Final Exam Semester 2 Flashcards
A photovoltaic material compressed into an ultra-thin lightweight sheet that may be incorporated into various surfaces to produce photovoltaic solar power.
Thin-film Solar Cells
a device designed to collect sunlight and directly convert it to electrical energy by making use of the photoelectric effect
Photovoltaic Cells
an approach where buildings are designed and building materials are chosen to maximize direct absorption of sunlight in winter and to keep the interior cool in the summer
Passive Solar Energy Collection
A potential energy source that involves harnessing the solar radiation absorbed by tropical oceans in the tropics.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
Syndrome in which people do not want something near where they live, even if they may want or need the thing to exist somewhere.
not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY)
Process by which homeowners or businesses with photovoltaic systems or wind turbines can sell their excess solar energy or wind power to their local utility.
Net-metering
A pump that harnesses geothermal energy from near-surface sources of earth and water, in order to heat and cool buildings. Operates on the principle that temperatures below ground are more stable than temperatures above ground.
Ground source heat pump
A program of public policy intended to promote renewable energy investment, whereby utilities are mandated to purchase electricity from homeowners or businesses that generate power from renewable energy sources and feed it into the electric grid. Under such a system, utilities must pay guaranteed premium prices for this power under long-term contract.
Feed-in tariff
A new approach whereby engineers drill deeply into rock, fracture it, pump in water, and then pump it out once it is heated below ground.
Enhanced Geothermal Sytems
a means of generating electricity at a large scale by focusing sunlight from a large area onto a smaller area
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
an approach in which technological devices are used to focus, move, or store solar energy
Active Solar Energy Collection
a solid aggregation of minerals
Rock
a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition
Mineral
systematic removal of rock, soil, or other material for the purpose of extracting minerals of economic interest
Mining
a mineral or grouping of minerals from which we extract metals
Ore
portions of ore left over after metals have been extracted in mining
Tailings
A process in which ore is heated beyond its melting point and combined with other metals or chemicals, in order to form metal with desired characteristics.
Smelting
a disposal method for hazardous waste or mining waste in which waste in liquid or slurry form is placed into a shallow depression lined with impervious material such as clay and allowed to evaporate, leaving a solid residue on the bottom
Surface Impoundment
the act of restoring a mining site to an approximation of its pre-mining condition
Reclamation
U.S. law that legalized and promoted mining by private individuals on public lands for just $5 per acre, subject to local customs, with no government oversight.
General Mining Act of 1872
The breakdown of a radioactive element, releasing particles and energy
Radioactive Decay
A radioactive isotope that emits subatomic particles and high-energy radiation as it “decays” into progressively lighter isotopes until becoming a stable isotope.
Radioisotopes
a particle with the mass of an electron but a positive charge
Positron
The amount of time it takes for 50% of the atoms to admit radiation and decay
Half-life
