Energy Resources: Our Life Support System Chapter 5

Why Do We Need Natural Resources? Natural resources make our lives more comfortable! Without them, things would be a lot more difficult! A natural resource is any natural substance, organism, or energy form to help us cope Some things that we MUST have are sunlight, wind, and water, which are considered “free” resources. Other things that make it easier for us to live are wood, gasoline, and petroleum

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Renewable resources can be replaced over a short period of time. Examples are water, trees, and solar energy. Nonrenewable resources either cannot be replaced at all, or take millions of years to replenish. Once they are gone, they are gone! Oil, coal, and natural gas are NONRENEWABLE

Conservation We should really only use them when it is absolutely necessary and not waste what we use. Unfortunately, our society has become so dependent on them that their supply is starting to run out! On the local scale, recycling is a great way to reuse what resources we deplete. Look how successful we have gotten at recycling newspaper and aluminum cans!

Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources that form deep within the crust of the Earth from the buried remains of once-living organisms When they are burned, energy is released. Can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas Solid Liquid Gas

Petroleum Also called crude oil, an oily mixture of flammable organic compounds Things we can get from petroleum are gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel fuel, and fuel oil

Natural Gas & Coal Natural gas is used for heating homes and electricity Components are methane, butane, and propane Coal is the most used of all the fossil fuels and was used as a major source of energy for transportation and heating in the past Since then, we have found that coal burning is the primary cause of acid rain

How Do Fossil Fuels Form? Petroleum and natural gas form from the remains of microscopic sea life that get trapped in the rocks of the seafloor Coal forms from decayed swamp plants Here is the coal formation process: 1.Peat: bacteria and fungi, 60% carbon 2.Lignite: 70% carbon 3.Bituminous: 80% carbon 4.Anthracite: cleanest burning, 90% carbon Peat Lignite Bituminous Anthracite

Problems with Fossil Fuels Acid rain from the burning of coal. Sulfur dioxide is produced, which combines with water in the air to make sulfuric acid Strip mining for coal promotes the erosion of soil and destroys habitats Oil spills can kill animals Smog in the big cities is produced by people driving cars Strip mine Oil spill Smog