Unit 6 Voacb

unit 6 vocab :))

Active solar energy

Energy captured from sunlight with advanced technologies

Bitumen

A degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of Earth and is modified by bacteria

Cogeneration

The use of a fuel to generate electricity and produce heat. Also known as combined heat and power.

Control rod

A cylindrical device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons and slow or stop the fission reaction

Energy carrier

Something that can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form to end users

Energy intensity

The energy use per unit of gross domestic product

Electrical grid

A network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity

Electrolysis

The application of an electric current to water molecules to split them into hydrogen and oxygen

Fission

A nuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts, releasing additional neutrons and energy in the form of heat

Fossil fuel

A fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago

Fuel cell

An electrical-chemical device that converts fuel, such as hydrogen, into an electrical current

Fuel rod

A cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor

Ground source heat pump

A technology that transfers heat from the ground into a building

Oil sands

Slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay

Passive solar design

Construction designed to take advantage of solar radiation without active technology

Photovoltaic solar cell

A system of capturing energy from sunlight and converting it directly into energy

Run-of-the-river

Hydroelectricity generation in which water is retained behind a low dam or no dam

Siltation

The accumulation of sediments, primarily silt, on the bottom of a reservoir

Tidal Energy

Energy that comes from the movement of water driven by the gravitational pull of the moon

Turbine

A device that can be turned by water, steam, or wind to produce power