nanoimprint Lithography
❖ It is a method of generating nanoscale attributes by "stamping" or "printing" them
onto a surface.
➢ Molecular beam epitaxy
❖ It is one manner for depositing extremely controlled thin films.
➢ Roll-to-roll processing
❖ It is a high-volume practice for constructing nanoscale devices on a roll of ultrathin
plastic or metal.
➢ Atomic layer epitaxy
❖ It is a means for laying down one-atom-thick layers on a surface.
• Nanotechnology techniques enhance the durability, strength, and lightness of
nanomaterials, leading to the production of various products like tennis rackets, oil
purification catalysts, and ultrasensitive toxins classification.
• Future advancements in technology include improved computers, energy-saving memory
storage, and nanotechnology-based batteries and solar cells, with the potential to store
entire computer memory in a single chip.

V. Distinct Features of Nanoscale

 ● Nanotechnology utilizes the unique properties of nanoscale materials, enabling scientists
to utilize their optical, chemical, physical, mechanical, and biological properties, thereby
facilitating significant biological advancements.
1. Scale at which much biology occurs

➢ Cells' activities occur at the nanoscale, with DNA being the genetic material and
hemoglobin transporting oxygen being 5.5 nanometers in diameter.
➢ Modern research focuses on developing advanced procedures, therapies, tools,
and treatments that are more accurate, custom-made, and do not cause adverse
body effects.
➢ The bio-barcode assay is a cost-effective method for identifying specific disease
markers in blood, despite their limited presence in a specific specimen.

2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials

➢ Nanoparticles 1-100 nanometers exhibit distinct properties due to quantum

effects, with essential properties like chemical reactivity, fluorescence, magnetic
permeability, melting point, and electrical conductivity changing with size.
➢ Nanoscale gold, a yellow-colored element with restricted electron motion,
selectively builds up in tumors for precise imaging and targeted laser destruction,
avoiding damage to healthy cells.

3. Nanoscale materials have far larger surface areas than similar masses of larger-scale
materials

➢ Increased surface area per mass of a material increases its contact with another
material, potentially affecting its reactivity.
➢ A cubic centimeter filled with micrometer-sized cubes (1012) has a total surface
area of 6 square meters, while a single cubic centimeter filled with 1-nanometer-
sized cubes (1021) has a total surface area of 6,000 square meters.

VI. Government Funding for Nanotechnology in different countries (Dayrit, 2005)

1. U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative
● The National Nanotechnology Initiative of the United States, established in 2001, is the
most well-funded and well-known program in the US for federal nanotechnology R&D.
 2. European Commission
● In February 2008, the EC officially launched the European Nanoelectronics Initiative
Advisory Council (ENIAC).
3. Japan (Nanotechnology Research Institute, under the National Institute for Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology, AIST)
4. Taiwan (Taiwan National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology)
5. India (Nanotechnology Research and Education Foundation)
6. China (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology)
7. Israel (Israel National Nanotechnology Initiative)
8. Australia (Australian Office of Nanotechnology)
9. Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology or NINT)
10. South Korea (Korea National Nanotechnology Initiative)
11. Thailand (National Nanotechnology Center or NANOTEC)
12. Malaysia (National [Malaysia] Nanotechnology Initiatives or NNI)

VII. Possible Applications of Nanotechnology in the Philippines (Dayrit, 2005)

1. ICT and semiconductors
2. Health and medicine
3. Energy
4. Food and agriculture
5. Environment

VIII. Nanotech Roadmap for the Philippines (funded by PCAS-TRD-DOST)

1. ICT and semiconductors
2. Health and biomedical
3. Energy
4. Environment
5. Agriculture and food
6. Health and environmental risk
7. Nano-metrology
8. Education and public awareness

IX. Benefits and Concerns of using Nanotechnology

● Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005) proposed an initiative called "Addressing Global
Challenges Using Nanotechnology" to accelerate the use of nanotechnology for
 sustainable development. However, concerns need to be addressed before promoting
nanotechnology-derived materials.
1. Nanotechnology is not a single technology; it may become pervasive.
2. Nanotechnology seeks to develop new materials with specific properties.
3. Nanotechnology may introduce new efficiencies and paradigms which may make some
natural resources and current practices uncompetitive or obsolete
4. It may be complicated to detect its presence unless one has the specialist tools of
nanotechnology.

• Benefits and concerns of the application of nanotechnology in:

Example of Areas Affected by Possible Benefits Concerns

Nanotechnology Environment
Possible Benefits

Environment ● Improved detection and ● High reactivity and toxicity

removal of contaminants ● Pervasive distribution in the
● Development of benign environment
industrial processes and ● No nano-specific EPA
materials regulation

Health ● Improved medicine ● Ability to cross cell membranes

and translocate in the body
● No FDA approval needed for
cosmetics or supplements

Economy ● Better products ● Redistribution of wealth

● New jobs ● Potential cost of Cleanups and
healthcare
● Accessibility to all income levels

X. Social and Ethical considerations in conducting research on Nanotechnology

1. Who will benefit from it? On the other hand, who won't?
2. For whom and what are your objectives for developing your product?
3. How will it affect social, economic, and political relationships?
4. What problem is your "product" trying to solve?
5. Who will have access to it? Who will be excluded?
6. Are there dangers involved with its development (e.g., safety, health, pollution)? How can
you minimize then?
7. Who will own it? How can you assure access to it?
Lesson 7: Windmill as an Alternatve Energy Source

I. Windmill as an alternative source of energy

● A windmill has a number of blades that spin around when wind blows on them
● The blades are mounted on a tall tower or building.

II. Two types of windmill

1. Horizontal-axis Windmill
● also known as a horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT), is a type of wind turbine
where the main rotor shaft and electrical generator are oriented horizontally to
the ground. This design is the most common for large-scale wind turbines used for
generating electricity.
2. Vertical-axis Windmill
● also known as a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), is a type of wind turbine where
the main rotor shaft is set perpendicular to the ground. This is in contrast to
horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT), where the rotor is parallel to the ground.

III. How does a windmill works?

● Windmills use blades to collect the wind's kinetic energy and converts it into rotational
energy.

IV. Uses of Windmill

● Windmill provides energy/electricity for:

➢ Pumping of groundwater
➢ Extraction of oil from the seeds
➢ Milling of the grains

V. Advantages of windmill
● Clean source of energy
● Renewable energy
● Low-cost energ

VI. Disadvantages of windmill

● Intermittent
● Threat to wildfire
● Limited location
 Lesson 8: Geothermal Energy

I. Definition
● Geothermal energy is a natural resource and form of energy conversion in which heat
energy from within Earth is captured and make use for cooking, bathing, electrical power
generation, and other uses.

II. Uses of Geothermal Energy

● Geothermal Heat Pumps

➢ Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) take advantage of the relatively stable moderate
temperature conditions that occur within the first 300 metres (1,000 feet) of the
surface to heat buildings in the winter and cool them in the summer.

● Geothermal Power Plants

➢ Geothermal power plants simply collect rising steam from the ground. In such “dry
steam” operations, the heated water vapour is funneled directly into a turbine that
drives an electrical generator. The excess water vapour at the end of each process is
condensed and returned to the ground, where it is reheated for later use, geothermal
power is considered a form of renewable energy.

Lesson 9: Alternative Energy Source

I. Nuclear Energy
● Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom.
● Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity, but it must first be released from the
atom.
● In the process of nuclear fission, atoms are split to release that energy.

II. Nuclear Power Plant

● A nuclear reactor, or power plant, is a series of machines that can control nuclear fission
to produce electricity.
● A nuclear reactor is a device that initiates and controls a fission or fusion reaction.
● Turbine is a machine that captures the energy of a moving fluid, such as air or water.
 ● Generator is a machine that coverts one type of energy to another, such as mechanical
energy to electricity.
● Uranium is the fuel most widely used to produce nuclear energy.

III. How nuclear power plants work?

1. Heat is generated by nuclear reactions and causes water to turn into steam
2. The steam turns the turbine
3. The turbine turns the generator which produces electricity
4. The electricity is exported to the grid

IV. Advantages of Nuclear Energy

● Carbon-free electricity
● Small land footprint
● High power output
● Reliable energy sourc

V. Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

● Uranium is non-renewable
● High capital intensive
● Radioactive waste
● Disasters, accidents, and risk

Lesson 10: Hydropower

I. Definition
● Hydropower, also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to
produce electricity or to power machines.
● Utilizes turbines and generators to convert that kinetic energy into electricity, which is then
fed into the electrical grid to power homes, businesses, and industries.

II. Three types of Hydropower Plants

● Impoundment

➢ An impoundment facility, typically a large hydropower system, uses a dam to store

river water in a reservoir.
 ➢ Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn
activates a generator to produce electricity.

● Diversion (Run-of-river)

➢ A diversion facility, channels a portion of a river through a canal and/or a penstock to

utilize the natural decline of the river bed elevation to produce energy.
➢ A penstock is a closed conduit that channels the flow of water to turbines with water
flow regulated by gates, valves, and turbines.
➢ A diversion may not require the use of a dam.

● Pumped Storage

➢ Pumped Storage Hydropower, or PSH, works like a giant battery. Storing energy by
pumping water from a reservoir at a lower elevation to a reservoir at a higher
elevation. During periods of high electrical demand, the water is released back to the
lower reservoir and turns a turbine, generating electricity.

III. Advantages of using Hydropower

● It is flexible
● It is safe energy
● It is clean energy

IV. Disadvantages of using Hydropower

● The construction of dam has a large impact
● Dependence on the weather
● Cost and location

Lesson 11: Wave Energy

I. Definition
● Wave energy is a form of renewable energy that can be harnessed from the motion of the
waves. There are several methods of harnessing wave energy that involve placing
electricity generators on the surface of the ocean

II. How wave energy works?

 ● Depending on the lunar cycles, tides, winds, and weather, waves can vary in size and
strength. As waves roll through the ocean, they create kinetic energy, or movement. This
movement can be used to power turbines, which, in turn, create energy that can be
converted into electricity and power. There are also several ways of harnessing wave
energy that utilize the up and down motion of the waves to power pistons/turn generators.

III. Advantages of Wave energy

● Renewable
● Environment friendly
● Easily predictable

IV. Disadvantages of Wave Energy

● Suitable for certain locations
● Effect on marine ecosystem
● The costs of production