Environmental Science - Chapter 9 Flashcards
Respiratory condition from accumulation of coal dust in the lungs
Black lung disease
Removing material located on the top of a vein of coal
Surface mining
Involves a shaft going down into the Earth
Underground mining
Resources that are being used much faster than it can be produced / replenished
Nonrenewable energy sources
Resources that replenish themselves or are continuously present
Renewable energy sources
Most widely used coal with low moisture and high carbon content
Bituminous coal
Coal the has high moisture and is least desirable
Lignite coal
A liquid form of a fossil fuel that was formed from cooling it to -162 degrees C
Liquified natural gas
The time it takes for one-half of the radioactive material to spontaneously decompose
Radioactive half-life
Uses a moving particle with two neutrons and two particles
Alpha radiation
The following is true for a nuclear fission reactor.
The coolant transfers heat away from the reactor.
Decommissioning involves…
decontaminating building surfaces
disposal of fuel
disassembly of parts
Problems associated with the burning of coal…
carbon dioxide and global warming
air pollution
acid deposition
Biological effects of ionizing radiation include…
damage to DNA
mutations
damage to molecules in cells
Carbon dioxide serves as coolant for a graphite-moderated core in…
gas-cooled reactor
Forms of energy released from nuclear disintegration
alpha
gamma
beta
The following are associated with hydraulic fracturing or “hydrofracking”..
special drilling techniques
used to extract oil and natural gas from shale
pumping of water and chemicals into wells
Parts of the nuclear fuel cycle are…
mining uranium ore
fabricating fuel into fuel rods
enriching the uranium ore
Environmental issues related to coal mining are…
acid mine drainage
subsidence of the land surface
air pollution
Energy from a nuclear power plant results from
the disintegration of the nucleus of atoms
True or False. The concentration of uranium increases as fission takes place in the nuclear reactor of a power plant
False
One of the greatest terrorism-related nuclear threats is from..
dirty bombs
The radioactive isotope generally used to fuel a controlled nuclear chain reaction?
uranium 235
True or False. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel.
True
Disadvantages of coal mining include…
acid mine drainage
black lung disease
acid deposition
True or False. A nuclear power plant could not operate effectively or safely without a source of water.
True
The coal with the highest carbon content is…
Bituminous
Oil is formed from…
plant material
The Primary Recovery Method for extracting oil…
is using the pressure of the water or gas associated with the oil deposit to push the oil to the surface as its drilled
Where does the majority of the oil entering the oceans come from?
Runoff from land and human activities like boating
Describe the stages of coal formation.
Coal was formed from plant material that was subjected to heat and pressure.
