Renewable
What does it mean for a resource to be renewable?
It is replenished naturally faster than we use it
Which of the following is NOT a nonrenewable resource?
-Coal
-Oil
-Biomass
-Natural Gas
Biomass
Describe how fossil fuels are created.
Decaying animals and plants with intense heat and pressure in the Earth over millions of years
Describe passive solar heating
Using the sun's energy to heat something directly.
Storage sites for nuclear wastes should be located only in areas that are extremely geologically _______
stable
Give three examples of renewable energy sources.
Water, Sun, Wind, Biomass
Name one advantage of nuclear energy.
does not produce air pollution
The energy in fossil fuels is often converted into _____
electricity
More than ______% of all commercial energy used in the U.S. is wasted.
40%
Photovoltaic cells convert the sun’s energy into __________
electricity
What is the faster growing energy source in the world?
Wind Power
If fossil fuels are still forming today, why are they considered a nonrenewable resource?
We are depleting fossil fuels much faster than they form
Name three fossil fuels
coal, oil, and natural gas
List three ways to conserve energy in your daily life.
Carpool, walk or bike, turn off lights when not in room, put computers on sleep mode, do not block vents, full loads of dishes and laundry, better insulated appliances, energy efficient cars (hybrids)
Most of the energy consumed in the United States is used for ________ ________
industrial purposes
Where does geothermal energy get its heat to create the steam to turn turbines and generate electricity?
The Earth's crust
The main reason for the worldwide slow down in the construction of nuclear power plants is that
Nuclear reactors are inherently unsafe
What is the process of extracting natural gas from the ground?
Fracking
Name two ways the United states could increase energy efficiency.
using public transportation and developing more efficient engines for vehicles
In developing countries, you are most likely to find biomass used for ___________ and heating
cooking
Name three disadvantages of wind energy
High land use, visual pollution, noise pollution, could interfere with bird migration patterns, need steady winds, need a backup generator if no steady winds
What type of accident was Chernobyl, considered to be one of the worst of its kind?
nuclear meltdown
During the process of nuclear fission
a neutron splits a uranium-235 atom, forming new elements and releasing several neutrons, plus energy.
Describe cogeneration.
The production of 2 useful forms of energy from the same fuel source.
The percentage of energy put into a system that does useful work is _________ _________
energy efficiency