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43 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
the principle that energy may not be created or destroyed but is always conserved
1st law of thermodynamics
the energy always tends to go from a more usable form to a less usable form
2nd law of thermodynamics
the ratio of actual amount of energy delivered to the amount supplied to meet a particular need
energy efficiency
the capture of waste heat
an abstract oncept referring to the ability or capacity to do work
A tyoe of energy management that provides for reliable sources of energy while not causing environmental degration
sustainable energy development
forms of stored solar energy created from incomplete biological decomposition of dead organic matter
fossil fuels
solid, brittle carbonaceous rock that is one of the world's most abundant fuels
naturally occuring petroleum, normally pumped from wells
crude oil
a white ie-like compund made up of molecules of methane gas trapped in "cages" of frozen water in the sediments of the deep sea floor
methane hydrate
naturally occuring gaseous hyrdocarbon produced in association with crude oil
natural gas
a fine-grained sedimentary rock containing organic material known as kerogen
oil shale
a process of removing sulfur from gases emited from power plants burning coal
sedimentary rocks or sands impregnated with tar oil
tar sands
approach to managing coal resources & reducing pollution through buying, selling & trading of allownaces to emit pollutants from burning coals
allowance trading
direct use of solar energy that requires that mechancial power
active solar energy systems
renewable & nonrenewable energy resources that are alternatives to the fossil fuels
alternative energy
amount of living material or amount of organic material conatained in living organisms, both as live and dead material
biomass energy
a device that produces electricity directly from a chemical reaction in a specially designed cell
fuel cells
the useful conversion of naturak heat from the interior of the earth
geothermal energy
a resource that is cycled so slowly by natural earth processes tht once used
nonrenewable energy
direct utilization of solar energy using part of a natural oceanic environment as a gigantic solar collector
ocan thermal conversion
direct use of solar energy through architecular design to enhance or take advantage of natural changes in the solar energy that occur throughout the year w/o requiring mechanical power
passive solar energy systems
technology that converts sunlight directly into electricityusing a solid semiconductor material
device used for collectin and storing solar energy
solar collectors
shallow pond filled with water and used to generate low-temp water
solar ponds
a systems of collecting solar energy that delivers the energy to a control location where the energy is used to produce electrical power
solar power tower
form of wtaer utilizing ocean tides in places where favorable topography allows for contruction of a power plant
tidal power
alternative energy source derived from flowering power
water power
alternative energy source that has been used by people for centuries
wind power
the energy of the atomic nucleus that, when releaseed, may be used to do work
nuclear energy
a type of nuclear reactor that utilizes b/t 40% and 70% of its nuclear fuel and converts fertile nuclei to fissile nuclei faster than the rate of fission
breeder reactors
a type of nuclear reactor that consumes more fissionable material than it produces
burner reactors
the splitting of an atom into smaller fragments with the release of energy
combining the light elements to form heavier elements with the release of energ
extremely toxic nuclear waste such as spent fuel elements from commercial reactors
high-level radio active waste
waste materials that contain sufficiently low concentrations of wuantities of radioactivity so as not to present a significant enviroment hazard if properly handled
low-level radioactivie waste
refers to a nuclear accident in which the nuclear fuel forms a molten mass that breaches the containment of the reactor
devices that produce controlled nuclear fusion
nuclear reactors
a form of a chemical element that spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay
processes involved with producing nuclear power from the mining & processing of uranium to control fission
nuclear fuel cycle
radioactive waste consisting of human-made radioactive elements heavier then uranium
transuranic waste