Natural Resources Chapter 17

Renewable Resources Resources/Energy that can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes. EX: Fresh water, air, soil, trees, and crops, energy from the sun

Nonrenewable Resources Resources/Energy that form much slower than they are consumed. They can take millions of years to replenish. EX: Fossil fuels, metals-iron, aluminum, copper, nonmetals-salt, sand, clay

Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels: remains of ancient organisms that changed into coal, oil, or natural gas Used for most of our traveling, factory-made goods, and electricity come from fossil fuels PROBLEMS: supply is limited, obtaining and using them causes environmental problems

Depletion When a large fraction of a resource has been used up, it is said to be “depleted” Most depleted resources are nonrenewable resources, however they can also be renewable resources

Uses of Fossil Fuels Cooking Transportation Manufacturing Heating/cooling buildings Generating electricity to run machines/appliances The fuel used depends on need (coal vs. airplane fuel vs. burning wood)

Formation of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are distributed unevenly based on the geologic history of an area

Worldwide Fossil Fuel Use Prices of products take energy costs into account People in developed societies use much more energy than those in undeveloped societies US: Gas is available and cheap and we have little need to conserve it Other Countries: much more expensive so they use alternative energies more

Electricity Electric generators are used to convert energy of motion (mechanical energy) of turbines into electrical energy Advantage: Electricity can be transported far quickly

Coal Formation Plant remains from swamps were continually compressed by sediments 320-300 million years ago (Eastern United States)…100-40 million years ago (Wyoming area)

Oil and Natural Gas Formation Tiny marine organisms accumulated on the bottom of the ocean millions of years ago, were buried by sediments, and heated Migrated into porous rocks Alaska, Texas, California, and the Gulf of Mexico

Coal Mining Advantages: relatively inexpensive, needs little refining (washing/removal of impurities) once mined ½ of electricity in US comes from coal Environmental Effects: Mountain top removal, waste rock leaching

Coal Disadvantages Coal qualities (and pollution amounts) vary Sulfur contaminates get burned Air pollution and acid rain Fixes: Clean-burning coal technologies, scrubbers

Petroleum Also known as crude oil Oil pumped from the ground Anything made from crude oil (fuels, chemicals, plastics, etc.) are known as petroleum products

Oil Location Major geologic features (folds, faults, salt domes) trap oil as it moves in the Earth’s crust. The oil is surrounded by impermeable rock, which keep it from escaping Located mostly in the Middle East

Oil Environmental Impacts Release pollutants when burned (internal combustion engines in vehicles), causes acid rain Smog – causes health problems Carbon Dioxide released causes global warming Oil Spills

Oil Fixes Emission Regulations Technology like catalytic converters Double hulled tankers Quick response time for oil spill clean up Fix leaking cars

Natural Gas Methane (CH4) Used to be considered an oil contaminant and was burned off Now recovered from oil wells, transported, and stored Burning produces fewer pollutants than other fossil fuels (“clean-burning” fuel)

Future of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels supply about 90% of energy used in developed countries Increasing population and industry will only increase the demand (and cost) PLANNING is important – depleting oil reserves Deep-ocean drilling is much more expensive

Fracking Water, sand, and chemicals are forced into the ground, cracking rock layers to crack and force trapped natural gas to the surface PROBLEMS: takes billions of gallons of water, tons of sand, toxic chemicals are used, air quality near wells can be bad

Fixing The Problems Find alternative energy sources Develop more efficient ways to use fossil fuels

17.2: Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy Clean, inexpensive, plentiful Not as “great” as once thought Nuclear energy is energy stored within a nucleus of an atom

Nuclear Power Plant Process Uranium atoms are bombarded with neutrons which cause the nucleus to split (nuclear fission) Releases a lot of energy and neutrons which continue the chain reaction

Nuclear Energy Positives Very concentrated (compact) No greenhouse gases Less pollution

Nuclear Energy Negatives Very expensive to build and maintain Difficult to find a safe place to store (radioactive) nuclear waste Fission can get out of control (Chernobyl, Three Mile Island) and cause radioactive material to be released into the air

Nuclear Energy Future Nuclear Fusion: lightweight atomic nuclei fuse and release a lot of energy Powers stars (including the sun) Safer than nuclear fission (less dangerous radioactive biproducts) Need high temperatures (180 billion°F)