Chapter 16-18 (vocabulary) Flashcards
Hydroelectric Energy
Energy produced from moving water and is a renewable resource accounting for about 20% of the world’s electricity.
Geothermal Energy
The energy from heat in the Earth’s crust.
Alternative Energy
Energy sources that are still in development.
Energy Efficiency
The percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work.
Energy Conservation
Saving energy in ways such as using energy-efficient devices and wasting less energy.
Mineral
A naturally occurring, usually inorganic solid that has a characteristic chemical composition, an orderly internal structure, and a characteristic set of physical properties.
Ore Mineral
Minerals that are valuable and economical to extract.
Subsurface Mining
Method by which are deposits that are usually found 50 m or more beneath Earth’s surface are mined.
Surface Mining
The methods that are used when are deposits are located close to Earth’s surface.
Place Deposit
Surface-deposits where the minerals from rocks disintegrated by weather are concentrated by wind and water.
Smelting
A process where crushed ore is melted at high temperatures in furnaces to separate impurities from molten metal.
Slag
The layer of flux and impurities, which are less dense, formed on top of the molten metal during smelting.
Reclamation
The process of returning land to its original or better condition after mining is completed.
Fossil Fuels
The remains of ancient organisms that changed into coal, oil, or natural gas.
Electric Generator
A machine that converts mechanical energy, or motion, into electrical energy.
Petroleum
Oil that is pumped from the ground, also known as crude oil.
Oil Reserves
Oil deposits that can be extracted profitably at current prices using current technology.
Nuclear Energy
The energy within the nucleus of an atom which nuclear power plants get their power from.
Nuclear Fission
A process where the collisions of atoms cause the nuclei to split when bombarded with atomic particles.
Nuclear Fusion
When lightweight atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus and release tremendous amounts of energy.
Renewable Energy
Energy from sources that are constantly being formed.
Passive Solar Heating
The use of the sun’s energy to heat something directly.
Active Solar Heating
Technology that gathers energy from the sun through collectors to use to heat water or to heat a building.
Biomass Fuel
Plant material, manure, and other inorganic matter that is used as an energy source.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)
Technology such as the experimental power station off the shores of Hawaii which use temperature difference between the surface at the ocean, which is wormed by solar energy, and deep ocean waters to generate electricity.
Fuel Cell
Produces electricity chemically by combing hydrogen fuel with oxygen from the air like a battery.
Subsidence
The sinking of regions of the ground with little or no horizontal movement.
