🎯 How to Write a Good Comparison Answer
- Always give a named advantage AND a named disadvantage for each source
- Use comparatives: "Nuclear is more reliable than wind because..." not just "Nuclear is reliable"
- For 6-mark questions, address all specified criteria (e.g. reliability, cost, environment)
- End with a justified conclusion: "Overall, [source] is better for [country] because..."
📝 Key Command Words in This Topic
- Evaluate — don't just list pros and cons; compare and make a judgement
- Suggest — there may be more than one acceptable answer; give a reason
- Justify — give a reason for your choice or recommendation
- Discuss — explore different aspects; can include advantages, disadvantages, and context
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Saying wind/solar is "free" — the fuel is free but equipment has high manufacturing and maintenance costs
- Saying nuclear "produces radiation" as if this is unusual — all energy sources have byproducts; the question is whether they are manageable
- Forgetting that biofuels do release CO₂ when burned (even if roughly carbon neutral)
- Confusing "renewable" with "reliable" — they are different properties
- Not specifying the context in evaluation questions — the best choice depends on the country's geography, resources, and priorities
This exam tips covers Exam Tips for Energy Resources within Energy Resources for GCSE Physics. Revise Energy Resources in Energy for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 12 of 13 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Practice questions for Energy Resources
Which of the following is a renewable energy resource?
Give two advantages and one disadvantage of using wind turbines to generate electricity.
Quick recall flashcards
What does SHWGTB stand for? (Renewable energy sources)
S — Solar
H — Hydroelectric
W — Wind
G — Geothermal
T — Tidal
B — Biofuel
(Wave is sometimes added as a second W)
What is a renewable energy resource?
A renewable energy resource is one that is naturally replenished and will not run out on a human timescale. Examples include wind, solar, tidal, hydroelectric, geothermal, wave, and biofuel.