7.1 Energy Sources and Security Flashcards
Why is nuclear power controversial?
Although nuclear power is a low-carbon and low-emission, it is controversial due to radioactive waste and the potential scale of an accident. It is also non-renewable.
Why is nuclear power non-renewable?
The source of the fission process is uranium, which is a non-renewable form of natural capital.
Why are renewable energy sources sustainable?
There is no depletion of natural capital.
Why is energy consumption much higher in MEDCs than in LEDCs?
The economies of MEDCs have been based on energy generation built on fossil fuel use, whereas energy demands in LEDCs have traditionally been much lower due to less available technology and reliance on natural resources (wood burning and other biomass sources).
How are fossil fuels formed?
Fossil fuels are formed when dead animals and plants decompose in anoxic conditions (where oxygen is absent), are covered in silt and mud, and are subjected to heat and pressure over tens of thousands of years.
What organisms are gas and oil largely made from?
oceanic organisms
What organisms is coal largely made from?
land plants, mainly trees growing during the Carboniferous (coal-bearing) period
What is the original source of energy contained within fossil fuels?
The Sun
How do fossil fuels release energy?
Photosynthesis traps the energy in plant matter, converting it to chemical energy. This store of energy can remain below ground for millions of years until humans mine it. Because the fuels are made from dead organisms, they contain much carbon. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon in the form of carbon dioxide.
What do coal-fired power stations turn the chemical energy in the coal into?
40% electricity and 60% waste heat. Clouds emitted from their cooling chimneys are formed by condensed water vapour created by this method of energy generation.
Advantages of oil and gas?
They can be delivered over long distances by pipeline.
Why is the use of fossil fuel unsustainable?
The use of fossil fuels is unsustainable because it implies liquidation of a finite stock of the resource: we can extend the lifetime of this resource, through the use of shale gas and tar sands, but it is ultimately unsustainable.
What are the drawbacks of the production of shale gas?
Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) may pollute groundwater and soil, release methane and trigger earthquakes.
How is hydroelectric energy generated?
Hydroelectric energy is generated when water contained in an artificially made reservoir is allowed to flow through a turbine under immense pressure. The water turns the propellers which cause rotation in the turbine shaft, which generates electricity in the turbine’s motor.
How does tidal power produce energy?
Tidal power produces energy by using the ebbing or flooding tide to turn turbines which produce energy
