Unit 6 Vocab Retake

Fracking

Engineers inject high-pressure mixtures of water, sand, and chemicals into shale to release trapped natural gas from rock formations.

Radioactive half life

The time required for half of a radioactive substance (like uranium-238) to decay into another element.

Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)

Vehicles powered entirely by rechargeable batteries that produce zero tailpipe emissions.

Fossil fuel

Carbon-rich energy sources like coal formed from ancient plant material under heat and pressure over millions of years.

Surface mining

The removal of large amounts of earth (rock, soil, vegetation) to access minerals near the surface.

Passive solar energy

Building design that uses sunlight for heating without mechanical systems (e.g., windows, insulation, thermal mass).

Geothermal energy

Energy generated from heat within the Earth, such as underground heated water or steam.

Hydrogen fuel cell

A device where hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce electricity and water vapor.

Biomass

Organic materials like wood or plant matter used as a renewable energy source.

Conservation

Reducing energy use through efficiency and behavior changes.

Cogeneration

Producing electricity and useful heat at the same time to increase efficiency.

Subsurface mining

Mining that occurs underground using shafts and tunnels.

Greenhouse gases

Gases like CO₂ and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere.

Combustion

A chemical reaction where a substance reacts with oxygen, releasing energy as heat and light.

Hybrid vehicle

A vehicle that uses both a gasoline engine and an electric motor.

Tailings/slag

Waste materials left over after extracting valuable minerals from ore.

Potential energy

Stored energy due to an object’s position (e.g., water behind a dam).

Nuclear power

Energy produced from nuclear fission reactions in atoms like uranium.

Green building

Designing buildings to be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.