apes unit 6

advantages of coal

Abundant reserves compared to oil and gas.

Which of the following best describes a potential negative environmental effect of fossil fuel extraction?

Air pollutants, such as methane and particulate matter, are emitted into the atmosphere.

renewalable

Can be replenished naturally, at or near the rate of consumption

Potential Issues with Dam Removal

Changed river flow direction (might be different than previously) Legacy sediment (metal-contaminated!)

Tar Sands:

Clay, sand, water, and bitumen (crude oil)

oil refining

Complex and dangerous; requires significant $$$ investment

Why do we use gas or diesel for our cars instead of coal or firewood?

Energy-to-mass ratio: smaller volume needed Starts quickly, can be shut off quickly

disadvantages of natural gas

Escaped natural gas (methane) is itself a greenhouse gas. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) Groundwater contamination Possibly toxic chemicals

After the Industrial Revolution, the use of fossil fuels increased significantly. Despite the documented environmental effects of these resources and the availability of renewable resources, the use of nonrenewable sources continues. Which of the following statements best explains why there is continued widespread use of nonrenewable fossil fuels in energy production in the United States?

Established technology and transportation infrastructure for fossil fuels allows these resources to be converted into energy to meet consumer demand.

non renewable

Exist in a fixed amount; cannot be replaced on a human time scale

Natural gas is the cleanest of the three fossil fuels

Exists as a component of petroleum in the ground as well as in gaseous deposits found separately

combustion

Fast • High temps Anywhere • Energy released in single step in the form of heat and light

Wind Energy

Fastest-growing source of electricity in the world

advantages of natural gas

Fewer impurities; emits almost no sulfur dioxide or particulates during combustion Emits 60% the CO2 of coal Convenient through pipeline delivery

WOOD

Firewood and charcoalOften used in developing countries due to easy accessibility

Petroleum is cleaner than coal

Fluid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur that occurs in underground deposits Fluid nature makes products (oil and gasoline) more suitable for mobile combustion applications like in vehicles

Which of the following describes a step in the generation of electricity using fossil fuels that can most directly lead to an environmental problem?

Fossil fuel is burned to boil water.

meltdown

Fuel rods become too hot and melt; water boils away; radioactivity released

benefits to dam removal

Habitat restoration Danger of failing structures (consider $$ of repair) Restore anadromous fish runs

geothermal energy

Heat comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within earth Convection currents bring magma towards the crust, heats groundwater Largest producers: US, China, and Iceland

So why not use gasoline for everything?

High amounts of air pollution per joule of energy released Requires large amount of processing/refining🡪 $$$$

Governmental Conservation Measures

Improve/increase public transportation Tax use of oil, electricity, and natural gas Offer rebates/tax credits for retrofitting

natural gas use

Industrial processes Electricity generation Residential heating

water impoundment

Largest reservoir: Grand Coulee Dam (WA) Largest dam: Three Gorges Dam (Yangtze River, China)

crude oil

Liquid petroleum removed from ground Natural gas is burned off or extracted for separate fuel

advantages of oil

Liquids are convenient to transport and use. Compared to coal, energy-dense and cleaner-burning

Why is releasing CO2 from biomass better than from fossil fuels?

Modern carbon: No net increase because CO2 was only recently in the atmosphere 🡪 Carbon-neutral Fossil carbon: unlocked from millions of years of storage

Natural gas, a nonrenewable fossil fuel, is often seen as an alternative fuel in the worldwide transition to a renewable energy future. Which of the following statements best explains why natural gas is often used as a fuel when countries are transitioning from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources?

Natural gas burns more efficiently and cleanly than other sources of carbon-based fossil fuels, thus contributing to a reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

nuclear fission

Neutron strikes a large atomic nucleus Releases more neutrons and heat energy Additional neutrons release more energy in a chain reaction.

benefits of wind energy

Nondepletable, free and clean Wind farms can share land with other uses (like cattle)

disadvantages of nuclear energy

Nuclear Accidents Radioactive Waste Disposal

Fuel economy fluctuates in response to:

Oil prices Political issues/regulations Consumer demand for different types of vehicles Development of new technologies

Methods of Extraction--Oil

Onshore and offshore drilling

peat

Partially decomposed organic material that can be burned for fuel

Petroleum is less _____ than rock so as rock deforms it migrates closer to the surface where it can be drilled and extracted Transported by pipeline or supertanker to refinery

Petroleum is less dense than rock

hydroelectricity

Power generated by the kinetic energy of moving water

Which of the following best identifies a benefit of using renewable energy sources rather than nonrenewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources are replenishable and are virtually inexhaustible by human consumption, whereas nonrenewable sources do not form in a short period of time.

Which of the following statements best describes a difference between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources can be replaced naturally at current consumption rates, whereas nonrenewable energy sources cannot be replaced easily.

Which of the following statements about the global distribution and use of fossil fuels is best supported by the data on the map?

Saudi Arabia and Australia produce large volumes of fossil fuels with relatively low energy demand.

Active solar technologies

Solar water heating systems Photovoltaic systems Concentrating Solar Thermal Electricity Generation—CST systems Uses lenses and mirrors to focus sunlight Evaporates water to steam, turns turbine

Passive solar heating

South-facing windows Dark roofs Solar ovens

Complete Combustion

Sufficient O2 CO2 and water Blue flame No smoke High energy production CO2 causes global warming

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 1989

Supertanker crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound, AK 42 million liters (11 million gallons) Half a million birds and thousands of marine mammals killed

disadvantages of coal

Surface mining: Tailings contaminate waterways. air pollution. residual ash.

crude oil can be refined into...

Tar and asphalt Gasoline Diesel Kerosene 🡪 Depends on the temperature at which they boil

Capacity factor

The fraction of time a power plant operates in a year

Half-Life can be used to calculate:

The rate of decay The radioactivity level at specific points in time

half life

The time it takes for half of a sample to radioactively decay

disadvantages of oil

Toxins released into atmosphere. Potential for leaks and spills. Habitat destruction due to pipeline and oil well construction. gas flares.

Methods of Extraction—Natural Gas

Traditional = drilling, separate from oil Unconventional = Fracking (shale gas)

fuel rods

Tubes that contain the uranium pellets (the fuel)

Methods of Extraction--Coal

Underground and Surface Mining

nuclear power plant

Uses the heat energy to produce steam (like coal power plant)

Which of the following is an example of the process of cogeneration?

Using wastewater from electricity production for heating homes

Which of the following best describes an environmental problem that is often linked to the process of fracking?

Wastewater from fracking operations is injected into porous rock formations, which can induce seismic activity.

What does it mean that the United States has near world average energy efficiency?

We are using energy more efficiently (new technologies), BUT Population growth and the growing number of ways we use energy ensure that overall, our energy use has not decreased

biomass

Wood and charcoal Animal products and manure Plant remains Municipal solid waste Biofuels: Ethanol, biodiesel

Which of the following best describes why people in less developed countries use wood as a primary energy source?

Wood, in the form of firewood and charcoal, is often readily available.

Commercial energy sources

bought and sold (oil, coal, natural gas)

Energy carrier

can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form

Cogeneration

combined heat and power Use of a fuel to generate electricity and produce heat

Secondary source of energy

converted from a primary source

Subsistence energy sources

gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs (straw, sticks, animal dung)

control rods

inserted between the fuel rods to absorb excess neutrons and prevent meltdowns and fires

aerobic respiration "burn fuels" to make energy

making atp energy (& some heat) by burning fuels in many small steps

combustion "burn fuels" to make energy

making heat energy by burning fuels in one step

Electrical grid

network of interconnected transmission lines that connect power plants together and link them with end users

advantages of nuclear energy

no emissions. Large-scale energy production. Predictability of energy source (compared to wind or sun)

which of the following regions would be considered the world leader in petroleum resources?

the middle east

coal:

the most abundant and dirtiest of the fossil fuels

Cellular Respiration

• Slow/controlled • Body temp • In living cells Energy released in steps, stored in ATP

drawbacks of wind energy

Batteries for storage are expensive and hard to recycle Bird and bat collisions Noise and aesthetic issues