Download Renewable and Nonrenewable Power Sources

Energy Resources
What are Fossil Fuels?
Formed hundreds of millions of years ago from
the remains of:
• dead plants
• dead animals
Three main fossil fuels:
1. Coal
2. Oil
3. Natural gas
Stages of Coal
Pete Likes Biting Ants
Stages of coal:
• 1. Peat (hence the
word Pete)
• 2. Lignite
• 3. Bituminous
• 4. Anthracite
Oil and Natural Gas
• Oil – LIQUID fossil fuel
• Oil directly from the earth is
called CRUDE oil.
• Oil must be REFINED or cleaned before it
can be used
• Natural Gas – GAS found above oil deposits
Fossil Fuel Shortages
• Fossil fuels are limited (nonrenewable)
• Conservation of fossils fuels is the best way
to provide energy for the future!
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Make sure your dishwasher is full
Turn your refrigerator down
Turn the water off while brushing your teeth
Turn off the lights when you leave a room
Keep your heat a little lower and your air conditioning a little higher
Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation when possible
Fossil Fuels
Advantages
Cost (relatively cheap
to produce)
Already have FF power
plants
Disadvantages
Pollution (both land
and air)
Nonrenewable
resource
1-2 Energy from the Sun
Energy From the Sun
Passive Solar Heating
• In passive solar-heating systems, the windows of a building are positioned so
that sunlight enters directly and heats the building. Shades keep the heat in at
night. Awnings are constructed to keep too much heat from entering during
the summer.
Active Solar Heating
• Energy from the sun heats
tubes filled with water in the
solar collector. This heated
liquid travels to the water
storage tank. The water in
the tank is heated up because
of the hot tubes. This heated
water is sent to various areas
in the house for hot water.
Solar Cells
• Solar Cells (aka
photovoltaic cells) convert sunlight directly
into electricity. Silicon is
used to stimulate a flow
of electrons across the
cell. This flow of
electrons IS an electric
current!
Power Towers
• An array of mirrors
focuses sunlight onto a
boiler mounted on a
tower. The boiler
produces steam which
spins the turbine to drive
the generator which
creates electricity.
Solar Energy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Renewable
Cost – can be very
Tremendous potential expensive
No sun = no energy
Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear fis sion (see how the word fission
can be split right down the middle of the two
s’s?) – the splitting of an atomic nucleus (of a
Uranium 235 atom) into two smaller nuclei,
during which nuclear energy is released. -This
energy produces heat which boils water
which spins the turbine which drives the
generator to produce electricity.
• Once the first nucleus is split, it continues to
split in a process called a nuclear chain
reaction.
Nuclear Energy
Advantages
Nonrenewable
resource but TONS of
Uranium around to
last a LONG time!
No air pollution
Disadvantages
Harmful radiation
Radioactive wastes
Meltdown
Security
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Wind Power
• Indirect form of solar
energy because
without the sun we
would have no wind!
• Wind spins the
turbine to drive the
generator which
creates electricity.
Wind Energy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Renewable resource No wind = no
energy
No pollution
Takes up a lot of
space
Birds getting caught
in turbines
Water Power (Hydroelectric)
• Indirect form of
solar energy
because without the
sun we would have
no water cycle!
Water Energy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Renewable resource Limited locations
No pollution
Harmful to
environment (flooding,
plant and fish life)
Geothermal Energy
• Energy produced from
the heat energy within
the Earth itself.
• Steam from geysers can
heat homes
• Well can be dug where
water is heated to
produce steam
Geothermal Energy
Advantages
Disadvantages
Renewable resource Limited locations
No pollution
Tidal Energy
• When the movement of
water going from high tide to
low tide is captured, energy
can be produced.
• The movement of water
turns the turbine…etc.
• Disadvantages – very limited
locations
Advantages
Disadvantages
Renewable resource
resource
No pollution
Limited locations (only
locations (only along
along coastlines)
Tidal Energy
Biomass
• Any materials that come from living things.
• This material can be burned to produce heat.
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SUNFLOWER
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Biomass Energy
Advantages
Inexhaustible fuel source
Alcohols and other fuels
produced by biomass are
efficient, viable, and relatively
clean-burning
Available throughout the world
Disadvantages
Could contribute a great deal
to global warming and
particulate pollution if directly
burned
Still an expensive source
Pollution
• Who causes ALL pollution?
HUMANS!
That’s right! It’s you (and me!). Let’s stop
polluting and make a difference!