Lecture 14 Flashcards
how many years of supply does coal have at the current rate consumption
135
Coal is the ______, ________ pollution giver of the fossil fuels
Dirtiest, largest
what does a hard path advocate for
advocates support for the development of large power plants/ generating systems that use coal and nuclear energy
What resources does hard path rely on
non-renewable
Hard path advocates believe that
new technologies or improvements in current technologies will solve the environment problem
Hard paths _____ the economy
drives
What does a soft path advocate for
Advocates the use of renewable resources and serious conservation programs
What does soft paths emphasize
the importance of the individuals ethical decisions
Give some examples of soft paths
Hydro/solar power, winds, tides, etc.,
Soft paths ______ the economy
harms
What are 5 things to keep in mind when making decisions regarding new energy sources
1) The energy we get out of a resource should not be exceeded by the energy we put into its exploration, extraction, transportation, refining and marketing
2) We must energy math as energy has different qualities
3) Must have more efficient energy conversions
4) Reduce pollution
5) Ensure safety
why are more efficient energy conversions important
because the more we convert energy the more we lose
What is the highest quality form of energy?
Electricity
What is the lowest quality form of energy?
Heat
We can utilize nuclear fuel to create energy in what two methods?
Fission and fussion
Describe nuclear fuel fission
Fission occurs when there is breaking apart of an atom
What is necessary for fission to be possible
the element must be heavier than lead
Uranium has how many isotopes?
2
What are the two uranium isotopes and which is more common
238U - most common
235U - only about 0.7%
Which uranium isotope can be used for fission and why
235U because its unstable
Does the uranium need to be enriched to work? if so by how much?
235U must be 3-5%
If we enrich 235U to 90% what does it make
a bomb
what are the top three countries that use nuclear power plants?
1) USA
2) France
3) Russia
To create electricity from 235U is the ____ process as creating a ____ from 235U
same , bomb
What are the 5 pros of using uranium for electricity?
1) No CO2 produced
2) No air pollution
3) Fits the current electricity grid
4) Less mining and transportation per unit of energy then coal
5) Leaves the fossil fuels to do things that only fossil fuels can do like power a plane
What are 3 cons of using uranium for electricity?
1) Cost
2) 5X capital over coal
3) Public perception
What country utilized nuclear power plants at a high rate then had an extreme decline of use and why
Japan but stopped when it blew up realising a bunch of radiation
One kg of Fusioned Hydrogen has the energy of about how many barrels of oil
100000
Is nuclear fuel fusion currently being used, why or why not
not being used because we don’t currently have the technology to do so
Describe oil sand and shale
Thick material like molasses in sand or sale
What are the 2 pros of oil sand and shale
a) Lots of it available
b) No change in how we use fossil fuel currently
What are 6 cons of oil sands and shale
a) Dirty
b) Lots of CO2 released
c) Lots of physical waste as volume increases
d) High energy demand to produce
e) Lots of water needed
f) Cost of production
How much does it cost to make a barrel of oil using oil sands and shale currently?
$70
