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Tolli/Stapp - 6
Energy Sources - 6.7A
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Energy | The ability of a system to do work. Energy is required for changes to happen within a system. |
Energy Resource | A source or supply of energy that can be used to generate electrical power to meet people’s needs. |
Renewable | An energy resource such as trees or wind that is replaceable by natural means. |
Nonrenewable | An energy resource that takes millions of years to form from the remains of plants and animals. Examples include coal, oil, and natural gas. |
Fossil Fuel | A natural nonrenewable fuel such as coal, oil, or natural gas formed over a very long time in the geological past from the remains of living organisms. |
Coal | A hard, black solid fuel formed from the remains of plants over millions of years and extracted from the ground; a nonrenewable fossil fuel. |
Petroleum (Oil) | A flammable, yellow-to-black liquid composed of hydrocarbons occurring naturally beneath Earth's surface; it is a nonrenewable fossil fuel processed to make gasoline used in vehicles. |
Natural Gas | A gas, usually found in the ground positioned above petroleum deposits, that is burned to obtain energy; a nonrenewable fossil fuel. |
Nuclear Power | Energy harnessed from the decay of uranium atoms |
Biomass | Material derived from living things |
Wind Energy | Turbines harness the movement of air and convert it to usable energy; wind energy is a renewable resource. |
Hydropower | A renewable source of energy based on the natural movement of water |
Geothermal Energy | Heat transferred from beneath the surface of Earth and used to produce energy for human use |
Solar Resources | The Sun’s energy is collected and converted to usable energy; solar energy is a renewable resource. |
Pollution | The presence of harmful or unwanted levels of material in the environment |
Landfill | Disposal site for solid waste |
Greenhouse Gases | Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat within the atmosphere |