Energy Sources
What is the name for the energy sources found deep in the earth, that were once living things, but turned to fuel after millions of years?
Fossil Fuels.
These are not renewable energy sources.
What is the word for the weather conditions in a particular area over an extended period of time? The average condition of weather?
Climate.
What is the solid form of fossil fuels that humans use?
Coal.
What is pollution that is discharged into the air called?
Emissions or Exhaust.
If someone collects their organic waste to let it decompose and turn into richer soil, what is that called?
Composting.
Petroleum, Gasoline, and Crude Oil.
Put these three products of fossil fuels in order from the beginning product, to the middle product, to the end product.
1. Crude Oil
2. Petroleum
3. Gasoline
What is the name of the natural phenomenon on earth where certain gases in its atmosphere trap some of the sun's heat & make earth warmer than the space around it?
The Greenhouse Effect.
What is the gaseous form of fossil fuels that humans use?
Natural gas.
What is the name for those gases that naturally occur in our atmosphere, and trap in some of the sun's heat on earth?
Greenhouse gases.
What is waste called when it is the kind that can biodegrade and decompose over time, back into useable organic matter?
Green waste.
Explain the difference between non-renewable energy and renewable energy:
Non-renewable energy is energy from sources that we use up and can run out, like fossil fuels.
Renewable energy is energy from sources that do not run out.
What are two main greenhouse gases, and their main sources?
Carbon Dioxide - from emissions from burning fossil fuels (like factories, non-renewable power plants, and gas car engines).
Methane - from emissions from farm animals or rotting trash.
What is the liquid form of fossil fuels that humans use? What is it often refined into?
Crude Oil.
Petroleum, and then gasoline.
Name 4 sources of emissions that are contributing to global warming:
- Power plants burning fossil fuels: CO2
- Manufacturing stuff: CO2
- Cars, planes, other transportation: CO2
- Construction (cement makes a lot of emissions!): CO2
- Wildfires
- Agriculture (cows the most): Methane
- Rotting organic waste: Methane
What is the word for lessening the harm of something?
Hint: It begins with "M."
Mitigate.
Name 4 sources of renewable energy:
Solar, Wind, Hydroelectric, Nuclear, or Geothermal (energy from heat deep in the earth).
What are two signs of climate change in our world now?
- Increased annual global temperature ("1.2-1.4 degrees warmer in the last century")
- Hotter, longer summers
- Melting polar ice
- Rising ocean levels
- More: flooding; drought; or hurricanes
Why are fossil fuels bad for global warming?
Burning fossil fuels makes emissions of Carbon Dioxide, a greenhouse gas that increases how much of the sun's heat earth's atmosphere traps. Extra trapped heat is making the earth warmer.
What is the name for the brightening of the night sky by things like streetlights?
Light pollution.
What is consumption, and why should we reduce our consumption?
"Consumption" is when we use things up.
"Things" can be energy, stuff, gas, even food. All of it takes energy to make, and creates emissions to make.
When we use extra, or waste, we are wasting energy and creating extra emissions.
What are the two main benefits of renewable energy?
1. They are CLEAN - they do not have emissions, so they do not create greenhouse gases, or other pollutants in our air.
2. They are RENEWABLE - they will not run out, like fossil fuels will.
How do emissions cause global warming?
They increase the greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere, which increases the Greenhouse Effect, trapping more heat from the sun on earth.
Plastics are entirely made from chemicals pulled from fossil fuels.
Making plastics creates emissions, and the chemicals in plastics are not biodegradable, so they stay around forever.
How is deforestation connected to pollution and global warming?
Photosynthesis takes carbon dioxide and turns it into oxygen - reversing the effect of carbon emissions.
Trees and forests are basically acres of carbon dioxide-converting machines. Deforestation is destroying those important tools for reversing emissions.
What are the 3 "R" words to help us with the impact of human consumption?
Reduce our consumption.
Reuse things so we don't waste.
Recycle things we can't reuse.