| Term | Definition |
|---|
| natural resource | resources that the earth provides and that is used by humans |
| renewable resource | a natural resouce that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed |
| nonrenewable resource | a resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which it is consumed; once it is used up it is gone |
| recycling | the process of recovering valuable or useful materials from waste or scrap; the process of reusing |
| fossil fuel | a nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago; examples include oil, coal, and natural gas |
| petroleum | a liquid mixture of complex hydrocarbon compounds; used widely as a fuel source |
| natural gas | a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons located under the surface of the earth, often near petroleum deposits; used a fuel |
| coal | a fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material |
| acid precipitation | rain,sleet,or snow that contains a high concentration of acids, often because of the pollution of the atmosphere |
| smog | photochemical haze that forms when sunlight acts on industrial pollutants and burning fuels |
| nuclear energy | the energy released by a fission or fusion reaction; the binding energy of the atomic nucleus |
| chemical energy | the energy released when a chemical compound reacts to produce new compounds |
| solar energy | the energy received by the earth from the sun in the form of radiation |
| wind power | the use of a windmill to drive an electric generator |
| hydroelectric energy | electrical energy produced by falling water |
| biomass | organic(natural) matter that can be a source of energy |
| gasohol | a mixture of gasoline and alcohol that is used as a fuel |
| geothermal energy | the energy produced by heat within the earth |
Combine with other sets
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