When people want to use water to create electricity they generally build a dam to hold the water back, creating a large lake behind the dam. Why is it necessary to hold the water back with a dam in order to produce electricity?
A)It increases the amount of water available.
B)It increases the force with which the water flows.
C)It forces the water to flow in the desired direction.
D)It makes the water still enough to create electricity.
please help me i need the answer right now!
Al though this is not my main area of expertise, I would say B.
The correct answer is B) It increases the force with which the water flows.
To understand why holding the water back with a dam is necessary to produce electricity, it's important to understand the basic principle behind hydroelectric power generation. Hydroelectric power relies on the movement of water to generate electricity.
When water flows from a higher point to a lower point, it possesses potential energy due to its elevation. This potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy, or the energy of motion. In the case of hydroelectric power generation, the kinetic energy of the flowing water is used to spin turbines, which are connected to generators to produce electricity.
By building a dam and creating a large lake behind it, the water is stored at a higher elevation than the turbines. When the dam gates are opened, the stored water is released, and it flows downwards due to gravity. The dam holds the water back, creating a difference in elevation, which results in a significant increase in the force with which the water flows.
This increased force, called the water's head, is crucial for hydroelectric power generation because it determines the amount of potential and kinetic energy available. The greater the head, the more energy can be harnessed to spin the turbines and generate electricity.
Therefore, by holding the water back with a dam, it increases the force with which the water flows, providing more energy to produce electricity through hydroelectric power generation.