PEE 6. 1 Nonrenewable Resources Flashcards
(25 cards)
Present in limited supplies and are depleted as they are used (e.g. minerals such as aluminum, tin, and copper, and fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas).
Nonrenewable Resources
How many percent of renewable energy is used?
9%
How many percent of nonrenewable energy is used?
91%
Organic created by living organisms that were buried in sediments millions of years ago and transformed to energy-rich compounds. Because it take so long to form, they are essentially non-renewable resources.
Fossil Fuels
List of Fossil Fuels
- Coal
- Oil
- Natural Gas
The most abundant fossil fuel in the world, found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere.
Coal
2 Types of Extraction (Coal Mining)
- Surface Mining
- Subsurface Mining
The extraction of mineral and energy resources near Earth’s surface by first removing the soil, subsoil, and overlying rock strata. (Cheaper, safer)
Surface Mining
The extraction of mineral and energy resources from deep underground deposits. (less destructive to the environment)
Subsurface Mining
A liquid composed of hundreds of hydrocarbon compounds.
Petroleum or Crude Oil
Separated from the natural gas
Propane and Butane
A pressurized tanks where the separated propane and butane is stored. Used primarily in rural areas as fuel for heating and cooking.
Liquefied petroleum gas
Used to heat residential and commercial building, to generate electricity in power plants, and for a variety of purposes in the organic industry.
Methane
Why does a natural gas costs four times more to transport through pipelines than crude oil?
Because it is a gas and less dense than a liquid.
Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Impacts
- Air pollution (acid deposition) and GHG emissions (although less than that of coal)
- Leaks (for natural gas, which can lead to massive explosion)
- Spills (for oil, which can create environmental damage, particularly in aquatic ecosystems, where an oil slick can travel great distances)
The energy released by nuclear fission and fusion.
Nuclear Energy
The splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller fragments, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy.
Nuclear Fission
The process that powers the sun and other stars where two small atoms are combined, forming one larger atom of a different element.
Nuclear Fusion
A device that initiates and maintains a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction to produce energy for electricity.
Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear Power Environmental Impacts
- Spent Fuel (radioactive waste)
- Meltdown
Used fuel elements that were irradiated in a nuclear reactor.
Spent Fuel (radioactive waste)
At high temperatures, the metal encasing uranium fuel can melt, releasing radiation.
Meltdown
Solids, liquids, or gases that give off small amounts of ionizing radiation.
Low-level radioactive wastes
Radioactive solids, liquids, or gases that initially give off large amounts of ionizing radiation.
High-level radioactive wastes
