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| 8902779874 | solar / wind / water / geothermal / biomass | Renewable resources | 0 | |
| 8902785071 | nonrenewable resources | once the supply of resources is used up it cannot be replenished | 1 | |
| 8902791050 | fossil fuels and nuclear energy | nonrenewable resources | 2 | |
| 8902795591 | coal, oil, natural gas | fossil fuels | 3 | |
| 8902813359 | 34 | natural gas electricity % | 4 | |
| 8902815428 | 30 | coal electricity % | 5 | |
| 8902818034 | 20 | nuclear electricity % | 6 | |
| 8902820896 | 7 | Hydroelectric electricity % | 7 | |
| 8902825084 | 1 | solar electricity % | 8 | |
| 8902827077 | .5 | oil electricity % | 9 | |
| 8902840009 | Proponents want the jobs the pipeline would create Oil would get to refineries in Texas faster | benefits of Keystone XL Pipeline | 10 | |
| 8902846441 | Opponents dislike the destruction of the boreal forests in Canada Potential for an oil spill over the Ogallala Aquifer in the United States More carbon intensive process than fracking or oil drilling / climate change | drawbacks of Keystone XL Pipeline | 11 | |
| 8902862246 | venezuela, saudi arabia, canada | top 3 oil countries | 12 | |
| 8902867275 | russia, iran, quatar | top 3 natural gas countries | 13 | |
| 8902870026 | USA, russia, china | top 3 coal countries | 14 | |
| 8902880490 | energy obtained from the fuel divided by energy invested to obtain the fuel | EROEI equation | 15 | |
| 8902888011 | EROEI | the bigger the number the better the energy return | 16 | |
| 8902900886 | Technically recoverable | physical amount of a certain fossil fuel that is present in the earth | 17 | |
| 8902904398 | economically recoverable | cost of process to extract a certain fossil fuel determines if that amount will actually be extracted | 18 | |
| 8902927811 | Exxon Valdez BP Oil Spill | major oil accidents | 19 | |
| 8902930780 | West Virginia coal mine explosion Chilean miners trapped for 33 days | major coal accidents | 20 | |
| 8902930781 | Canada is a stable, friendly, democratic neighbor It is already the United States' largest trading partner Would lessen reliance on Middle Eastern oil | why would using Canada's oil sands solves many issues associated with U.S. oil supply? | 21 | |
| 8902952719 | OPEC's (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) | their oil embargo in 1973 caused panic and skyrocketing prices, spurring inflation | 22 | |
| 8902959969 | Covered birds in oil, which led to many deaths. Covered shrimp, fish, etc. in oil Covered plants in oil, which killed many of them Erosion of marshes due to loss of plants | Deepwater Horizon Environmental Consequences | 23 | |
| 8902966396 | fisheries and shrimpers out of work because they could not catch their fish Beach tourism declined | Deepwater Horizon Economic Consequences | 24 | |
| 8902975885 | Removes sulfate and captures carbon dioxide then compresses carbon dioxide into liquid and finally injects it into ground | Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) | 25 | |
| 8902979666 | Don't know if carbon will stay in the ground May trigger earthquakes Decreases EROEI of coal | drawbacks to carbon capture and storage | 26 | |
| 8902987116 | Carbon dioxide is released; CO2 is a greenhouse gas Most fossil fuels release mercury when burned Most fossil fuels release sulfur when burned. High particulate matter release. Frequent exposure to oil and its products can endanger health, possibly leading to cancer. | drawbacks to burning fossil fuels | 27 | |
| 8902991715 | Gulf of Mexico and California | In the US, where are most of the offshore drilling rigs? | 28 | |
| 8902994855 | Venezuala | What country may exceed Canada in the amount of oil in the oil sands? | 29 | |
| 8902998613 | Methane can escape into the atmosphere. Methane is a greenhouse gas. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, has been linked to groundwater contamination and earthquakes. The process of fracking uses a huge amount of water, which is then contaminated with chemicals. | Natural Gas Disadvantages | 30 | |
| 8903002521 | Releases almost no sulfur dioxide when burned (compared to coal and oil, which release much more sulfur dioxide) Emits only 60 % as much carbon dioxide as coal. | Natural Gas Advantages | 31 | |
| 8903008181 | secondary extraction | New technology allows more oil to be extracted | 32 | |
| 8903011416 | primary extraction | the price of oil was low, so only the easily extracted oil was removed first | 33 | |
| 8903017211 | New sources of oil or gas may be discovered Many companies and governments do not reveal exactly how many reserves they have. Secondary extraction estimates differ | Is the estimate of remaining global oil and gas reserves reliable? | 34 | |
| 8903023088 | peak oil | when rate of production peaks and then declines | 35 | |
| 8903028035 | Hubbert's Peak | calculation stating that US oil production would peak in 1970 | 36 | |
| 8903032258 | Reserves-to-production ratio (R/P ratio) | the amount of total remaining reserves divided by the annual rate of production (extraction and processing) | 37 | |
| 8903041601 | Heating Gas clothes dryer Gas stove Gas hot water heater Power vehicles Gas turbines (produce electricity) Natural gas burning power plants (produce electricity) | Uses of Natural Gas | 38 | |
| 8903048644 | methane | major component in natural gas | 39 | |
| 8903091243 | Fractional distillation | Method to separate oil into its individual components | 40 | |
| 8903091244 | coal, oil, natural gas | order of fossil fuels by most particulate matter | 41 | |
| 8903091245 | transportation | main use of oil | 42 | |
| 8903091246 | electricity | main use of coal | 43 | |
| 8903210257 | fracking | the pumping of water at high pressure to break apart rocks in order to release natural gas | 44 | |
| 8903210258 | syngas | cleaner gas that helps gain more power from coal with less pollution | 45 | |
| 8903210259 | coal is pulverized and heated in a furnace. this heat boils water producing steam that turns a turbine which generates electricity. the steam is then cooled and returned to the furnace | process of coal | 46 | |
| 8903210260 | woody organic matter is broken down and put under high heat and pressure | the creation of fossil fuels | 47 | |
| 9094625739 | Commercial energy sources | energy sources that are bought and sold, such as coal, oil and natural gas | 48 | |
| 9094632981 | Subsistence energy sources | those gathered by individuals for their own use such as wood, charcoal and animal waste | 49 | |
| 9094656021 | industry | biggest energy use | 50 | |
| 9094659668 | transportation | second biggest energy use | 51 | |
| 9094668792 | 2nd Law of Thermodynamics | when energy is transformed, its ability to do work dimishes; some energy is lost in each conversion | 52 | |
| 9094887913 | Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear | primary sources of energy | 53 | |
| 9094896086 | electricity | secondary source of energy -an energy carrier | 54 | |
| 9094902467 | The burning fuel from coal transfers energy (in the form of heat) to water, which becomes steam. The kinetic energy contained within the high pressure steam turns the blades of a turbine, a large device that resembles a fan. As the energy in the steam turns the turbine, the shaft in the center of the turbine turns the generator. The generator is composed of a coil of copper wire turning inside a magnet. This mechanical motion generates electricity, which is electrons in motion. | process of electricity generation | 55 | |
| 9094916148 | 35% | how efficient are coal burning power plants | 56 | |
| 9094921141 | Electrical grid | the network of transmission lines that links the power plants with the end user. | 57 | |
| 9094951514 | Natural gas is burned The heat from the combustion of natural gas heats the air. Hot, pressured, air turns a turbine, which turns the generator, giving us electricity. The hot air is still hot enough after turning the turbine to heat water into steam. This steam is pressurized, turns the turbine, and then the generator. | process of a combined cycle natural gas power plant | 58 | |
| 9095238125 | Cogeneration | using a fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat. | 59 | |
| 9095269031 | capacity factor | used to calculate shut down time of a power plant since they do not run 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, and they must shut down for maintenance. | 60 | |
| 9095350782 | arsenic, selenium, cadmium | toxins in coal | 61 | |
| 9095366101 | petroleum | a mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur that occurs in underground deposits and is used as a liquid in vehicles | 62 | |
| 9095374940 | Convenient to transport and use Relatively energy-dense Cleaner-burning than coal | advantages of petroleum | 63 | |
| 9095382330 | Releases carbon dioxide into atmosphere (but only 85% as much as coal) Possibility of leaks when extracted and transported Releases sulfur, mercury, lead, and arsenic into the atmosphere when burned | disadvantages of petroleum | 64 | |
| 9095400795 | natural gas | exists as a component of petroleum in the ground as well as in gaseous deposits separate from petroleum. | 65 | |
| 9095413104 | Contains fewer impurities and therefore emits almost no sulfur dioxide or particulates Emits only 60% as much carbon dioxide as coal | advantages of natural gas | 66 | |
| 9095423370 | When unburned, methane escapes into the atmosphere Exploration of natural gas has the potential of contaminating groundwater | disadvantages of natural gas | 67 | |
| 9095432958 | oil sands | slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay. | 68 | |
| 9095436859 | bitumen | a degraded type of petroleum that forms when a petroleum migrates close to the surface. | 69 | |
| 9095450756 | fission | a nuclear reaction in which a neutron strikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts. | 70 | |
| 9095466455 | fuel rods | the cylindrical tubes that house the nuclear fuel used in a nuclear power plant. | 71 | |
| 9095574055 | control rods | cylindrical devices that can be inserted between the fuel rods to absorb excess neutrons, thus slowing or stopping the fission reaction. | 72 | |
| 9095584952 | No CO 2 is produced No SO2 is produced Basically no air pollution Countries can limit their need for imported oil | Advantages of nuclear energy | 73 | |
| 9095592822 | Possibility of accidents Disposal of the radioactive waste Thermal pollution | Disadvantages of nuclear energy | 74 | |
| 9095601527 | Abnormally warm water due to the lake being used as a coolant. | thermal pollution | 75 | |
| 9095607798 | Lower DO / thermal shock to organisms / impacts on biodiversity | effects of thermal pollution | 76 | |
| 9095619158 | Radioactive waste | once the nuclear fuel can not produce enough heat to be used in a power plant but it continues to emit radioactivity. | 77 | |
| 9095623852 | High-level radioactive waste | form of radioactive waste used in fuel rods | 78 | |
| 9095634890 | low level radioactive waste | the protective clothing, tools, rags, and other items used in routine nuclear plant maintenance. | 79 | |
| 9095648837 | Nuclear fusion | the reaction that powers the Sun and other stars. This occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei and heat is released. | 80 | |
| 9095656895 | half-life | the time it takes for one-half of the original radioactive parent atoms to decay. | 81 | |
| 9095716354 | High EROEI - 100:1 No air pollution No carbon dioxide (CO2)during operation Less expensive than nuclear or natural gas Recreational opportunities Jobs Tourists | advantages of dams | 82 | |
| 9095722249 | Flooding upstream to make the reservoir Reservoir holds more heat and less oxygen-changes the type of species that lives there Alter the river downstream Life cycles of some aquatic species are disrupted Siltation - build up of sediment (dirt and sand) behind the dam | Disadvantages of dams | 83 | |
| 9095727139 | Hydroelectricity | electricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water ran from the sun. | 84 | |
| 9095737113 | Hydroelectricity | second most renewable energy | 85 | |
| 9095739944 | biomass | first most renewable energy | 86 | |
| 9095746368 | Reservoir | water behind a dam | 87 | |
| 9095751953 | Run-of-the-river systems | water is held behind a dam and runs through a channel before returning to the river. | 88 | |
| 9095755006 | Water impoundment | water is stored behind a dam and the gates of the dam are opened and closed controlling the flow of water. | 89 | |
| 9095759547 | Little flooding occurs upstream River flow changes are not interrupted | Advantages of run of the river systems | 90 | |
| 9095765912 | Small Can not store water No electricity when water flow is low | disadvantages of run of the river systems | 91 | |
| 9095794313 | passive solar | no pumps, no solar panels, no mechanical devices Using solar radiation to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building without using pumps or other mechanical devices. Uses thermal mass. | 92 | |
| 9095800474 | active solar energy | uses technology to focus, move, or store solar energy | 93 | |
| 9095810038 | thermal mass | materials that store heat such as straw, brick, or concrete | 94 | |
| 9095813469 | Flat plate solar collectors | dark-colored, heat-absorbing metal plates mounted on rooftops | 95 | |
| 9095816936 | Water, air, or antifreeze runs through the collectors, transferring heat throughout the building Heated water is stored and used later | process of flat plate solar collectors | 96 | |
| 9095830102 | Thin-film solar cells | PV materials that are compressed into thin sheets | 97 | |
| 9095837412 | net metering | process in which the value of the power the consumer provides is subtracted from the monthly utility bill | 98 | |
| 9095845839 | power tower | numerous mirrors concentrate sunlight onto a receiver on top of a tall tower Heat is transported by air or fluids (molten salts) to a steam-driven generator to create electricity Lenses or mirrors track the sun's movement | 99 | |
| 9095853671 | use no fuels, are quiet and safe, contain no moving parts, and require little maintenance Developing nations can use solar cookers to replace the gathering of firewood, decreasing environmental and social stress Most PV owners can sell excess electricity to their local utility through feed-in tariffs or net metering Green-collar jobs are being created They reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and air pollution compared to fossil fuels | benefits of solar | 100 | |
| 9095874074 | Daily and seasonal variation can limit stand-alone systems They need storage (e.g., batteries) and backup power Pumped storage hydropower is sometimes used to supplement solar power production | drawbacks of solar | 101 | |
| 9095878703 | wind | most rapidly growing source of energy | 102 | |
| 9095884180 | Nondepletable No CO2, mercury, or sulfur Wind farms can share the land with other uses, like grazing cattle | benefits of wind | 103 | |
| 9095887369 | Noise Birds and bats may be killed Need batteries to store the electricity Only works in windy places | drawbacks of wind | 104 | |
| 9222706902 | no | are new renewables easily stored in large quantities? | 105 | |
| 9222712740 | fuel cell reaction | 2 H2 + O2 → energy + 2 H2O | 106 | |
| 9222725340 | Produces only water and heat - no CO2 , CO, or other pollutants Possibly reduce climate change (no CO2 produced) Alleviate dependence on foreign fuels (because cars use most of the energy sources that we import) Will never run out of hydrogen - most abundant element in universe Energy efficient - 35% to 70% depending on type of fuel cell. | advantages to fuel cells | 107 | |
| 9222731479 | Lack of infrastructure Hydrogen can catch fire and explode, but under pressure it may be as safe as conventional gas | drawbacks of fuel cells | 108 | |
| 9222734614 | from water cells or CH4 | how is hydrogen produced? | 109 | |
| 9222747225 | electrolysis | electricity splits hydrogen from water 2H2O ⇒ 2H2 + O2 | 110 | |
| 9222773700 | Natural gas is burned The heat from the combustion of natural gas heats the air. Hot, pressured, air turns a turbine, which turns the generator, giving us electricity. The hot air is still hot enough after turning the turbine to heat water into steam. This steam is pressurized, turns the turbine, and then the generator. | process of combined natural gas power plant | 111 | |
| 9222777955 | combined natural gas power fired plant | gas combustion technology has led to... | 112 | |
| 9222781587 | Cogeneration | using a fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat. | 113 | |
| 9222785711 | commercial energy sources | those that are bought and sold, such as coal, oil and natural gas. | 114 | |
| 9222788276 | Subsistence energy sources | those gathered by individuals for their own use such as wood, charcoal and animal waste. | 115 | |
| 9222792340 | 2nd Law of Thermodynamics | when energy is transformed, its ability to do work dimishes; some energy is lost in each conversion | 116 | |
| 9222794238 | geothermal energy | generates electricity from a power plant (like coal or natural gas) | 117 | |
| 9222804854 | ground source heat pumps | heats and cools a home - personal source of energy, not for sale and not for electricity | 118 | |
| 9222807739 | Heat is released by decaying radioactive elements deep in Earth | process of geothermal power plant | 119 | |
| 9222809931 | no carbon dioxide or mercury emissions Renewable | benefits of geothermal | 120 | |
| 9222811790 | Geographically limited Emits hazardous gases and steam (hydrogen sulfide -the rotten egg smell) Noisy Can be linked to seismic activity | drawbacks of geothermal | 121 | |
| 9222816990 | Use high thermal inertia of ground Fluid is circulated in pipes underground The fluid is run through a compressor in the home, heating or cooling the air. This air is piped through the home just as our present heating/cooling system. The fluid cools or heats and is piped back underground to be heated or cooled again. | process of ground source heat pumps | 122 | |
| 9222821163 | No CO2 or CO produced More efficient than a heat pump (electric) or gas furnace Most homes in the US could use this system | benefits of ground source heat pumps | 123 | |
| 9222823590 | Expensive up front costs Temporary disturbance of your landscaping | drawbacks of ground source heat pumps | 124 | |
| 9222828724 | Water should be injected back into the ground in order to avoid running out of superheated water. Patterns of geothermal energy change over time, so a location that produces hot groundwater now may not always. | why geothermal might not be renewable | 125 | |
| 9222832927 | EGS systems | drill into the rock and inject water, allowing the hot temperatures in the earth to heat the water | 126 | |
| 9222837908 | Moon, Earth's gravitational force | Where does the potential energy originate for tidal energy? | 127 | |
| 9222840002 | Renewable Doesn't divert water (dams) Consistent (solar or wind not consistent) | benefits of tidal | 128 | |
| 9222841590 | Expensive upfront costs Limited suitable locations Could disrupt marine life / fish migration | drawbacks of tidal | 129 |
