geothermal

Everyday

1. To do with the natural heat inside the Earth. tree →
2. Geothermal energy or power is electricity or heating made from that underground heat, for example from hot water and steam deep in the ground. tree →

In the lessons

In science it comes up in lessons on energy sources and volcanoes: geothermal energy is renewable and clean, used a lot in Iceland and New Zealand. In everyday life you meet it in hot springs, geysers and heat pumps. Phrases: geothermal energy, geothermal power station, geothermal heating, geothermal spring.

Examples

• Iceland gets much of its heating from geothermal energy. tree →
• The geysers at Rotorua in New Zealand are a sign of geothermal activity. tree →
• A geothermal power station uses steam from deep underground to turn turbines. tree →
• We swam in a warm geothermal pool on holiday. tree →
• Geothermal energy is renewable because the Earth keeps making heat. tree →
• Our science project compared solar, wind and geothermal power. tree →
• Some houses use geothermal heat pumps to stay warm in winter. tree →

Note

Built from geo (earth) + thermal (heat). An adjective, so it has no plural; it goes before a noun: geothermal energy. Say jee-oh-THER-mal. Do not mix up with geothermal and solar: solar heat comes from the Sun, geothermal heat comes from inside the Earth.