Phy Chem Midterms

Most sources of energy boil down to steam spinning a what?

Turbine

The remains of plants that lived in swamps hundreds of millions of years ago.

Coal

What version of coal mining has minimal effect on the environment?

Underground Mines

What mineral is found in all grades of coal and can be a major source of pollution?

Sulfur

Another word for oil that is pumped up from the ground is what?

Petroleum

Most of the word's oil reserves are in the?

Middle East

Burning petroleum fuels contributes to climate change by releasing what?

Carbon Dioxide

About 20% of the world's nonrenewable energy comes from what?

Natural Gas

Oil deposits that can be extracted profitably with todays technology are called

Oil Reserves

A mixture of sand, water and bitumen are the main components of what?

Oil sands

In nuclear energy, what element is commonly used as fuel?

Uranium

What is one of the greatest disadvantages of nuclear power?

Storing the waste

Where did the world's nuclear reactor accident occur?

Chernobyl

Energy from a source that is replenished quickly enough that it will not be used up faster than it can be produced.

Renewable Energy

Nearly all renewable energy comes directly or indirectly from the ________

Sun

What is the fastest growing energy source in the world?

Wind

Plant material, manure, or any other organic matter that is used as an energy source

Biomass fuel

What is produced as bacteria decompose organic wastes?

Methane

Power plants that pump heated water or steam from reservoirs and use that to power a turbine and generate electricity are called what?

Geothermal

What is the most abundant element in the universe and also a possible future fuel source for humanity?

Hydrogen

Cp means…

Continental polar

mP means…

Maritime polar

cT means…

Continental tropical

mT means…

Maritime tropical

Differences in air pressure are caused by ____ heating of Earth’s surface

Unequal

What are high pressure systems?

Regions of sinking air, winds rotate clockwise, wind blows away from center.

Cool air ____ due to its high density causing clear and dry weather.

Sinks

What are low pressure systems?

Regions of rising air, winds rotate counter clockwise, wind blows towards the center.

Warm air _____ due to its low density and cools to create clouds.

Rises up

Where is a low pressure storm most likely to form?

Along a frontal surface between two different air masses.

A front is ____

A boundary between two air masses

What is a cold front?

When a cold air mass pushes under a warm air mass, forcing the warm air to rise.

What is a warm front?

When a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass.

What is a stationary front?

When warm and cold air meet and neither air mass has the force to move the other.

What is an occluded front?

3 fronts come together, warm air mass gets caught between two cold air masses.

Severe weather watch means…

severe conditions are possible in your area.

Severe weather warning means…

severe weather conditions are currently occurring, or are expected to occur, in your area.

What are renewable resources?

energy resources can be replaced or regenerated and will never run out.

What are non renewable resources?

Energy resources will eventually run out.

Name three examples of fossil fuels…

Coal, oil, and natural gas

Name three examples of renewable resources…

Wind, solar, and hydroelectric.

What is a vital part of the carbon cycle?

The sun

What are decomposers?

Things like bugs, bacteria and fungi which aid in the decomposition of dead things.

Organic matter is transformed into fossil fuels using…

Heat, pressure, and time.

When we burn fossil fuels we…

Disturb the balance of the carbon cycle.

Respiration is…

A process plants use where they take in oxygen and consume nutrients from the soil.

Carbon dioxide makes up ___ of greenhouse gasses.

80%

Low pressure systems rotate ____

Counter clockwise

High pressure systems rotate ____

Clockwise

Evaporation

water changes from liquid to gas due to thermal energy

Sublimation

a soild changes directly to a gas without first becoming a liquid

Evapotranspiration

water evaporates from plants and trees

Condensation

water vapor in the air changes into liquid water

Precipitation

water is released from clouds

Infiltration

precipitation that does not absorb into the soil or evaporate

Runoff

water moves downwards from the land surface into soil or porous rock