Chapter 2


Easter Island and the civilization that once thrived and then largely disappeared is an example of what?

Fig. 2-1, p. 19

Science vs. Junk Science

Scientific method

Frontier science

Sound science (consensus science)

Junk science

Matter and its Types


What is matter? - anything that has mass and takes up space
Elements - the building blocks of matter


Compounds - two or more elements held together by chemical bonds
Chemical bonds - Ionic, covalent, hydrogen


Atoms and ions - the smallest unit of matter that has the characteristics of a particular element
Chemical formulas

Organic and inorganic compounds

Natural
Capital
Fig. 2-3, p.23

Organic Compounds

Hydrocarbons

Chlorinated hydrocarbons

Simple carbohydrates (simple sugars)

Polymers and monomers

Complex carbohydrates

Proteins

Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)



Subatomic particles
• Protons
• Neutrons
• Electrons
Atomic number - # of protons in the nucleus

Mass number - sum of the # of protons and neutrons in nucleus of an atom

Isotopes


High-quality matter

Low-quality matter

Material efficiency
(resource productivity)


Physical

Chemical
Chemical Reaction of Burning Carbon
In text on page 26


Matter is not destroyed

Matter only changes form

There is no “throwing away”


Chemical nature of pollutants

Concentration

Persistence: how long pollutants stay in the air,water,soil, or body.
• Degradable (nonpersistent) pollutants
• Biodegradable pollutants
• Slowly degradable (persistent) pollutants
• Nondegradable pollutants (Pb, Hg, As)


Point Source Pollution
Single Identifiable sources
• Smokestacks, sewer or drain outlets into lakes or streams
• Easiest to identify and control

Nonpoint Source Pollution
Dispersed and difficult to identify
• Pesticides sprayed into air, runoff of fertilizer from fields into lakes and streams
• Hardest to identify and control


Natural radioactive decay

Fission

Fusion


Critical Mass - produces chain reaction release of energy for power plant

Thermal pollution released into environment under normal conditions.

Creates high level radioactive waste.


Uncontrolled - weapons

Controlled - possible future energy source but not possible at this time

Electromagnetic Spectrum
Sun
Cosmic rays
Gamma rays
Ionizing radiation
X rays
Far ultraviolet waves
Near ultraviolet visible waves waves
Near infrared waves
10 -14
High energy, short wavelength
10 -12 10 -8 10 -7 10 -6 10 -5
Wavelength in meters
(not to scale)
Nonionizing radiation
Far infrared waves microwaves
TV waves
10 -3
Radio waves
10 -2 10 -1 1
Low energy, long wavelength
Fig. 2-8, p. 29

Visible
Infrared
Wavelength (micrometers)
Fig. 2-9, p. 30

Source of Energy
Relative
Energy Quality
(usefulness)
Energy Tasks
Electricity
Very high temperature heat
(greater than 2,500 °C)
Nuclear fission (uranium)
Nuclear fusion (deuterium)
Concentrated sunlight
High-velocity wind
Very high
Very high-temperature heat
(greater than 2,500 °C) for industrial processes and producing electricity to run electrical devices
(lights, motors)
High-temperature heat
(1,000 –2,500°C)
Hydrogen gas
Natural gas
Gasoline
Coal
Food
High
Mechanical motion (to move vehicles and other things)
High-temperature heat
(1,000 –2,500°C) for industrial processes and producing electricity
Normal sunlight
Moderate-velocity wind
High-velocity water flow
Concentrated geothermal energy
Moderate-temperature heat
(100 –1,000°C)
Wood and crop wastes
Moderate
Moderate-temperature heat
(100 –1,000°C) for industrial processes, cooking, producing steam, electricity, and hot water
Dispersed geothermal energy
Low-temperature heat
(100 °C or lower)
Low
Low-temperature heat
(100 °C or less) for space heating
Fig. 2-10, p. 31


Energy is not created or destroyed

Energy only changes form

Can’t get something for nothing

Energy input = Energy output

Second Law of Thermodynamics

In every transformation, some energy quality is lost

You can’t break even in terms of energy quality

Second Law greatly affects life


Cars: only 20-25% of the energy from burning gasoline produces mechanical energy

Ordinary light bulb: 5% energy is useful light, rest is low-quality heat

Living systems: quality energy lost with every conversion

Solar energy
Waste heat
Chemical energy
(photosynthesis)
Waste heat
Chemical energy
(food)
Waste heat
Mechanical energy
(moving, thinking, living)
Waste heat
Fig. 2-11, p. 32

Matter and Energy Change: Laws and Sustainability

Unsustainable high-throughput (high-waste) economies - Bad

Matter-recycling-and-reuse economy - Good

Sustainable low-throughput (low-waste) economies - Best