Energy Sources: Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, fossil fuels, and geothermal/solar/wind energy based on lecture notes.

Renewable energy source

An energy source that is continuously replenished in a short period of time.

Nonrenewable energy source

An energy source that cannot be recreated quickly and has limited supplies.

Fossil fuels

Fuels formed from ancient plants and animals over millions of years under heat and pressure; includes coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

Coal

A combustible sedimentary rock primarily made of carbon, formed from plant material in swamps and coal beds.

Petroleum (crude oil)

A liquid hydrocarbon formed from buried marine organisms; refined into gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

Natural gas

A hydrocarbon, mainly methane, formed like oil and typically found above oil deposits.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen.

Kerosene

A liquid hydrocarbon derivative used as fuel for heating or lamps, derived from refined oil.

Propane

A hydrocarbon widely used as fuel; a derivative of fossil fuels.

Coalification

The process of coal formation from plant material through diagenesis and metamorphism (peat → lignite → sub-bituminous → bituminous → anthracite).

Peat

Partially decomposed vegetation; the first stage in coal formation with relatively low carbon content.

Lignite

Low-grade brown coal with high moisture and lower heat output.

Sub-bituminous coal

Coal with roughly 70–76% carbon and 53–42% volatile matter; used in boilers.

Bituminous coal

Coal with about 70–86% carbon and 46–31% volatile matter; used to make coke for metallurgy.

Anthracite

The highest grade of coal with 86–98% carbon and very low volatile matter; a highly efficient fuel.

Oil formation (petroleum formation)

Oil forms from tiny marine organisms buried on the sea floor and transformed by heat and pressure over millions of years.

Natural gas formation

Formation is similar to oil; methane forms and deposits are usually above oil.

Methane

The main component of natural gas.

Refining

The process of converting crude oil into usable products like gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

Fractionating column

A distillation column used to separate crude oil into fractions by boiling points.

Refinery gas

Lightest hydrocarbon fraction obtained during oil refining.

Gasoline (petrol)

Fuel for vehicles produced from light hydrocarbon fractions in refining.

Naphtha

A light hydrocarbon fraction used as a petrochemical feedstock.

Diesel

A heavy hydrocarbon fraction used as fuel in diesel engines.

Lubricating oil

Oil used to reduce friction and wear in machinery.

Fuel oil

Heavier oil used for ships, power plants, and heating.

Bitumen

Heavy residue from refining used in roads and roofing.

Jet fuel

Refined hydrocarbon used as fuel for aircraft.

Paraffin (paraffin wax/lighting paraffin)

Light hydrocarbon used for lighting and heating in some regions.

Dry steam power plant

Geothermal power plant that uses natural steam directly from underground to drive turbines.

Flash-steam power plant

Geothermal plant that uses hot water (~180°C) that is flashed to steam to drive turbines.

Binary cycle power plant

Geothermal plant using a secondary fluid (e.g., isobutane) heated by geothermal water to drive a turbine.

Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS)

Geothermal system where hot rock is stimulated (often via fracturing) to increase heat extraction.

Geothermal energy

Heat from the Earth’s interior that can be tapped to generate electricity.

Solar energy

Energy from the sun; converted to electricity by solar cells or solar power plants.

Photovoltaic cells (solar cells)

Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

Solar power plant

Facility that converts sunlight into electricity, often using solar panels or mirrors.

Wind energy

Energy derived from wind, typically using turbines to generate electricity.

Wind turbine

A device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical/electrical energy.

Wind farm

A group of wind turbines installed in an area to generate electricity.

Geothermal energy (reiteration)

Heat from beneath the Earth’s surface captured to produce electricity.