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AP Environmental Science: (Energy) Flashcards

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13693271734Chapter 120
13693271737NonrenewableOnce they're gone, there's no more1
13693271738Fossil fuelsDerived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago. (Coal, Oil, Natural gas)2
13693271739Nuclear FuelsDerived from radioactive materials that give off energy3
13693271740Commercial energy sourcesThose that are bought and sold, (coal, oil, wood, etc)4
13693271741Subsistence energy sourcesThose gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs. More used in developing countries.5
13693271742Energy CarrierSomething that can move and deliver energy into a convenient, usable form to end users.6
13693271743TurbineLarge device that will turn to spin a shaft of a generator which produces electricity.7
13693271744Electrical GridConnects power plants together and links them with end users of electricity.8
13693271745Combined 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
13693271746CapacityMaximum Electrical output of a plant10
13693271747Capacity FactorFraction of time a plant is operating.11
13693271748CogenerationCombined heat and power. Use of fuel to generate electricity and heat.12
13693271749CoalSolid fuel formed by remains of plants that were preserved at least 280 million years ago.13
13693271750PetroleumWidely used fossil fuel. Mixture of hydrocarbons, water and sulfur that occurs in underground deposits.14
13693271751Crude OilLiquid petroleum that is removed from the ground. Oil=crude oil=petroleum15
13693271752Oil SandsSlow flowing viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water and clay.16
13693271753Bitumen(Tar/Pitch) Degraded type of petroleum that forms when a petroleum deposit is not capped with nonporous rock.17
13693271754CTLCoal to liquid. Process to make solid coal a liquid fuel18
13693271755Energy IntensityTotal energy is increasing, but energy per person is staying constant.19
13693271735Hubbert Curve (Dealing with Oil)20
13693271756Peak OilMaximum amount of oil that can be extracted before it begins to decline.21
13693271757FissionNuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus which then splits into 2 or more parts.22
13693271758Fuel RodsContainment structure enclosing the nuclear fuel which is contained in a cylindrical tube.23
13693271759Control RodsCylindrical devices that can be inserted between the fuel rods to absorb excess neutrons. thus slowing and stopping the fission reaction.24
13693271760Radioactive WasteWaste after the nuclear fuel is used up and can't produce heat, but still emits radioactivity.25
13693271761Becquerel (Bq)Measures the rate at which a sample of radioactive material decays.26
13693271762CurieAnother unit of measure for radiation. 37 billion decays per second.27
13693271763Nuclear FusionReaction that powers the Sun and other stars. Lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei. Lots of heat is generated.28
13693271736Chapter 1329
13693271764NonrenewableOnce gone, no more. Oil Coal Nuclear30
13693271765Potentially RenewableAs long as we do not consume them more quickly than can be replenished. Wood Biofuel31
13693271766NondepletableSolar, Wind, Hydro etc. Energy for all time.32
13693271767RenewablePotentially Renewable and Nondepletable33
13693271768Energy ConservationFinding ways to use less energy34
13693271769Tiered Rate SystemCustomers pay a low rate for the first increment of electricity they use and pay higher rates as their use goes up.35
13693271770Peak DemandGreatest quantity of energy used at any one time.36
13693271771Passive Solar DesignTechnique that takes advantage of solar radiation to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building.37
13693271772Thermal InertiaAbility of a material to retain heat or cold. Stay hot when heated or cold when cooled.38
13693271773BiofuelsBiomass can be processed or refined into liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.39
13693271774Modern CarbonCarbon in biomass40
13693271775Fossil CarbonCarbon in fossil fuels.41
13693271776Carbon NeutralAn activity that does not change atmospheric CO2 concentrations42
13693271777Net RemovalRemoving more timber than is replaced by growth. Unsustainable practice -> Deforestation.43
13693271778EthanolAlcohol. Made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.44
13693271779Flex-Fuel VehiclesCan run on either gas or E-85 (85% ethanol, 15% gas) fuel.45
13693271780HydroelectricityElectricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water. 2nd most common form of renewable energy.46
13693271781Run-of-the-riverHydroelectricity generation, water behind a low dam and runs through a channel before returning to the river.47
13693271782Water ImpoundmentStoring water in a reservoir behind a dam. Allows for on demand electricity generation.48
13693271783Tidal EnergyComes from the movement of water. This is driven by the gravitational pull of the moon.49
13693271784Active Solar EnergyTechnologies capture the energy of sunlight with the use of technologies. Includes, Small scale solar water heating systems, photovoltaic solar cells etc.50
13693271785Photovoltaic Solar CellsCapture energy from the sun as light, not heat, and convert it directly to electricity.51
13693271786Geothermal EnergyHeat that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within the earth.52
13693271787Ground Source Heat PumpsTake advantage of the high thermal inertia of the ground.53
13693271788Wind EnergyWidely used in some countries and making a comeback in others.54
13693271789Wind TurbineConverts kinetic energy of moving air into electricity.55
13693271790Fuel CellOperates like a battery. This reaction happens in a closed container to which no additional elements are added.56
13693271791ElectrolysisElectric current is applied to water to split it into hydrogen and oxygen.57
13693271792Smart gridEfficient, Self-Regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it automatically to end users.58

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