E1_Rev_F23

Earth's Atmosphere

A thin layer of air, approximately 20-60 miles thick, consisting mostly of nitrogen and oxygen, with small quantities of water vapor and carbon dioxide. It helps warm the planet and supports life.

Energy Sources

The Sun is the primary source of energy, providing nearly all of our energy directly or indirectly. Other sources include geothermal energy, tidal energy, and nuclear fission. Fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas, account for a significant portion of our energy usage.

Energy Consumption

Fossil fuels and nuclear fuel account for the majority of global energy usage, with fossil fuels alone contributing around 80%. Energy consumption rates are influenced by population growth, which is currently at approximately 1% per year.

Power and Energy

Power is defined as energy per time. Common units for energy include joules, calories, British thermal units, and kilowatt-hours. Power is usually measured in watts or Btu/hour. Different types of energy include kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, and nuclear energy.

Electricity and Circuits

Electricity is the flow of charge (current) through a closed loop (circuit). Power plants convert mechanical energy into electricity using Faraday's Law of Induction. Storing large amounts of electrical energy is a technical challenge.

Heat and Temperature

Thermal energy is quantified by temperature, measured using the Kelvin scale. Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from one object to another. Heat can flow through conduction, convection, and radiation.

Specific Heat and Phase Changes

The specific heat of a material determines how much its temperature changes when heat is added or removed. Water has a high specific heat. Phase changes, such as water turning into ice, also involve the transfer of heat.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

One statement of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is that it is impossible to completely convert heat into work. The maximum efficiency of a heat engine is given by the temperatures of its hot and cold reservoirs.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are formed by applying pressure and heat to organic matter. Coal, petroleum (crude oil), and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

Pollution and Environmental Damage

Pollution refers to harmful substances released into the environment as a result of obtaining, transporting, or using energy. Particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides are examples of pollutants. The extraction of fossil fuels, particularly through methods like strip mining and fracking, can cause environmental damage.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to generate electricity. Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun. The structure of an atom is determined by its protons and neutrons, and nuclear forces are much stronger than chemical bonds.

Fissile

Isotopes that can sustain a chain reaction and release energy through nuclear fission.

Critical mass

The minimum amount of fissile material required to maintain a chain reaction.

Multiplication factor

A measure of the rate at which neutrons multiply in a nuclear reactor, with a factor of one indicating a sustained reaction.

Control rods

Neutron-absorbing rods used to control the rate of the nuclear reaction in a power plant.

Moderator

A substance used to slow down neutrons in a nuclear reactor, affecting the efficiency of the chain reaction.

Reactor types

Different designs of nuclear reactors based on the type of moderator and cooling system used.

Nuclear waste

Byproducts of nuclear fission that need to be stored for thousands of years to ensure safety.

Radioactive decay

The emission of alpha, beta, or gamma particles by unstable nuclei, characterized by a half-life.

Half-life

The time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a substance to decay.

Background radiation

The average level of radiation exposure experienced by individuals, including both natural and man-made sources.

Risk of cancer

The increased likelihood of developing cancer due to exposure to radiation, with a 1% increase for every 100 mSv.

Accidents at power plants

Rare incidents that can result in fatalities, but overall cause fewer casualties compared to pollution from coal-fired plants.

Nuclear fusion

The process of combining hydrogen isotopes to form helium, offering a potential source of clean and abundant energy.

Magnetic confinement

A method of containing and controlling the plasma in a fusion reactor using magnetic fields.

Inertial confinement

A method of achieving fusion by compressing and heating the fuel using high-energy laser or particle beams.

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