Final answer:
Most steam turbine power-generating plants operate on the Rankine cycle, which involves heating water to create steam that drives a turbine connected to an electric generator.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most steam turbine power-generating plants operate on the Rankine cycle. This cycle is a thermodynamic process used for converting heat into work for the generation of electrical power. In the Rankine cycle, water is heated to form steam in a boiler, the steam then expands through a steam turbine that spins an electrical generator, and after passing through the turbine, the steam is condensed into liquid water and returned to the boiler to repeat the cycle.
Fossil fuels, nuclear fission, solar thermal, and geothermal energy sources all utilize this process. The steam turbine plays a critical role in this system; it is the part that converts the thermal energy of steam into mechanical energy, which is then converted into electrical energy by the generator. The process often involves a cold water source, such as a river, ocean, or cooling towers, to condense the steam back into water, completing the cycle.