Chapter 15: Energy

1. Chapter 15: Energy Section 15.3: Energy Resources

2. Nonrenewable Energy Resources • These types of resources exist in limited amounts. • Cannot be replaced in a reasonable amount of time • Examples: • Oil (fossil fuel) • Natural Gas (fossil fuel) • Coal (fossil fuel) • Uranium

3. Renewable Energy Resource • Resources that can be replaced in a reasonable amount of time • Examples: • Hydroelectric energy • Solar energy • Geothermal energy • Wind • Biomass • Nuclear fusion (in the future)

4. Hydroelectric Energy • Energy obtained from flowing water • Potential energy from downward flowing water changes to kinetic energy. • Kinetic energy can be connected to electric generators • Advantages • Low cost to produce • Causes no pollution • Disadvantages • Dams cause environmental concerns. • Many of the best places for dams in the U.S. are already being used.

5. Solar Energy • Sunlight converted into usable energy • Benefits depend on climate • Does not cause pollution • If the climate lends itself to cloudier weather, then solar energy is not as practical.

6. Geothermal Energy • Thermal energy beneath Earth’s surface • Found in some regions ~ especially ones close to volcanoes • Advantage: does not cause pollution • Biggest disadvantage: not widely available

7. Other Renewable Resources • Biomass energy: chemical energy stored in living things • Can be converted into thermal energy • Examples: • burning wood • using corn stalks to produce fuel for cars • Hydrogen fuel cells: generate electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen (produces water) • Fusion: likely to produce little pollution or radioactive waste

8. Conserving Energy Resources • Energy can be conserved by: • reducing energy needs • increasing the efficiency of energy use • Finding ways to do these two things is energy conservation. • Making products more energy efficient can be expensive at first (a problem for manufacturers) but saves money and energy over time.