Energy Resource Vocabulary

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to energy resource management, including definitions relevant to energy types, measurements, and conversions.

Energy

The ability to do work; exists in various forms and can be transformed. Measured in Joules (J)

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion, proportional to the mass and velocity of an object.

Example: The energy in a moving car

Potential Energy

Stored energy, such as gravitational energy of water behind a dam or chemical energy in fuels.

Joule (J)

The unit of energy, defined as the work done by a force of one newton moving an object a distance of one meter.

Power

The rate at which energy is transformed, measured in watts (W) or joules per second.

Kilowatt-hour (kWh)

The amount of energy consumed by a device rated at 1000 watts operating for one hour.

Renewable Resources

Energy sources that are replenished naturally and are not depleted by usage.

Non-renewable Resources

Energy sources that are finite and become depleted as they are used.

Fossil Fuels

Non-renewable energy sources derived from the remains of ancient organisms, including coal, oil, and natural gas.

Nuclear Energy

Energy produced from nuclear reactions, particularly fission, commonly used in power generation.

Photovoltaic Cells

Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials.

Biofuels

Renewable energy sources derived from biological materials, including liquid, solid, or gaseous forms.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

A process that uses the temperature difference between warmer surface ocean water and colder deep water to generate energy.

Efficiency of Conversion

A measure of how much useful energy is obtained from an energy conversion process compared to energy input.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to global warming.

Cogeneration

The simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from the same energy source.

Hydroelectric Energy

Energy produced by the flow of water, typically using dams to generate electricity.

Geothermal Energy

Energy derived from heat stored within the Earth, used for heating or electricity generation.