Capturing Geothermal Energy · sea is the crust. Heat builds up Magma flows under the Earth’s crust like a super-hot, slow-moving river. Some of it can burst through the surface

© 2012 Universal Uclick

release dates: April 14-20 15-1 (12)

from The Mini Page © 2012 Universal Uclick

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Power in the Earth

Using Geothermal Energy It can get hot beneath the surface of the Earth! The deeper under the ground, the hotter it gets. We can tap into this buried heat for warmth and energy. This is called geothermal (jee-oh-THUR-muhl) energy, from two Greek words — “geo,” meaning “earth,” and “therme,” which means “heat.” The Mini Page talked with an expert on geothermal energy to learn more about this form of power.Inside the Earth The Earth is made up of layers of rocks and metals. These layers are: • The core, in the center of the Earth. It has two parts. The very middle is made of solid iron. Rock that is so hot it has melted surrounds the iron center. This hot, melted rock is called magma. • The mantle, made of magma and solid rock. • The crust, or top layer. The land we walk on and at the bottom of the sea is the crust.

Heat builds up Magma flows under the Earth’s crust like a super-hot, slow-moving river. Some of it can burst through the surface in erupting volcanoes. But most magma stays underground, heating rocks beneath the crust. It also heats water that has sunk below the ground. The heat and weight of the planet create pressure. This pressure builds up, as in a teakettle. If there are no openings for the heat to escape, it may burst out as steam and hot water. Hot springs and geysers (GUY-zers), or hot fountains, are formed. The easiest places to use geothermal energy are in areas with geysers and hot springs.

Storing heat Hot water and steam can be trapped in underground rocks. We can use that trapped heat for our energy needs.

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The Puu Oo volcano cone erupts in Hawaii. Magma, or hot, melted rock, can flow between pieces of broken crust to reach the surface. It can also burst through thin areas of the crust. Lava erupting from volcanoes is made partly of magma.

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This art shows the layers inside the Earth. At the core, temperatures can be hotter than the surface of the sun.

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Steamboat is one of the most famous geysers in Yellowstone National Park. When it erupts, it can send super-hot water and steam up to 300 feet high.

INNER COREOUTER CORE

MANTLECRUST

Words that remind us of geothermal energy are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: AIR, CORE, CRUST, EARTH, ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, FIRE, FUELS, GEOTHERMAL, GEYSERS, HEAT, HOT, ICELAND, MAGMA, MANTLE, MOLTEN, POWER, PUMPS, SPRINGS, STEAM, TEMPERATURE, WATER.

Geothermal Energy try ’nfind

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C M S F E R U T A R E P M E T E O A T U M K D N A L E C I M A A R G E E S G N I R P S C A R H I E M A L N N E R I F R N T O V R N A M S S P M U P U T H T R E T A W N E T L O M S L S R E S Y E G Y G R E N E T E T A E H Y T I C I R T C E L E R E W O P L A M R E H T O E G


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ready resourcesfrom The Mini Page © 2012 Universal Uclick

The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week’s topics.On the Web:• epa.gov/climatechange/kids/solutions/technologies/

geothermal.html• eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=geothermal_home-basics• environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/

global-warming/geothermal-profile• youtube.com/watch?v=8NpkztWrGHAAt the library: • “Geothermal Energy: Hot Stuff!” by Amy S. Hansen • “Geothermal Power” by Josepha Sherman


Capturing Geothermal EnergyUsing hot water The easiest and most common way to use geothermal energy is to collect the hot water and steam stored underground. People have been using hot springs for heat for thousands of years. In modern geothermal power plants, steam is used to drive turbines. A turbine (TUR-bine) is an engine with spinning blades on a wheel. It is used in the creation of electricity. There are three ways power plants use this steam. They might: • Capture steam already coming from the ground. This is the easiest way to create geothermal power. • Turn hot water into steam. • Use the hot water to heat another liquid until that turns into steam. The advantage of this is that the second liquid might be easier to turn to steam.

Power near the surface Only a small percent of the land area has hot water near the surface. Geothermal energy can be an inexpensive source of power in those areas. Areas where there is, or has been, volcanic activity are top spots for hot springs. This includes the volcanic area around the edges of the Pacific Ocean, an area known as the Ring of Fire.

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The Geysers near Santa Rosa, Calif., is the site of the oldest geothermal power plant in the United States. Built in 1962, It creates power for about 1 million people in northern and central California. It is the largest producer of geothermal power in the world.“The Geysers” does not actually have geysers. The plant uses steam to produce its energy. It does not tap into real geysers, or fountains of hot water.

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The Ring of Fire


Felix: What happened to the tactless man when he put his foot in his mouth?

Fatima: He got a sock in the jaw!

Fiona: How many feet are there in the United States?

Forrest: Twice as many as the number of people!

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All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?

Frances: What type of shoe is good for lazy feet?Frankie: Loafers!

Mini Spy . . .Mini Spy and Alpha Betty are hiking around the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. See if you can find: • exclamation mark • man in the moon• dolphin • number 6 • bell • snail • arrow • fish• snake • ruler • number 3 • mushroom• letter A • pencil • question mark • lima bean


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Rookie Cookie’s RecipeBlackberry Parfait

You’ll need:• 1-ounce package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding• 2 cups low-fat milk• 2 cups blackberries, washed and rinsed• 3 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves• whipped dairy toppingWhat to do:1. Make pudding with milk according to package directions. Chill for 5

minutes until soft set.2. Combine blackberries and preserves in a small pan; cook on medium heat

for 5 minutes.3. Spoon half of pudding evenly into 4 parfait dishes.4. Spoon 1/4 cup blackberry sauce on top of pudding in each dish.5. Layer with remaining pudding, then with remaining blackberry sauce.6. Spoon desired amount of whipped dairy topping as final layer. Serves 4. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.


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Meet Taylor Swift Taylor Swift is the voice of Audrey in the movie “The Lorax.” She is best known as a country music singer and composer. She has won six Grammy Awards and many top country music awards. She writes all of her own songs. Taylor, 22, was born in Reading, Pa., and grew up on a Christmas tree farm. She won a national poetry-writing contest when she was in the fourth grade. She learned to play the guitar when she was

12. She was a member of a kids comedy group, and the manager urged her to work toward a musical career. She soon started performing at malls and fairs. Her first album came out when she was 16. Taylor’s family moved to a Nashville suburb when she was a teenager so she could have better career chances. She still lives in Nashville. She has supported several charities and has performed at benefit concerts to help tornado victims and kids in need.

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Paths to Power

The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

Power places The first geothermal power plant in the world was built in Italy in 1904. It used steam to create energy. Some countries are able to easily use hot springs and geysers to provide power for their citizens. For example, Iceland, El Salvador and the Philippines produce at least one-quarter of their electricity with geothermal plants. The United States has more capacity for geothermal energy than anyplace in the world. Most of America’s capacity is in California.Hot water In some parts of the world, hot springs are used to heat buildings directly. The hot water is not only used to create electricity, but can also be piped directly into homes or businesses. For example, in Iceland, hot water and steam are used to create electricity. Naturally hot water is also piped into almost every building to heat the buildings and provide hot tap water.

Geothermal energy is a renewable resource. There will always be heat inside the Earth. However, the equipment costs a lot of money to build. If you live near hot springs or geysers, it could be worth it. The costs would be low. Also, most of the water can be put back underground once it has been used to create power. With heat pumps, people need to dig underground to lay the pipes. Unless you are building a home in a new development, this may not be practical. However, in buildings with a lot of land, such as schools, digging around the building might work well. Geothermal plants do not burn fuel, so they produce little pollution. Experts say they give off only about 1 percent as many carbon dioxide emissions as fossil fuel plants. They give off only about 3 percent as many acid rain pollutants.

Heat pumps Just a few feet under the ground, the temperature stays at about 55 degrees. People use heat pumps to take advantage of these natural underground temperatures. For example, if it is 95 degrees outside, a normal air conditioner would have to work hard to get it down to a comfortable 70 degrees. With a heat pump, a liquid such as water or antifreeze is naturally cooled underground to 55 degrees. The liquid then cools the air. The air conditioner just has to finish the job. If it is cold outside, the heat pump does just the opposite. It warms the liquid to 55 degrees and makes it easier to heat the air.

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Mount St. Helens in Washington erupts with a plume of smoke and ash in 1980. In areas where there is volcanic activity, hot springs and steam are usually easy to get at. Geothermal energy can be an efficient source of power in those areas.

The Mini Page thanks Fred Mayes, U.S. Energy Information Administration, for help with this issue.

Look through your newspaper for stories about forms of energy.Next week, The Mini Page is about coin collecting.

Advantages and disadvantages


Supersport: Tyler ZellerHeight: 7-0 Weight: 250 Hometown: Washington, Ind. Most everybody looks up to Tyler Zeller, and not just because he’s 7 feet tall. North Carolina’s likable senior center is a model student-athlete, excelling in the classroom and on the court. Both an academic and basketball All-American, Zeller led the

highly ranked Tar Heels to another ACC regular-season title. Zeller, a member of UNC’s 2009 national championship team, averaged 16.9 points and grabbed 9.3 rebounds during the regular season. That’s not surprising for a kid who grew tall in a basketball family. Older brother Luke played at Notre Dame, and younger brother Cody is a standout at Indiana. Zeller has served in the community with Habitat for Humanity, the United Way and Read Across America.

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Capturing Geothermal Energy · sea is the crust. Heat builds up Magma flows under the Earth’s crust like a super-hot, slow-moving river. Some of it can burst through the surface

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