APES 6 Flashcards
law of conservation of energy
energy can be converted un form, but nit created nor destroyed
first law of thermodynamics
energy can not created nor destroyed
where do detritivores get their energy
consuming dead organism matter
how is power measured
in watts
1 watt = ____ joule(s)/sec
1
1 kilowatt = ______ joules
1000
what is Btu
unit of energy used in the U.S.
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit
1 horsepower = _____ watts
746
what is a kWh used to measure
Kilowatt hour is a unit of power used to measure energy used at a given moment
kilo =
1,000 or 10^3
mega =
1,000,000 or 10^6
convergent evolution
when two unrelated species have evolved similar structures to take advantage of a niche in their ecosystem
what is peat & how is it formed
the accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter
forms when plant material does not fully decay in acidic & anaerobic conditions
where is peat found
wetlands (bogs & swamps)
most effective carbon sink on the planet
peat (bogs & swamps)
how is coal formed
when dead plant matter decays into peat & is then converted into coal by the heat & pressure of deep burial over millions of years
lignite coal & what is it used for
often called brown coal; most harmful to human health & used as a primary fuel for electric power generation
brown coal is also known as…
lignite
most harmful type of coal to human health
lignite
what is it bituminous coal used for
used as a fuel in steam-electric power generation
what is it anthracite coal used for
residential & commercial space heating
largest producer of coal
china
country with the largest coal reserves
United States
coal supplies ___% of the world’s energy
25%
what are some pollutants released into the air when coal is burned
carbon dioxide
nitrous oxides (NOx)
sulfur oxides (SOx)
particulates (PM)
heavy metals
scrubbers
systems that inject chemicals into a dirty exhaust stream to “wash out” acidic gases. Scrubbers can also be used to reduce SOx & particulates from burning coal
sorbents
activated charcoal, calcium compounds, or silicates that can convert gaseous pollutants in the smokestacks, such as mercury, into compounds that can then be collected with bathhouse filters, electrostatic precipitation, or scrubbers
carbon capture & storage (CCS)
pumps & stores CO2 underground
clean coal
technology that attempts to mitigate emissions of carbon dioxide & other greenhouse gases that arise from the burning of coal for electrical power
what is natural gas
methane (CH4)
how is natural gas formed
when layers of buried plants & gases are exposed to intense heat & pressure over thousands of years
what releases the most methane emissions
agriculture (livestock)
natural gas supplies ___% of the world’s current energy needs
30%
how is oil formed
decomposition of deeply buried organic material (plants) under high temperatures & pressures for millions of years
petrochemicals
compounds derived from oil
used in paints, drugs, plastics
main energy source for the U.S.
oil
cogeneration
aka combined heat & power (CHP)
technology used to generate electricity & heat simultaneously at local facilities; otherwise heat produced from electricity generation is wasted
country with the highest production of renewable energy
china
law of supply
as the price of a good or service increases, the quantity of goods or services that suppliers offer will increase
law of demand
if the price of something increases, it has a lower demand
oil shale
organic-rich, fine-grained sedimentary rock containing a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds (kerogen) from which liquid hydrocarbons (shale oil) can be produced
methane hydrates
methane locked in ice
80% of the world’s shale oil is found where
in the U.S. (Wyoming’s Green River Foundation)
in situ oil shale extraction
oil shale is not mined or crushed. It is heated while it is still underground, where various components are separated & extracted
ex situ oil shale extraction
oil shale is first extracted from earth by surface or underground mining. Rock is then crushed or heated to release the shale oil
synfuels
any fuel produced from coal, natural gas, or biomass through chemical conversion
can produce gasoline, diesel, or kerosene directly
bitumen
a semi-solid oil that does not flow
tar sands
contain bitumen
2/3 of the world’s total oil reserves
country with the most tar sands
canada
combustion of fossil fuels formula
fossil fuel + oxygen gas (O2) –> Carbon dioxide (CO2) + water + energy
steps involved from fuels to electricity
- extracting thermal energy from the fuel & using it to raise steam
- converting the thermal energy of the steam to kinetic energy in the turbine
- using a rotary generator to convert the turbine’s mechanical energy into electrical energy
what country produces the most nuclear power
the U.S.
nuclear fission
an atom splits & the reaction gives off heat which is used to produce steam that turns generators that then produce electricity
difference between U-235 & U-238
U-235 can produce a fission chain (self-sustaining) reaction
critical mass
the minimum amount of U-235 required for a chain reaction
most common isotope of uranium
U-238
how is Pu-239 produced
in breeder reactors from U-238
what country produces the highest percentage of its energy from nuclear reactors
france
control rods
in nuclear plants that move in & out of the core to absorb neutrons & slow down the reaction
Fukushima-Daiichi
nuclear reactor accident
Three Mile Island
nuclear reactor accident
biomass
biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms that can be burned in large incinerators to create steam that is used for generating electricity
___% of the world’s renewable energy supply is derived from biomass
50%
biogas
anaerobic digestion where microorganisms break down biodegradable material to produce methane gas which is then burned to produce energy
biofuel
liquid fuel produced from living organisms
ex. ethanol
example of a biofuel
ethanil
which country most commonly uses biofuel
the U.S.
is biofuel a renewable resource
yes
passive solar heating design
doesnt include any type of mechanical heating device
active solar heating system
generates more heat than passive systems & relies on solar collectors, solar storage systems, & a heat transfer system
which continent uses the most solar energy
asia
is hydrogen fuel a renewable energy source
no
do hydrogen fuel cells run out
no
waste product of hydrogen fuel cells
pure water
country with the largest wind energy
china
OPEC
organization of petroleum exporting countries
nuclear fusion
conversion of nuclear energy to heat energy
used by the sun
produces helium
What is enriched uranuum
Uranium that has a higher proportion of U-235 nuclei than normal
