Earth’s Energy & Resources

What are natural resources? Any natural material that is used by humans. It is categorized into two types of resources. Renewable Nonrenewable

Natural Resources

What is a renewable resource? Natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which it is used. Renewable resources Water & Wind

What are nonrenewable resources? Natural resource that forms at a rate much slower than the rate at which it is consumed. Fossil Fuels Trees

What are Fossil Fuels? A nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains living organisms (plants and animals that lived long ago). Fossil fuels consist of hydrogen and carbon atoms bonded together making a hydrocarbon. 86.8% of the world’s energy is supplied by fossil fuels (a nonrenewable energy resource)

World Energy Use as of 2005

What are the types of fossil fuels? Petroleum—gasoline, fuel oil, jet fuel, kerosene and diesel fuel (liquid part) Natural gas-methane, butane and propane (gas part) Coal-solid part

How are fossil fuels formed? From dead organisms that were buried under sediments. Petroleum and Natural gas usually form from sea organisms while coal forms from dead swamp plants.

coal originated in swamps from remains of plants carbonization: process in which plant materials are changed into carbon coal originated in swamps from remains of plants

Coal Takes millions of years to form! 4 stages: Peat: partially decayed plant material, soil-like Lignite: brown coal; made from peat deposits covered by sediments with gases and water squeezed out Bituminous Coal: soft coal; formed from lignite under pressure (most abundant) Anthracite: hard coal; metamorphic rock

Petroleum (oil): liquid hydrocarbons Natural Gas: gaseous hydrocarbons Both Oil and Natural Gas form from plant and animal remains buried in ocean sediments. Sediments prevent decay Petroleum (oil): liquid hydrocarbons Natural Gas: gaseous hydrocarbons

What are the problems associated with fossil fuels? Acid Precipitation—produced from the sulfur dioxide released when fossil fuels burn. Oil spills—kills wildlife and sea organisms. Smog—haze that forms in air from the burning of fossil fuels. Coal mining—surface destroys habitats and removes vegetation from the land. It also results in lower water table and water pollution. Global Warming—results from the increase of greenhouse gases released from the burning of fossil fuels. Pollution of the water, air and land

Fossil Fuel Problems

More Problems

What are some alternatives to fossil fuels? There are several options using renewable resources to help reduce our usage of fossil fuels. Nuclear energy Chemical energy Solar energy Wind power Hydroelectric energy Biomass energy Geothermal energy

What is solar energy? The energy received by the Earth from the sun in the form of radiation. Direct use of sun to supply heat and electricity. Free & Non-polluting. Must use solar panels to obtain the energy.

Solar energy No sunny days No energy

What is nuclear energy? Energy released by a fission or fusion reaction. Fission is the splitting of atoms while fusion is the combining of atoms. Pro-Don’t have the problems fossil fuels have. Con-Produces radioactive waste that must be stored for until it reaches a harmless level.

Nuclear Power Plant

What is wind energy? Utilizing wind to provide energy through a windmill turning a turbine. Must have a steady supply of wind to produce substantial energy.

Wind Power

What is Hydroelectric energy? Electrical energy produced from falling water. Water turns a turbine generating electricity. Must use a dam or watermill to produce the energy. Floods area behind the dam and reduces the flow of the river in front of the dam.

Hydroelectric Power

World’s Largest Dam (3 Gorge China)

What is Geothermal energy? The energy produced by the heat within the Earth. Generated from pressure and magma. Will run out and have to drill new wells.

Geothermal energy

Tidal Power Energy from the ocean’s tides Dam across bay or estuary Strong tidal movement drives turbines and electric generators

What is chemical energy? The turning of the chemical energy, produced when hydrogen bonds with oxygen to produce water, into electrical energy.

Chemical Energy Used primarily for automobiles.

What is Biomass? Organic matter that can be used as a source of energy. Ethanol or E85 produced from corn

Biomass & Gasohol

What can we do to help with resources? Conservation—only using when it is necessary. Reduce your use, Reuse, & Recycle. It also means taking care of resources when you are not using them. Ex: Not polluting water. THINKING GREEN

What is reduce, reuse and recycling? Reduce is to cut down on the amount of resources you are using. Reuse is to use the resources for more than one purpose before disposing of them. Recycle is the process of changing waste or scrap into a reusable material.