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