Energy, Chp. 4 Flashcards
geothermal
heat produced from earth’s interior
electromagnetic radiation
how energy radiated by the sun travels to earth and elsewhere
wavelength
the distance between crests of a wave
infrared
having a wavelength greater than the red end of visible light, but less than that of microwaves
ultraviolet
having a wavelength shorter than that of the violet end, but longer than that of x-rays
solar constant
the peer density at the top of the atmosphere on the side of the earth directly facing the sun
active system
fluid is forced through a collector by an electrically driven pump or blower
passive system
a solar heating or cooling system that uses no external power
greenhouse effect
the trapping of the sun’s warmth in a planet’s lower atmosphere
thermal mass
material that absorbs heat from its source and releases it slowly
trombe wall
a passive solar technique where a wall is build on the sun side with glass external layer, high heat capacity internal layer, and separated by a layer of air
concentration ratio
a measure of total output
fresnel lens
a flat lens made of a number of concentric rings
power tower
collects light from many reflectors at a central point to achieve high power density and temperature
heliostat
a device (usually mirror) to keep reflecting sunlight towards a predetermined target
