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WHAT IS HYDROELECTRICITY?

Hydro power is the process of changing the kinetic energy of flowing water in a river into electrical power.

A dam is built where there is a natural lake or a big river in a valley. The dam is used to hold the water and create pressure so that the water can produce more electrical power. There is gravitational potential energy stored in the water and this energy is used to turn generators and create electricity. These turbines are within tunnels in the dam wall. Electrical generators are turned by these massive turbines and create electricity. Water flows through these tunnels with great pressure and is used to turn these turbines. The water has immense pressure due to the great height at which is kept in the dam. If there is a greater volume of water or there is a very large difference between the water level and where it flows out then you can get more power out of the water as it has greater potential energy. This difference in height of the water is called the head. The generator contains 2 main parts: the rotor and the stator. The rotator is the part which rotates and the wire has a huge magnet inside of it; and the stator is the part which is covered in copper. The electrical current is created when the rotor spins around the copper wire on the stator. This is the charge which is then used as electricity.