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APES UNIT 6/7
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| difference b/t renewables and nonrenewables | renewables: sustainable, can be naturally replenished quickly/nonrenewables: not sustainable, cannot be replenished within our lifetime. |
| why do we still use fossil fuels? | existing infrastructure, cost of switching to renewables, more energy dense, backed by lobbying of corporations |
| what was the primary source of energy in the US pre-industrial revolution | Biomass |
| after ww2, what sources of energy increased in use in the US because of increasing city population | petroleum and natural gas |
| what source of renewable energy is the most prevalent in the US | Wind |
| three determining factors of energy use | cost, energy efficiency, environmental factors |
| energy use in developing countries | biomass, subsistence energy |
| subsistence energy vs commercial energy | subsistence: gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs. commercial: bought and sold |
| phases of coal formation | peat -> lignite -> bituminous coal -> anthracite coal |
| process of coal formation | vegetation dies and is buried under anaerobic conditions, forming peat. the peat is compressed b/t sediment layers to form lignite. further compression yields sub-bituminous and bituminous coal. after more pressure and time, anthracite forms. |
| peat | partially decomposed organic matter |
| what percentage of carbon is peat | 60% |
| what percentage of carbon is lignite | 70% |
| what percentage of carbon is bituminous | 80% |
| what percentage of carbon is anthracite | 90% |
| natural gas formation | formed from fossil deposits of phytoplankton and animals buried on the seafloor for millions of years subjected to high temps, pressures |
| oil formation | forms the same way as natural gas, but requires lower temps, shallower depths |
| Energy independence | self-sufficiency in energy, not having to rely on another country |
| Fracking | Hole is drilled into shale rock, water/sand/chemicals are pumped into hole ("fracking fluid"), which creates cracks in deep-rock formations through which natural gas, petroleum and brine can then flow back up. |
| EROEI | Energy Return On Energy Investment -> energy obtained from fuel divided by energy invested to obtain the fuel |
| Gasoline pros and cons | Pros->high energy density. cons-> expensive, high amounts of air pollution per joule of energy released, many refineries release toxic air pollutants created during fractional distillation . |
| fracking pros and cons | cons-> consumes a lot of water and risks polluting it too, causes air pollution, can fracture and degrade environments, can cause small earthquakes pros-> moves US toward energy independence, "bridge fuel" to cleaner energy |
| half-life | the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. in nuclear energy: the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay into another nuclear form. this releases significant energy. |
| nuclear fission | splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus to release energy needed for electricity generation |
| Biomass | Renewable energy source derived from organic materials. some types: wood, veg oils & animal fats, trash, sewage, crops and agricultural residues. |
| biomass cons | overharvesting of trees for fuelwood, air pollutants |
| passive solar heating | collects heat as the sun shines through south-facing windows and retains it in materials that store heat, known as thermal mass |
| PV/ solar cells | an electronic device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity |
| Geothermal Energy | uses the heat from water and steam within earth. Wells are drilled to pipe this geothermal fluid up to power plant turbines, which turn generators to create electricity. The cooled water is then reinjected into the reservoir. |
| hydroelectric power | generates electricity by using the kinetic energy of flowing water, usually from rivers or reservoir dams, to spin turbines connected to generators |
| pros and cons of hydroelectric power | pros: renewable/ cons: dams can degrade and alter ecosystems and migration patterns |
| Hydrogen fuel cell | devices that convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electricity by electrochemical reaction. H2 split into H+ and electrons and combined with Oxygen to produce energy and water. |
| pros and cons of hydrogen fuel cells | pros: renewable, only waste product is water. cons: process of getting hydrogen is time consuming, dangerous and often uses fossil fuels. |
| Benefits of wind energy | renewable, can share land with other renewables to optimize land usage |
| onshore v offshore wind turbines | Onshore wind turbines are cheaper to install and maintain but operate with less consistent wind speeds. Offshore turbines, placed in water, leverage stronger winds for higher energy but face significantly higher costs |
| KWH calculation | KWH= watts x time in hrs/ 1000 |
| ways govt can encourage sustainability | taxing fossil fuel corporations, investing in renewable energy, investing in public transit |
| pollutants caused by nitrogen oxide | acidification, smog, respiratory irritation |
| primary source of sulfur oxide | coal burning |
| primary source of nitrogen oxide | car exhaust |
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