Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions related to renewable and nonrenewable energy sources based on the lecture notes.

a resource

Something you can use

renewable

Something that cannot run out/go away permanently

nonrenewable

Something that can run out/go away

solar energy

Renewable energy from the sun

wind energy

Renewable energy from wind

geothermal energy

Renewable energy from Earth’s heat and decayed materials

Biomass

Renewable energy from living things

oil (petroleum)

A fossil fuel made from organic material

coal

A fossil fuel from land plants

natural gas

A nonrenewable fossil fuel made from organic matter

nuclear energy

A nonrenewable energy resource that uses mining and uranium to create

Hydroelectric energy

A renewable resource using water

wood

A nonrenewable energy resource taken from forests