Measuring Energy: Calorie Unit to measure amount of energy in foods and fuels. One calorie = amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. Watt Unit used to measure the rate at which energy is used Fossil Fuels Formed from remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Examples: Petroleum (Oil) Sticky, black liquid found trapped between layers of rock. Coal Black rock that occurs in layers, or seams between other rock layers. Natural Gas Gas commonly found underground with oil deposits. 1
What are the advantages of Oil, Natural Gas, and Coal? 2
Fossil Fuels Advantages: Petroleum: Efficient, converted into different fuels (i.e. gasoline) Coal Plentiful in US, inexpensive Natural Gas Availiable in US, clean PROBLEMS WITH ENERGY FOSSIL FUELS 3
Energy Resources 2017.notebook Problems with fossil fuels: OIL : Air pollution Risk of oil spills Offshore drilling for oil and transporting oil by ship can lead to accidental oil spills that kill wildlife and cause severe pollution of land and sea. Limited reserves in US Non renewable BP Oil Spill in 2010 The BP Oil Spill is the biggest in American history, with between 17 and 39 million gallons spilled in the Gulf of Mexico. 16,000 total miles of coastline have been affected. 6,104 dead birds, 609 dead sea turtles and 100 dead mammals, including dolphins 4
Problems with fossil fuels: NATURAL GAS: Difficult to store/transport Nonrenewable Problems with fossil fuels: COAL: Burning coal produces air pollution leading to acid rain. Coal mining is dangerous for the workers, and breathing in the dusty air of the mines can lead to black lung disease. Sometimes large areas of land are dug up in order to reach the coal underground. This is called strip mining. **Mining companies are now required by law to restore the land they have damaged. Advances in technology have made coal mining safer and reduced the amount of pollution caused by burning coal. 5
Energy Resources 2017.notebook CLIMATE CHANGE The burning of any fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere (like the glass of a greenhouse traps heat). Producing a greenhouse effect leads to the warming of Earth's climate. 6
Nuclear Energy: Energy stored in the nucleus of an atom. Uranium atoms are naturally unstable and can be split apart easily to release heat energy. The heat released in a nuclear reactor is used to create steam, which is then used to power turbines in a generator. Advantage: Plenty in US No air pollution 7
Disadvantages: Thermal Pollution Radioactive waste Risk of accidents Nonrenewable Hydropower: electricity produced by the energy in flowing water. Moving water turns the turbine, which spins a coil of wire inside an electromagnet in the generator. This creates an electric current. 8
Three Gorges Dam Located in Hubei, China in the Yangtze River. The largest dam in the world. Generates 25,615 MW (megawatts) of energy (as much as 18 coal power plants). The Hoover Dam only produces 2,080 MW of energy. Advantages No air pollution Inexpensive Renewable 9
Energy Resources 2017.notebook Disadvantages with Hydropower: Affects local ecology Building a dam on a river causes the area upriver (behind the dam) to flood, creating a large lake. This changes the environment of both the river, which is now a lake, and the surrounding areas that were once dry. The area downriver from the dam is also affected due to a decrease in water flow. Wind: Turning blades of a turbine generate electricity 10
Advantage: Safe, Clean, Renewable Disadvantage: Not always reliable Solar: Energy from the sun for heat, hot water, electricity 11
Advantage: No pollution, clean, renewable Disadvantage: Expensive, Not always reliable Biomass: Plant matter, biofuels, wood 12
Advantage: R enewable Disadvantage: Expensive 13