GEOG1280 Midterm 2 Flashcards
(118 cards)
Fossil Fuel
an energy source formed from the residue of plants and animal buried millions of years ago.
The threee principal fossil fuels:
coal, petroleum, and natural gas
Before the widespread use of fossil fuels, the most important source of energy was
biomass
Renewable resource
produce in nature more rapidly than it is consumed by humans (infinite)
Nonrenewable resource
produced in nature more slowly than it is consumed by humans (finite)
Supply
the quantity of something that producers have available for sale
Demand
the quantity that people wish to consume of energy are in developed countries
Demand for energy in the United States comes from four main sources:
Industry (daily factories), Transportation, Homes, Services
China has recently surpassed the United States as the world leader for
the overall consumption of energy
Distribution of coal
because of drifting continents, todays main reserves of coal are in mid-latitude countries rather than in the tropics
Why is coal typically found at mid-latitudes and not evenly distributed across the globe?
Coal was formed in the tropical regions a long time ago and relocated to the mid-latitudes due to continental drift.
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
made for more control on oil prices
Proven reserve
the supply of energy remaining in deposits that have been discovered (last 54 years)
Potential reserve
the supply in deposits that are undiscovered but thought to exist (last 110 years)
Which four nations have the largest proven reserves of coal?
China, Russia, Australia, and the United States
Hydraulic fracturing
which involves pumping a lot of water at high pressure into the ground to further break apart rocks and thereby release more trapped gas
Nuclear Power
10% of the world’s electricity, nonrenewable, viewed as an alternative to fossil fuels
The countries that are most dependent upon nuclear power are clustered in
Europe
Serious challenges nuclear power presents
Radioactive waste, nuclear weapons, and accidents
Biomass fuel
derived from burning wood, plant material, and animal waste directly or converting them charcoal, alcohol, or methane gas
Hydroelectric power
generating electricity from the movement of water
The second most popular source of energy
Hydro-electric
Hydris benefits and drawbacks
benefits:
-renewable, a lot less pollution
drawbacks:
-expensive to build, aquatic ecosystem can be affected along with life, soil erosion, relocating people due to floods, overuse of water in areas that require water
Geothermal energy
energy from hot water or steam