Energy Sources and Waste Management

Flashcards covering key concepts related to energy sources, nuclear energy, waste management, and their environmental impacts.

Energy Conservation

Minimizing use and utilizing energy more efficiently.

Cogeneration

The simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from the same energy source.

R Factor

A measure of insulation's effectiveness; a higher R factor indicates better insulation.

Carbon Content Order

The sequence of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels: gas < oil < coal.

Fractional Distillation

A process used to separate and refine different types of fossil fuels.

Biomass

Organic material used as fuel, which can be solid, liquid, or gaseous.

EROEI

Energy Returned on Energy Invested; a ratio indicating the efficiency of an energy source.

Photovoltaic Cells

Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

Thermal Reactor

A type of nuclear reactor that uses fission to generate heat energy.

Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)

A method of extracting natural gas by injecting high-pressure fluid into subterranean rocks.

Deep-well Disposal

A method of hazardous waste disposal where waste is pumped into porous rock formations.

Superfund

A federal program established to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances.

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)

Vehicles that operate entirely on electric energy and produce no exhaust emissions.

Love Canal Incident

A significant environmental disaster involving the dumping of toxic waste that led to health issues and social disruption.

Cradle-to-Cradle

A sustainable design philosophy aimed at creating products that are reusable or biodegradable.

Gasohol

A mixture of gasoline and alcohol, often used to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.

Passive Solar Home

A building designed to naturally absorb and retain heat from sunlight.

Nuclear Meltdown

A severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating.

Fission

The process of splitting an atomic nucleus to release energy, used in nuclear reactors.

Genetically Modified Plants

Plants altered using biotechnology to enhance their ability to remove contaminants from soil and water.