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AP Environmental Science (Energy) Flashcards

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7481477675Chapter 120
7481477676NonrenewableOnce they're gone, there's no more1
7481477677Fossil fuelsDerived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago. (Coal, Oil, Natural gas)2
7481477678Nuclear FuelsDerived from radioactive materials that give off energy3
7481477679Commercial energy sourcesThose that are bought and sold, (coal, oil, wood, etc)4
7481477680Subsistence energy sourcesThose gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs. More used in developing countries.5
7481477681Energy CarrierSomething that can move and deliver energy into a convenient, usable form to end users.6
7481477682TurbineLarge device that will turn to spin a shaft of a generator which produces electricity.7
7481477683Electrical GridConnects power plants together and links them with end users of electricity.8
7481477684Combined CycleNatural gas-fired power plant. 2 turbines and generators. Natural gas is burned to spin a turbine and the waste heat will boil water which will turn another turbine.9
7481477685CapacityMaximum Electrical output of a plant10
7481477686Capacity FactorFraction of time a plant is operating.11
7481477687CogenerationCombined heat and power. Use of fuel to generate electricity and heat.12
7481477688CoalSolid fuel formed by remains of plants that were preserved at least 280 million years ago.13
7481477689PetroleumWidely used fossil fuel. Mixture of hydrocarbons, water and sulfur that occurs in underground deposits.14
7481477690Crude OilLiquid petroleum that is removed from the ground. Oil=crude oil=petroleum15
7481477691Oil SandsSlow flowing viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water and clay.16
7481477692Bitumen(Tar/Pitch) Degraded type of petroleum that forms when a petroleum deposit is not capped with nonporous rock.17
7481477693CTLCoal to liquid. Process to make solid coal a liquid fuel18
7481477694Energy IntensityTotal energy is increasing, but energy per person is staying constant.19
7481477695Hubbert Curve (Dealing with Oil)20
7481477696Peak OilMaximum amount of oil that can be extracted before it begins to decline.21
7481477697FissionNuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus which then splits into 2 or more parts.22
7481477698Fuel RodsContainment structure enclosing the nuclear fuel which is contained in a cylindrical tube.23
7481477699Control RodsCylindrical devices that can be inserted between the fuel rods to absorb excess neutrons. thus slowing and stopping the fission reaction.24
7481477700Radioactive WasteWaste after the nuclear fuel is used up and can't produce heat, but still emits radioactivity.25
7481477701Becquerel (Bq)Measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays.26
7481477702CurieAnother unit of measure for radiation. 37 billion decays per second.27
7481477703Nuclear FusionReaction that powers the Sun and other stars. Lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei. Lots of heat is generated.28
7481477704Chapter 1329
7481477705NonrenewableOnce gone, no more. Oil Coal Nuclear30
7481477706Potentially RenewableAs long as we do not consume them more quickly than can be replenished. Wood Biofuel31
7481477707NondepletableSolar, Wind, Hydro etc. Energy for all time.32
7481477708RenewablePotentially Renewable and Nondepletable33
7481477709Energy ConservationFinding ways to use less energy34
7481477710Tiered Rate SystemCustomers pay a low rate for the first increment of electricity they use and pay higher rates as their use goes up.35
7481477711Peak DemandGreatest quantity of energy used at any one time.36
7481477712Passive Solar DesignTechnique that takes advantage of solar radiation to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building.37
7481477713Thermal InertiaAbility of a material to retain heat or cold. Stay hot when heated or cold when cooled.38
7481477714BiofuelsBiomass can be processed or refined into liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.39
7481477715Modern CarbonCarbon in biomass40
7481477716Fossil CarbonCarbon in fossil fuels.41
7481477717Carbon NeutralAn activity that does not change atmospheric CO2 concentrations42
7481477718Net RemovalRemoving more timber than is replaced by growth. Unsustainable practice -> Deforestation.43
7481477719EthanolAlcohol. Made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.44
7481477720Flex-Fuel VehiclesCan run on either gas or E-85 (85% ethanol, 15% gas) fuel.45
7481477721HydroelectricityElectricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water. 2nd most common form of renewable energy.46
7481477722Run-of-the-riverHydroelectricity generation, water behind a low dam and runs through a channel before returning to the river.47
7481477723Water ImpoundmentStoring water in a reservoir behind a dam. Allows for on demand electricity generation.48
7481477724Tidal EnergyComes from the movement of water. This is driven by the gravitational pull of the moon.49
7481477725Active Solar EnergyTechnologies capture the energy of sunlight with the use of technologies. Includes, Small scale solar water heating systems, photovoltaic solar cells etc.50
7481477726Photovoltaic Solar CellsCapture energy from the sun as light, not heat, and convert it directly to electricity.51
7481477727Geothermal EnergyHeat that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within the earth.52
7481477728Ground Source Heat PumpsTake advantage of the high thermal inertia of the ground.53
7481477729Wind EnergyWidely used in some countries and making a comeback in others.54
7481477730Wind TurbineConverts kinetic energy of moving air into electricity.55
7481477731Fuel CellOperates like a battery. This reaction happens in a closed container to which no additional elements are added.56
7481477732ElectrolysisElectric current is applied to water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen.57
7481477733Smart gridEfficient, Self-Regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it automatically to end users.58

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