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Unit 6 Flashcards

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1
Q

coal types

A

Lignite
Bituminous
Anthracite
Liquid coal

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2
Q

How is coal formed/harvested/collected?

A

Formed from peat, made of decomposed organic matter, after lots of pressure
Surface mining & occasionally subsurface

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3
Q

Describe how coal is used:

A

Generates electricity
Industrial processes (steel)

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4
Q

Unique facts/Important notes about coal:

A

2nd most used fuel for electricity generation in the US
Liquid coal = produces way more greenhouse gasses than regular coal & can cause more environmental impacts

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5
Q

Advantages of coal

A

Abundant, extremely easy to harvest
Easy to handle before burned
Easy transportation

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6
Q

Disadvantages of coal:

A

All negatives of surface mining
High costs as it moves from surface mining → subsurface
Air pollution from sulfur and carbon emissions while burning
Water pollution and destruction from chemical spills or ash deposits

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7
Q

oil types (If necessary):

A

Petroleum
Crude oil (can be refined into tar, asphalt, gasoline, diesel, kerosine)

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8
Q

How is oil formed/harvested/collected?

A

Liquid removed from the ground = crude oil
Collected by drilling wells & using pumps to extract it from the ground
Transported to a petroleum refinery after extraction

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9
Q

Describe how oil is used:

A

Mobile combustion applications (vehicles)
Raw materials for plastics, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, cleaning solvents
Unique facts/Important notes:
Mixture of hydrocarbons, water, sulfur
Contains natural gas
Most used fuel in US

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10
Q

Advantages of oil:

A

Easy to transport and use
Releases less CO2 than coal when burned
Is used for a variety of processes

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11
Q

Disadvantages of oil:

A

Expensive and dangerous to refine
Air pollution from sulfur and trace metals when burned
Potential for spillage into water or natural environment
Transportation (pipelines, railways) may disrupt wildlife and habitats

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12
Q

How is natural gas formed/harvested/collected?

A

Is discovered through acoustic receivers
Harvested through hydraulic fracking

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13
Q

Describe how natural gas is used:

A

Mostly used for electricity generation and industrial processes
Also used in homes for things like heating, powering ovens
Can be a fuel for vehicles
Unique facts/Important notes:
Lighter than oil so easier to harvest
Supplies 29% of energy in United States
Can be supplied by pipeline

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14
Q

Advantages of natural gas:

A

Cleanest of all fossil fuels
Emits a lot less CO2
Convenient for distribution
No particulates or sulfur dioxide emitted

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15
Q

Disadvantages of natural gas:

A

Releases lots of methane, which traps more sun than CO2
Exploring for natural gas damages the environment
Fracking is dangerous, releases natural gas

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16
Q

How are oil sands formed/harvested/collected?

A

Harvested Bitumen from petroleum deposits
Extracted through surface mining

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17
Q

Describe how oil sands are used:

A

Used for fuel production (gasoline/diesel)

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18
Q

Unique facts/Important notes:

A

Made from bitumen(degraded petroleum) and sand/clay particles

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19
Q

Advantages:

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A

Contains lots of energy
Extends petroleum supply

20
Q

Disadvantages:

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A

Low efficiency and releases lots of CO2 when processed because it requires lots of energy to obtain
Not easily extractable

21
Q

nuclear Types (If necessary):

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A

Nuclear Fission (splitting atoms)
Nuclear Fusion (combining atoms)

22
Q

How is nuclear energy formed/harvested/collected?

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A

Fission: Uranium is found in rock and mined
Nuclear fusion: Deuterium is easily extracted from ocean water, and Tritium can be found in the upper atmosphere.

23
Q

Describe how nuclear is used:

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A

Fission: supplies about 20% of the US’ energy, and more in other countries
Fusion: is still not reliable enough to produce industrially

24
Q

Unique facts/Important notes about nuclear:

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A

Although meltdowns are incredibly destructive, they are very rare which makes nuclear power much safer than many think
Fusion is what stars use to produce energy

25
Advantages of nuclear:
Emits no CO2 or other air pollution High energy density, especially fusion (creates over a million times more energy than other fuel types with the same amount of resources)
26
Disadvantages of nuclear:
Unpopular Although plants are usually safe, meltdowns are lethal Plants are very expensive to build Radioactive waste is dangerous and we still don’t know what to do with it
27
Solar Types (If necessary):
Active Solar Power Passive Solar Power Concentrated Solar Power Photovoltaic Solar Power
28
How is solar formed/harvested/collected?
The source of energy in this case in the sun There are many different ways to harness the energy/heat of the sun It can be as simple as using dark roofing material to absorb the heat Can be harnessed using technologies like solar panels or receivers (Concentrated Solar)
29
Describe how solar is used:
Solar heating/energy units are used to absorb the unlimited heat and energy that the sun provides to us. This heat/ energy is used to create electricity for homes, heat homes, and even cook food
30
Unique facts/Important notes about solar:
Passive heating doesn’t require intermediate pumps or technology to supply heat Active Solar energy does require these things
31
advantages of solar
Nondepletable After initial investment, no cost to harvest energy
32
Disadvantages of solar:
Manufacturing materials requires high input of metals and water No plan to recycle solar panels Geographically limited High initial costs
33
Types of geothermal
Ground source heat pumps (transfers heat from ground to building) Hot water heat pumps (transfers heat from the air in a garage/basement to water in a hot water tank)
34
How is geothermal formed/harvested/collected?
Heat energy that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within Earth Describe how it is used: Heat source & generates electricity Hot groundwater is piped directly into household radiators to heat a home Steam to run the turbine comes from water evaporated by Earth’s internal heat
35
Unique facts/Important notes on geothermal:
Returning water to the ground to be reheated
36
Advantages of geothermal:
(Ground source heat pumps) can be installed anywhere in the world Uses less energy than a furnace or AC
37
Disadvantages of geothermal:
The groundwater that transfers the heat can be depleted
38
How is wind formed/harvested/collected?
Harvested through wind turbines that propels a generator Converts to electricity
39
Describe how wind is used:
Used to generate electricity Turbine turns, powers gearbox, which transfers energy to generator
40
Unique facts/Important notes about wind:
Wind farms can share land so it can be used for other things as well Fastest growing source for electricity
41
Advantages of wind:
Low upfront cost Nondepletable No cost to harvest energy No emissions during operation (although there may be some in construction) Decent energy return on energy investment
42
Disadvantages of wind:
Creates noise pollution Geographical limited to windy areas Deaths of aerial animals like birds and bats Sometimes aesthetically displeasing and hard to cover Uses batteries which aren't always easy to use or dispose of
43
how does hydrogen fuel cell work?
H gas enters cell → protons from H molecule pass through membrane, creating an electrical current → water is released as waste
44
Describe how HFC is used:
Converts fuel → electrical current Reaction between 2 chemical reactants, with a constant influx of fuel
45
Unique facts/Important notes about HFC:
Similar to a battery except it does not get depleted since there is a constant fuel source Requires a supply of hydrogen
46
Advantages of HFC:
Renewable as long as there is a fuel source No vehicle emissions
47
Disadvantages of HFC:
Expensive

apes! (3 decks)

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