APES Vocabulary Study Set

Renewable resources: Natural resources that can be replenished at the same rate they are consumed, such as solar energy, wind, and biomass.

Nonrenewable resources: Resources that exist in finite amounts and are depleted faster than they can be naturally replenished, like fossil fuels and minerals.

External costs / externalities: Costs or benefits of a good or service that are not included in the purchase price, such as pollution or public health effects.

Developed countries: Nations with advanced economies, high living standards, and industrialization, typically having lower population growth rates.

Developing countries: Nations with lower levels of industrialization, income, and standards of living, often experiencing higher population growth rates.

Industrialized: Economies that rely heavily on manufacturing and advanced technologies.

Charcoal: A carbon-rich fuel made by heating wood in low oxygen environments, used for cooking and heating.

Peat: Partially decayed plant matter found in wetlands, an early stage of coal formation and a low-energy fuel source.

Lignite: The lowest rank of coal, brown and crumbly with low carbon content and energy density.

Bituminous: A mid-grade coal with higher carbon content and energy density, commonly used in electricity generation.

Anthracite: The highest grade of coal, with the highest carbon content, energy density, and fewer impurities.

Natural gas: A fossil fuel composed mainly of methane, used for heating, electricity, and as an industrial feedstock.

Crude oil: Unrefined petroleum extracted from the Earth, processed into fuels and other petrochemical products.

Tar sands: Mixtures of sand, clay, water, and bitumen, extracted and processed to produce crude oil.

Cogeneration: The simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from a single energy source, improving energy efficiency.

Cost-benefit analysis: A systematic approach to evaluating the economic pros and cons of a project or policy.

Fossil fuels: Energy resources like coal, oil, and natural gas formed from the remains of ancient organisms.

Combustion: The process of burning fuel to release energy in the form of heat and light.

Turbines: Machines that convert kinetic energy from a fluid (air, water, or steam) into mechanical energy.

Electricity: The flow of electric charge, used as a secondary energy source generated from primary resources.

Fracking (hydraulic fracturing): A technique to extract oil and natural gas by injecting high-pressure fluid into rocks to create fractures.

Groundwater: Water stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil or rock formations.

Chernobyl: The site of a catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986 in Ukraine, releasing massive amounts of radioactive material.

Nuclear energy: Energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, used to generate electricity.

Fission: The splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei, releasing energy.

Fusion: The combining of light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Uranium-235: A fissile isotope of uranium used as fuel in nuclear reactors and weapons.

Fuel rods: Cylindrical tubes that contain nuclear fuel, typically uranium-235 or plutonium.

Radioactivity: The spontaneous emission of particles or energy from an unstable atomic nucleus.

Isotope: Variants of an element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Radiation: Energy emitted as particles or waves, often from radioactive materials.

Nuclear waste: Radioactive byproducts from nuclear reactions, requiring safe disposal.

Thermal pollution: Harmful temperature increases in natural water bodies caused by human activities, like discharging heated industrial water.

Three Mile Island: The site of a 1979 nuclear reactor meltdown in Pennsylvania, leading to stricter regulations.

Fukushima: A nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011 caused by an earthquake and tsunami, leading to radioactive contamination.

Radioactive decay: The process by which unstable atomic nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation.

Half-life: The time it takes for half of a radioactive substance to decay.

Biomass energy: Energy derived from organic materials like wood, crop waste, and animal waste.

Ethanol/Gasohol: A biofuel made from fermenting plant sugars, often mixed with gasoline.

Biofuels: Fuels produced from biological materials like crops and waste, including ethanol and biodiesel.

Biodiesel: A renewable fuel made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled grease.

Solar energy: Energy harnessed from the sun's rays, used for electricity or heating.

Photovoltaic cells: Devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductors.

Passive solar energy: Solar energy collected without mechanical systems, using design features like large windows or thermal mass.

Active solar heating: Solar energy captured using mechanical devices, like pumps or fans, to transfer heat.

Hydroelectric: Electricity generated by moving water, typically using dams.

Reservoirs: Artificial lakes created by dams to store water for energy production, drinking, or irrigation.

Tidal energy: Energy generated from the movement of tides, often using underwater turbines.

Wave energy: Energy harnessed from ocean surface waves, converted into electricity.

Three Gorges Dam: A massive hydroelectric dam on the Yangtze River in China, generating significant energy while causing environmental impacts.

Geothermal energy: Heat energy from the Earth's interior, used for electricity or direct heating.

Hydrogen fuel cell: A device that generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, producing water as a byproduct.

Emission: The release of pollutants or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Wind energy: Energy generated from wind using turbines.

Kinetic energy: Energy associated with the motion of an object.

Potential energy: Stored energy based on an object's position or state.

Energy conservation: Reducing energy use through efficiency or behavior changes.

Energy efficient: Using less energy to perform the same task or achieve the same result.