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Energy
The capacity to do work
Potential Energy
Energy at rest
Kinetic Energy
Energy in motion
Net Energy Yield
The comparison between the cost of extraction, processing, and transportation and the amount of useful energy derived from fuel
Kilowatt hour (kWh)
Measure of electrical power: (rate of energy/work) watt/ time
First Law of Thermodynamics
That energy can neither be created or destroyed, only transfered in processes like photosynthesis
Second Law of Thermodynamics
As energy changes forms it becomes more chaotic/less usable. A part of this is the idea of energy loss through heat in most transformations (think of food chain)
Fossil Fuels
Provides 64% of the world's energy. Created from the remains of once-living organisms. Over time, the organic matter was exposed to intense heat and pressure, which eventually broke this down the organic molecules into oil, coal, and natural gas
Crude Oil
The name for oil when its pumped fresh from a reserve. Ranges in thickness and sulfur content, as well as color and odor
Drilling
An only moderately damaging way to extract oil from the Earth (only a little land is needed to do this). Despite this, the transportation of oil can cause damage to the earth.
Anthracite
The purest coal - almost pure carbon therefore low SOx emissions. Burns hottest.
Bituminous
Second purest type of coal.
Lignite
Least pure type of coal
Underground Mining/ Subsurface Mining
This type of mining involves the sinking of shafts to reach underground deposits. Networks of tunnels are dug or blasted and humans can enter these tunnels to manually retrieve the coal. After production stops at these mines, cave ins can occur
Subsidence
A result of cave ins when shafts are dug. Or when extraction of underground resources (water, oil, etc.) leaves empty space which no longer holds surface above.
Strip Mining
A type of mining that involves the removal of the Earth's surface, all the way down to the level of the coal seam. After the coal is extracted, the overburden (or topsoil) is placed back on top and the area is re-contoured and vegetated
Overburden
The name of the soil removed in Strip Mining.
Coal
Most abundant fossil fuel. Combustion releases COx, SOx, NOx and mercury.
Scrubbers
Used to remove by products of coal burning. These contain alkaline substances that precipitate out much of the sulfur. Forms a neutral compound (calcium sulfate) which is eliminated in waste sludge.
Fly Ash and Boiler Residue
Waste products created by the burning of coal.
Acid Mine Drainage
Abandoned coal and metal mines frequently produce this highly acidic water that flows to nearby areas and can cause health problems.
Natural Gas
Made mostly of Methane (CH4) as well as pentane, butane, and other gases in small quantities. Produced by the actions of heat and pressure over long periods of time. Largest source is wetlands, followed by farting livestock. Used for home heating and cooking, and can be burned to generate electricity. Only produces Carbon dioxide and water when it burns.
Nuclear Fission
The name for the process in which the Uranium 235 is split. Integral to the creation of Nuclear energy.
Nuclear Fusion
A possible future of nuclear power that consists of fusing two nuclei (most likely hydrogen-tritium-2 neutrons and deuterium- 1 neutron. Currently happened on the sun.
Half Life
The time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to degrade.
Nuclear Meltdown
When a reactor looses coolant water and thus the very hot core melts through the containment building. The radioactive materials could enter the groundwater through this. (ie. Chernobyl disaster, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster)
Thermal Pollution
The water used to cool turbines is returned to local bodies of water at a much higher temperature than when it was removed unless first cooled.
Radioactive Elements
Gamma rays produced by radioactive decay can damage cells and DNA, which can lead to many types of cancer and damage to the immune system
Not In My Backyard Syndrome (NIMBY)
When people suffer from mental stress, anxiety, and depression caused by concerns for their safety.
Renewable Energy
Accounts for 19% of the world's electricity and 14% of the world's energy. These sources are essentially bottomless.
Biomass
A renewable resource that includes wood, charcoal, agricultural and animal waste products. Burned for direct heat or in steam-turbine powerplant.
Biodiesel
a fuel created largely from waste vegetable oils. Can be used in diesel engines.
Hydroelectric Power
Power that is created by the force of water. The electricity is generated as a moving water turns a turbine. Releases no pollutants,but causes thermal pollution.
Fish Ladders
Structures in dams that allow some fish return up river. Only lets through a limited number of fish, so the populations of fish like salmon,decrease, as they cant return to their hatching streams.
Passive Solar Energy Collection
The use of building materials, building placement (south facing), and design to passively collect solar energy (ex. through windows) that can be used to for instance heat a building.
Photovoltaic Cells
These directly collect solar energy and produce electricity which can then be stored in batteries. The production of these do require fossil fuels.
Wind Turbine
The wind blows and causes the machinery inside the base of the windmill (nacelle) to rotate. The nacelle houses a gearbox and generator as well as machinery that controls the turbine. These can be designed to utilize the energy at all speeds or only when the wind is at certain velocities.
Wind Farms
Groups of turbines that are placed together
Geothermal Energy
Energy from harnessing the earth's internal heat (still warm because of radioactive decay). Geysers, hydrothermal vents, and hot springs. Limited because few places have geothermal sources to tap.
Hydrogen Cells
A type of energy obtained from hydrogen fuel, the byproduct is water. These are considered to be the safest, cleanest, and best form of energy. However, currently it takes energy to make the hydrogen fuel.
Tidal energy
The energy captured by transforming the wave motion of water into electrical energy
Tar Sands
An underground sand deposit permeated with a thick, asphalt-like oil known as bitumen. The bitumen can be separated from the sand by heating.
Cogeneration
An energy technology that involves recycling 'waste' heat so that two useful forms of energy (electricity and either steam or hot water) are produced from the same fuel.
Petrochemicals
Chemicals, obtained from crude oil, that are used in the production of such diverse products as fertilizers, plastics, paints, pesticides, medicines, and synthetic fibers.
Fracking
hydraulic fracturing-using pressurized fluid to create fractures in rock and release natural gas or petroleum
Solar power tower/ Heliostat
Active solar device for collecting radiant energy from the sun and converting it into heat that produces electricity (AC) through use of bouncing sunlight off of mirrors and focusing them on a source (usually a salt slurry) that can then heat water, produce steam that can turn the blades of a turbine, turn the crankshaft of a generator, and create electricity.
Geothermal heat pump
uses stable underground temperatures to warm and cool homes
Geothermal Power
energy from the heat of the Earth's interior. Power plants use super heated water/steam to turn turbine.
Biomass incineration
Process of burning biological wastes such as wood, agricultural waste, etc. to generate heat-steam-turbine electricity generation.
Biogas generator
A device used to generate and collect methane from the decay of organic matter (animal waste, compost, etc.) Methane can then be burned for heat or electricity generation.
energy conservation
The practice of reducing energy use.
energy efficiency
Long term energy reduction due to the installation of efficient building materials, equipment and appliances.
Carbon neutral
Of or relating to fuels that produce an amount of CO2 when burned that is equal to or less than the amount taken up by the plants from which they are made. (ethanol, biodiesel, etc.)
Solar water heater
System in which water is heated by solar radiation. Often uses a series of black tubes.
Ethanol biofuels
an alcohol product produced from corn, sorghum, potatoes, wheat, sugar cane, even biomass such as cornstalks and vegetable waste.
When combined with gasoline, it increases octane levels while also promoting more complete fuel burning that reduces harmful tailpipe emissions such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons."
Peat
partially decayed plant matter found in bogs. Can be burned as biomass fuel. (turns into coal over geological time).
mechanical energy
the amount of work an object can do because of the object's kinetic and potential energies.
heat energy (thermal energy)
transfer of thermal energy from a warm object to a cooler object
The total energy of the particles in a substance (associated with motion)
3 types: Conduction, convection, radiation
fuel rods
hollow metal cylinders filled with uranium fuel pellets for use in fission reactors
Control rods in a nuclear reactor
Are made of graphite, absorb neutrons, and reduce the rate of nuclear fission
Hybrid vehicles
Vehicles that use a gas engine to drive an electric generator and use the generator and/or storage batteries to power electric motors.
Battery electric vehicle (BEV)
Automobiles that are powered entirely by batteries that are charged with electricity from the grid.
