APES Ch 10: Energy Resources and Consumption

Nonrenewable energy source

Coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy resources that can't be renewed or regrown for thousands or millions of years.

Renewable energy source

Wind, biomass, hydrogen, water, and solar energy resources that can be renewed or regrown rather quickly.

Fossil fuels

Energy sources that come from organisms that lived millions of years ago. After being buried with heat and pressure, they have become coal, oil, or natural gas.

Peat

Partially decayed plant matter that is used for cooking or heating in parts of Europe.

Lignite

The least efficient type of coal that generates the least amount of heat and isn't very common.

Bituminous

The type of coal used the most because it is very abundant and generates a lot of heat.

Anthracite

The most efficient type of coal that generates the maximum amount of heat but isn't very common and is more expensive.

Cogeneration

Creating electricity and heat from one energy source.

Turbine

A giant fan-type structure that is turned by steam or water (hydroelectric power) and connected to a generator to make electrical energy.

Hydrologic fracturing (fracking)

Forcing liquid at very high pressures down into the rock to cause the oil or gas to be released.

Combustion

The burning of fuel to produce energy.

Fission

The splitting of atoms for energy.

Uranium-235

The radioactive isotope used to create nuclear power.

Radioactivity

The radiation emitted from a nuclear isotope.

Thermal pollution

The heat that is produced by nuclear power generation that can be a pollutant to aquatic organisms.

Three Mile Island

A nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania where a small nuclear accident occurred, releasing some radiation.

Chernobyl

A nuclear power plant in the Ukraine where a large nuclear meltdown occurred, releasing a lot of radiation.

Fukushima

A nuclear power plant in Japan where a tsunami and earthquake caused a release of radiation.

Half-life

The time it takes for a nuclear isotope to lose half of its radioactivity.

Biomass

Organic matter that can be used for heating or cooking or fuel. Example

Ethanol

A substitute for gasoline that is made from decaying plant matter.

Photovoltaic solar cell

A cell that captures light from the sun and converts it into electricity.

Active solar energy

Turning solar energy into electricity or heat and can be stored.

Passive solar energy

Using the sun to heat or blocking the sun to cool a house or building.

Hydroelectric power

Using the power of a river or tides to turn a turbine to generate electricity.

Geothermal energy

Using the heat below the surface of the Earth to make steam to turn a turbine to generate electricity.

Hydrogen fuel cells

Taking H₂ and O₂ and producing water, heat, and electricity.

Kinetic energy

The energy of motion as in the turning of a turbine.