Nonrenewable Resources (Chapter 3, Unit 1)

Nonrenewable Resources

Natural resources that are used up much faster than they can be replaced by nature

Energy Returned on Investment (EROI)

A simple ratio that measures the amount of usable energy a source provides versus the amount of energy it takes to get that energy

Coalification

The natural process of transforming plant matter into coal through heat, pressure, and time

Coal Uses

Boiler, turbine, generator, cooling tower, furnace, condenser, filter, etc

Clean Coal Technology

A set of processes designed to reduce the environmental impact of burning coal by removing pollutants before, during, or after combustion, and by improving the efficiency of power plants 

Biogenic Gas

Gas produced by the microbial decomposition of organic matter 

Petroleum

Formed from organic matter (dead plankton) that drifted down through coastal marine waters millions of years ago and was buried in sediment on the ocean floor 

Natural Gas

Naturally occurring fossil fuel consisting of primary of methane (CH4) and other hydrocarbons, found underground and used mainly for heating, cooking, and electricity generation

Liquefied Natural Gas

A natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state (-260F) to make it easier and more economical to transport

Oil

Any of numerous greasy flammables usually liquid substances from plant, animal, or mineral sources that do not dissolve in water and are used especially as lubricants, fuels, and food

Refined oils

Plant-based oils that have been processed through methods like heating and chemical treatments to remove impurities, resulting in a neutral flavor, lighter color, and longer shelf life 

Oil sands

Natural deposits of sand, clay, water, and a heavy, viscous form of crude oil called bitumen 

Oil shale

A fine-grained sedimentary rock containing high levels of kerogen, an organic matter that can be converted into synthetic crude oil through heating 

The Willow Project

A large-scale oil and gas drilling project by ConocoPhillips on federal land in Alaska’s National Petroleum reserve, approved by the Biden administration in March 2023. The project aims to extract oil over 30 years and will require significant infrastructure, such as pipelines and roads

Methane hydrates

A solid, ice-like substance where methane gas is trapped inside a cage of frozen water molecules

Hubbard’s Peak

The production rate of a finite, non-renewable resource (like oil) in each area will follow a bell-shaped curve over time. The peak refers to the point of maximum production, after which the rate of production will enter a terminal decline due to resource depletion (1970) 

Hydraulic Fracturing

A process for extracting oil and natural gas from underground rock formations by injecting a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into a well to create and widen cracks. These cracks allow trapped fossil fuels to flow more freely into the wellbore, from which they can be pumped to the surface

Wisconsin Frack Sand

High-purity, uniformly sized silica sand mined from the state’s sandstone deposits and used as proppant in a hydraulic fracturing to hold open cracks in a rock 

Energy Efficiency

Using less energy to perform the same task, which lowers energy bills and reduces waste

Energy Conservation

The practice of using less energy by consciously reducing consumption through behavioral changes or using more efficient devices

Fission

The process of splitting an atom’s nucleus into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing a large amount of energy

Nuclear Reactors producing Electricity

By using nuclear fission to heat water and create steam, which then spins a turbine connected to a generator. The process involves splitting uranium atoms to release a large amount of heat, which produces steam in a closed-loop system

Three Mile Island

The 1979 nuclear accident at the power plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which was caused by a combination of mechanical failure and human error. This event, involving a partial meltdown of the Unit 2 reactor, released a small amount of radioactive gas into the atmosphere. The incident led to a significant drop in public support for nuclear energy and resulted in major, long-lasting safety reforms in the U.S. nuclear industry 

Nuclear Meltdown

A severe accident in a nuclear reactor where the fuel rods overheat due to a loss of cooling, causing them to melt and potentially release large amounts of radioactive material into the environment

The 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine

On April 26^th, 1986, the Number Four RBMK reactor at the nuclear power plant went out of control during a test at low-power, leading to an explosion and fire that demolished the reactor building and released a large amount of radiation into the atmosphere 

Fukushima Daiichi

The disaster was triggered by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which caused meltdowns and the release of radioactive materials, leading to widespread evacuations and a major nuclear accident