Stile Resources

energy

A resource that comes in different forms such as light and heat

Electricity

a useful form of energy that we use to power many different devices

fossil fuel

An energy source from the remains of ancient organisms

Common fossil fuels

coal, oil, and natural gas

Fossil fuels are

non-renewable resources

fuel

A substance that is burned to produce heat or electricity

Fuels can be used to

heat homes, make vehicles move, or generate electricity

hydropower

Electricity generated from flowing water

A limitation of hydropower is

that dams put aquatic animals at risk

mineral

A natural substance usually found as crystals within rocks

Common minerals

include calcite, used to make cement, and silica, used to make glass

natural resource

A resource found in the natural world

Trees, animals, coal, and water are

natural resources

non-renewable resource

A resource that has a long replacement time

Non-renewable resources take

longer than a human lifetime to be replenished, an example is coal

nuclear power

The generation of electricity from a radioactive material

The heat from a nuclear fuel

converts water into steam, this spins a turbine to produce electricity

ore

A rock or mineral that can be dug up as a source of metals

Ores provide us with

useful metals such as iron, aluminum, and copper

overuse

Using a resource so quickly that the amount of it drops dramatically

Overfishing is an example

of renewable resources being overused

primary energy resource

A natural resource that can be used as a source of energy

Primary energy resources provide

energy that can be changed into other, more useful forms

property

A feature such as color, size, weight, texture, or hardness

renewable energy

Energy that comes from a renewable resource

Renewable energy resources include

solar, hydro, and wind power

renewable resource

A resource that has a short replacement time

Renewable resources take

less than a human lifetime to be replenished, an example is water

replacement time

The time it takes for a resource to be replaced by natural processes

resource

Something that we need or use

Resources include

water, food, phones, trees, chickens, and rocks

solar panel

A device used to convert the energy in sunlight into electricity

A limitation of solar panels is

that sunlight varies with location on Earth, time of day, and time of year

solar power

Electricity generated from sunlight

Solar panels

harness the Sun's light energy and transform it into electrical energy

solar thermal energy

Heat from the Sun

Solar thermal energy

can be used to heat homes or generate electricity.

sustainability

Using a resource in a way that prevents it from running out

The use of a resource is sustainable if it can

continue in the same way for hundreds of years

synthetic resource

A resource that is made by humans

Smartphones, buildings, cutlery, and clothes are

synthetic resources

turbine

A device that spins when air, water, or steam passes through it

As a turbine spins

it turns a generator which produces electricity

wind power

Electricity generated from the motion of air

Wind turbines harness the movement energy of wind and transform it into

electrical energy