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90 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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In the presence of air, bacteria that use oxygen to break down remains into simpler molecules and recycled by ecosystem.
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Aerobic Decomposition
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Fossil fuels are produced when organic material is broken down into this kind of environment with little oxygen.
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Anaerobic Environment
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What do developing nations use energy for?
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Towards growing, preparing food, and heating homes.
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What do industrialized nations use energy for?
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Transportation and industry.
- 89% of energy in the U.S comes from fossil fuels. |
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Difference between energy required and energy invested.
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Net Energy
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Comparing energy resources. Energy returned divided by energy invested.
- Hint: 4 letter acronym |
EROI (Energy Returned On Investment)
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What are the three major fossil fuels used today?
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1. Coal
2. Natural Gas 3. Oil |
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Organic matter compressed under high pressure to form dense, solid carbon structures. Also the most abundant fossil fuel.
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Coal
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Organic material broken down anaerobically but remains wet, near surface.
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Peat
- As it is compressed, carbon compounds are packed forming coal. The greater the compression, the greater energy content per unit volume. |
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What are the two methods to mine coal?
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1. Near Surface: strip mining
2. Deep Underground: subsurface mining |
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Fastest growing fossil fuel. Produces less pollution. Consists primarily of methane.
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Natural Gas
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Natural gas can arise from what two processes?
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1. Biogenic gas: shallow depths by anaerobic decomposition.
2. Thermogenic gas: compression and heat deep underground. |
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Forms only under certain conditions. Un-isolated deposits, tending to collect in porous layers beneath dense, impermeable layers.
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Petroleum
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The amount of a fossil fuel, in a deposit that is technological and economically feasible to remove under current conditions.
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Proven Recoverable Reserve
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Drilling small holes that ascend to great depths.
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Exploratory Drilling
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Oil production peaked in 1970. What was the name of this peak?
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Hubbert Peak
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Moist sand containing thick petroleum, rich in carbon, and poor in hydrogen.
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Oil Sands
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Sedimentary rock filled with kerogen processed to produce liquid petroleum.
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Oil Shale
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Ice-like solids consisting of methane molecules. What are the downsides of this thing?
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Methane Hydrates
Downsides: - Energy values are low. - Sever environmental impacts. |
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Name four impacts of fossil fuels.
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1. Releases carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas and this warms our planet, driving climate change.
2. Releases methane, a greenhouse gas. 3. Vehicles release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which contribute to industrial and photochemical smog and acidic deposition. 4. Pollutes water. |
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The practice of reducing energy use to extend our nonrenewable resources.
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Energy Conservation
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What are two ways of energy conservation?
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1. Personal Choice
2. Increased efficiency |
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Energy that holds protons and neutrons together within the nucleus of an atom.
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Nuclear Energy
- Converted to thermal energy to generate electricity. |
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The reaction that drives this nuclear energy in power plants.
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Nuclear Fission
- The splitting part of atomic nuclei. |
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Slows the neutrons bombarding uranium, which is used for nuclear power because its atoms are radioactive.
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Moderator
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Renewable resources are growing at a faster rate than conventional energy resources. What is the leader in growth for renewable energy?
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Wind Power
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What is the main obstacle for the technology of renewable resources?
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Politics.
- They receive far less subsidies, tax breaks, and incentives from government than most conventional sources. |
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Consists of organic material that makes up living organisms.
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Biomass Energy
- Harvested from many planets and animal matter. - Only renewable if it isn't over-harvested. - Some of these materials are burned to produce bio-power, generating heat of electricity. |
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Biomass sources converted into fuels used primary to power automobiles.
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Biofuel
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What are the two primary biofuels?
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1. Ethanol
2. Biodiesel |
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Added to gasoline to reduce automotive emissions.
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Ethanol
- Blended with up to 10% ethanol. |
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Flexible fuel cars can run on what percent of ethanol and gasoline.
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85% ethanol and 10% gasoline.
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A fuel produced from vegetable oil, cooking grease or animal fat. Vehicles with diesel engines can run on 100 % diesel.
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Biodiesel
- 100% diesel. Non-toxic and biodegradable. |
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A process in which biomass is vaporized at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen.
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Gasification
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The kinetic energy of moving water to turn turbines and generate electricity.
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Hydroelectric Power
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Form of hydroelectric power. Immense amounts of water are stored behind dams. Water is stored in reservoirs, passes through a dam, turns the blades of turbines which causes a generator to generate electricity.
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Storage Technique
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Form of hydroelectric power. Generates electricity without greatly disrupting the flow of the river.
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Run-of-River Approach
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What are two clear benefits of using hydroelectric power?
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1. Renewable
2. Cleanliness |
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What are 3 negatives of hydroelectric power.
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1. Alters riverine habitat above and below dam sites.
2. Disrupts natural flooding cycles and sediment deposition causing thermal pollution of downstream waters. 3. Reduces fish population and aquatic diversity. |
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Most common way to harness solar energy. Buildings are designed and building materials are chosen to maximize direct absorption of sunlight in the winter.
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Passive Solar Energy Collection
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Make's use of technology to focus, move, or store solar energy.
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Active Solar
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Converts sunlight to electrical energy directly by making use of the photovoltaic effect.
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Photovoltaic Cells
- Occurs when light strikes one of a pair of metal plates in a PV cell, causing the release of electrons. The flow of electrons from one plate to the other creates of electrical current. - Popular in undeveloped countries. |
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What are two major disadvantages of using photovoltaic cells.
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1. Not all regions are sunny.
2. Cost of equipment. |
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Mechanical assembles that convert winds kinetic energy into electrical energy.
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Wind Turbines
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Radioactive decay of elements surrounded by the extremely high pressures of the interiors of our planet generates heat that rises to the surface through magma.
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Geothermal Energy
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What are three sources of the ocean that provide energy?
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1. Ocean Tides
2. Ocean Waves 3. Ocean Currents |
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Electricity is used to split hydrogen atoms from the oxygen atoms of water molecules. Produces pure hydrogen.
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Electrolysis
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Describes an area's long term atmospheric conditions (over a broader region).
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Climate
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Describes trends and variations of Earth's climate.
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Global Climate Change
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An increase in Earth's average surface temperature.
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Global Warming
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What three factors influence Earth's climate?
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1. Sun
2. Atmosphere 3. Oceans |
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The relative ability of one molecule of a given greenhouse gas to contribute to warming.
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Global Warming Potential
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Emissions of greenhouse gas from human activity consist mostly of what element?
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Carbon Dioxide
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Where is most carbon stored for long periods?
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In the upper layer of the lithosphere.
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Carbon dioxide increase due to what two reasons?
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1. Burning of coal and fossil fuels.
2. Deforestation |
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Methane increases due to what four reasons?
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1. By tapping into fossil fuel deposits.
2. Raising livestock that emits gas as metabolic waste. 3. Disposing of organic material in landfills. 4. Growing certain crops (rice). |
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Nitrous oxide increases due to what four reasons?
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1. Byproduct of feedlots.
2. Chemical manufacturing plants. 3. Auto emissions. 4. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. |
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What is the most abundant greenhouse gas?
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Water Vapor
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Microscopic droplets and particles that can cause warming or cooling.
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Aerosols
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Black carbon aerosols. Causes warming by absorbing solar energy, but most tropospheric aerosols cool the atmosphere by reflecting the sun's rays.
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Soot
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This type of aerosol slows the process of global warming.
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Sulfate Aerosols
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The amount of change in energy that a give factor causes.
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Radiative Forcing
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Worldwide current system in which warmer, fresher water moves along the surface in some areas, while colder, saltier moves deep beneath the surface.
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Thermohaline Circulation
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A systematic shift in atmospheric pressure, sea surface temperature and ocean circulation in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
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El Niño - Southern Oscillation
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How are El Niño's conditions triggered?
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When air pressure increases in the Western Pacific and decreases in the Eastern Pacific, weakening the equatorial winds and allowing the warm water to flow eastward.
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This system occurs when when cold surface waters extend far westward in the equatorial Pacific and weather patterns are effected in the opposite way.
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La Niña
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Name five approaches to measure climate change.
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1. Direct Sampling
2. Proxy Indicators 3. Modeling 4. Future Impacts 5. Assessment report |
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This type of sampling directly measures atmospheric conditioning
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Direct Sampling
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Types of indirect evidence that serves as proxies, or substitutes, for direct measurements and that shed light on past climate.
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Proxy Indicators
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Programs that combine what is known about atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation, atmospheric ocean interactions and feedback mechanisms to stimulate climate processes.
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Modeling
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Intergovernmental panel on climate change. Also released the Fourth Assessment Report.
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Future Impacts
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Represents the consensus of scientific climate research from around the world. Observed trends in surface temperature, precipitation patterns, snow and inc cover, sea levels, and storm intensity.
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Fourth Assessment Report
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Any unwanted material or substance.
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Waste
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Non-liquid waste, comes from homes.
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Municipal Waste
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Comes from production of consumer goods, mining, and agriculture.
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Industrial Solid Waste
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Solid or liquid waste that is toxic. Any other waste is considered waste water.
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Hazardous Waste
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What are the three main components of waste?
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1. Minimizing amount of waste that we generate.
2. Recovering waste materials and recycling them. 3. Disposing of waste safely and effectively. |
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Minimizing waste at the source.
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Source Reduction
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Flow of waste as it moves from its source toward disposal destinations.
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Waste Stream
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Accounts for over 70% of waste stream.
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Municipal Solid Waste
- Paper products are the largest component. |
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Waste is buried in the ground or piled up in large mounds to prevent from contamination.
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Sanitary Landfills
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Liquid that results when substances from the trash dissolve in water as rainwater percolates downwards.
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Leachate
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Also known as combustion, the controlled process in which mixed garbage is burned at very high temperatures.
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Incineration
- Most North American Incinerators today are waste-to-energy. |
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Conversion of organic waste into mulch or humus through natural biological processes of decomposition.
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Composting
- Can be used to enrich soil. |
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Consists of collecting materials that can be broken down and reprocessed to manufacture new items.
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Recycling
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What are the three steps to recycling?
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1. Collecting and processing used recyclables goods and materials.
2. Items collected are taken to material recovery facilities. 3. Buying recycled goods. |
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Seeks to redesign industrial systems to reduce inputs and to maximize both physical and economic efficiency.
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Industrial Solid Waste
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What are currently the largest source of unregulated waste?
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Households
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Why are many synthetic organic compounds are toxic?
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They can be readily absorbed through the skin and can act as mutagens, carcinogens, teratogens, or endocrine disruptors.
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Name the three disposal methods.
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1. Landfills must have several impervious liners and leachate removal systems.
2. Liquid hazardous waste must be stored in must be stored in surface impoundment or ponds 3. Deep Well Injection, a well is drilled deep beneath the water table, into porous rock and wastes are injected into it. |
