ENERGY Unit
Essential Question:
How do we power our lives?
Standard SEV4. Students will understand and describe
availability, allocation, and conservation of energy resources
•Differentiate between renewable and nonrenewable
resources including how different resources are produced,
rates of use, renewable rates and limitations of sources.
•Describe how technology is increasing the efficiency of
utilization and accessibility of resources.
•Describe how energy and other resource utilization impact
the environment and recognize that individuals as well as
larger entities have an impact on energy efficiency.
e. Describe the commonly used fuels (e.g. fossil fuels,
nuclear fuels, etc.) and some alternative fuels (e.g. wind,
solar, ethanol, etc.) including the required technology,
availability, pollution problems and implementation
problems. Recognize the origin of fossil fuels and the
problems associated with our dependence on this energy
source.
f. Describe the need for informed decision making of
resource utilization
Vocabulary
1. Ethanol
2. Biodiesel
3. Natural gas
4. petroleum
5. geothermal energy
6. tidal energy
7. hybrid vehicle
8. methane
9. Fission
10. Fusion
11. Generator
12. Photovoltaic cell
13. Biofuels
14. Fuel cell
15. Electric Motor
http://ogoapes.weebly.com/unit-11--energy-fossil-fuels-and-alternative-energysources.html
draw the pie chart- write all the notes!
Energy Use in the U.S.
Residential- cooking,
heating/cooling, lights
Industrialmanufacturing
of chemicals, mining,
smelting metals
Commercial (businesses serving
customers)- cooking,
heating/cooling, lights
Transportation
Vampire Appliance- devices using electricity even when turned off (flat screen T.V., Play
Station, computer, etc.) Makes up to 10% of electricity bill
Electricity Generation
Electric generator: converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy
Fossil fuels are burned to heat water to produce steam
turns a turbine
generator makes electricity
(magnet spins inside coils of wire putting electrons
in motion
draw the pie chart- do not draw renewable extension section, write the info. in the blue boxes
in 2004 U.S. had 4.6% of global population & used 24% of global energy
Burning
fossil
fuels
accounts
for 80%
of U.S. air
pollution
& 80% of
CO2
emissions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO9GxdMEGME
Net Energy
total available energy- amount used for locating, extracting,
processing, transporting it
energy out / energy in = net ratio
Oil has high ratio due to large, accessible, cheap –toextract sources mainly in Middle East
Nuclear has low ratio due to extracting, processing, plant
requirements (including building & dismantling), storage
of radioactive wastes for 10,000-240,000 yrs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXYOOvGLzfI
U.S. has 2.9%
of proven oil supply,
but is #1 user
Saudi Arabia,
Iraq, Kuwait,
UAE, Iran
World reserves good for
about 90-100 years
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countrieshave 78% of world’s proven oil -greatest source of global & economic power
Remains of ancient organisms that contain energy-rich
carbon-based molecules
Coal- swampland plants
Oil & natural gas -marine organisms
Petroleum = oil that is pumped
from the ground, Used in fuels,
chemicals, & plastics (very
versatile)
efficient & cleaner burning,
composed of mostly methane
Pros & Cons
Inexpensive, easily
transported, versatile
Nonrenewable, Responsible for air, water,
& land pollution, including acid rain, strip mining,
mountain top removal, & oil spills
Energy
from fossil fuels
•
Surface Coal Mining, Wyoming
studies show considerable
oil spills occur,
possible
degradation of area not
worth the risk
Pipeline, Alaska
Report from March 12, 2015 stated 5 oil trains exploded in the previous18 months
Natural Gas Drilling, Texas
Off shore
drilling platform,
Alaska
Wind
Pros: Produces no air or water pollution, renewable, Coastal areas and high altitude
areas have sufficient wind speeds to generate electricity
Cons: depends on local weather & geography, may affect birds, noise pollution?
280,000 homes in CA use wind power
The electric current is sent through
cables down the turbine tower to a transformer that
changes the voltage of the current before
it is sent out on transmission lines.
optional notes:
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/impacts/farming-the-wind-wind-power.html
Hydroelectricity energy produced from moving water
Pros: renewable, no air pollution, cheap & efficient to run, In
Accounts for 20% of the world’s electricity
Cons: Expensive to build, causes habitat fragmentation, flooding,
requires fish ladders, changes to natural river flow, degraded
water quality
How a Hydroelectric Plant Works: optional notes
To make electricity, a dam opens its gates to
allow water from the reservoir above to spin the
blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to
a generator to produce electricity. The electricity
is then transported via huge transmission lines
to a local utility company.
Hoover Dam, Colorado River
NV & AZ (726.4 ft x 1,244 ft )
optional notes
Geothermal -energy from Earth’s inner heat
Pro: Renewable, releases less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel
plant, scrubber systems cleans out the hydrogen sulfide,
emits 97% less acid rain-causing sulfur compounds than
fossil fuel plants.
Con: Vents are limited, can produce hazardous gases (H2S)
1. Hot water near the Earth's surface can be piped directly into
buildings and industries for heat, Power plants can use steam to turn
turbine
2. In 2009, U.S. geothermal power plants produced 0.4% of total
electricity, five States had geothermal power plants: California,
Nevada , Hawaii, Idaho, and Utah
3. Requirements may include
pump, turbine, & generator
Biomass
Organic matter that can be burned to produce heat/ electricity
ex. wood, crops, seaweed, animal wastes
Methane (made when bacteria decompose organic wastes,
like in landfills or manure), ethanol (C2H5OH)
made by fermenting the sugars found in grains, such as corn
Pros: renewable, less air pollution, jobs for rural communities
Cons: still makes air pollution, might require extensive land for cultivation,
for vehicles-lower mpg, not good for cold weather
optional notes: Uses- In 2002 Great Britain opened the 1st dung powered station, ethanol
fuels ½ the cars in Brazil
Elephant-poo power electrifies zoo
http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/10/world/europe/elephant-dung-biogas-munich/index.html
Tidal (renewable)
Used in France, Russia,
& Canada
Requires dam, turbine,
& generator
Pros: renewable
Caused by gravitational
pull, non-polluting, tides change every 6
hours
Cons: harsh environment,
danger to marine organism, expensive,
Limited geographically
http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/tidal_power.htm
Solar
Active Solar heating requires
Photovoltaic or solar cells which change
sunlight directly into electricity
Passive solar heating -face windows to
the south in the n. hemisphere & receive
the most solar energy
Pros: Renewable, no air pollutants, minimal
environmental impact
Cons: expensive, only suitable for certain
locations
Nuclear Fission (nonrenewable)– splitting of unstable
atoms like uranium & thorium, atomic bomb
Requires uranium, neutrons,
reactor
Pros: No air pollution, Extremely
efficient source of power; energy
in 1lb uranium = 1500 tons of
coal
Cons: radioactive waste, high
start up & maintenance cost $$$,
vulnerable to terrorist attacks
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/nuclear.html
Chernobyl (1986)- worst nuclear power plant accident in world
3-Mile Island (1979)- human error caused radiation leak
On 6 August 1945, “Little Boy" was detonated over Hiroshima.
On 9 August, “Fat Man“ was exploded over Nagasaki
Pripyat
The hybrid car gas engine electric motor
tends to be the most energy efficient vehicles available today,
Electric requires:
batteries, electricity,
electric motor,
transmission
Gasoline requires:
fuel tank, gas,
engine, transmission
Fuel cell vehicles – zero
emissions
Substantial technical hurdles
to producing, storing and
distributing hydrogen.
http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/?from=fcx.honda.com
FYI Space shuttle Fueled with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, oxygen and
hydrogen are mixed together and ignited to make a very hot fire. The expanding gases
from that fire are what propel the
spacecraft.
Biodiesel
vegetable oil
Pros
Cons
•Domestically produced
•Less air pollutants &
greenhouse gases
•Biodegradable
•Can be used in most
diesel engines
•Lower fuel economy
More nitrogen oxide
emissions
•May not be suitable for
use in low temperatures
Energy Conservation Practices
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Drive less: walk, ride bikes, carpool
Adjust thermostat (<68F); up in summer (>78 F)
Turn it off when not in use (use power strips)
Shorter showers
Compact fluorescent bulbs
Recycle
Eat locally-grown food
Buy long-lasting products
Incentive: gov. provides rebates,
low interest loans, tax deductions
when people environmentally
friendly products
Regulation: Government
restrictions on certain chemicals