Energy Power

Front 1

acid rain

Back 1

a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposition from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids

Front 2

British thermal unit (Btu)

Back 2

The Btu is a very small amount of energy.The Btu is an often-referenced energy unit because all forms of energy can be related to the amount of Btu they can produce.

Front 3

chemical energy

Back 3

The potential energy loceked within a substance

Front 4

efficiency

Back 4

The
extent to which an
energy form is
usefully converted
into another form
of energy

Front 5

electrical energy

Back 5

The energy associated
with the flow
of electrons.

Front 6

embargo

Back 6

Restriction of
trade for political
means.

Front 7

energy consevation

Back 7

Making better use
of the available
supplies of energy.

Front 8

energy consumption

Back 8

The use of energy
resources.

Front 9

energy conversion

Back 9

The changing of
one form of energy
into another.

Front 10

entropy

Back 10

A measure
of the unavailable
energy in a closed
system.

Front 11

global warming

Back 11

An increase in the
average temperature
of the earth's
atrnosphere, p-rossibly
resr-rliing in the
melting of ice
caps, rvhich could
aiter shorelines,
and the changing
of I,r'eather patterns,
which could
alter agricultr-rral
productir.ity.

Front 12

greenhouse effect

Back 12

The situation
caused by a layer
of greenhouse
gases surrounding
our planet, produced
by the
burning of fossil
fuels. This layer
does not allow the
heat produced by
the sun to escape
the earth's atmosphere
as easily as
it once did.

Front 13

heat energy

Back 13

Energy with a
Ionger rt'ar.elength
than light energv.
It is generally not
visible to the eye,
but it can be measured
in terms of
temperature. Also
referred to as
infrnred

Front 14

heating unit

Back 14

The
equivalent of
100,000 Btu.

Front 15

lnexhaustible
energy source

Back 15

An
energy source that
will never run out.

Front 16

Kinetic energy

Back 16

Energy in motion.

Front 17

Light energy

Back 17

Energy visible tcr
the eye

Front 18

Mechanicnl energy

Back 18

Energv produced
by mechanical
devices, sr-rch as
geirrs, pulleys,
lel'ers, or more
complex devices,
such as internal
combustion
engines.

Front 19

Nonrenewable
energy source

Back 19

A
resource that cannot
be replaced
once used.

Front 20

Nuclear energy

Back 20

The power of the
atom

Front 21

Organization of
Petroleum
Exporting Countries
(OPEC)

Back 21

Agroup of
nations committed
to the strength and
success of the oil
market.

Front 22

Potential energy

Back 22

Energy waiting to
happen.

Front 23

Quad

Back 23

An accepted
abbreviation for 1
quadrillion Btu.

Front 24

Renewable energy

Back 24

A resource that can be replaced when needed

Front 25

Petroleum

Back 25

Oil

Front 26

Strip mining

Back 26

The
mining or removing
of coal close to the
earth's surface. It is
done mainly with
the use of large
pieces of machinery
such as mechanicai
shovels and bulldozers.
Also called
surface mining.

Front 27

Subbituminous coal

Back 27

Coal that contains
greater energy
content per volume
than lignite and is
frequently used as
an industrial fuel,
for space heating,
and for the generation
of electricity.
This coal is dull
black in color and
is categorized as a
"soft" coal

Front 28

Tar sand

Back 28

A source
of crude oii. The
sand is mined and
mixed with hot
water or steam to
extract the thick oil
known as bitumen.

Front 29

Therm

Back 29

The equivalent
of 100 cf (cubic
feet) of natural gas.

Front 30

Antlracite coal

Back 30

Coal that is hard
and brittle. It
appears shiny on
the surface and has
a high carbon content.
Because it
burns cleaner than
other forms of coal,
it is often used for
home heating. It
does not have as
much energy content
per volume as
bituminous coal.

Front 31

Aquifer

Back 31

An underground
rock formation
that acts as a
reservoir for large
quantities of water.
It is used to store
gas from pipelines.

Front 32

Bag filter

Back 32

A device
that works like a
bag on a vacuum
cleanel, trapping
all solid particles in
the waste stream
prior to the hot
waste gases exiting
through the smokestack
of a power
plant

Front 33

Bihnninous coal

Back 33

Coal with a high
carbon content. It
is denser and
blacker than most
other forms of coal.
This type of coal is
principally used
for the production
of electricity.

Front 34

Crude oil

Back 34

Oil in its
natural state.

Front 35

Deep mining

Back 35

A
mining operation
that uses shafts and
special machinery
to remove the coal
from deep below
the earth's surface.

Front 36

Electrostatic
precipitator:

Back 36

A
device that works
by positively charging
waste particles
and attracting them
to a negatively
charged electrode.
The solid particles
are then washed
off the electrode
and collected.

Front 37

Enaironmental
Protection Agency
(EPA)

Back 37

An organizahon
that supports
the monitoring of
acid rain in the
United States.

Front 38

Fly ash

Back 38

A solid
waste by-product
produced by
burning coal.

Front 39

Fractionating
tower

Back 39

A large
tower in which
crude oil is
separated into
various products

Front 40

Kerogen

Back 40

An oily
substance contained
by 40-50
million-year-old
sedimentary rock.

Front 41

Land reclamation

Back 41

The restoration of land to a unable condition after strip mining has taken place

Front 42

Lignite coal

Back 42

A type
of coal containing
some woody
decomposition that
can be recognized
as peat, but it has a
higher energy content
than peat. It
contains a large
amount of moisfure
and is brownish in
colo4 as opposed to
the black substance
typically recognized
as coal.

Front 43

Liquefied natural
gas (LNG)

Back 43

Gas
that has been
placed under
pressure at very
low temperatures,
allowing transportation
by railroad
tankers, truck
tankers, and ships

Front 44

Natural gas

Back 44

Gas usually found within the vincinity of petroleum reserves

Front 45

Oil shale

Back 45

40-50
million-year-old
sedimentary rock
containing an oily
substance.

Front 46

overburden

Back 46

When strip mining, the soil remaining after the topsoil is removed.

Front 47

peat

Back 47

The first step
in the formation of
coal. It is formed
from water and the
decomposition of
organic materials.

Front 48

boiling water reactor

Back 48

A type of fission
reactor in which
water surrounds
the nuclear fuel
core within the
reactor. Control
rods sit between
the fuel rods and
absorb stray neutrons.

Front 49

nuclear waste fund

Back 49

A
multibillion-dollar
fund used for the
development of a
permanent nuclear
waste disposal site

Front 50

Nuclear Waste
Policy Act

Back 50

An acl
passed by
Congress lrl.1982
promising that the
federal government
is to take
nuclear waste from
the utilities for
permanent storage

Front 51

Nucleus

Back 51

The center
portion of an atom
containing the protons
and neutrons.

Front 52

Plasma

Back 52

Ionized
gas with an equal
number of positive
and negative
charges.

Front 53

Plutonium 239
(P-239):

Back 53

A fissionable
fuel created
from uranium 238
(U238)by a breeder
reactor.
Proliferation: The

Front 54

Pressurized zuater
reactor (PWR)

Back 54

A
reactor that works
similarly to aboiling
water reactor
(BWR), except it
makes use of a heat
exchanger known
as a steam generator.
A PWR can operate
at higher pressures
and temperatures
than a BWR.

Front 55

Primary loop

Back 55

The
part of a pressurized
water reactor
(PWR) in which
the water is heated.
It surrounds the
reactor core.

Front 56

Proliferation

Back 56

The
use of by-products
of nuclear power
for the production
of nuclear
weaPons.

Front 57

Proton

Back 57

A positively charged atomic particle

Front 58

Radioactiaity

Back 58

A
property of some
atoms, such as
those of uranium
decay, in which
they give off atomic
particles. The
particles emitted
are harmful to
humans and other
living things.

Front 59

Secondary loop

Back 59

The part of a pressurized
water reactor
(PWR)in which
steam is created.

Front 60

Shipping cask

Back 60

A container designed to ship fuel from one facility to another

Front 61

Three MiIe Islnnd
(TMI) accident:

Back 61

A nuclear disaster
occurring in7979
near Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. The
Unit 2 reactor
reached excessir.ely
high temperatures
through a series of
faulty readings and
operator errors

Front 62

Uranium 235
(U235)

Back 62

An element
whose atoms can
be split more easily
than most others,
making it suitable
for refining into
nuclear fuel.

Front 63

Uranium 238
(U238)

Back 63

Atype of
uranium that is a
nonfissionable element.
About 99%
of all uranium
mined is this typ

Front 64

Yucca Mountain
storage facility

Back 64

A
govemmentowned
facility in
southern Nevada
that is a planned
site for permanent
storage of nuclear
waste. The waste
would be stored in
stable rock formations
deep within
the earth's surface

Front 65

Boiling water
reactor (BWR):

Back 65

A type of fission
reactor in which
water surrounds
the nuclear fuel
core within the
reactor. Control
rods sit between
the fuel rods and
absorb stray neutrons.
When the
control rods are
retracted, the fission
process begins to
occur, and a
tremendous
amount of heat is
produced.

Front 66

Breeder reacting

Back 66

Creating nuclear
fuel from a substance
that is not
fissionable.

Front 67

Control rod

Back 67

Parl o{
a fission reactor
that sits betr,r.een
the fuel rods and
absorb strav neutrons.
Wren the
control rods are
retracted, the fission
process begins
to occur.

Front 68

Electron

Back 68

A negatively
charged
atomic particle.

Front 69

Half-life

Back 69

The time
it takes for half the
atoms present in an
unstable element to
transform into a
new element.

Front 70

lsotope

Back 70

One of
two or more atoms
with the same
number of protons
but with different
numbers of
neutrons.

Front 71

Kyoto Protocol

Back 71

Thrgets setin1997
by countries wishing
to increase
capacity while
reducing carbon
dioxide (CO.)
emissions.

Front 72

Neutron:

Back 72

an unchanged atomic particle

Front 73

Nuclear fission

Back 73

The process of
splitting a larger
atom to produce
two smaller atoms
and a tremendous
amount of energy.

Front 74

Nuclear fusion

Back 74

Ttrc
combining of two
nuclei into a larger
nucleus. The large
nucleus weighs
less than the two
smaller nuclei that
formed it. The
result of this
process yields a
large energy
release.

Front 75

Nuclear Waste
Fund

Back 75

A
multibillion-dollar
fund used for the
development of a
permanent nuclear
waste disposal site

Front 76

Nuclear Waste
Policy Act:

Back 76

An acl
passed by
Congress lrl.1982
promising that the
federal government
is to take
nuclear waste from
the utilities for
permanent storage

Front 77

Nucleus

Back 77

The center
portion of an atom
containing the protons
and neutrons.

Front 78

Plasma

Back 78

Ionized
gas with an equal
number of positive
and negative
charges.

Front 79

Plutonium 239
(P-239)

Back 79

A fissionable
fuel created
from uranium 238
(U238)by a breeder
reactor.

Front 80

Pressurized zuater
reactor (PWR):

Back 80

A
reactor that works
similarly to aboiling
water reactor
(BWR), except it
makes use of a heat
exchanger known
as a steam generato

Front 81

Primary loop

Back 81

The
part of a pressurized
water reactor
(PWR) in which
the water is heated.
It surrounds the
reactor core

Front 82

Proliferation:

Back 82

The
use of by-products
of nuclear power
for the production
of nuclear
weaPons

Front 83

Proton

Back 83

a positively charged atomic particle

Front 84

Radioactiaity

Back 84

A
property of some
atoms, such as
those of uranium
decay, in which
they give off atomic
particles. The
particles emitted
are harmful to
humans and other
living things.

Front 85

Secondary loop:

Back 85

The part of a pressurized
water reactor
(PWR)in which
steam is created.

Front 86

Shipping cask

Back 86

a container desighned to ship spent fuel from one facillity to another

Front 87

Three MiIe Islnnd
(TMI) accident:

Back 87

A nuclear disaster
occurring in7979
near Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. The
Unit 2 reactor
reached excessir.ely
high temperatures
through a series of
faulty readings and
operator errors

Front 88

Uranium 235
(U235):

Back 88

An element
whose atoms can
be split more easily
than most others,
making it suitable
for refining into
nuclear fuel.

Front 89

Uranium 238
(U238):

Back 89

Atype of
uranium that is a
nonfissionable element.
About99'h
of all uranium
mined is this typ

Front 90

Yucca Mountain
storage facility:

Back 90

A
govemmentowned
facility in
southern Nevada
that is a planned
site for permanent
storage of nuclear
waste. The waste
would be stored in
stable rock formations
deep within
the earth's surface.

Front 91

Gasohol

Back 91

An automobile
fuel made
from grains.

Front 92

Creosote:

Back 92

A tarlike
substance that can
build up on the
walls of a chimney
when wood is
burned.

Front 93

Ethanol

Back 93

Ethyl
alcohol, sometimes
referred to as grain
alcohol.

Front 94

Fennentation:

Back 94

The
decomposition of
carbohydrates
found in plants
with the production
of carbon
dioxide (CO) and
acids.

Front 95

Methanol

Back 95

A cleanburning
liquid
used as fuel to
power vehicles

Front 96

Methyl alcohol:

Back 96

Methanol
produces more
energy than
ethanol, per
volume, and bums
more slowly than
gasoline.

Front 97

Bioconoersion

Back 97

The
process that
produces energy
from the waste
products of our
society.

Front 98

Biomass

Back 98

Waste
products that can
be used in bioconversion.

Front 99

Methane digester:

Back 99

A vessel that
converts shredded
organic materials
into methane gas,
which can be used
for heating, used
for power generation,
or purified
and stored for
distribution.

Front 100

Anaerobic
digestion:

Back 100

Decay
without the use of
oxygen.

Front 101

Waste-to-energy
plant

Back 101

A plant that
shreds and burns
waste. The heat
energy is then used
to produce electricity
or for industrial
processes.

Front 102

Overshot
waterwheel:

Back 102

A
water-wheel that
relies on an elevation
change and
makes use of the
weight of the
water, in addition
to the water's
force.

Front 103

undershot
waterwheel

Back 103

A
waterwheel that
does not require a
significant elevation
change and
primarily makes
use of the force of
flowing tl'ater.

Front 104

Hvdroclectric
energy

Back 104

The use of
fl or't'ing r't'ater from
waterfalls and
dams to produce
electricity

Front 105

Penstock

Back 105

A dam
tunnel through
which stored water
rushes to a water
turbine.

Front 106

Fish lift

Back 106

A giant
elevator-like device
installed on
dammed rivers to
help fish return
upstream during
sPawrung season.

Front 107

Barrage:

Back 107

A permanent
or floating
dam that seals a
natural bay in
order to use tidal
power.

Front 108

Tidal fence

Back 108

A
barrier intended to
prevent the power
of tides from
escaping back into
the ocean

Front 109

Geothermal energy:

Back 109

Heat from the
earth.

Front 110

Mantle

Back 110

Rock that
conducts heat
coming from the
earth's core.

Front 111

Magma

Back 111

Molten
rock located miles
beneath the earth's
surface

Front 112

Heat purnp

Back 112

An
application of the
use of geothermal
energy for residential
heating and
cooling.

Front 113

Hydrogen sulfide
gas

Back 113

Agas that
smells like rotten
eggs, found within
the steam of geothermal
energy
plants.

Front 114

Wind turbine:

Back 114

A
propeller driven by
the wind and
connected to a
generator. The
wind makes it tum
the generatol,
which produces
electricify.

Front 115

Wind zrelocity
profile:

Back 115

Data characterizing
the
number of
expected hours of a
given wind speed
for a particular
location.

Front 116

Nacelle:

Back 116

An enclosure
that houses
the gearbox, the
generator, and a
variety of equipment
necessary to
keep a wind
turbine properly
positioned into the
wind and spinning
at a safe speed.

Front 117

Hydrogen

Back 117

The first
and simplest
etrement on the
periodic table. It is
one of the most
conunon elements
in the galaxy.

Front 118

Pyrolysis

Back 118

Tlne
process of separating
the
hydrogen-oxygen
bond in water
using heat.

Front 119

Electrolysis:

Back 119

The
process of separating
the
hydrogen-oxygen
bond in water
using an electrical
current.