Critique of Natural Energy Resources

Transcription

1 In this activity, you will differentiate renewable and non-renewable and develop an argument/claim for one resource. Please answer the following questions in complete sentences. Part 1: Natural Review 1. What does it mean when an energy resource is said to be renewable? 2. What does it mean when an energy resource is said to be non-renewable? 3. Name the five examples of renewable energy resources. 4. Name the four examples of non-renewable energy resources. 5. What are fossil fuels? Which non-renewable energy resources are considered fossil fuels? 6. According to the chart above, what percentage of US energy is produced by all of the non-renewable sources, combined? Show your calculations. 7. a) What energy resource is most commonly used to make electricity? b) Is this energy resource renewable or non-renewable?

2 Part 2: Resource Research Choose three resources from Questions 3 and 4 in Part 1 (your choice) to research. Complete the table below in as much detail as you can. Resource Characteristics Advantages Disadvantages Below is a sampling of websites that may assist you in your research: Part 3: Developing an Argument using Claim, Evidence and Reasoning (C E R) From your three researched resources, choose one to make an argument. Devise a claim with supporting evidence and well-developed reasoning to support your argument. Claim What is my position? Evidence How am I proving the claim? Reasoning How does the evidence connect to the claim?

3 Key In this activity, you will differentiate renewable and non-renewable and develop an argument/claim for one resource. Please answer the following questions in complete sentences. Part 1: Natural Review 1. What does it mean when an energy resource is said to be renewable? A renewable energy resource is an Earth s resource that can be replenished in a relatively short period of time. 2. What does it mean when an energy resource is said to be non-renewable? A non-renewable energy resource is an Earth s resource that cannot be regenerated in a period of time that is comparable to its consumption. 3. Name the five examples of renewable energy resources. Examples of a renewable energy resource includes: wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy, geothermal energy, and biomass. 4. Name the four examples of non-renewable energy resources. Examples of a non-renewable energy resource includes: petroleum, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy. 5. What are fossil fuels? Which non-renewable energy resources are considered fossil fuels? A fossil fuel is any hydrocarbon formed from the decay of a once living organism that can be used as a source of energy. Coal, petroleum and natural gas are considered fossil fuels. 6. According to the chart above, what percentage of US energy is produced by all of the non-renewable sources, combined? Show your calculations % (petroleum) % (natural gas) % (coal) % (nuclear) = 90.06% According to the chart above, 90.06% of US energy is produced using non-renewable resources. 7. a) What energy resource is most commonly used to make electricity? Coal is the most commonly used source of energy to produce electricity. b) Is this energy resource renewable or non-renewable? Coal is a non-renewable energy resource.

4 Part 2: Resource Research Choose three resources from Questions 3 and 4 in Part 1 (your choice) to research. Complete the table below in as much detail as you can. Sample responses Resource Characteristics Advantages Disadvantages Petroleum Hydrocarbon liquid formed by Easy to extract and the decay of once living transport. organisms. Can be produced at a Extracted from reservoirs relatively low cost. trapped beneath the earth s Broad areas of surface (anticlines, salt application. domes, fault traps and Can power almost all substances. stratigraphy traps. types of vehicles. Uses: gasoline, kerosene, fuel Powerful and efficient oil, waxes, lubricants. source of energy. Creates numerous jobs terrorist activity. Non-renewable. Natural Gas Hydrocarbon gas, primarily Easy to extract and methane, but can contain transport. other alkanes, carbon dioxide, Can be produced at a hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen. Extracted from reservoirs trapped beneath the earth s surface, mostly in anticlines Uses: heating, cooking and electricity generation. Coal Hydrocarbon solid (sedimentary rock- peat, lignite and bituminous; metamorphic rockanthracite) Formed by the decay of dead plant material. Extracted from coal beds or coal seams, veins interbedded within sedimentary strata. Uses: major source of heat and electricity. Nuclear Mining of uranium-bearing minerals/ores. Electricity is generated by the fission of 238 U and 235 U. Uses: electricity relatively low cost. Broad areas of application. Cleanest of the fossil fuels. Powerful and efficient source of energy. Creates numerous jobs Easy to extract and transport. Can be produced at a relatively low cost. Broad areas of application. Reduces dependence on other fossil fuels. Powerful and efficient source of energy. Creates numerous jobs Produces less pollution than other forms of energy. Produces a large amount of energy. Has relatively low operating costs. Highly reliable and predictable. Technology is already in place for use. Limited and decreasing Contributes to environmental pollution and contamination. Produces hazardous Increases dependency on foreign countries. Oil is suspected to finance Limited and decreasing Produces large amounts of CO 2 and CH 4, both greenhouse gases. Extremely flammable. Can be a health hazard. Non-renewable. Limited and decreasing Contributes to environmental pollution and contamination. Negative health consequences (e.g. black lung disease). Non-renewable. High start-up costs. Produces large amounts of radioactive waste that can be detrimental to the environment. Limited supply of uranium ore. Can have negative health impacts. Non-renewable

5 Geothermal Uses heat generated from deep inside the earth. Commonly used near volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. Uses: Steam can be used for heating or to power turbines creating electricity. Solar Energy from sunlight is captured in solar panels and converted into electricity. Uses: heat and electricity. Wind Wind turbines turn wind energy into electricity. Uses: Electricity Hydroelectric Energy harnessed from the movement of water through rivers, lakes and dams. Uses: electricity Biomass Generated from decaying plant or animal waste. Uses: biodiesel, biofuels and methane. Ecofriendly, requiring no fuel. Has the smallest land footprint Abundant and potentially infinite Offers substantial savings for homeowners. Abundant and potentially infinite energy Single dwellings can have own electricity supply, maintaining low energy costs. Ecofriendly (no carbon emissions or noise pollution). Sustainable. Globally available. Abundant and potentially infinite energy Savings and extra income (e.g. ranchers and farmers allowing land use). Ecofriendly- no harmful emissions. Sustainable. Can be used on land and in the ocean. Clean source of energy. Low operating costs. Safer than other energy sources. Can create opportunities for recreation and tourism. Reduced dependency on fossil fuels. Globally available. High start-up costs. Suitable for particular regions and can be unstable in those regions (e.g. earthquakes). Environmental concerns (elements associated with geothermal activity need to be processed appropriately). Requires high temperature. Expensive- high startup costs and high storage (battery) costs. Weather dependentrequires frequent sunshine. Need a large space. Can be ineffective in highly polluted areas. High start-up costs. Can be noisy and an eyesore. Threatening to wildlife (e.g. birds and bats) Can be used only in certain locations. Relies on wind which can be unpredictable. Expensive to build. Can cause the floods in lowlying areas. Building of dams have major ecological impacts on the local ecosystem. Moderate to high environmental impact. Needs space. Can be expensive. Sources for characteristics, advantages and disadvantages cited above: 1. GreenGarage: The Ecofriendly Blog, Conserve Energy Future,

6 Below is a sampling of websites that may assist you in your research: Part 3: Developing an Argument using Claim, Evidence and Reasoning (C E R) From your three researched resources, choose one to make an argument. Devise a claim with supporting evidence and well-developed reasoning to support your argument. Sample responses Claim What is my position? Our society must decrease our reliance on fossil fuels because their resources are limited and they contribute to climate change. Evidence How am I proving the claim? Fossil fuels are formed that the decay of once living organisms that take millions of years to form. Fossil fuels are known to emit greenhouse gases when burned, helping to facilitate global warming. Reasoning How does the evidence connect to the claim? If our society runs out of fossil fuels before new technologies are developed, we will face a dramatic energy crisis. Not only will these resources be depleted, but we will have nothing to replace them. During our recent history, a significant number of climate related disasters such as large hurricanes, melting of glaciers, etc. have devastated many countries. If greenhouse emissions are reduced, disasters events like these may decrease. Claim What is my position? We should drill for more oil in the United States because it would create more jobs in the U.S. that would help our own economy and would limit our reliance on other oil producing countries. Evidence How am I proving the claim? There are many careers in the oil industry that people can pursue such as petroleum geologist, chemists and oil rig drillers, along with supporting industries such as steel mills, pipeline builders and many more. We obtain the majority of our oil from other countries, which can be very expensive and some of whom are suspected of financing terrorism through oil. Reasoning How does the evidence connect to the claim? There are many unemployed people who have expertise related to the oil industry. If we invest in drilling for more oil resources in the United States, these currently unemployed people would be able work, increasing our currently bad economic status. During our recent history, oil prices have dramatically fluctuated, and our country has experienced unimaginable terrorist attacks. If we invest in drilling for more oil resources in the United States, we can diminish our cost, thus, lowering our own deficit, and reduce the amount of revenue other countries can use who might support terrorist activities.