Fossil fuels
What are nonrenewable energy resources?
Single-use resource.
Will run out eventually.
Fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas
Nuclear energy from uranium
What is coal made of?
Coal is a combustible black rock formed from remnants of trees that died millions of years ago.
Mostly carbon, with some sulfur, nitrogen, and hydrogen.
What are hydrocarbons?
Crude oil is a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons – compounds composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen.
Function of the boiler:
The fossil fuel is delivered to the boiler, where it is burned.
What rock layer is accessed through hydraulic fracturing?
Shale rock formations
What are renewable energy resources?
Resource will be replenished.
May run out if overexploited.
Biomass: Timber, ethanol
When did the Carboniferous Period take place?
Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era, 300-360 million years ago.
What countries have the greatest deposits of oil and gas?
Venezuela, Canada, Russia, and Saudi Arabia
Function of Power Lines
Electricity is transported through high-density power lines
Describe the three controversial issues behind hydraulic fracturing:
Millions of gallons of water are used.
Generates wastewater containing hazardous chemicals.
Drilling can trigger small earthquakes
What geographic areas today have the greatest coal deposits?
U.S., Russia, Australia, China
What was the climate like during the Carboniferous period?
During the carboniferous period, the Earth’s climate was much warmer, glaciers had shrunk, and ocean levels were high enough to flood many land masses.
Explain each step of oil extraction: (3)
Drilling: A borehole is drilled through the upper soil layers and bedrock.
Lining: The borehole is lined with cement to prevent oil from contaminating soil and groundwater.
Transportation: pipeline, tanker truck, or supertanker ship.
Function of Turbin/generator:
The steam spins a turbine, which rotates a magnet in a generator, creating an electric current.
Describe the first part of hydraulic fracturing
1
What are the two major applications of coal?
Electricity generation
Steel manufacturing
What new trait did the trees of the Carboniferous period develop?
Plants evolved lignin (wood) and thrived in the coastal swamps
Describe the process of oil formation.
Sediments: (marine snow) build up on the floor of a shallow sea ecosystem.
Decomposition: Decomposition does not occur due to a lack of oxygen.
Burial: The sediments become buried as the continental plates shift.
Heat and pressure: Heat and pressure convert the sediments to hydrocarbons.
The function of condenser & stack:
Condenser – returns the steam to liquid water to be recirculated.
Stack – The stack releases air pollution from the boiler high into the atmosphere
Describe the second part of hydraulic fracturing:
2
Describe each environmental impact of coal mining: (at least 3 points)
Subsidence – Collapse and sinking of surface soil layers.
Surface destruction – Surface ecosystems replaced with spoil – the material removed during mining.
Acid mine drainage – erosion of minerals from exposed soil.
Back lung disease – Accumulation of coal dust in lung tissue
What is fractional distillation, and how does it work?
Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons that must be separated by a process called fractional distillation.
Crude oil is gradually heated, then individual components are collected as they boil off.
Separation is based on molecule size and boiling point.
Function of cooling tower & Ash Ponds:
Cooling Tower – Cooling towers release excess heat in the form of steam.
Ash Ponds – Ash Ponds store the non-combustible material present in coal. Contains toxic heavy metals.