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AP Environmental Science - Energy Flashcards

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9517311616NonrenewableOnce they're gone, there's no more0
9517311617Fossil fuelsDerived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago. (Coal, Oil, Natural gas)1
9517311618Nuclear FuelsDerived from radioactive materials that give off energy2
9517311619Commercial energy sourcesThose that are bought and sold, (coal, oil, wood, etc)3
9517311620Subsistence energy sourcesThose gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs. More used in developing countries.4
9517311621Energy CarrierSomething that can move and deliver energy into a convenient, usable form to end users.5
9517311622TurbineLarge device that will turn to spin a shaft of a generator which produces electricity.6
9517311623Electrical GridConnects power plants together and links them with end users of electricity.7
9517311624Combined 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.8
9517311625CapacityMaximum Electrical output of a plant9
9517311626Capacity FactorFraction of time a plant is operating.10
9517311627CogenerationCombined heat and power. Use of fuel to generate electricity and heat.11
9517311628CoalSolid fuel formed by remains of plants that were preserved at least 280 million years ago.12
9517311629PetroleumWidely used fossil fuel. Mixture of hydrocarbons, water and sulfur that occurs in underground deposits.13
9517311630Crude OilLiquid petroleum that is removed from the ground. Oil=crude oil=petroleum14
9517311631Oil SandsSlow flowing viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water and clay.15
9517311632Bitumen(Tar/Pitch) Degraded type of petroleum that forms when a petroleum deposit is not capped with nonporous rock.16
9517311633CTLCoal to liquid. Process to make solid coal a liquid fuel17
9517311634Energy IntensityTotal energy is increasing, but energy per person is staying constant.18
9517311614Hubbert Curve (Dealing with Oil)19
9517311635Peak OilMaximum amount of oil that can be extracted before it begins to decline.20
9517311636FissionNuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus which then splits into 2 or more parts.21
9517311637Fuel RodsContainment structure enclosing the nuclear fuel which is contained in a cylindrical tube.22
9517311638Control RodsCylindrical devices that can be inserted between the fuel rods to absorb excess neutrons. thus slowing and stopping the fission reaction.23
9517311639Radioactive WasteWaste after the nuclear fuel is used up and can't produce heat, but still emits radioactivity.24
9517311640Becquerel (Bq)Measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays.25
9517311641CurieAnother unit of measure for radiation. 37 billion decays per second.26
9517311642Nuclear FusionReaction that powers the Sun and other stars. Lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei. Lots of heat is generated.27
9517311615Chapter 1328
9517311643NonrenewableOnce gone, no more. Oil Coal Nuclear29
9517311644Potentially RenewableAs long as we do not consume them more quickly than can be replenished. Wood Biofuel30
9517311645NondepletableSolar, Wind, Hydro etc. Energy for all time.31
9517311646RenewablePotentially Renewable and Nondepletable32
9517311647Energy ConservationFinding ways to use less energy33
9517311648Tiered Rate SystemCustomers pay a low rate for the first increment of electricity they use and pay higher rates as their use goes up.34
9517311649Peak DemandGreatest quantity of energy used at any one time.35
9517311650Passive Solar DesignTechnique that takes advantage of solar radiation to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building.36
9517311651Thermal InertiaAbility of a material to retain heat or cold. Stay hot when heated or cold when cooled.37
9517311652BiofuelsBiomass can be processed or refined into liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.38
9517311653Modern CarbonCarbon in biomass39
9517311654Fossil CarbonCarbon in fossil fuels.40
9517311655Carbon NeutralAn activity that does not change atmospheric CO2 concentrations41
9517311656Net RemovalRemoving more timber than is replaced by growth. Unsustainable practice -> Deforestation.42
9517311657EthanolAlcohol. Made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.43
9517311658Flex-Fuel VehiclesCan run on either gas or E-85 (85% ethanol, 15% gas) fuel.44
9517311659HydroelectricityElectricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water. 2nd most common form of renewable energy.45
9517311660Run-of-the-riverHydroelectricity generation, water behind a low dam and runs through a channel before returning to the river.46
9517311661Water ImpoundmentStoring water in a reservoir behind a dam. Allows for on demand electricity generation.47
9517311662Tidal EnergyComes from the movement of water. This is driven by the gravitational pull of the moon.48
9517311663Active Solar EnergyTechnologies capture the energy of sunlight with the use of technologies. Includes, Small scale solar water heating systems, photovoltaic solar cells etc.49
9517311664Photovoltaic Solar CellsCapture energy from the sun as light, not heat, and convert it directly to electricity.50
9517311665Geothermal EnergyHeat that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within the earth.51
9517311666Ground Source Heat PumpsTake advantage of the high thermal inertia of the ground.52
9517311667Wind EnergyWidely used in some countries and making a comeback in others.53
9517311668Wind TurbineConverts kinetic energy of moving air into electricity.54
9517311669Fuel CellOperates like a battery. This reaction happens in a closed container to which no additional elements are added.55
9517311670ElectrolysisElectric current is applied to water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen.56
9517311671Smart gridEfficient, Self-Regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it automatically to end users.57

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