Unit 6 - Vocabulary List Flashcards
a reaction that occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei
nuclear fusion
nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactive
radioactive waste
a cylindrical device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons and slow or stop the fission reaction
control rod
a cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor
fuel rod
a nuclear reaction in which a neutronstrikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts, releasing additional neutrons and energy in the form of heat
fission
the point at which half the total known oil supply is used up
peak oil
a bell-shaped curve representing oil use and projecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when the world will run out of oil
Hubbert curve
the energy use per unit of gross domestic product
energy intensity
a degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of the earth and is modified by bacteria; also called tar or pitch
bitumen
slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay
oil sands
liquid petroleum removed from the ground
crude oil
a fossile fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur
petroleum
a solid fuel formed primarily from the remains of trees, ferns, and other plant materials presered 280 million to 360 million years ago
coal
the use of a fuel to generate elctricity and produce heat, also known as combined heat & power
cogeneration
the fraction of time a power plant operates in a year
capacity factor
in reference to an electricity-generating plant, the maximum electrical output
capacity
a power plant that uses both exhaust gases and steam turbines to generate electricity
combined cycle
a network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity
electrical grid
a device with blades that can be turned by water, wind, steam, or exhaust gas from combustion that turns a generator in an electricity-producing plant
turbine
something that can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form to end senders
energy carrier
an energy source gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs
subsistence energy source
an anergy source that is bought and sold
commercial energy source
fuel derived from radioactive materials that give off energy
nuclear fuels
a fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago
fossil fuels
an energy source with a finite supply, primarily fossil fuels and nuclear fuels
nonrenewable
