APES STUDY GUIDE UNITS 6 AND 7

What are nonrenewable energy sources?

Energy sources that exist in a fixed amount and involve energy transformations that cannot be easily replaced.

What are renewable energy sources?

Energy sources that can be replenished naturally, at or near the rate of consumption, and reused.

How is the use of energy resources distributed between developed and developing countries?

The use of energy resources is not evenly distributed between developed and developing countries.

What is the most widely used source of energy globally?

Fossil fuels.

How does energy use change as developing countries become more developed?

Their reliance on fossil fuels for energy increases.

What happens to energy demand as the world becomes more industrialized?

The demand for energy increases.

What factors influence which energy sources people use?

Availability, price, and governmental regulations.

Why is wood commonly used as fuel in developing countries?

It is easily accessible in the forms of firewood and charcoal.

What is peat?

Partially decomposed organic material that can be burned for fuel.

What are the three types of coal used for fuel?

Lignite, bituminous, and anthracite.

What is the cleanest fossil fuel?

Natural gas (mostly methane).

What is crude oil, and how can it be recovered?

A fossil fuel that can be recovered from tar sands, which are a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen.

What is cogeneration?

The process of using a fuel source to generate both useful heat and electricity.

What factors determine the global distribution of natural energy resources?

Regions’ geologic history.

What is the chemical reaction that occurs when fossil fuels are combusted?

A reaction between the fuel and oxygen that yields carbon dioxide and water, releasing energy

How is energy from fossil fuels produced?

By burning fuels to generate heat, turning water into steam, which turns a turbine to generate electricity.

What is hydrologic fracturing (fracking), and what are its environmental concerns?

A method of extracting fossil fuels that can cause groundwater contamination and release volatile organic compounds.

How is nuclear power generated?

Through fission, where Uranium-235 atoms split after being struck by a neutron, releasing heat to generate steam, which powers a turbine.

What is radioactivity?

The process where the nucleus of a radioactive isotope loses energy by emitting radiation.

What are the environmental impacts of nuclear power generation?

It does not produce air pollutants but releases thermal pollution and hazardous solid waste.

What were Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima?

Nuclear accidents that led to the release of radiation, causing environmental and health impacts

What is biomass energy, and what are its drawbacks?

Burning organic materials for energy, which produces carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, and volatile organic compounds.

What is ethanol, and how does it compare to gasoline?

A biofuel that does not introduce additional carbon into the atmosphere but has a low energy return on investment.

What are photovoltaic solar cells?

Devices that capture light energy from the sun and transform it directly into electrical energy.

What is geothermal energy?

Energy obtained by using heat stored in the Earth's interior to generate steam, which drives an electric generator.

How do hydrogen fuel cells work?

They use hydrogen as fuel, combining it with oxygen to produce electricity and water as a byproduct.

What is wind energy, and what are its drawbacks?

A renewable energy source that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity; it can harm birds and bats.

What are some methods for conserving energy at home?

Adjusting thermostats, conserving water, using energy-efficient appliances, and conservation landscaping.

What are some large-scale energy conservation methods?

Improving vehicle fuel economy, using electric and hybrid vehicles, utilizing public transportation, and implementing green building designs.

What pollutants are released from coal combustion?

Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, toxic metals, and particulates.

How does fossil fuel combustion contribute to acid rain?

It releases nitrogen oxides, which form nitric acid in the atmosphere.

What is photochemical smog, and how is it formed?

A type of air pollution formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic hydrocarbons react with heat and sunlight.

What is a thermal inversion, and what is its effect?

When cooler air is trapped beneath warmer air, preventing pollutants from dispersing and leading to increased smog and particulates.

What are common indoor air pollutants?

Carbon monoxide, radon, mold, dust, VOCs from furniture and building materials, and combustion pollutants.

What is radon-222, and why is it dangerous?

A radioactive gas produced by uranium decay that can infiltrate homes and cause lung cancer.

What are some methods for reducing air pollution?

Regulatory practices, conservation efforts, alternative fuels, and pollution control devices such as scrubbers and catalytic converters.

What does the Clean Air Act regulate?

It regulates pollutants, including lead in fuels, which has significantly reduced atmospheric lead levels.

What are vapor recovery nozzles, and what do they do?

Devices on gasoline pumps that prevent fumes from escaping into the atmosphere during fueling

What is a catalytic converter?

A device in vehicles that converts harmful pollutants (CO, NOx, hydrocarbons) into less harmful emissions (CO2, N2, O2, H2O).

What is acid rain, and what causes it?

Precipitation with acidic components caused by nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides from anthropogenic and natural sources.