Studied by 6 people
Fossil fuels
Fuel derived form carbon based organisms that became fossilized millions of years ago
Nonrenewable energy resources
Energy course with a finite supply (fossil fuels and nuclear fuels)
Renewable energy resources
Sources of energy that are infinite
Potentially renewable
Resources that can be replenished as long as we do not use them faster then they can be replenished
Non -depletable
Can not be used completely/ will never deplete
Commercial energy resource
Energy sources that are bought and sold (coal, oil, natural gas)
Subsistence energy sources
Energy sources that are gathered by individuals for their own needs (straw, stickers, animal dung)
Energy intensity
Energy used per unit of GDP
Fossil fuel combustion
Reaction between fossil fuel and oxygen
Hubert curve
Represents oil use and projects both when that oil use and compleat depletion will be reached
Peak oil
The point when oil extraction and use would increase steadily until about half the supply was used
Energy conservation
Finding and implementing ways to use less energy
Energy efficiency
Ratio of the amount of of energy expanded in the form you want to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system
Energy return in energy investment
Amount of energy we get out of an energy source for every unit of energy expended on its production
Biofuels
Liquid fuel created from processed/ refined biomass (ethanol and biodiesel)
Modern carbon
Carbon that was recently in the atmosphere
Fossil carbon
Carbon that has been stored for a long time
Carbon neutral
An activity that does not change the atmospheric CO2 concentrations
Energy carrier
Energy that can be moved and delivered in a convenient and usable form to users
Combined cycle
Uses both steam turbine to generat electricity and separate turbine that is powered by the exhaust gas of natural ga combustion
Capacity
Max electrical output
Capacity factor
The fraction of time a power plant operates during a year
Cogeneration (combined heat and power)
Allows for the use of extra heat to be used and one process is better than two
Electrical grid
Network of interconnected transmission line
Energy quality
Ease that an energy source can be used
Nuclear power
Electricity form nuclear energy contained in nuclear fuel
Radioactivity
Emission of ionizing radiation or particles caused by the spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei
Fission
Nuclear reaction where a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus which he spilts into 2+ peace’s additional neutrons and energy in the form of heat
Fuel rods
Containment structure for nuclear fuel in a nuclear reactor
Control rods
Cylindrical devices that can be inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons, slowing or stoping the fission reaction
Radioactive decay
When nuclear fuel is no longer useful but still emits radioactivity
Becquerel
Measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays
Curie
Measure for radiation
Wood
Driver from woody material like trees
Charcoal
Wood that has been burned without oxygen so water and some volatile compounds are driven off
Particulates
Solid or liquid particles suspended in air (soot)
Carbon monoxide (CO)
gas that is formed during incomplete combustion of most materials (colorless and odorless)
Nitrogen oxides
By product of all combustion in the atmosphere (78% nitrogen)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
By product of all combustion; from biofuels contain modern carbon from woody material, rather than fossil carbon from fossil fuels
Volatile organic compounds (voc)
Organic compounds the evaporate easily
Manure
Dried animal byproduct that is used fro heating or cooking in developing countries
Biofuels
Liquid fuel created from processed/refrined biomass
Ethanol
Alcohol made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2
Biodiesel
Diesel substitute produced by extracting and chemically altering oil from plants
Passive solar heating
Use of energy from the sun that takes advantage of solar radiation without the use of technology
Active solar heating
Technologies capture and store the energy of sunlight with the use of electric equipment and technologies
Solar water heating systems
Allows heat energy from the sun to be transferred directly to water of another liquid, which is then circulated to a hot water heating system
Photovoltaic solar cells
Capture energy from the sun (as light not heat) and convert it directly into electricity
Concentrating Solar Thermal Electricity Generation
Large scale application of solar energy to electricity generation
Hydroelectricity
Electricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water
Water impoundment system
Storing water in a reservoir behind a dam
Run-of-the-river system
Water is retained behind a low, small dam or no dam at all, then passes through a channel that have a submerged turbine
Tidal energy system
Energy that comes from the movement of water driven by the gravitational pull of the moon
Siltation
Sediments from moving water that accumulates on the bottom of a reservoir.
Fuel cell
Electrical-chemical device that converts fuel (like hydrogen)into an electrical current
Electrolysis
An electric current is applied to water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen
Wind energy
Generated from the kinetic energy of moving air
Wind turbine
Converts the kinetic energy of moving air into electricity in a similar way that a hydroelectric turbine harnesses the kinetic energy of moving water
Phantom loads
Electrical demand by a device that draw electrical current even when turned off
Peak demand
Greatest quantity of energy used at any one time
Passive solar design
Construction technique designed to take advantage of solar radiation without active technology
Thermal mass
A property of building material that allows it to maintain heat or cold
Smart grid
Efficient self-regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it
Geothermal energy
Heat energy that comes from the natural radioactive decay of element deep within earth
Hot water heat pumps
Extracts heat from the air in a garage or basement and transfers it to water tanks
Note 
Flashcard (137)