APES Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

Half-life

• The time it takes for half of the radioactive isotopes in a sample to decay.

• Example: If a radioactive isotope has a half-life of 10 years, after 10 years, half of the original amount will remain.

Nondepletable energy resource

• An energy resource that cannot be depleted by human use.

• Example: Solar energy, wind energy, and tidal energy.

Nuclear Fuels

• Radioactive isotopes that are used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.

• Example: Uranium-235

Radioactivity

• The emission of particles or energy from the nucleus of an atom.

• Example: Alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay.

Subsistence source

• An energy source that is used to meet basic needs, such as cooking and heating.

• Example: Wood used for cooking in developing countries.

Vampire Energy

Energy that is wasted by electronic devices when they are turned off or in standby mode.

Thermogram

A visual representation of temperature differences.

Hydrologic fracturing (fracking)

A process of injecting high-pressure fluids into underground rock formations to extract oil and natural gas.

Fukushima disaster

A nuclear power plant accident in Japan in 2011 caused by a tsunami.

Combustion

• A chemical process that involves the rapid reaction between a fuel and an oxidant, producing heat and light.

• Example: Burning wood or fossil fuels.

NIMBY (Not In My Backyard)

• Opposition to the siting of something perceived as undesirable in one's own neighborhood.

• Example: Residents protesting the construction of a landfill in their community.

Cogeneration (Combined heat and power)

• The simultaneous generation of electricity and heat from a single fuel source.

• Example: Using waste heat from electricity generation to heat buildings.

CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)

Standards set by the U.S. government to regulate the fuel efficiency of vehicles.

Syngas

A mixture of gases (primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide) produced by gasification of coal or biomass.

Coal ash

A residue left after coal is burned.

Crude Oil

• A fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms.

• Example: Petroleum.

Oil Sands

• Deposits of sand, clay, and bitumen that can be mined and processed to extract oil.

• Example: Oil sands are found in Canada and Venezuela.

Exxon Valdez disaster

An oil spill in Alaska in 1989 caused by an oil tanker.

(CTL) Coal to Liquid

A process of converting coal into liquid fuels.

Energy intensity

The amount of energy required to produce a unit of economic output.

Hubbert Curve

A bell-shaped curve that represents the production rate of a finite resource over time.

Peak Oil

The point at which global oil production reaches its maximum rate.

Nuclear Fission

• The splitting of an atom's nucleus, releasing energy.

• Example: Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission.

Nuclear Fusion

• The combining of two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

• Example: The process that powers the sun.

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor)

An international research project aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of nuclear fusion as an energy source.

Methane hydrate

A form of natural gas trapped in ice-like structures.

Control rod

A rod used in a nuclear reactor to control the rate of nuclear fission.

Radioactive waste

Waste materials that contain radioactive isotopes.

Becquerel (Bq)

A unit of radioactivity.

Yellowcake

A type of uranium concentrate powder.

Run-of-the-river

• A type of hydropower plant that does not require a large dam or reservoir.

• Example: These plants often have a smaller environmental impact than traditional hydropower dams.

Photovoltaic cells (Solar Panels)

Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

Peak demand

• The period of time when electricity demand is highest.

• Example: Peak demand often occurs in the late afternoon and evening.

Passive solar design

• Designing buildings to take advantage of natural sunlight and ventilation for heating and cooling.

• Example: Using large south-facing windows to capture solar heat in the winter.

Yucca Mountain (nuclear reference)

A proposed site for a permanent nuclear waste repository in Nevada.

Potentially renewable

• Resources that can be replenished naturally in a relatively short period of time, but can be depleted if overused.

• Example: Biomass, such as wood.

Biofuel

• Fuel derived from living organisms or recently deceased organic matter.

• Example: Ethanol, biodiesel.

Isotope

• Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

• Example: Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 are isotopes of uranium.

Tidal energy

• Energy harnessed from the tides.

• Example: Tidal barrages and tidal turbines.

Thermal mass

• The ability of a material to absorb and store heat.

• Example: Concrete and brick have high thermal mass.

Solar energy

Energy from the sun. (separated into Active & Passive)

Thermal pollution

• The release of excessive heat into the environment.

• Example: Warm water discharged from power plants can cause thermal pollution in rivers.

Geothermal energy

• Energy from the Earth's internal heat.

• Example: Geothermal power plants use steam from underground reservoirs to generate electricity.

Staebler-Wronski Effect

A phenomenon that reduces the efficiency of some types of solar cells over time.

Hydrogen Fuel cell

A device that generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen.

Smart Grid

A modernized electrical grid that uses digital technology to manage electricity demand and distribution.

Kite energy

A technology that uses large kites to capture wind energy at high altitudes.

Three Mile Island disaster

A partial nuclear meltdown at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania in 1979.

Bay of Fundy (In Canada for energy)

A location in Canada with extremely high tides, making it suitable for tidal power generation.

Chernobyl disaster

A catastrophic nuclear accident at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine in 1986.