AP ENVIRONMENTAL UNIT 6

fossil fuel

A fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago

nonrenewable energy resource

An energy source with a finite supply, primarily the fossil fuels and nuclear fuels

nuclear fuel

Fuel derived from radioactive materials that give off energy

commericial energy source

An energy source that is bought and sold (mainly coal oil and natural gas)

subsistence energy source

An energy source gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs(straw, sticks and animal dung)

turbine

A device with blades that can be turned by water, wind, steam, or exhaust gas from combustion that turns a generator in an electricity-producing plant

electrical grid

A network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity

capacity

in reference to an electricity-generating plant, the maximum electrical output

cogeneration

The use of a single fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat

combined heat and power

another term for cogeneration

coal

Solid fuel formed primarily from the remains of trees, ferns, and other plant materials preserved 280 million to 360 million years ago

crude oil

A unrefined fossil fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons

oil sands

Slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay; energy and water intensive to extract

Bitumen

thick, viscous petroleum-based substance that's used in asphalt, roofing, and other applications

fission

A nuclear reaction in which a nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy

fuel rod

A cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor

control rod

A cylindrical device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons and slow or stop the fission reaction

radioactive waste

Nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactivity

Energy conservation

the practice of finding ways to use less energy or to use energy more efficiently

passive solar design

Construction designed to take advantage of solar radiation without active technology

renewable energy

a resource that is not finite and can be replaced at or above the rate of consumption

Biomass fuel

Fuel derived from wood, plant material, or animal waste.

biofuel

Liquid fuel (ethanol or biodiesel) created from processed or refined biomass (sugar cane or corn)

modern carbon

Carbon in biomass that was recently in the atmosphere (i.e. burning biomass)

carbon neutral

an activity that does not change overall atmospheric CO2 concentrations

ethanol

Alcohol made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.

biodiesel

A diesel substitute produced by extracting and chemically altering oil from plants

flex-fuel vehicle

A vehicle that runs on either gasoline or a gasoline/ethanol mixture

hydroelectricity

electricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water

tidal energy

Energy that comes from the movement of water driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon.

active solar energy

energy captured from sunlight with advanced technologies (PV or CSP)

photovoltaic solar cell

A system of capturing energy from sunlight and converting it directly into electricity

wind energy

Energy generated from the kinetic energy of moving air

geothermal energy

Energy from steam or hot water produced from hot or molten underground rocks.

wind turbine

A turbine that converts wind energy into electricity

fuel cell

a cell producing an electric current directly from a chemical reaction.

ground source heat pump

A technology that transfers heat from the ground to a building or vice versa (not true geothermal heating)

electrolysis

A process by which an electric current breaks chemical bonds.

steam reforming

A reaction used for the manufacture of hydrogen, by reacting steam with natural gas at high temperature.

fracking

The pumping of water at high pressure to break apart rocks in order to release natural gas. Used fracking water can leak and contaminate ground water; increased seismic activity

hybrid vehicle (HV)

A vehicle that uses both an electric motor powered by regenerative breaking and internal combustion engine. This type of vehicle gets better gas mileage and has lower emissions than conventional

vehicles.

plug-in hybrid (PHEV)

A car with a battery that can be charged and can be powered by gasoline. Has the capacity for a small range of all electric driving.

battery electric vehicle (BEV or just EV)

Fully electric vehicle that has an electric motor that runs on electricity from a charged battery.

overburden

Layer of soil and rock overlying a mineral deposit. Surface mining removes this layer.

tailings

Rock and other waste materials removed as impurities when waste mineral material is separated from the metal in an ore.