Environmental Unit 9 Flashcards
a device that uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity
fuel cell
Which of these lists power sources from the lowest net energy to the highest net energy?
pv cells, nuclear, hydroelectric
____ is still in the experimental stage.
ocean thermal energy
___ is available in many areas and has no net increase in carbon dioxide emissions if forests are replanted.
Solid biomass
plant materials or solid wastes that have been converted to a gaseous or liquid form
biofuel
plant materials or animal wastes that can be burned for energy
biomass energy
a system that uses temperature differences between the ground and the air to heat or cool houses
geothermal heat pump
heat stored in soil, underground rocks, and the fluid in the earth’s mantle
geothermal energy
a place within the earth’s crust that has concentrated areas of heat
hydrothermal reservoir
wood, plant materials, or animal feces that are burned directly
solid biomass
_____ power is a relatively safe, reliable way to generate electricity, but it produces hazardous waste and has low net energy.
nuclear
____ energy has moderate to high net energy and can be used on existing farmlands, but it can be dangerous to birds and is not always reliable.
wind
_____ can be burned directly, but it is expensive to extract.
oil shale
___ electricity is very efficient at accessible sites but expensive at nonassessable sites and can lead to groundwater depletion.
geothermal
Susie builds her new house with extra insulation and large windows in order to heat her house with ___.
passive solar heating
_____ can currently be used as fuel that has no net carbon dioxide emissions but can result in increase in land used, water scarcity, and higher food prices.
biofuel
electricity generated through moving water
hydroelectricity
a reaction where an atom’s nucleus is split apart to form smaller nuclei
nuclear fission
_____ is abundant and can be made into many products, and many countries depend on foreign imports for supply.
oil
Nuclear power plants use controlled nuclear chain reactions to generate electricity. In these reactions, which atomic particle is used to break apart the atom?
neutron
____ power is reliable, but there are not many places in the world that are suitable for generating this type of power.
tidal
the process of using technology to collect, store, and distribute sunlight in a building
active solar heating
the process of using building design to collect, store, and distribute sunlight in a building naturally
passive solar heating
a device that directly converts solar energy into electricity
photovoltaic cell
a process that uses different methods to collect and concentrate solar energy to boil water and produce steam to generate electricity in power plants
solar thermal system
_____ power is the fastest-growing type of renewable energy that can be used to generate electricity for a power plant or for individual homes.
solar
If you live in a place that gets its electricity from a wind farm, it is better to drive a(n) ___ car.
electric
_____ is abundant in the United States and burns cleaner than other fossil fuels
natural gas
ancient plant life in a rock form that is easily burned
coal
a fossil fuel that is a mixture of methane and other gases
natural gas
an energy source that is formed from ancient dead organisms
fossil fuel
a chemical compound extracted from oil to make products
petrochemical
a liquid, dark fossil fuel made mostly of hydrocarbons
petroleum
the amount of energy a source can provide after the energy used to extract, process, and transport the source has been subtracted
net energy
a measure of how much energy that is put into a system actually does useful work
energy efficiency
____ is a renewable, inexpensive, reliable source of electricity that has little to no carbon dioxide emissions, but it may cause geological damage, methane emissions, and habitat loss.
hydroelectricity
According to the EPA, the most efficient way to cool or heat a home is through ___.
a geothermal heat pump
_____ is inexpensive, abundant in the United States, does not require a high level of processing, has a net energy ratio of 33, and emits the most pollutants and greenhouse gases of all energy sources.
coal
____ is a very clean fuel that could replace gasoline but at present has a negative net energy.
hydrogen
_____ is abundant in the ocean but is difficult to extract with current technology.
methane hydrate
