Bozeman test on Nuclear Power plants (19 onward) and fossil fuels (1-18)

Most of the energy that I am using and you are using right now is probably coming from

Coal, oil, natural gas

Why is it unlikely for fossil fuels to come from dinosaurs

Because all dinosaur remains are at the bottom of the ocean covered by sediment

What percentage of energy consumption (in 2013) was fossil fuels

78.4%

Explain the process of forming coal

Over time with heat and pressure a swamp condenses into coal

Anthracite is the most clean form of coal because it is essentially

all carbon

Advantages of coal

Cheap, plentiful, easily mined

Disadvantages of coal

Co2, Ash, impurities

Explain the process of forming Petroleum

In oceans, microscopic life is deposited on the ocean flor and is covered by sediment, and overtime heat and pressure form oil

The primary way that we separate crude oil

Refining it by heating the oil

Advantages of Petroleum

Liquid, energy-dense, cleaner than coal

Disadvantages of Petroleum

Co2, Oil spills, Impurities

Advantages of Natural Gas

Lower Co2, Cleaner than oil and coal, Heating

Disadvantages of natural gas

Hydraulic fracturing, exploration, methane

Explain the Hubbert Curve and why it is not perfect

Demonstrates peak oil, which is when the maximum amount of oil will occur. It is not perfect because they are still finding new ways to farm oil.

where most coal reserves are located worldwide

USA, Russia, China

where most oil reserves are located worldwide

venezuela. Saudi Arabia, Canada

where most gas reserves are located worldwide

Russia, Iran, Qatar

Why fossil fuels will never be sustainable

We will run. out of reserves so we will have to move towards renewable resources

Describe the International Nuclear Event (INE) scale

Used to measure the size of nuclear accidents

Describe the INE nuclear disasters listed in the video

Chernobyl: meltdown of the reactor and a collapse (level 7)
Fukushima: 3 reactors meltdown after an earthquake and tsunami (level 7)
Three mile island: Released a bit of radioactive material into surrounding area (level 5)

Describe why Nuclear Power is being revisited as a source of energy

There has been a decrease in the amount of carbon emissions in nuclear energy

Explain the process of Fission in Uranium-235 that makes nuclear power possible

A neutron breaks up the Uranium into fragments which releases energy

Why fuel rods are not completely made of Uranium-235 but are made mostly of Uranium-238

So that they can also absorb energy, instead of only releasing it

What do we do with old (depleted) fuel rods

Put them in a pool so they absorb energy, and then put them in nuclear containers

Define Half-life

Amount of time it takes for half of the material to decay

Describe the repercussions to the local population if a core were to release radioactive elements to the environment

Radioactive elements cause cancer and are harmful for plant growth and the area is inhabitable

Explain why there might be more nuclear power plants in the future

There will be new reactors which makes it easier and safer, and also we need a decrease in carbon emissions