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Energy Resources

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Renewable Resource

• A natural resource that can be replaced in nature almost as quickly as it is used

• Examples: water, wind energy, solar energy

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Nonrenewable Resource

• A natural resource that cannot be replaced by natural processes as quickly as it is used

• Examples: fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas

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Solar Energy

• Energy from the sun• Major source of

energy for most of Earth’s processes such as photosynthesis

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Photosynthesis

• Occurs in green plants, seaweeds, algae, and certain bacteria

• Plants use energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a simple sugar used as food for energy.

• A byproduct is oxygen which is needed by humans and animals

• Ancient products of photosynthesis known as fossil fuels supply most of our modern industrial energy

• http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages

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Fossil Fuels

• Nonrenewable energy resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas that are formed from the decayed remains of ancient plants and animals

• Concentrated forms of the sun’s energy

• Burned to release their chemical energy

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Coal

• A solid fossil fuel that is found in mines underground

• Formed over time by animal and plant remains that have been exposed to high temperature and pressure

• Burned to produce steam to run generators

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Oil

• A highly flammable liquid formed by decayed ancient organisms

• Supplies us with gasoline, kerosene, and wax

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Natural Gas

• Produced when compounds rise to the top of the crude oil deposits and are trapped

• Composed mainly of methane, but also contains propane, and butane

• Used in heating systems, stoves, ovens, and vehicles as an alternative to gasoline

• Cleanest burning fossil fuel

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Resource Pros Cons

coal moderate cost large supply

contains impurities large deposits are localized mining damages land and water hazardous to miners burning releases CO2 into atmosphere

oil moderate cost adequate supply

large deposits are localized and prices are variable

spills damage land and water burning releases CO2 into atmosphere

natural gas moderate cost adequate supply

large deposits are localized burning releases CO2 into atmosphere

sun no wastes inexhaustible supply

solar generating plants are expensive sunlight varies with weather and time of day generating plants require large areas of land

Source of table-Science Explorer: Physical Science, by Prentice Hall

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Problem and Possible Solution

• Problem: Since fossil fuels cannot be replaced, large deposits will eventually be exhausted. Because of this and the need to reduce the risk of global warming, the world’s energy sources will need to shift away from reliance on fossil fuels.

• Possible solution: Solar energy is one renewable resource that can be explored.

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Solar Energy Applications

• Heating homes and other buildings

• Cooking

• Heating water

• Can be converted into electricity

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Sources of Information

• http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages

• Physical Science, by Glencoe/McGraw Hill

• Science Explorer: Physical Science, by Prentice Hall