1. Study Guide for Alternative Energy<br />Topics to Study:<br />How are renewable resources different from non-renewable resources?<br />Renewable resources can be replenished in a time frame that is similar to how fast they are used, non-renewable resources cannot<br />Which energy sources pollute the atmosphere? Which energy sources do not pollute the atmosphere?<br />Fossil Fuels pollute; nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass sources do not pollute<br />What energy sources is the sun indirectly responsible for?<br />Fossil Fuels, Wind, and Biomass sources<br />Which energy sources use turbines to produce electricity?<br />Nuclear, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and Biomass sources<br />What is the main difference between the different types of power stations?<br />Energy source<br />Fossil Fuels<br />What are the 3 categories of fossil fuels?<br />Petroleum, Natural Gas, Coal<br />Which fossil fuel goes through fractional distillation?<br />Petroleum<br />What are the dangers of fossil fuels?<br />Produce carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and acid rain<br />How were fossil fuels made originally?<br />From dead plants and animals buried and placed under tremendous heat and pressure<br />Nuclear Energy<br />What is used as nuclear energy’s fuel source?<br />Uranium and Plutonium<br />What were the major accidents with nuclear power?<br />3 Mile Island and Chernobyl<br />What are the parts of a nuclear power plant?<br />Nuclear Core, Heat Exchanger, Turbine/Generator, Cooling System<br />What is fission?<br />Splitting apart of the nucleus, “division”<br />What is nuclear waste and where does the government want to put it?<br />What is left after fission occurs, put it at Yucca Mountain, Nevada<br />Solar Energy<br />What is radiation?<br />How the sun transfers the heat from its surface to the earth<br />What is fusion?<br />2 hydrogen molecules being joined, “fused,” together into one molecule<br />What are photovoltaic (PV) cells?<br />How we collect the energy from the sun, also called solar panels<br />Wind Energy<br />What is the purpose of windmills?<br />Collect the kinetic energy from the wind using the windmill’s turbine<br />Geothermal Energy<br />Where does geothermal energy come from?<br />The interior of the earth<br />What kind of heat reservoirs do we see?<br />Geysers, Hot water springs, Volcanoes<br />What caused the jump in geothermal energy in the 1980s?<br />An Energy bill was passed<br />Where is the Ring of Fire?<br />Around the Pacific Ocean<br />What 3 sources gave the earth all of its heat?<br />Friction, Radioactive Decay, large amounts of pressure<br />Hydroelectric Energy<br />What natural force allows hydroelectric energy to work?<br />Gravity<br />What country has the largest hydroelectric power station in the world?<br />China<br />What 3 ways can we collect hydroelectric energy?<br />Hydroelectric Dams, Waterfalls, Ocean Tides<br />What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric energy?<br />Advantages: last for a long time, does not pollute, can be used for other purposes; Disadvantages: take a long time to repay, can break causing major damage, can cause geological damage<br />Biomass Energy<br />What process replenishes the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?<br />Carbon Cycle<br />Which use of biomass energy comes from corn and is used to power automobiles?<br />Ethanol<br />What are the 3 uses for biomass energy today?<br />Ethanol, Space Heating, and Cooking<br />What are the sources of biomass energy?<br />Fast-growing trees, grasses, other crops, oil plants, biomass residues<br />