Unit 6 Flashcards
Different Categories of Energy resources
nonrenewable, renewable, potentially renewable, nondepletable (perpetual)
Formation of fossil fuels
-formed under anaerobic conditions so decomposers can’t break it all down
2 main reasons why fossil fews have been such an important source of energy
-They contain a large amount of energy in a small volume and mouse
-Can be converted to useful heat energy at a rapid rate
Energy use varies in different parts of the world
-US consumption 5x that of the worlds
-Changes in energy demand generally reflect level of industrialization
Commercial energy sources
-bought and sold
-coal, oil, natural gas
Subsistence energy sources
-gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs
-straw, sticks, manure
Top 3 energy sources in the US today
- Oil, 2. Natural Gas, 3. Coal
Identify the two parts of US society that use the most energy
-Industrial and Transportation sectors
Importance of energy conservation and energy efficiency
-can act as sustainable energy “sources”
-less expensive and easier to implement then completely swiching to new technologies because they require fairly simply changes to already existing systems
Second Law of Thermodynamics
With every transfer of energy, energy is lost, decreasing energy’s ability to do work
(note: it costs energy to obtain energy)
Three energy sources that do not originate from the sun
Geothermal energy, tidal energy, and nuclear energy
Biomas energy sources
Encompass large class of fuel types:
-wood/charcoal
-animal products
-solid waste
Biofuel
a liquid fuel (ethanol or biodiesel) created from processed or refined biomass
-limited in their use because of the technology required to produce it
Modern Carbon vs. Fossil Carbon
-Modern carbon is carbon in biomass that was recently in the atmosphere
-Fossil carbon is old carbon contained in fossil fuels
How is burning biomass potentially better then burning fossil fuels?
-burning modern carbon should not result in a net increase in carbon in the atmosphere because it was so recently in the atmosphere
-this, combined with sustainable harvesting, could make burning biomass potentially carbon neutral
Stages plant material goes through as it is converted to coal
-Vegetation dies, buried under anaerobic conditions, forms PEAT
-As layers of peat are buried deeper into the earth, compressed into LIGNITE
-compressed further into soft, BITUMINOUS COAL
-Further compression combined w/ tectonic activity and heat transform it into ANTHRACITE COAL
What gas makes up most of natural gas?
Methane, about 80-95%
What process produces methane?
-released during anaerobic respiration
What is the impact of methane gas on the atmosphere?
-considered clean because it’s combustion produces smaller particulates, but still releases CO2 contributing to green house gases
Importance of refining process of crude oil
-is complex, dangerous, requires major financial investment
-refining oil makes a lot of important things our society needs to function:
-tar
-asphalt
-diesel
-gasoline
-kerosene
(distinguished by the temperatures they boil at?)
Tar Sands
Oil sands, slow-flowing, vicious deposits of bitumen or asphalt, mixed with sand, water, and clay
