| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Ionizing Radiation | enough energy to knock electrons from atoms forming ions, cample of causing cancer (gamma, x-rays, uv) |
| High Quality Energy | organized & concentrated, can perform useful work (fossil fuel & nuclear) |
| Low Quality Energy | disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air wind, solar) |
| Half Life | the time it takes for 1/2 the mass of a radioistop to decay |
| Estimate of how long a radioactive isotope must be stored until it decays to a safe level | approximately 10 half lives |
| Nuclear fusion | 2 isotopes of ligth elements (H) forced together at high temperatures till they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. expensive, break even point not reached yet |
| Nuclear fission | nuclei of istopes split apart when struck by neutrons |
| Best solution to energy shortage | conservation and increase efficiency |
| Cogeneration | using waste heat to make electricity |
| Electricity is generated by | using steam (from water boiled bu fossil fuels or nuclear) or falling water to turn a generator |
| Petroleum forms from | microscopic aquatic organisms in sediments converted by heat & pressure into a mixture of hydrocarbons |
| Pros of petroleum | cheap, easily transported, high quality energy |
| Cons of petroleum | reserves deplted soon, pollution during drilling, transport and refining, burning makes CO2 |
| Steps in coal formation | peat - lignite - bituminous - anthracite |
| Major parts of a nuclear reactor | core, control rods, steam generator, turbine, containment building |
| Two most serious nuclear accidents | Chernobyl, Ukraine; Three Mile island, PA |
| Alternate energy sources | wind, solar, waves, biomass, geothermal, fuel cells |
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