energy

Non Renewable Energy Review Topics 

Energy and Resources 

• What is a resource?

A resource is something that can be used for a specific purpose or need. 

• How are resources distributed?

Unevenly 

• What does it mean to be non renewable?

It means that it cannot be replaced quickly after it is used up 

• What are Energy Resources?

Natural resources or materials that come from the environment to produce energy used for heat 

• What is Fossil Fuel?

An energy that came from dead animals and plants buried underground for millions of years 

• What do we use Energy resources for? 

Electricity, heat and cooling, and transportation

• How do we convert energy into electricity? Know the steps 

1. The energy source is burned

2. Water is heated to produce steam

3. Steam turns a turbine 

4. Turbine moves the generator

5. Energy is created 

Fossil Fuels 

• How do fossil fuels form?

1. plants and animals die

2. Remains get berries by sediment

3. Heat and pressure builds up 

• Coal - How does it form?

Forms from decaying remains of plant materials in swamps

Organic materials fall to the ground and sediment covers it. With pressure, heat, and time, the organic material is compacted. 

• 4 Grades of Coal - Know how each forms and what makes each different 

anthracite , lignite, bituminous, peat

A=  hardest, cleanest-burning type of coal.

L= softest and lowest-quality type of coal.  It’s also called brown coal because of its color.

B=

P=

• Mining for Coal

 Surface/Strip, Subsurface, MountainTop Removal 

• Environmental Impacts of Mining and Burning Coal 

Contributes to climate change, habitat loss, air and water pollution  

• Human Health Impacts from Burning Coal 

Respiratory + cardiovascular problems, cancer, etc. 

• Oil- How does it form?

Forms from the decay of marine life that accumulated to the ocean floor millions of years ago

• Crude Oil - What is it? 

A raw natural resource that is extracted from the ground before being processed into products like gasoline, diesel, plastics. 

• How do we mine for Oil 

Drilling 

• Environmental Impacts of Mining and Burning Oil 

1. Air Pollution 

2. Water pollution

3. Habitat destruction

4. Acid rain

• Human Health Impacts from Burning Oil

1. Asthma

2. Heart attacks

3. cancer 

• Natural Gas - How does it form?

1. Sea animals die

2. Buried underground

3. Heat and pressure build up 

4. Gas gets trapped

• Natural Gas - What is it? 

A clean fossil fuel found deep underground 

• Mining for NG 

Drilling and Fracking 

• Environmental Impacts of Mining and Burning NG

1. Habitat damage 

2. Water and air pollution

• Human Health Impacts from Burning NG

1. Carbon monoxide risk

2. Heart disease

3. Lung problems 

Nuclear 

• Why is Nuclear not a fossil fuel?

Because it doesn't come from plants or animals 

• How is energy converted from Uranium 235 to electricity?

1. Nuclear fission

2. Water is heated

3. Steam spins a turbine

4. Turbine turns the generator 

5. Electricity is created 

• What are the Environmental Impacts of Mining and Converting U235 into Electricity 

1. Water pollution

2. Radioactive dust

3. air pollution

• Human Health Impacts from Nuclear Power 

1. Cancer

2. Radiation sickness

• Nuclear Accidents 

1. Chernobyl (1986 – Ukraine)

2. Fukushima (2011 – Japan)

3. Three Mile Island (1979 – USA)