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AP environmental science > APES unit 6 > Flashcards

APES unit 6 Flashcards

1
Q

renewable energy sources

A

can be replenished naturally, at or near the rate of consumption

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2
Q

depletable renewable

A

can runout if overused EX biomass (wood, charcoal,)

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3
Q

non-depletable renewable

A

resources do not run out EX solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal

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4
Q

non-renewable energy sources

A

exists in fixed amounts on earth, can’t easily be replaced or regenerated

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5
Q

non-renewable energy sources Fossil Fuels

A

fossilized remains of ancient biomass that take millions of years to form

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6
Q

non-renewable nuclear

A

energy generated from uranium or other radioactive fuels

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7
Q

key to renewable energy

A

rate of consumption must be at or below rate of regeneration for renewables

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8
Q

subsistence fuels

A

biomass fuel sources that are easily accessible (found and gathered by hand); often used in developing countries as a home heating or cooking food

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9
Q

wood as a fuel source in developing countries

A

wood is free/cheap to cut down and utilize as fuel; can cause deforestation and habitat loss

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10
Q

charcoal

A

is made by heating wood under low oxygen conditions for a long time (dehydrating wood)

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11
Q

peat

A

peat is partially decomposed organic matter (often ferns or other plants) found in wet, acidic ecosystems like bogs and moors.
– can be dried and used as fuel

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12
Q

coal formation

A

pressure from overlying rock and sediment layers compacts peat into coal over time

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13
Q

stages of coal formation

A

peat – lignight – bituminous – anthracite (oldest)

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14
Q

anthracite

A

most valuable because more energy is released when coal is burned.

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15
Q

coal for electricity

A

coal is burned to heat water into steam, to turn a turbine that generates electricity

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16
Q

more dense coal =

A

hotter, longer fires = more steam = more electricity

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17
Q

natural gas (methane)

A

decaying remains of plants and animals (mostly marine) are buried under layers of rock and converted by pressure into oil (petroleum) and natural gas over time.

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18
Q

what is natural gas? where is it mostly found?

A

natural gas is mostly methane (CH4) and is found on top of trapped oil deposits

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19
Q

how does natural gas form?

A

forms when oil is trapped in a porous, sedimentary rock, underneath harder, impermeable rock layer that doesn’t let gas escape

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20
Q

what is the cleanest fossil fuel?

A

natural gas is the cleanest: produces fewest air pollutants when burned

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21
Q

how does crude oil (petroleum) form?

A

decaying organic matter trapped under rock layers is compressed into oil over time

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22
Q

how is crude oil extracted?

A

by drilling a well through the overlying rock layers to reach the underground deposit. Then pumping liquid oil out under pressure

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23
Q

crude oil extraction from tar sands

A

extracting and using oil from tar sands is extremely energy and water intensive.

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24
Q

why is extracting crude oil from tar sands water and energy intensive?

A

lots of water needs to be heated to create steam that’s piped down into the tar sand to melt the bitumen into a liquid that can flow up a pipe
lots more water is used to separate the oil from all the impurities

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25
Q

bitumen

A

thick, sticky, semi-solid form of petroleum (asphalt)

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26
Q

how are fossil fuels converted into lots of diff. products

A

crude oil is burned in a furnace and vapor passes into a column where diff. hydrocarbons are separated based on their boiling points
–hydrocarbons with lower at the top
–hydrocarbons with higher boiling points at bottom

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27
Q

co-generation

A

a fuel source is used to gather both usable heat and electricity
EX heat produced by a car engine can be used to run the car’s heater in winter

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28
Q

developed nations vs. developing energy consumption

A

developed nations use more energy per capita basis, but developing nations use more in total (higher pop.)

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29
Q

how does global energy consumption vary depending on developed nations vs. developing?

A

will incr. on a per/person basis their economies industrialize and residents achieve higher standards of living

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30
Q

most common fuel source globally

A
  1. fossil fuels:
    oil - gasoline
    coal - electricity generation
    nat. gas - electricity and heating
  2. hydroelectric energy:
    dams used to create electricity. water spins a turbine
  3. nuclear:
    uranium fission releases heat to turn water into steam and turn a turbine
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31
Q

factors that affect energy source use

A

availability
price
gov. regulation

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32
Q

availability affecting energy source use

A

fossil fuel use depends on discovered reserves and accessibility of these reserves. use of FFs varies heavily with availabilty

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33
Q

price affecting energy source use

A

FF prices fluctuate dramatically with discovery of new reserves or depletion of existing ones – fracking opens new Nat. gas reserves, incr. availability and decr. price

34
Q

gov regulation affecting energy source use

A

CAN mandate certain energy source mixes.
use taxes incr. to discourage companies from building FF power plants.
rebates or tax credits to encourage companies to build renewable energy power plants
CANNOT directly raise or lower prices of energy sources

35
Q

global distribution of energy sources

A

energy sources are found all over the world
diff. countries/ region lead in certain resources
–not uniformly distributed
– depends on geologic history of area

36
Q

coal energy reserves years left and most in countries

A

~100 - 150 yrs.
1. US
2. Russia
3. Australia
4. China
5. india

37
Q

natural gas reserves years left and most in countries

A

~ 50-60 yrs
1. Russia
2. Iran
3. Qatar
4. US
5. Saudi arabia

38
Q

oil reserves years left and most in countries

A

~50yrs.
1. Venezuela
2. Saudi arabia
3. iran
4. canada
5. iraq

39
Q

geologic formation of oil/ nat. gas reserve layer D = source rock

A

dead organisms were buried under heat and pressure over millions of years; become oil/gas that flows to layer above

40
Q

geologic formation of oil/ nat. gas reserve layer C = reservoir rock

A

layer of permeable/ porous rock where oil and nat.gas flow and collect

41
Q

geologic formation of oil/ nat. gas reserve layer B = caprock

A

layer can be porous but not permeable; does not allow flow of oll/nat. gas to surface

42
Q

fracking and shale gas

A

a method of natural gas extraction that has extended access to natural gas
– gas trapped in semi-permeable rock layers is releases by cracking the rock with pressurized water

43
Q

tar / oil sands

A

bitumen deposits where crude oil can be recovered, but with higher water and energy inputs
CANADA alberta region worlds largest oil sands reserve
extends the worlds supply for crude oile

44
Q

combustion formula

A

CxHy + O2 → CO2 + H2O + energy

45
Q

biomass

A

organic matter (wood/charcoal, dried animal waste, dead leaves/ brush, peat)

46
Q

where/ how is biomass used for fuel

A

utilized primarily in developing world
can be burned in power plants to generate electricity (less common than FF)

47
Q

human health effects of using biomass as energy

A

burning biomass releases CO (deadly gas)
– especially harmful if burned indoors without proper vantilation
– solution: chimneys/ventilation, cook outside

48
Q

environmental effects of using biomass as energy source

A

deforestation/ habitat destruction (loss of ecosystem services)
air pollution (NOx, PM, VOC contribute to smog formation)

49
Q

burning biomass releases

A

CO2 but doesn’t incr. atmospheric CO2 levels life FF burning does

50
Q

burning biomass

A

releases modern carbon whereas FF burning releases Fossil carbon that had been stored for millions of years

51
Q

modern carbon

A

CO2 that was recently sequestered or taken out of the atm.

52
Q

biomass is considered

A

is considered ‘carbon neutral’

53
Q

how to think of modern carbon

A

spending a dollar someone just gave you vs. withdrawing from your long-term savings account

54
Q

bio-fuels

A

liquid fuels (ethanol, biodiesel) created from biomass (corn, sugar cane, algae, palm oil)

55
Q

ethanol

A

corn or sugar cane are fermented into ethanol which is mixed with gasoline
– has low EROEI (takes a lot of energy to grow corn, process into ethanol)
— algae produce oils that can be used as bio-fuels more sustainably than corn

56
Q

biodiesel

A

liquid fuels produces from new and used vegetable oils ( canola, palm, soy) or animal fats (cooking greese) used as replacement for petroleum-based diesel

57
Q

environmental benefits of bio-fuels

A

+ renewable, but only if sustainably produced
+ can use waste biomass (unconsumable parts of plants)

58
Q

environmental drawbacks of bio-fuels

A
  • soil erosion, habitat loss, GHG release, H2O use, monocrop lowers biodiversity
  • lots of corn needed relative to petroleum; can compete with land for human food
  • palm oil is especially harmful due to clearing forests for palm plantations
59
Q

nuclear fission

A

neutron is fired into nucleus of a radioactive (unstable) element such as uranium. Nucleus breaks apart and releases lots of energy (heat) + more neutrons that break more nuclei (chain reaction)

60
Q

radioactivity

A

the energy given off by the nucleus of a radioactive isotope (uranium 235).

61
Q

radioactive half-life

A

the amount of time it takes for 50% of a radioactive substance to decay (breakdown)

62
Q

generating electricity nuclear

A

same process just using uranium to heat water into steam.
U - 235 stored in fuel rods that are submerged in water in reaction core. heat from fission turns water into steam.
Control rods are lowered into reactor core to absorb neutrons and slow down the reaction to prevent explosion.
Water pump brings in cool water from nearby river/lake to cool reactor and prevent overheating – explosion.
cooling tower allows steam from turbine to condense back into liquid and cool down before being reused (gives of water vapot)

63
Q

nonrenewable nuclear

A

–nuclear is non-renewable but cleaner than FFs. because uranium is limited. (limited but abundant)
–No air pollutants released when electricity is generated but mining for uranium and plant construction releases GHGs.
– only gas released is water vapor

64
Q

drawbacks of nuclear energy

A

include possibility of reactor meltdown (which are rare) and radioactive contamination
– spent fuel rods are radioactive for millions of yrs and need to be stored in lead containers.
– mine taillings can have leftover radioactive elements (contaminate soil and water nearby)
– water use is high. PP require lots of water can deplete groundwater
– thermal pollution , hot water from PP released back into surface waters causes thermal shock and decr. 02

65
Q

3 most famous nuclear meltdowns

A
  1. three mile island: partial meltdown due to testing error. radiation released but no deaths or residual cancer cases
  2. Fukishima: earthquake and tsunami triggered cooling pump failure leading to explosion. wide spread radiation release
  3. chernobyl: stuck cooling valve during test lead to complete meltdown. Several deaths and widespread radiation release
66
Q

environmental consequences of meltdowns

A

–genetic mutations
–cancer in surrounding ppl, animals and plants due to radiation release
– contaminated soil. radiation remains in soil and harms plants and animals in future (gen. mutations)
– radiation can be carried by the wind over long distances affecting ecosystems far from meltdown site

67
Q

passive solar energy

A

absorbing or blocking heat from sun without use of mechanical or electrical equipment

68
Q

examples of passive solar energy

A

– using sun’s heat to cook food in a solar oven
– orienting building design to block sunlight in warmer months & allow sunlight in during cooler months
– doubled panned windows, southern facing windows with overhanging roof, deciduose shade trees, skylight to decr. electricity use, dark colored roof to absorb sunlight

69
Q

active solar energy

A

use of mechanical/ electrical equipment to capture the sun’s heat or convert light rays directly into electricity

70
Q

solar water heaters. (Active solar)

A

solar water heaters capture sun’s heat in water or circulating fluid & transfer heat to warm water form home. – in place of electric/gas heaters.

71
Q

photovoltaic cells (PV)

A

solar pannels
– photons (particles carrying energy from sun) cause separation of charges between two semiconductor layers (n & p); electrons separate from protons and flow through circuit delivering energy
– PV cells on roof can either directly power building or send excess electricity back to the grid (for other users earning u credit from utility company)

72
Q

drawback of PV

A

intermittency (solar energy can only be generated during the day)
solution: could be solved by cheaper, larger batteries that can store energy generated during the day to use at night. But aren’t currently cost-effective yet

73
Q

concentrated solar thermal (CST)

A

heliostats (mirrors) reflect sun’s rays onto a central water tower in order to heat water to produce steam to turn turbine etc.
drawback: habitat destruction and the light beams frying birds mid-air

74
Q

community solar vs. rooftop solar

A

large scale solar farms can generate lots of electricity, but they do take up land and cause habitat loss/ fragmentation.
rooftop solar doesn’t take up land, but only produces a little electricity

75
Q

solar energy pros

A

–no air pollutants releases to gen. electricity
–no CO2 released when gen. electricity
– no mining of fossil fuels for electricity production
– renewable, unlike FFs which will run out

76
Q

solar energy cons

A

– semiconductor metals (silicon) still needs to be mined to produce panels
– can disrupt habitat & pollute water, air with PM
– solar panel farms use land and displace habitat
– initial cost to manufacture is very high
– only produces energy during the day

77
Q

hydroelectric basics

A

kinetic energy of moving water spins a turbine(mechanical energy) and the turbine powers the generator
– water moves either with natural current of river or tides or by falling vertically through channel in dam
– by far largest renewable source of electricity globally
– china, Brazil and US are 3 biggest hydroelectric producers

78
Q

water impoundment (dam)

A

creates a large artificial lake behind the dam (reservoir)
– enables operator to allow more or less water through the channel in the dam, incr. or decr. electricity production
– also allows for flood control downstream
– reservoirs are a source of recreation money (boating, tourism, fishing)

79
Q

2 big impacts behind the dam

A

flooding of ecosystems behind the dam
sedimentation buildup behind dam

80
Q
A

AP environmental science (7 decks)

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