Chapter 12 Vocab

Question 1

Nonrenewable

Answer 1

Once they are used up, they cannot be replenished.

Question 2

Nuclear Fuels

Answer 2

Derived from radioactive materials that give off energy.

Question 3

Fossil Fuels

Answer 3

Derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago.

Examples: coal, oil, and natural gas

Question 4

Commercial energy sources

Answer 4

Sources that are bought and sold

Ex: coal, oil, natural gas

Question 5

Subsistence energy sources

Answer 5

Sources gathered by individuals for their own immediate need

Question 6

Energy carrier

Answer 6

Something than can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form to end users

Ex: electricity

Question 7

Turbine

Answer 7

A large device that resembles a fan or jet engine

Question 8

Electrical grid

Answer 8

Network of interconnected transmission lines; connects power plants together & links them with users of electricity

Question 9

Combined cycle

Answer 9

Natural - gas fired power plant which has two turbines and generators & waste turns a conventional dream turbine.
60% efficiency

Question 10

Capacity

Answer 10

Maximum electrical output

Question 11

Capacity Factor

Answer 11

The fraction of time the plant is operating

*sometimes shut down for maintenance

Question 12

Cogeneration

Answer 12

Use of a fuel to generate electricity AND produce heat

Question 13

Coal

Answer 13

Solid fuel formed from the remains of trees, plants, etc (280-360 millions of years ago)

Question 14

Petroleum

Answer 14

Often used fossil fuel; fluid mix of hydrocarbons, water, & sulfur (occurs in underground deposits)

Question 15

Crude oil

Answer 15

Liquid petroleum removed from the ground

Question 16

Oil sands

Answer 16

Slow/flowing, viscous deposits f bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay

Question 17

Bitumen

Answer 17

Aka tar or pitch

Degraded type of petroleum formed when petroleum deposit isn’t capped with nonporous rock

Question 18

CTL

Coal-To-Liquid

Answer 18

Technology to convert solid coal into a liquid fuel

Question 19

Energy intensity

Answer 19

Energy per unit of gross domestic product

Question 20

Becquerel (Bq)

Answer 20

Unit that measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays
1 Bq= decay of 1 atom f nucleus per second

Question 21

Control rods

Answer 21

Cylindrical device inserted between fuel rods in a Nuc. Reactor to absorb excess neutrons & slow/stop fission reactions

Question 22

Curie

Answer 22

Unit of measure for radiation;

1curie = 37 billion decays per second

Question 23

Fuel rods

Answer 23

Cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor

Question 24

Fission

Answer 24

A Nuc. Reaction in which a beauteous strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts, releasing additional neutrons an energy in the form of heat

Question 25

Hubbert Curve

Answer 25

Bell-shaped curve representing oil use & projecting both when world oil production will reach a max. And when it will run out

Question 26

Nuclear fusion

Answer 26

A reaction that occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei

Question 27

Peak Oil

Answer 27

Point at which have of the total known oil supply is used up

Question 28

Radioactive waste

Answer 28

Nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful, but continues to emit radioactivity