Energy Resources Flashcards
Natural Resources
materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
Renewable Resources
substance of economic value that can be replaced or replenished in the same or less amount of time as it takes to draw the supply down.
Nonrenewable Resources
such as coal, gas, or oil that, once consumed, cannot be replaced.
Fossil Fuel
are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels.
Nuclear Fission
a nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits spontaneously or on impact with another particle, with the release of energy.
Nuclear fussion
a nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle
vehicle that uses hydrogen as its on board fuel for motive power.
Solar Energy
radiant energy emitted by the sun.
Wind Energy
form of energy conversion in which turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical or electrical energy that can be used for power.
Hydroelectric Energy
energy derived from the movement of water. Water has mass.
Biomass
the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.
Gasohol
a mixture of gasoline and ethyl alcohol used as fuel in internal combustion engines.
Geothermal Energy
thermal energy generated and stored in the earth.
Petroleum
a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons that is present in certain rock strata and can be extracted and refined to produce fuels including gasoline, kerosene, and diesel oil; oil.
Natural Gas
flammable gas, consisting largely of methane and other hydrocarbons, occurring naturally underground.
Coal
a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.
Propane
a flammable hydrocarbon gas of the alkane series, present in natural gas and used as bottled fuel.
Tidal Energy
form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides into useful forms of power mainly electricity.
Wave Energy
capture of energy of wind waves to do useful work.
Smog
fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants.
Acid Precipitation
any form of precipitation, including rain, snow, hail, fog, or dew, that is high in acid pollutants, especially sulfuric and nitric acid.
Recycling
any person who processes lead-acid batteries and/or parts thereof in order to recover the materials contained therein for later use.
