Science Flashcards
Hydroelectric Energy
- Produces electricity from the force of moving water
- From Dams
- Is one of the most widely used sources of energy in the world
HE Advantages
- Little to no air pollutants while still generating large amounts of energy
HE Disadvantages
- Dependency on the availability of large fats moving rivers and streams
- Many of the rivers and streams have already been dammed
- Negative effects on fish and wildlife in the body of water
Electrical Energy
-The flow of tiny charged particles moving through a wire
- Lightning is an example of unconfined electrical energy in nature
FF
-Cannot be replaced by natural means as quickly as they are consumed
- Coal-Oil-Natural Gas- <Mineral Resources
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FF (Advantages)
-Contain more Hyfrocarbons per kg than any other fuel
-Made hundreds of millions of years ago
- Coal produces 2x the amount of energy as wood does
- Oil and Natural Gases come from the remains of ancient marine life
-Produce 3x as much energy as food
- Cheap
-Easy to find
- Abundant
FF (Disadvantages)
- Polution - thought to be the biggest contributor to global warming
-Gives off sulfur dioxide - leading to acid rain - Coal mining can be difficult and often result in the destruction of whole areas of land
- The use of crude oil creates a high risk for spills
- Because many oil deposits are under the sea, leaks are very difficult to control
- This can harm a wide variety of organisms
- In addition it can contaminate our water supply
- Oil spills can be difficult to clean up
Renewable Energy
Biomass- orgainc material from plants, animals, trees, decaying matter
- Considred renewable because sources can be grown back relatively quickly when compared to non-renewable
RE (Advantages)
- Is the ability to convert energy sources into biofuel such as Ethanol and Biodeisel
- Emits fewer pollutants than other energy sources
RE (Disadvantages)
- Produces less energy than FF
- Expensive to collect
- Involves the elimination of habitats for many living organisms in order to collect biomass materials
Solar Energy
- Is either directly or indirectly the source of all renewable nergy
SE (Advantages)
-Is an inexastible resource
-The sun is free
-Makes no noise
-Very little maintenance
-Save money over the long term
-Energy is used where it is collected no long distance conversion
SE (Disadvantages)
- Requires clear weather to collect energy
- Requires storage on overcast or rainy days
- Expensive short term
-Large amounts of solar pannels to create enough energy
-Many areas do not receive the appropriate amount of sunlight to collect sustainable energy - Therefore some panels are unable to collect solar energy efficiently and are therefore unusable - Panels are inefficient
- Only generate 20% of sun into usable energy
Nuclear Energy
- There is a finite material of uranium and plutonium on the planet
- Process
-Is generated inside a reaction at a nuclear plant from heal by controlled nuclear fission reactions - This is a reaction where an atom such as U or Pu is struck by neutron and splits the atom
- This creates a smaller atom and radiation and more neutrons
- These neutrons spread out and hit more U or Pu atoms creating a chain reaction
- This generates heat, which is used to produce electricity
