General Energy
This energy source uses sunlight to generate electricity
solar energy
This term describes the short-term conditions of the atmosphere, such as temperature, precipitation, and wind.
weather/climate
This is currently the primary energy source for electricity generation in North Carolina.
natural gas
This fossil fuel is primarily composed of methane.
natural gas
This common campus practice helps reduce waste by allowing students to use the same bottle or cup repeatedly instead of buying single-use ones.
reusable water bottles/cups
These scructures use moving air to generate electricity
wind turbines
This greenhouse gas is released when fossil fuels are burned and is a major driver of human-caused climate change
carbon dioxide (CO2)
North Carolina has become a major producer of electricity from this energy source, using large arrays of photovoltaic panels.
solar energy
This fossil fuel formed largely from ancient plant material subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.
coal
This campus sustainability practice turns food scraps and other organic waste into a nutrient-rich material that can be used to improve soil.
composting
This is the SI unit used to measure energy
This process occurs when gasses in Earths atmosphere trap heat and warm the planet
greenhouse effect
This mountain range in western North Carolina has some of the state's strongest potential for wind energy.
Blue Ridge Mountains
Gasoline and diesel are primarily refined from this fossil fuel.
petroleum/crude oil
This term describes the amount of greenhouse gases released directly and indirectly by a person, product, organization, or activity.
carbon footprint
This type of energy is stored in an object because of its position, such as water being held behind a dam
potential energy
Oceans absorb a large portion of the excess carbon dioxide humans release. This caused seawater to become more acidic, a process known as what?
ocean acidification
This North Carolina university operates the only research nuclear reactor which is used for education, research, and training.
NC State University
This underground layer of porous rock can hold oil or natural gas, allowing it to accumulate beneath Earth's surface.
reservoir
This term describes electricity generated by solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable sources that is used to replace electricity generated from fossil fuels.
renewable energy
Unlike solar and wind power, nuclear power plants generate electricity through a process that splits heavy atomic nuclei, releasing energy. What is this process called?
nuclear fission
This layer of the Earths atmosphere contains most of the air we breathe and is where nearly all of Earths weather occurs
Troposphere
According to 2025 EIA data, which of these is NOT a major renewable electricity source in North Carolina: solar, hydroelectric, biomass, or wind?
wind
This process converts crude oil into different products by separating its components according to their different boiling points.
fractional distillation
This technology uses organic waste, such as food scraps or animal manure, in an oxygen-free environment to produce methane-rich gas that can be used as fuel.
anaerobic digestion