FOSSIL FUELS & ENERGY

main use for coal

produces heat and electricity

main use for gas

heating and cooling

main use for oil

transportation

formation of coal

remains of dead trees, and plants that lived 300-400 million years ago

formation of oil

remains of marine organisms that were buried under ocean sediment

formation of gas

remains of marine organisms buried in super deep and hot areas

fossil fuel use in thermal power plants

burn fossil fuels, heat water which produces steam then the steam is used to move turbines at high speeds to generate the magnetic field

pros of fossil fuels

large amounts of energy from little fuel, produced 24/7, existing infrastructure

cons of fossil fuels

environmental damage, climate change, non-renewable

infrastructure built for oil industry

oil ring, pipelines, storage tanks, refineries, shipping ports

challenges of switching to cleaner energy source

already have the infrastructure, jobs and economic dependant

power source generated by flowing water

hydro power

how hydro dams create energy

converts potential energy stored in water to kinetic energy. the energy produced spins a turbine connected to a generator

pros of hydro power

renewable, low greenhouse gas emissions, controls floods downstream, stores water for drinking and industrial uses

cons of hydro power

high initial costs, displaces communities and wildlife, alters river ecosystems and fish migration

role of the water turbine

converts energy from the flowing water into mechanical energy used to drive a generator

role of the dam

creating electricity by creating a reservoir of water

role of the reservoir

massive water storing system

role of the generator

converts mechanical energy produced by the water turbine into electrical energy

4 radioactive elements

uranium, radium, polonium, and thorium

how energy is powered at a nuclear power plant

when uranium undergoes fission in a controlled setting, large amounts of energy is released

fission

the splitting of atoms

pros of nuclear power

low greenhouse gas emissions, technology is better, fewer accidents

cons of nuclear power

easily weaponized in secret, pollution lasts 10 000s of years, non-renewable, nuclear accidents are disastrous

elements Marie Curie discovered

polonium and radium

elements Marie Curie studied

uranium and thorium

Marie Curies nobel prizes

Chemistry in 1911, and physics in 1903

pros of solar energy

renewable, no pollutants, used efficiently for heating

cons of solar energy

only generated when sun is shining, expensive

pros of wind energy

renewable, no pollutants

cons of wind energy

wind is not constant, turbines take up space

pros of biomass energy

renewable, abundant amount available

cons of biomass

releases carbon dioxide when burned, expensive

pros of geothermal

renewable, no pollutants

cons of geothermal energy

improper drilling can be hazardous, sites are likely to run out of steam

Example of an oil drilling rig

Deep water horizon

Video points

Earth receives solar energy, internal heat energy, and stored chemical/nuclear materials