Final answer:
Turbine blades are mounted to a rotating disc, which is part of the mechanism used to convert energy from steam, water, or wind into mechanical energy and often into electricity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Turbine blades are mounted to a rotating disc. When describing how the turbines operate, such as in a wind turbine or steam turbine, it's important to understand that the blades are designed like long airplane wings. They are attached so that they can rotate on an axis running the length of the blade, which allows them to effectively catch the wind at varying angles to maximize efficiency.
In a steam turbine, for example, steam produced by burning coal or another energy source impacts the turbine blades, causing the rotating shaft to turn, which is connected to a generator. This mechanism is used to generate electricity. Wind turbines operate on a similar principle, where the wind pushes the turbine blades around a rotating shaft, which then typically generates electricity through a generator.