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APES Vocab
Nonrenewable Energy Resources
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| becquerel (Bq) | unit that measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays; 1 Bq = decay of 1 atom or nucleus per second |
| bitumen | a degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of Earth and is modified by bacteria |
| capacity | in reference to an electricity-generating plant, the maximum electrical output |
| capacity factor | the fraction of time a power plant operates in a year |
| coal | a solid fuel formed primarily from the remains of trees, ferns, and other plant materials preserved 280 million to 360 million years ago |
| cogeneration | the use of a fuel to generate electricity and produce heat; also known as combined heat and power |
| combined cycle | a power plant that uses both exhaust gases and steam turbines to generate electricity |
| combined heat and power | the use of a fuel to generate electricity and produce heat; also known as cogeneration |
| commercial energy source | an energy source that is bought and sold |
| control rod | a cylindrical device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons and slow or stop the fission reaction |
| crude oil | liquid petroleum removed from the ground |
| CTL (coal to liquid) | the process of converting solid coal into liquid fuel |
| curie | a unit of measure for radiation; 1 curie = 37 billion decays per second |
| electrical grid | a network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity |
| energy carrier | something that can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form to end users |
| energy intensity | the energy use per unit of gross domestic product |
| fission | a nuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts, releasing additional neutrons and energy in the form of heat |
| fossil fuel | a fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago |
| fuel rod | a cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor |
| Hubbert curve | a bell-shaped curve representing oil use and projecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when the world will run out of oil |
| nonrenewable energy resource | an energy source with a finite supply, primarily the fossil fuels and nuclear fuels |
| nuclear fuel | fuel derived from radioactive materials that give off energy |
| nuclear fusion | a reaction that occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei |
| oil sands | slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay |
| peak oil | the point at which half the total known oil supply is used up |
| petroleum | a fossil fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur |
| radioactive waste | nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactivity |
| subsistence energy source | an energy source gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs |
| turbine | a device with blades that can be turned by water, wind, steam, or exhaust gas from combustion that turns a generator in an electricity-producing plant |
Created by:
mmcgra1236
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