Energy and then Environment

Potential Energy

stored energy

Kinetic Energy

energy of motion

Thermodynamics

The study of energy transformations that occur in a collection of matter.

The First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed but can change from one form to another.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics

when energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat)

The Law of Conservation of Matter

Matter is not created nor destroyed in any chemical or physical change

Fossil Fuels

Coal, oil, natural gas, and other fuels that are ancient remains of plants and animals.

Coal

a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.

subsurface mining

The extraction of mineral and energy resources from deep underground deposits.

Clean Coal Technology

Power plant processes that both increase the efficiency of coal-burning and significantly reduce emissions

Petrochemicals

Chemicals obtained by refining (distilling) crude oil. They are used as raw materials in manufacturing most industrial chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, plastics, synthetic fibers, paints, medicines, and many other products.

Localized Impacts of Oil

At the drilling site there is land disruption, habitat loss and subsequent loss of biodiversity. There is also water and soil pollution that occurs through oil leaks and in many places around the world.

Impacts of Oil

Oil needs to be transported to other regions or other countries usually via pipelines or large ships and accidents do occur that result in oil spills. Oil spills cause catastrophic damage.

Natural Gas

flammable gas, consisting largely of methane and other hydrocarbons, occurring naturally underground (often in association with petroleum) and used as fuel.

Conventional Natural Gas

found above most reservoirs of crude oil

Unconventional Natural Gas

Natural gas that is more difficult to access and therefore more expensive to extract than "conventional" reserves

Nuclear Energy

Energy derived from splitting atoms.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Includes the mining of uranium, processing and enriching the uranium to make nuclear fuel, using it in the reactor, safely storing the resulting highly radioactive wastes for thousands of years until their radioactivity falls to safe levels, and retiring the highly radioactive nuclear plant by taking it apart and storing its high- and moderate-level radioactive material safely for thousands of years.

Nuclear Waste Policy Act

(1982) U.S. government must develop a high level nuclear waste site (Yucca Mtn)

Renewable Energy

A resource that has a theoretically unlimited supply and is not depleted when used by humans.

Non-renewable Energy

A resource that cannot be replaced once used.

Solar Energy

energy that comes from the sun

Passive Solar Heating

the use of sunlight to heat buildings directly

Active Solar Heating

the gathering of solar energy by collectors that are used to heat water or heat a building

Biomass Energy

the chemical energy stored in living things

Wind Energy

The energy captured by transforming the motion of air into electrical energy using a turbine

Hydropower

Electricity generated from the energy of moving water

Geothermal Energy

Energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth

Hydrogen Power

The capture of energy from the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen (producing water)