The government is exploring many new green technologies in order to produce energy. One example is the wind turbine. As the wind passes by, the blades move which turns a generator and produces energy. What energy transformation is taking place in the wind turbine?

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Answer:

The mechanical energy of the wind is converted into electrical energy by a wind turbine. The kinetic energy of a flowing fluid, in this example air, is converted into a rotating motion by a turbine. Wind moves or rotates the blades of a wind turbine as it passes through them.

Explanation:

Wind turbines work on a simple principle: rather than using electricity to create wind (like a fan does), they utilize wind to create electricity. The propeller-like blades of a turbine are turned by the wind around a rotor, which spins a generator, which generates power.

Wind is a type of solar energy that is produced by a series of three events: The sun heats the atmosphere unevenly, irregularities on the surface of the world, or the earth's axis of rotation.

Wind patterns and speeds range dramatically across the United States, and are influenced by bodies of water, vegetation, and topography changes. Sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity are all examples of how humans employ wind flow, or motion energy.

Both "wind energy" and "wind power" refer to the process of using the wind to generate mechanical or electrical power. This mechanical energy can be employed for specialized purposes (such as grinding grain or pumping water), or it can be converted to electricity using a generator.

The aerodynamic force of the rotor blades, which act similarly to an airplane wing or helicopter rotor blade, converts wind energy into electricity in a wind turbine. The air pressure on one side of the blade lowers when the wind blows across it. Lift and drag are created by the difference in air pressure across the two sides of the blade. The lift force is greater than the drag force, causing the rotor to spin. The rotor is connected to the generator either directly (if it's a direct drive turbine) or through a shaft and a series of gears (a gearbox), which speeds up the rotation and allows the generator to be physically smaller. This conversion of aerodynamic force to generator rotation to create electricity.