environmental science

chapter 14 and 15 (energy unit)

net energy

amount of energy available form a resource minus the amount of energy needed to make it available

proven oil reserves

the amount of oil or natural resources contained under a piece of lan with 90% greater probability of profitable extraction

crude oil

unrefined petroleum

peak production

the maximum

nuclear fission

 occurs when the nuclei of certain isotopes with large mass numbers (such as uranium-235) are split apart into lighter nuclei when struck by a neutron and release energy. Each fission also releases neutrons, which can cause more nuclei to fission.

nuclear fusion

where the nuclei of two isotopes of a light element such as hydrogen are forced together at extremally high temperatures until they fuse to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy in the process

energy efficiency

the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result

Renewable Energy

energy that comes from a renewable source and therefore cannot runout 

Nonrenewable Energy

energy that comes from a nonrenewable source and can run out and often times has negative environmental effects

Passive Solar Heating

the sue of the sun’s energy directly for either heating or cooling purposes

What is the least costly RENEWABLE source of energy?

solar and wind energy

advantages of using coal enrgy

ample supply, medium to high net energy, low cost when environmental costs are not included

disadvantages of coal energy

severe land disturbance and water pollution, fine particle and toxic mercury emissions threaten human health, emits large amounts of co2 and other air pollutants when produced and burned

has coal use increased or decreased in the past 30 years in the US

decreased

what type of fossilized organisms make up coal

plants

advantages of solar energy

little of no direct emission of co2 and other ai pollutants, easy to install move around and expand, competitive cost for newer cells

disadvantages of solar energy

need access to sun, need electricity storage system or backup low net energy but likely to improve, solar cellpowerd plants could disrupt desert ecosystems

Is solar the fastest growing renewable energy source?

 Because of government subsidies and tax breaks for solar cell producers and users and rapidly declining prices, solar cells have become the world’s fastest growing way to produce electricity

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Has the cost of solar power gone up or down in recent decades?  

decreased by 83%

What is the chief ingredient in most solar cells?

We can convert solar energy directly into electrical energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells, commonly called solar cells. Most solar cells are thin transparent wafers of purified silicon (Si) or polycrystalline silicon with trace amounts of metals that allow them to conduct electricity. 

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What method does oil refining use to separate the components of crude oil?

fractional distillation

Give a brief summary of the process of Fracking.

a drilling method used to extract petroleum (oil) or natural gas from deep in the Earth

 What resource is fracking used to extract?

 natural gas 

Which gas is a more potent greenhouse gas? carbon dioxide or methane

methane

What is half-life?

 the time taken for the radioactivity of a specified isotope to fall to half its original value.

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Where do we store spent nuclear fuel rods?  (or nuclear waste?) .

The spent-fuel rods are so thermally hot and highly radioactive that they cannot be simply thrown away. Researchers have found that 10 years after being removed from a reactor, a single spent-fuel rod assembly can still emit enough radiation to kill a person standing 1 meter (39 inches) away in less than 3 minutes.

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How long must material from spent nuclear fuel rods be stored before they’re safe?

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1. remove and store the highly radioactive parts in a permanent, secure repository (which does not yet exist);
2. install a physical barrier around the plant and set up full-time security for 30 to 100 years before dismantling the plant and storing its radioactive parts in a repository; and
3. enclose the entire plant in a concrete and steel-reinforced tomb, called a *containment structure*

What are the advantages of using Oil sands/Tar sands as energy sources?

1. there is a large supple, it will keep oil prices lower, enormous growth potential, stable source country, GHG emissions could potentially be minimized through CCS

What warming gas is expected to be found in the Tundra permafrost?

methane and carbon dioxide

 What would happen if that permafrost melted due to climate change?

1. RPThawing permafrost could thereby result in a positive feedback loop in which thawing causes faster warming, resulting in more thawing.

What are some ways to improve energy efficiency?

  adding insulation, using LED lighting, and installing a heat pump

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric plants?

 PROS: renewable, low emissions, reliable, safe. CONS; environmental consequences, expensive to build, drought potential, limited reserves

Where/what kind of water sources do hydroelectric plants work with?

dams reservoirs and rivers?

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 What are the advantages/disadvantages of biomass as an energy source?

PROS: reliable, abundant, waste reduction , carbon neutral,  CONS: expensive, requires space, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental impact, inefficient 

Geothermal energy has some limitations – what are some things that can be powered by geothermal energy?

greenhouse, homes, fisheries, and industrial processes. heat and electricity

What is the largest anthropogenic (human caused) source of methane release?

1.  The largest sources of methane emissions from human activities in the United States are oil and gas systems, livestock enteric fermentation, and landfills.Jun 9, 2022

1. Winds off of the Atlantic, Pacific and shores of the Great Lakes could generate enough electricity to replace all ____ burning power plants in the US.

coal

In the US – Ethanol is made from…

corn

One of the arguments against Wind power is that birds are killed from the windmill blades.  Yes this does occur and it is a SMALL (small or large) percentage of total bird deaths caused by all human-induced sources combined.

SMALL

What are the benefits to increasing the number of off-shore wind farms vs on-shore wind farms?

It is advantageous to locate wind turbines over water because winds there are generally stronger and steadier over water and the turbine structures themselves are not as visible as when on land.

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