Energy Resources Flashcards
What is the definition of Energy Transformation?
A change from one form of energy to another is called energy transformation, or an energy conversion.
What is the definition of fuel.
A substance that provides energy- such as heat, light, motion, or electricity- as a result of a chemical change.
What is the definition of Combustion?
The burning of a fuel.
What is the definition of fossil fuel?
Or the energy-rich substances formed from the remains of organisms. The three major fossil fuels our coal, oil, and natural gas.
What is the definition of hydrocarbon?
Are chemical compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen atoms.
What is the definition of petroleum?
Another name for oil, liquid fossil fuel.
What is the definition of Refinery?
Factory in which crude oil is heated and separated into fuels and other products.
What is the definition of petrochemical?
Compounds that are made from oil. They are used to make plastics, paints, medicines, and cosmetics.
What is the definition of solar energy?
Energy from the sun.
What is the definition of hydroelectric power?
Electricity produced by flowing water.
What is the definition of biomass fuels?
Would belongs to a group of fuels called biomass fuels, which are made from living things.
What is the definition of gasohol?
Adding the alcohol to a gasoline is called gasohol.
What is the definition of geothermal energy?
Intense heat from Earth’s interior that one’s magma.
What are the two forms energy resources come in?
Renewable and nonrenewable.
What is nonrenewable resources?
They are gone once they are used up.
thousands of years to reform.
What provides most of the energy we use today?
Fossil fuels
What are fossil fuels formed from?
The remains of organisms.
The 3 types of fossil fuels.
Coal
Oil
Natural gas
Coal
- formed from plant remains
* must be mined from the ground
Oil
- liquid fossil fuel
* formed from small animals, algae, and other organisms that lived in the sea millions of years ago.
Natural Gas
- mixture of methane and other gases.
* forms from some of the same organisms as oil.
What is renewable resources?
- constantly being supplied
* scientists are looking for ways to use these resources to meet our energy needs.
What are the six renewable resources?
Solar Energy Hydroelectric power Wind power Biomass fuels Geothermal energy Hydrogen power
What is the last energy source?
Nuclear energy
Fossil fuels are something that we…
Pump or dig up.
When energy is stored it is called…
Potential energy
When energy is moving we call it…
Kinetic energy
Solar energy
- comes from the sun
- is the source either directly or indirectly of most renewable energy sources.
- earth receives enough solar energy each day to power the earth for 40 years.
Hydroelectric power:
- power produced by flowing water.
- a dam built across a river blocks the flow of water and creates a reservoir.
- when the dam control gates open, water flows through tunnels turning turbines that are connected to generators.
- generators create electricity.
Wind power:
- wind can be used to turn a turbine and generate electricity.
- wind is a major source of power in places where it is difficult to transport fuel.
Biomass fuels:
• made from living things
~ Ex: wood, leaves, food waste, manure.
• alcohol can be added to gasoline, methane created by bacteria can heat buildings, etc.
Geothermal energy:
• water is heated by magma( melted rock) under earths surface.
Hydrogen power:
• pure hydrogen burns cleanly, creates no smog or acid rain, and exists on earth in large supply.
Nuclear power:
- comes from splitting the the nucleus of atoms.
- about 20% of the US and more than 70% of France’s energy comes from nuclear power.
- the heat released by splitting atoms is used to change water into steam. This steam turns turns a turbine to generate electricity.
What is solar energy’s problem?
- figuring out how to store and use this power.
What is hydroelectric energy’s problem?
- most rivers have already been dammed and dams can have a negative affect on the environment.
What is wind power’s problem?
- few places have steady winds.
What is Biomass fuels problem?
- takes time to regrow trees that have been cut down and producing alcohol and methane in large quantities is expensive.
What is Geothermal energy’s problem?
- only a few places have magma close enough to earths surface. Deep drilling is expensive.
What is Hydrogen powers problem?
- mostly combined with oxygen in water on earth. It takes more energy to obtain the hydrogen than is produced by burning it.
Two ways to preserve our current energy resources.
1) increase the efficiency of our energy use.
2) reduce energy use.
What is left over energy usually lost as?
Heat
What is efficiency?
The percentage of energy actually used.
How to increase efficiency?
1) insulation to trap heat loss.
2) better light bulbs
3) better car tires and engines
4) refuse the number of cars on the road.
How to reduce energy use?
1) ride a bike or walk instead of driving.
2) Recycle!!
3) use a fan instead of air conditioning.
