ENVI 101 Unit 3 Flashcards
Nonrenewable energy
Energy from resources that can be depleted and are not replenished by natural processes within human time scale
Renewable energy
Energy gained from resources that are replenished by natural processes in a relatively short time
Ore
Contains profitable concentration of a mineral
Metallic mineral resources
Aluminum, steel, copper, gold
Nonmetallic mineral resources
Sand, gravel, limestone, phosphate
Fossil fuels
Petroleum, coal, and natural gas
Surface mining
Removes shallow deposits
Strip mining
Extracting deposits in horizontal beds close to the Earth’s surface
Petrochemical byproducts
Used to make plastics, pesticides, medicines, paints, etc.
Offshore drilling
Access of crude oil through deep ocean seabed deposits
Hydrofracking
Oil and natural gas trapped between compressed layers of shale rock formations, water sand and chemicals pumped into the cracks, produces hazardous waste slurry
Environmental effects of hydrofracking
Requires enormous volumes of water, produces hazardous wastewater, drilling for these wells can cause mini earthquakes
Nuclear fission
The splitting apart of nuclei that release energy - each fission releases neutrons which causes more chain reactions, fueled by uranium ore mined from crust
Cons of nuclear power
Low net energy yield, high costs, fear of accidents, long-lived radioactive wastes
Nuclear fuel cycle
Mining the uranium, processing and enriching the uranium to make fuel, using it in a reactor, safely storing the radioactive waste
Photovoltaic (PV) Cells
Convert solar energy to electric energy
Future of wind turbines
Offshore wind turbines fare away from land to avoid navigating land ownerships
Solar grazing
Sheep or other herbivores used to clear plants for solar panels
Pros of wind energy
Abundant, inexhaustible source, high net energy yield
Cons of wind energy
Land owners, can kill birds and bats
Geothermal energy
Heat stored in soil, underground rocks, and fluids in the Earth’s mantle
Geothermal heat pump system
Uses temperature difference between the Earth’s surface and underground, fluid carried through a closed loop
Hydrothermal reservoirs
Drill wells and extract dry steam, wet steam, or hot water
Biomass
Plant materials and agricultural waste that can be burned for fuel, can be used in solid or liquid forms
Biomass plantations
Fast growing trees and shrubs for repeated harvest
Pros of liquid biofuels
Crops can be grown throughout the world - reduced dependence on imported oil, easy to store and transport - easy to use in motor vehicles
Ethanol in Brazil made from…
sugarcane residue
Hydropower
Produce electricity from flowing water
Cons of hydropower
High cost, equipment damage from storms and saltwater corrosion, destruction of habitats, few sustainable sites
Macronutrients
Carbs, proteins, fats
Micronutrients
Vitamins, calcium, iron
Individuals not getting enough nutrients (fraction)
1 out of 8
Chronic undernutrition
People who cannot grow or buy enough food to meet their basic energy needs, which threaten their ability to live healthy and productive lives
Chronic malnutrition
Individuals do not get enough protein and other key nutrients