APES Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

Renewable Energy

A resource that has a theoretically unlimited supply and is not depleted when used by humans.

Nonrenewable Energy

A source of energy that is a finite supply capable of being exhausted.

Fossil Fuels

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

Peat

a brown, soil-like material characteristic of boggy, acid ground, consisting of partly decomposed vegetable matter. It is widely cut and dried for use in gardening and as fuel.

Lignite

soft brown coal with low energy value

Anthracite

coal of a hard variety that contains relatively pure carbon and high energy value

natural gas

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

tar sands

mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen. Bitumen can be extracted and refined into oil

Bitumen

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

Cogeneration

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

Hydrologic Fracturing (fracking)

the forcing open of fissures in subterranean rocks by introducing liquid at high pressure, especially to extract oil or gas.

Fission

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

thermal pollution

a temperature increase in a body of water that is caused by human activity and that has a harmful effect on water quality and on the ability of that body of water to support life

half-life

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Organic compounds that exist as gases in the atmosphere and act as pollutants, some of which are hazardous.

photovoltaic solar cells

A system of capturing energy from sunlight and converting it directly into electricity

hydroelectric power

Electricity generated by flowing water

geothermal energy

Energy derived from the heat in the interior of the earth

hydrogen fuel cell

a cell that generates electricity from a controlled reaction between hydrogen and oxygen

Combustion

a chemical reaction between the fuel and oxygen that yields carbon dioxide and water and releases energy.

radioactive decay

The breakdown of a radioactive element, releasing particles and energy

energy efficiency

The ratio of the amount of work done to the total amount of energy introduced to the system

wood energy

Biomass, as it is still renewable, and must be burnt during electricity production

Fuel Rods

Location of nuclear fission

Chernobyl

Russian nuclear meltdown due to fuel rods breaking down

Three Mile Island

USA nuclear meltdown due to fuel rods breaking down

Fukushima

Japanese nuclear meltdown due to an earthquake and tsunami

Ethanol

a fuel made from corn and wheat that is used like gasoline but is a renewable resource

Turbine

A device with blades that can be turned by water, wind, steam, or exhaust gas from combustion that turns a generator in an electricity-producing plant

Petroleum

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

Natural Gas

flammable gas, consisting largely of methane and other hydrocarbons, occurring naturally underground (often in association with petroleum) and used as fuel.

Coal

A fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material

Bituminous

the second-purest form of coal with medium energy value

Cooling Tower

Part of an electric power generating plant within which heated water is cooled.

Uranium-235

an isotope used to fuel most nuclear fission reactors

Biomass

total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level