Natural Resources Study Guide – Flashcards
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Resource
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Materials obtained from the environment used to meet our needs and/or wants.
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Renewable Resource
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Any natural resource (as wood or solar energy) that is be replenished naturally in a reasonable amount of time.
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Non-renewable Resource
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A resource that cannot be reused or replaced easily (ex. gems, iron, copper, fossil fuels).
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Stock
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In ecological cycles and models, the amount of a material (resource) in a certain medium or reservoir.
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Flow
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The rate at which new material is added to or removed from a stock.
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Net Flow
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The inflow minus outflow from a stock, which determines whether the stock grows, shrinks, or remains constant.
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Btu
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British Thermal Unit; a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere pressure.
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Lignite
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A geologically young coal which has the lowest carbon content, 25-35 percent, and a heat value ranging between 4,000 and 8,300 BTUs-per-pound. Sometimes called brown coal, it is mainly used for electric power generation.
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Sub-bituminous
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Coal with 35-45 percent carbon content and a heat value between 8,300 and 13,000 BTUs-per-pound. Reserves are located mainly in a half-dozen Western states and Alaska. Although its heat value is lower, this coal generally has a lower sulfur content than other types, which makes it attractive for use because it is cleaner burning.
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Bituminous
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The most plentiful form of coal in the United States, used primarily to generate electricity and make coke for the steel industry; has a carbon content ranging from 45 to 86 percent carbon and a heat value of 10,500 to 15,500 BTUs-per-pound.
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Anthracite
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Coal with the highest carbon content, between 86 and 98 percent, and a heat value of nearly 15,000 BTUs-per-pound.
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Geothermal Gradient
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The gradual increase in temperature with depth in the crust.
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Hydrocarbons
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Chemical compounds containing carbon and hydrogen as the principal elements. Oil and natural gas are examples.
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Source Rock
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A rock rich in organic matter which, if heated sufficiently, will generate oil or gas.
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Hydrocarbon System
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The combination of a source rock, reservoir, trap, and cap rock.
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Oil Reservoir
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A supply of oil underground, formed when oil and gas become trapped beneath an impermeable rock layer.
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Cap Rock
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A layer of impermeable rock that stops gas and oil from escaping from a reservoir.
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Tar Sand
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Deposit of a mixture of clay, sand, water, and varying amounts of a tar-like heavy oil known as bitumen. Bitumen can be extracted from tar sand by heating, and is then purified and upgraded to synthetic crude oil.
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Oil Shale
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A soft, fine-grained sedimentary rock from which oil and natural gas can be obtained by heating.
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Natural Gas
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A fossil fuel in the gaseous state.
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Methane
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A colorless odorless gas used as a fuel, with the chemical formula CH?.
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Syngas
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Synthetic gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, obtained by coal gasification.
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Gasification
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The heating and partial combustion of coal to release gases such as methane and carbon monoxide; after pollutants are washed out, these gases become efficient, clean-burning fuel.
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Ore
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A mineral or rock that contains a useful substance that can be mined for profit.
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Bauxite
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A clay-like mineral which is the chief ore of aluminum.
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What percentage of our electricity in Alabama is generated using coal?
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Approximately 27 %
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What does the term hydrocarbon mean?
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Substances containing carbon and hydrogen. Examples include coal, oil, natural gas.
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Products from a Barrel of Crude Oil.
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Some of the products from a Barrel of crude oil...for a longer list, see... http://www.ranken-energy.com/Products%20from%20Petroleum.htm
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What is a Fossil Fuel? Why are they called fossil?
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Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas are examples of fossil fuels. They are called FOSSIL fuels because they form through the decay of once living organisms.
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Why is coal so commonly used as a fuel to generate electricity?
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What are the downsides of using coal as a primary energy source?
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What usually happens as a natural resource becomes scarce?
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Describe one method of making "clean coal".
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Approximately how many aluminum cans are used in the US each day?
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360 million
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What are the advantages of recycling metals such as aluminum?
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Compare and contrast renewable and non-renewable resources and give examples of each.
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What is meant by the term "unconventional fossil fuel"? List one example...
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What usually has to happen for an alternative resource to be commonly used.
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