Chapter 15 - Nonrenewable Energy Sources and Impacts

Heating energy

Energy derived from solar capital, drives other sources.

Commercial energy

Energy sold in the marketplace from nonrenewable resources.

Fossil fuels

Natural resources like oil, gas, and coal.

Energy crisis

Issues from pollution, greenhouse gases, and waste.

Net energy

Usable energy available from a given energy quantity.

Oil

Cheap, accessible energy source; price rises when depleted.

Nuclear energy

Energy produced in nuclear reactions, requires more input.

Petroleum

Thick liquid of hydrocarbons with impurities.

Crude oil

Unrefined oil extracted directly from the ground.

Petrochemicals

Products derived from the distillation of crude oil.

Oil reserves

Identified deposits of oil extractable profitably.

OPEC

Organization of countries controlling oil prices and supply.

Oil sands

Mixture of clay, sand, water, and bitumen.

Oil shales

Rocks containing solid hydrocarbons, require high energy to extract.

Natural gas

Gas mixture primarily composed of methane.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

Liquefied propane and butane from natural gas fields.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)

Natural gas cooled to liquid for transport.

Coal bed methane

Methane found in coal beds, has environmental impacts.

Methane hydrate

Methane trapped in ice, costly to extract.

Coal

Solid fossil fuel used for energy generation.

Environmental costs

Negative impacts not included in energy prices.

Energy waste

Inefficient use of energy leading to loss.

Greenhouse gases

Gases contributing to global warming, emitted from fossil fuels.

Seismic imaging

Technique used to locate oil deposits underground.

Genetically engineered bacteria

Organisms modified to enhance oil extraction efficiency.

Peat

Partially decayed plant matter, low heat content.

Lignite

Brown coal, low heat and sulfur content.

Bituminous

Soft coal, high heat, large supply, high sulfur.

Anthracite

Hard coal, high heat, low sulfur, limited supply.

Coal combustion

Burning coal releases CO2, SO2, and particulates.

Synthetic natural gas

Gas produced from solid coal via gasification.

Coal liquefaction

Conversion of coal to liquid fuels like methanol.

Nuclear power plants

Boil water using heat from controlled fission.

Light-water reactors

Most common reactor type, highly inefficient.

Control rods

Absorb neutrons to regulate fission rate.

Spent fuel rods

Used nuclear fuel requiring long-term storage.

Nuclear fuel cycle

Process from uranium mining to waste storage.

Three Mile Island

Nuclear accident caused partial meltdown in PA.

Chernobyl

Nuclear disaster led to widespread radiation release.

High-level radioactive waste

Spent fuel requiring storage for thousands of years.

Yucca Mountain

Proposed site for long-term nuclear waste storage.

Nuclear fusion

Combining light isotopes to release energy.

Advanced light-water reactors

Second generation reactors with built-in safety features.

Pebble bed modular reactor

Uses helium to cool fuel pebbles, generating electricity.

Breeder reactors

Generate more nuclear fuel than they consume.

Government subsidies

Financial support for coal and nuclear energy sectors.

Air pollution

Severe emissions from burning coal impact health.

Acid precipitation

Rainfall with high acidity from coal emissions.

Radioactive materials

Hazardous substances released during nuclear processes.

Emergency cooling system

Prevents nuclear reactor meltdowns by removing heat.