Non Renewable Sources of Energy

• Fossil Fuels

–Coal

–Oil

–Natural Gas

Coal

• Coal - 23% of the energy used in U.S. • Major uses of coal:

– To fuel electrical plants

• Cool Coal Facts– Advantages

• Most plentiful fossil fuel in the U.S. • Provides a lot of energy when burned

– Disadvantages• Mining increases erosion• Runoff causes water pollution• Burning coal causes a lot of air pollution

Oil• Outrageous Oil Facts

– Oil- thick, black liquid fossil fuel.– Also call petroleum– Accounts for 1/3 of energy produced in the world.

• Disadvantages– Located deep underground– Must “refine” it- crude oil is separated into different fuels by heating it up

• Advantages– Many different organic compounds (alkanes) derived from oil.

• Ex. Propane, butane, octane, etc.– All plastics com from some petrochemicals

• PE, PET, PP, PS

Natural Gas

• A mixture of methane and other gases• Neat Natural Gas Facts

– It is less dense than oil.– Can be transported using pipelines.

• Advantages– Produces large amounts of energy with less pollution– Easy to transport– Can be compressed into a liquid

• Disadvantages– Highly flammable– Odorless- a smell has to be added for detection

Mercaptan- the chemical you are smelling when you “smell” gas.

Renewable Sources of Energy

• Solar Energy• Wind Energy• Hydroelectric Energy• Tidal Energy• Biomass Fuels• Geothermal Energy• Hydrogen Power

NUCLEAR ENERGY

RADIOACTIVITY

• The result of changes in the nuclei of atoms

RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

ALPHA PARTICLE- helium nucleus with two protons and two neutron

Two units of positive charge which are dangerous if emitting substance is taken into the body

Heaviest particle emitted by an atom

RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

BETA PARTICLE- electron shot out from an atom’s nucleus which contains no electrons

Believed to be formed by the change of a neutron into a proton and a beta particle

RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

GAMMA RAYS- energy waves similar to x-raysThey are not charged particlesConsist of photons (“bundles of energy”)Takes 6” of lead to stop them or several feet of

concreteMost harmful radiation

IMPORTANT NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS

ERNEST RUTHERFORDDiscovered that radioactivity proved the transformation

of an atom into energy (Transmutation)

JAMES CHADWICKDiscovered the neutron to be used as an atomic bullet

to split the atom (Fission)

IMPORTANT NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS

ALBERT EINSTEINDiscovered that matter and energy were different forms

of the same thing.

HAHN & STRASSMANFirst to split the atomUranium Krypton + Barium

IMPORTANT NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS

ENRICO FERMIDeveloped method of harnessing power of the atom.Chain reaction

A controlled nuclear reaction in a nuclear reactor in which fission releases enough neutrons to make the reaction continue until all of fissionable material is used up

NUCLEAR CHANGE

TRANSMUTATION- nuclei of radioactive material decays at a fixed rate one element changes to a different one change in # of protons

Ex. Uranium 238 Lead 206

NUCLEAR CHANGE

FISSIONDivide or split nucleus into two or more partsMass converted to energy (E = mc2)First nuclear fission bomb- July 16, 1945

Shock wave felt for 1.2 milesEquivalent to 20,000 tons of TNT30000 C measured 2 miles away

NUCLEAR CHANGE

FUSION-Nuclei of light atoms fused in extreme temperatures to

form elements of great atomic weight (E = mc2)Referred to as thermonuclear reactions Hydrogen to Helium in the sun

20 million degrees CelsiusLight and Heat travel 93 million miles

First Nuclear Bomb

• Named TRINITY• Detonated in New Mexico

Desert• Los Alamos Laboratory• Dust Cloud 40,000 feet

high

Hiroshima

• August 6, 1945• Nicknamed

“Little Boy”• 4 square miles destroyed

(70%)• 66,000 deaths• 69,000 injured

Nagasaki

• August 9, 1945• Nicknamed “Fatman”• 40% of city• 39,000 deaths• 25,000 injured

How Nuclear Power is created

• Nuclear Fission reaction (Uranium)

• Creates tremendous heat

• Heats water to steam

• Turns steam turbine

• Turns copper coils in magnetic field to produce electricity

Advantages to Nuclear Power

• Less air pollution• More energy from less

fuel

Disadvantages of Nuclear Power

• Creates a safety issue• Nuclear waste• Nuclear weapons

Nuclear Power in Pennsylvania

• Five different areas supply 30 percent of PA’s power.

• Closest to here is Shippingport.

• Shippingport has both a coal powered plant and a nuclear power plant.

• Nuclear power has 2 separate units.

Nuclear Power in Pennsylvania

• Three mile island– Near meltdown in 1979– No new nuclear plants

opened since then– Unit 2 is permanently shut

down

SOLAR ENERGY- energy from the Sun (Heat and Light)

• Advantages– Does not cause pollution– Will not run out for billions of years

• Disadvantages– Only available when sun is shining

Solar Energy (cont)

• Solar technologies– Solar plants– Solar cells– Solar Heating Systems

• Passive- converts sunlight to thermal energy without using pumps and fans

• Active- captures sun’s energy then uses fans or pumps to distribute heat.

WIND ENERGY- differences in air pressure causes winds• Wind farms consist of many windmills,

and generate large amounts of power.

• Advantages– Wind energy is free– Does not cause pollution

• Few places have winds that

blow steady enough

HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY- electricity produced by flowing water

• The most widely used source of renewable energy in the world today.

• Advantages– Once plant is built, producing electricity is cheap– Does not create air pollution– Produces steady supply of energy

• Disadvantages– Most suitable rivers have already been dammed– Dams have negative effect on environment

TIDAL ENERGY- energy that comes from moving water caused by the tides

• Advantages– Tides are constant

• Disadvantages– Only a few coastal areas in

the world are suitable– Blocks boats and fish from

travel up a river

BIOMASS FUELSa group of fuels made from living

things

• Examples- wood, leaves, food wastes (corn stalks, manure)

• Biomass materials can be converted into other fuels

• Corn and sugar can be used to make alcohol.

• Added to gasoline it is called gasohol– (Alternative fuel for cars)

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY using magma close to the earth’s surface to heat water and generate electricity.

• Advantage– Unlimited source of

cheap energy

• Disadvantage– Only a few places available

to make it cost effective

HYDROGEN POWER- energy that comes from generating

hydrogen gas

• Advantages– Burns cleanly

– Forms H2O as by product

– No smoke, smog, or acid formed.– Exists in large supply

• Disadvantage– Most hydrogen is combined with oxygen in form of

water. It takes too much energy to separate it.