Introduction to Energy Resources | AQA A-Level Environmental Science Revision | Primrose Kitten

Energy conservation law

States energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted.

Energy forms

Various types of energy like kinetic, potential, and thermal.

Watts

Unit measuring energy per unit time.

Joules

Unit measuring energy, formula: watts x seconds.

Primary fuel

Natural energy source used without conversion.

Secondary fuel

Fuel derived from primary sources, e.g., petrol from crude oil.

Per capita

Per person, used in calculating energy consumption.

Energy efficiency

Measure of how much energy is converted into useful work.

Primary industry

Involves the extraction/harvesting of raw materials.

Secondary industry

Involves the manufacturing of products.

Tertiary industry

Involves providing services.

Quaternary industry

Comprises high technology industries such as research.

Industrialisation

Transitioning to a secondary industry can increase energy usage, while moving to tertiary may decrease it.

Renewable energy resource

A natural resource that re-forms quickly, e.g., solar or wind power.

Non-renewable energy resource

A resource that doesn't reform quickly or at all, like fossil fuels.

Depletable resource

Supply can be exhausted if used faster than it renews, e.g., fossil fuels.

Non-depletable resource

Supply cannot be exhausted, e.g., solar power.

Maximum sustainable yield

The maximum amount of a resource that can be harvested without depleting future supplies.

Locational Constraints

Restrictions on where an energy resource can be harnessed

Energy Density

Amount of energy per unit mass of a resource

Energy Conversion

Process of changing energy forms for usability

Government Assistance

Aid provided by governments to promote energy resource use

Sustainability

Meeting current needs without depleting resources for the future

Depletable Resources

Resources like fossil fuels that can be exhausted

Non-Depletable Resources

Resources like renewable energy that are not exhaustible