CH 4 Earth’s Resources Renewable Resources– can be replaced in a lifetime (trees, cotton, solar, etc.) Nonrenewable Resources – cannot be replaced within our lifetime. (gold, coal, gas, etc.) Fossil fuel – any hydrocarbon that may be used as a source of energy

Fossil Fuel (90% of U.S. energy) 1 – Coal: plants peat lignite B-coal A-coal (solid) 2 – Petroleum: organic remains buried in oceans (liquid) 3 – Natural gas: organic remains buried in oceans (gas) 4 – Tar sands: tar in sand 5 – Oil shale: oil mixed in with shale

Anticlines Are Common Oil Traps

Mineral Deposits Ore – rock able to be mined for a profit Gangue – unwanted material in the rock 3 TYPES OF DEPOSITS 1. Igneous processes (read about it) 2. Hydrothermal solutions (hot water) 3. Placer deposits (heavy minerals settle to the bottom of rivers)

Nonmetallic Mineral Resources 2 types: 1 – building materials Limestone Gravel/aggregates gypsum 2 – industrial minerals Diamond Quartz Garnet

World Wide Energy Production 15.2% alternative 84.8% fossil fuels

Alternate Energy Sources Need to use more of them and use less fossil fuels Books say we will run out of fossil fuels in 50 – 170 years Expensive and inconvenient at this time

1. Solar Energy Advantages Disadvantages Free fuel Directly non-polluting & no waste Disadvantages Not always sunny Expensive equipment to start up Not extremely efficient Hard to store extra energy

Clean Solar Energy Solar energy is clean energy It produces no hazardous solid, liquid or gas wastes It does not create water or air pollution Photovoltaic Cell & Concentrated Solar Energy

2 Main types: Passive & Active 1. Passive –example=orient house towards sun 2. Active-example=using photovoltaic cells or solar panels

Passive Solar Heating The simplest & cheapest method.approach The building design should allow sun in the winter months and shade the house in the summer. What materials you use is important.

Active Solar Energy

Active Solar Electricity Direct production of electricity using sunlight is accomplished using photovoltaic cells, also called solar cells They have no moving parts and are “clean” energy They are used to power the space station and to provide electricity in remote areas on Earth

Solar Electricity We need more efficient solar cells We need a means of better storing the electricity

2. Nuclear Energy=not renewable!!! From radioactive materials (Uranium) Through nuclear fission (splitting atoms) Chain reaction + control rods Water – steam – turns turbine – electricity Advantages “Clean”, Efficient Disadvantages Dangerous process, hazardous waste, not renewable.

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant

3. Wind Energy From the wind 50 – 60 years will be 5 – 10% of energy Advantages Free fuel and directly is clean Disadvantages Not always windy Birds do not like it Eyesore & noisy & initial cost

Wind Energy Wind energy has been utilized for thousands of years

Wind Energy The wind is free, commonly available and can provide clean, pollution-free energy Today’s wind-turbines are very high tech

4. Hydroelectric Power From damming rivers Water turns a turbine to make electricity Advantages Free fuel Clean—no air pollution 3 Disadvantages Floods areas upriver Creates dry areas downriver Sediment buildup--behind the dam

Glen Canyon Dam

Hydropower A cross-section of a typical hydroelectric dam Water flows down the penstock, turns the turbine blades which power the generators

Three Gorges Dam The dam is 185 meters (600 feet) high and 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) wide It has 26 hydroelectric power generators with a collective generating capacity of about 18,000 megawatts (the average nuclear power plant generates about 1000 megawatts)

Three Gorges Dam As with any engineering project of great magnitude, there are serious problems The reservoir will eventually stretch over 600 kilometers (375 miles) in length It will submerge 125,000 acres of prime farmland

Three Gorges Dam 1,900,000 people were forced to relocate, many against their will Entire cities have been abandoned Over 1200 historic areas are being flooded

5. Geothermal Energy From underground hot water Steam used directly to turn turbine Water is heated by recent volcanic activity Advantages clean, free fuel Disadvantages Limited supply Release of toxic gases

Geothermal Facility

6. Tidal Power(also wave & currents) HYDRO! From tides (highs and lows) Similar to hydroelectric Advantages Clean Free fuel Disadvantages Hard to build the dam

Tidal Dams

Tidal Power Another option is to use under water turbines, which is like an underwater wind farm This is currently being tested offshore of Scotland’s Orkney Islands The ebbing and surging tidal flows turn 100 foot propellers, which each produce 1 megawatts of electricity

Tidal Power You can use the flowing water between low and high tides to generate electricity, similar to hydropower

Biomass Fuels or Biofuels Biofuels differ from other renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydroelectric, geothermal and solar, as they are primarily used in the transportation sector and are derived from recently living matter, both plant and animal

Biomass Energy Biomass energy is derived from organic matter Stoves that burn wood are the classic example In fact, there had been a 20-25% increase in the use of wood stoves over the past several decades

Water, Air, and Land Resources Essential for life People overuse and misuse Point source vs. non-point source Pollution (water/air/land) Conservation is the careful use of resources. SUSTAINABILITY! The 3 “Rs” (recycle, reduce, reuse) Mines (strip, open pit, shaft)

OZONE = O3 Good in it protects us from UV radiation which causes skin cancer Bad at lower levels because it is toxic. What do we do? Harm the ozone! How? By using things like AC’s, fridges, aerosol spray cans, etc. That produce CFC’s

ACID RAIN=rain that has a pH below 5.6. SALINIZATION—land gets salty from evaporating water COMPOST—partly decomposed organic matter (food scraps, leaves, etc.) Used for fertilizer.