APES. nonrenewable resources

nonrenewable fuels

An energy source with a finite supply, primarily the fossil fuels and nuclear fuels

fossil fuels

Coal, oil, natural gas, and other fuels that are ancient remains of plants and animals.

energy efficiency

The percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work

EROEI (energy return on energy investment)

how much energy we get out of an energy source for every unit of energy expended on its production. (energy obtained from the fuel)/(energy invested to obtain the fuel).

electricity

A form of energy caused by the movement of electrons.

turbine

A machine for producing power in which a wheel or rotor is made to revolve by a fast-moving flow of water, steam, gas, or air.

electrical grid

A network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity

cogeneration

The use of a single fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat

coal

A fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material

peat

partially decayed plant matter found in bogs

Lignite

the least pure coal.

sub-bituminous coal

coal containing 35-45% carbon; its energy content is somewhat higher than lignite

Bituminous

the second-purest form of coal.

Anthracite

the cleanest-burning coal; almost pure carbon.

petroleum

A fossil fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur

OPEC

An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the production and sale of petroleum.

crude oil

petroleum that has not been processed

exxon valdez

Oil tanker that crashed in March 1989, considered largest U. S. oil spill, emptied 35,000 tons of oil into Prince William Sound

Alaska National Wildlife Refuge

Area where it has been proposed to explore for oil extraction in Alaska; opponents concerned about effect on habitat/wildlife in the refuge.

natural gas

A gas with high methane content, found along with various fossil fuels and is used as a fuel.

oil sands

Slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay

Bitumen

A degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of Earth and is modified by bacteria.

nuclear fission

A nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy

Uranium-235

an isotope used to fuel most nuclear fission reactors

fuel rod

A cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor

Containment Structure

A large concrete building to contain accidental leaks.

core

The central part of the earth below the mantle

generator

A machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

Cooling Tower

a cooling system used in industry to cool hot water (by partial evaporation) before reusing it as a coolant

three mile island

1979 - A mechanical failure and a human error at this power plant in Pennsylvania combined to permit an escape of radiation over a 16 mile radius.

Chernobyl

nuclear power plant in Russia that had an explosion in 1986 & released radioactive materials into the air

reactor meltdown

a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating

high-level radioactive waste

radioactive wastes that produce high levels of ionizing radiation.

low-level radioactive waste

radioactive wastes that produce low levels of ionizing radiation.

phantom load

the electricity that is consumed by an appliance or device when it is turned off