Download Energy Kids Page WebQuest

Energy WebQuest
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Use the following link to help you complete the questions on energy.
o http://www.eia.gov/kids/energyfacts/index.html
1) How do scientists define energy?
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2) Explain the law of conservation of energy. Give examples of energy
transformations.______________________________________________________________________
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3) What is energy efficiency?
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4) What does it mean for energy to be nonrenewable? Renewable?
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5) According to the “U.S. Energy Consumption by Energy Source, 2012”, what percentage of energy that
we use is renewable? What percent is nonrenewable?
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Nonrenewable Energy Sources
6) List the forms of nonrenewable energy.
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“Oil” (Petroleum)
7) How is oil formed? __________________________________________________
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8) What does the word “petroleum” mean? _________________________________
9) Describe crude oil and where it is found. ________________________________
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10) What are the five top crude-oil producing countries? _______________________
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11) What percentage of oil is brought in from outside countries to supply United States demand for oil?
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12) List 6 products that crude oil is used to produce that is used in everyday life in the U.S.
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13) What is the leading cause of sources of petroleum in North American Waters?
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 “Natural Gas.”
14) How is natural gas formed? ___________________________________________
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15) Describe the physical properties of natural gas. _____________________
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16) List 6 uses of natural gas in the everyday lives of people in the U.S.
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17) Compared to other energy resources, is natural gas considered to be positive or negative for the
environment? Explain. ________________________________
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 “Coal”
18) Describe the physical properties of coal. ___________________________________________________
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19) How does coal form? __________________________________________________________________
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20) What are the two methods of mining used to get coal out of the ground?
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21) Write one sentence summarizing the paragraph, “Transporting Coal.”
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22) What country has the largest known coal reserves in the world? _________________________ How
many states is coal mined in? ___________
23) List 6 uses of coal in the everyday world. __________________________________________________
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24) Name one negative effect of mining coal on the environment. __________________________________
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 “Nuclear”
25) What is nuclear energy? ________________________________________________________________
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26) What percentage of nuclear electricity is generated in the U.S.? ___________________
27) How many nuclear power plants are in the U.S. today? _________________________
28) Nuclear power plants generate __________________.
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Renewable Energy Sources
29) What are the 6 forms of renewable energy resources? ________________________________________
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“Solar”
30) What is solar energy? __________________________________________________________________
31) Solar energy is converted into what energy? ________________________________________________
32) Give two examples of how solar energy is used. _____________________________________________
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33) What do solar cells do? ________________________________________________________________
34) What do solar power plants do? __________________________________________________________
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35) What are the 2 main disadvantages to solar energy? __________________________________________
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36) Explain how solar energy is beneficial for the environment.
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 “Wind.”
37) What is wind and how is it caused? _______________________________________________________
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38) What did American colonists use windmills for? ____________________________________________
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39) What do wind machines produce? ________________________________________________________
40) Describe a wind power plant. ____________________________________________________________
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41) Describe the negative effects of wind machines. _____________________________________________
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 “Geothermal”
42) What does the word “geothermal” mean? __________________________________________________
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43) What is geothermal energy? _____________________________________________________________
44) Geothermal energy is generated in the ____________________________.
45) Where is geothermal energy found? ______________________________________________________
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46) Name 2 ways people have used direct geothermal energy? ____________________________________
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47) Describe how has Iceland used geothermal energy? __________________________________________
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 “Biomass”
48) What does Biomass mean and what does it contain?
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49) Name 5 things that are biomass materials. __________________________________________________
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50) What is the most common biomass material? _______________________________________________
51) 84% of wood energy is used where? ______________________________________________________
52) How can biomass energy be negative to the environment? _____________________________________
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 “Hydroelectric.”
53) Hydroelectric power generates what type of energy? _________________________________________
54) What 3 states hold over one-half of the total U.S. hydroelectric capacity for electricity is
_________________, _________________. and ____________.
55) Most dams in the United States were not built to provide electricity, but for _____________________
and ________________________.
 “Ocean”
56) Tides are the rising and falling of the ocean shore. What are tides caused by?
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57) Compare wind turbines and wave turbines. _________________________________________________
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58) Not only could the ocean provide us with tidal energy, but ____________________ energy.
59) What is Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion? _______________________________________________
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60) Since the ocean expands almost two-thirds of the Earth, it makes sense to use that open ocean to provide
us with energy. What are the two forms of energy have scientists considered placing over the open
ocean? _____________________________________________________________________________
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“Use of Energy.”
61) What are the 4 areas in which energy is used? ______________________________________________
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“Residential- homes.”
62) List the 5 ways in which energy is used in our homes. ________________________________________
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63) What is the most used type of energy in the home? __________________________________________
 “Saving Energy”
 “Energy Efficiency”
64) How much energy does the United States use? ______________________________________________
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65) The average American consumes __________________________ more energy than the world average.
66) Identify 5 different ways in which we can conserve energy. ____________________________________
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