Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
56 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
How did fossil fuels form
|
Fossil fuels formed from the organic remains of plants and animals over very long time periods.
|
|
|
How and when did natural gas form
|
Most natural gas formed from the remains of phytoplankton and zooplankton that accumulated in marine sediments beginning some 300 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era
|
|
|
In a deposit of oil and gas, the order of the rock layers from bottom to top is
|
source rock, reservoir rock, impermeable trapAbove the source rock is a layer of porous and permeable reservoir rock through which the oil and gas can percolate. Above the reservoir layer is an impermeable trap or cap layer that prevents the oil and gas from moving out.
|
|
|
Almost half the natural gas in California is
|
used to generate electricity
|
|
|
Types of fossil fuels
|
Natural gas, coal, and oil
|
|
|
Which one of these fuels is considered a renewable resource:
Coal, petroleum oil, solar radiation, natural gas |
Solar radiation
|
|
|
What are the environmental impacts of natural gas compared to coal
|
Coal is cheaper than natural gas but gas-fired power plants produce less pollution and greenhouse gases than coal-fired plants.
|
|
|
How does natural gas form
|
The organic remains partially decomposed or putrefied and formed a slimy black mud called sapropel. Over time, more sediments built up over the slimy sapropel. The buildup of sediments created heat and pressure on the lower layers, adding to the natural heat from the earth’s core. Under heat, pressure, and a dearth of oxygen, the organic remains turned into petroleum compounds, rich in carbon and hydrogen. Once formed, the natural gas might be trapped in an underground reservoir, or escape slowly into the atmosphere.
|
|
|
What's so important about natural gas?
|
Has become a fast-growing energy resource. California is increasingly investing in gas-fired power plants. There are plans to import natural gas in liquefied form — a relatively new product, easily transportable — from Mexico to help supply these plants.
|
|
|
The hydroelectric power station in the United States that produces the most electricity is at
|
Grand Coulee Dam
|
|
|
Where are geothermal energy sources found
|
Geothermal energy sources are found in places with volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles
|
|
|
How can municipal solid waste (MSW) be a source of energy
|
Methane gas from the waste can be collected and burned.
The waste can be burned in a waste-to-energy plant. |
|
|
What are the five most used sources of renewable energy
|
Biomass, Hydropower, Geothermal, Wind, Solar power
|
|
|
What is biomas
|
organic material from plants and animals, such as wood and ethanol — can be burned to release energy in the form of heat
|
|
|
What is solar energy
|
radiation from the Sun — can be used directly for heating, or it can be converted to electricity.
|
|
|
Explain the water cycle
|
|
|
|
Which renewable resource produces the most electricity in the US
|
Hydropower
|
|
|
How is water used as a resource
|
The water flows through a pipe then pushes against and turns blades in a turbine to spin a generator to produce electricity. The force of the current applies the needed pressure, while in a storage system, water is accumulated in reservoirs created by dams, then released as needed to generate electricity
|
|
|
What are two ways biomass may be used as an energy resource
|
When burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat
Biomass can be converted to other useable forms of energy, such as methane gas or transportation fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. |
|
|
How are nuclear fuels used as an energy resource
|
Nuclear power plants use this energy from nuclear fission (atoms splitting apart) to produce electricity
|
|
|
What is nuclear energy
|
Energy in the nucleus (core) of an atom. There is enormous energy in the bonds that hold atoms together.The energy must be released from atoms in two ways: nuclear fusion and nuclear fission.
|
|
|
What is nuclear energy used to make
|
Electricity
|
|
|
What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
|
In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart to form smaller atoms, releasing energy.
In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. This is how the sun produces energy. |
|
|
What is the fuel used by nuclear plants for nuclear fission
|
Uranium. It is nonrenewable, though it is a common metal found in rocks all over the world.
|
|
|
What is oil and where is it found
|
Petroleum, or oil, is a mixture of many types of hydrocarbons and organic compounds. It occurs naturally under deep layers of rock
|
|
|
What are different uses for oil
|
fuel oil — an industrial fuel, also used to make petroleum products
lubricating oil — for lubricating motors diesel oil — fuel for trucks kerosene —fuel for jets and tractors gasoline — fuel for cars the “petroleum gases” butane and propane — used for heating, cooking, and making plastics |
|
|
What is the layer of sediment where oil and gas originate
|
source rock or source bed
|
|
|
What is a reservoir bed, what is its function
|
a layer of relatively porous and permeable rock in which the oil and gas coming up from the source rock can reside. The oil and gas fill in the pores of the reservoir rock the way water fills the spaces in a sponge.
|
|
|
What is a trap, what is its function
|
layer of cap rock to confine the oil and gas. The cap rock overlaying the source bed and reservoir bed must be impermeable, just as the material of an umbrella is impermeable to water. Salt or cemented sandstone are possible trap materials. If the upper layer were not impermeable, the oil and gas would slowly percolate upward and eventually evaporate into the atmosphere
|
|
|
What is an anticline, what is its function
|
An arch of stratified rock that is associated with the reserves of oil. If the rock composing the anticline is impermeable, oil and gas can accumulate under the crest of the anticline.
|
|
|
Oil extraction methods
|
primary, secondary, tertiary
|
|
|
What is oil shale and tar sands
|
Oil shale is a type of sedimentary rock that, when heated, releases hydrocarbons. It can be mined and processed to produce oil
Tar sands or oil sands consist of clay, sand, water and bitumen, a type of oil |
|
|
What are the drawbacks of tar sands and oil shale
|
As with oil shale, it is difficult and expensive to extract the oil from the sand, and the process requires a lot of water
|
|
|
What are the environmental affects associated with oil extraction
|
deforest land and pollute surface and groundwater. Accidental fires at oil wells and spills from tankers pollute air, water, and land. Normal oil refining operations release pollutants into the air and water, and accidental fires cause even more damage and harm to workers.
|
|
|
What is the energy return on the energy invested in oil extraction
|
EROI= energy contained in the barrels of oil obtained/energy required to extract, transport and refine a barrel of oil
Estimates vary, but some say the EROI ratio is around 10 = scarce |
|
|
What are uranium and plutonium?
|
Uranium occurs naturally; uranium ores are mined for fuel for nuclear reactors. Plutonium is a by-product of some nuclear reactions and can itself be used as a fuel.
|
|
|
How do we get energy from uranium
|
The energy we get from a nuclear power plant comes ultimately from the fission or breakup of the nuclei of uranium — specifically, from fission in an isotope of uranium called uranium-235 or U-235
|
|
|
What are the advantages of nuclear energy
|
Abundant and still relatively cheap
easily be transported to reactor sites and a little uranium provides a lot of energy PRODUCES NO GREENHOUSE GASES |
|
|
What are the disadvantages of nuclear energy
|
radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plants
damage to environment from mining ore high cost of building nuclear power plant |
|
|
Which material is the most cost-effective and energy-saving to recycle
|
Aluminum cans
|
|
|
Is aluminum a renewable resource?
|
No
|
|
|
What are the environmental affects of recycling aluminum and glass
|
Saves energy, reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces landfill use, and reduces quarrying.
|
|
|
What are the advantages and disadvantages of bioplastics
|
The benefit of bioplastic is for the environment. Its manufacture relies somewhat less on petroleum than does the manufacture of traditional plastic. The production of greenhouse gases may also be less
Bioplastics are expensive, less durable and have a shorter shelf life than traditional plastics. |
|
|
Pound for pound, which of the following combustible waste materials is likely to give off the most energy when burned?
|
Plastic
|
|
|
Coal is found
|
under layers of sedimentary rock
|
|
|
The formation of coal differs from the formation of crude oil in that:
|
Coal formed from peat, which comes from decaying plants. Oil was formed from the decay of marine organisms.
|
|
|
What fossil fuel is found under layers of sedimentary rock such as limestone and shale, and over sandstone.
|
coal
|
|
|
How is coal extracted
|
underground and surface mining
|
|
|
What are the uses of coal
|
to generate electricity, production of steel, form plastics
|
|
|
What are the environmental consquences of coal
|
the coal plants pollute: soot and sulfur and nitrogen oxides
|
|
|
What are the new ways to burn coal to reduce emissions
|
One, called fluidized-bed combustion, burns coal at lower temperatures, which reduces the formation of nitrogen oxides and makes it easier to remove sulfur dioxides. Another new way to burn coal is to convert it first to a gas. Coal gas is relatively easy to clean of pollution-causing impurities before it is burned. Plants that use coal gas can also be made to be very efficient at producing electricity. However, the gasification of coal is relatively expensive.
|
|
|
What are the reserves and future use of coal
|
Worldwide, coal consumption is expected to increase for the foreseeable future.
the ratio of coal reserves to production is at least 164, which means that if production and consumption were constant, the reserves would last 164 years |
|
|
One disadvantage of coal gas compared to coal is
|
Goal gas is more expensive
|
|
|
What is the future demand of natural gas
|
Use of natural gas will continue to grow, worldwide and in the United States. In many cases, natural gas use may replace oil use. Natural gas may increasingly be transported not by pipeline but in liquefied form.
Worldwide, the supply of natural gas is estimated to be sufficient for the next 400 years |
|
|
What are the environmental impacts of natural gas
|
Extracting, treating, transporting, and burning gas generates nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and other emissions. However, the average gas-fired plant generates only half as much carbon dioxide as the average coal-fired plant and much less nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. So, although coal is cheaper than natural gas, gas-fired power plants produce less pollution and greenhouse gases than coal-fired plants
|
|
|
How can solar energy be converted to electricity
|
Photovoltaic (PV devices) or “solar cells” change sunlight directly into electricity. Individual PV cells are grouped into panels and arrays of panels that can be used in a wide range of applications ranging from single small cells that charge calculator and watch batteries, to systems that power single homes, to large power plants covering many acres.
Concentrating Solar Power Plants generate electricity by using the heat from solar thermal collectors to heat a fluid which produces steam that is used to power the generator. |
