lesson 10: nonrenewable energy resources environmental science
TRANSCRIPT
Environmental ScienceLesson 10: Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Copyright Grey's Digital Online, LLC 2020-present
(usbiologyteaching.com)1
Day 1 Bell Ringer
What are fossil fuels and how are they used?
Lesson 10.1What is net energy and why is it important?
What you will learn…●what commercial energy is
as well as various types of nonrenewable energy resources
●that it take energy to produce energy
●the significance of net energy
●why energy resources with a low net energy need government subsidies
Key Terms
●commercial energy
●net energy
Energy Comes From Different Sources
● Energy that heats the Earth and makes life possible comes from the sun.○ solar energy factor of sustainability ○ a free source of energy○ necessary for life to exist
● Without the sun, Earth’s average temperature would be -240 degrees Celsius/-400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Energy Comes From Different Sources {cont’d.}
● Commercial Energy○ produced by society○ supplement’s the sun’s life-sustaining energy○ energy sold in the marketplace
■ produced from either renewable or non-renewable resources● nonrenewable resources come in fixed amounts
○ take millions/billions of years to form○ are used more quickly than they can be replaced○ fossil fuels: oil, coal, natural gas○ nuclear energy
Renewable Energy Sources
● wind● flowing water
○ hydropower● the sun’s heat
○ solar power● biomass
○ energy in plants● heat in the interior of the Earth
○ nuclear energy
Commercial Energy
●Most commercial energy is produced using nonrenewable energy●90% of commercial energy
came from nonrenewable energy resources in 2014.○mainly from fossil fuels
Net Energy
●Energy is needed to produce energy.○ Oil can be used only after it has
been located, pumped, transported, converted, and delivered.
○ Some of this energy is wastedwhen heat is released into the environment.
● Net energy is high quality energy.
Net energy = energy output - energy input
Calculating Net Energy
Calculate each from the examples below:
●4 units of net energy result from 9 units of energy. How many units have been used to produce this net energy?
●How many units of net energy will result from an output of 24.6 units of energy and input of 11.9 units of energy?
Energy Resources and Subsidies
● Resources with a low net energy can be costly.○ not as competitive○ must often receive subsidies/tax breaks■ encourages consumers to utilize them
Day 1 Exit Ticket
How can an energy resource with a low net energy compete with one that
has a higher net energy?
Day 2 Bell Ringer
What is the difference between a renewable and nonrenewable resource?
What is commercial energy?
Lesson 10.2 What Are the Advantages and
Disadvantages of Using Fossil Fuels?
What you will learn...
●The similarities and differences between oil, natural gas, and coal as commercial energy sources.
●The benefits and problems associated with using fossil fuels for energy.
Key Terms●crude oil
●refining
●petrochemical
●peak production
●proven oil reserve
●horizontal drilling
●hydraulic fracturing
●natural gas
●coal
Crude Oil Is an Important Energy Source●Hydrocarbons are compounds created from hydrogen and carbon atoms.●Crude oil (Petroleum) is a mixture that combines hydrocarbons and other
compounds.○ thick gooey black substance○ burns easily○ takes millions of years to form○ created from the decayed remains of organisms under layers of rocks○ a type of fossil fuel
Crude Oil {cont’d.}
●When an oil deposit is located, the next step is to determine how much oil is there.●If there is enough to extract a
profit, wells are dug.●Crude oil is processed at a
refinery.
Refinery
●An oil refinery processes oil before it can become fuel.●A pipeline, truck, ship, or rail is used to
move it.● The crude oil is first heated to separate
the various fuels and components within it. ● Refining requires a great deal of energy to
complete.○ Leads to a decrease in oil’s net energy
Petrochemicals● Usable by-products and unusable
products result from refining.
○ Petrochemicals make up 2% of
this.
■ Raw materials that make
other chemicals
■ Also found in plastics, paints,
medicines, cosmetics, and
synthetic fibers
By-Products
●Other less desirable by-products result as well.○ petcoke■ black powder that accumulates
in large piles■ air pollutant
○ carbon dioxide■ greenhouse gas
Peak Production
● Crude oil production in one area eventually declines.
● This signals the end of peak production.
● This process usually lasts for about a decade.
Day 2 Exit Ticket Describe the by-
products created through oil refining.
Day 3 Bell Ringer
Society relies heavily on oil. Why is this a potential problem?
Society and Oil● Society relies heavily on oil. ● The world used 34 billion barrels of oil in
2015.○ 1 barrel = 42 gallons of oil
● The exact amount of crude oil on Earth is unknown.○ Proven oil reserves are known deposits
where oil can still be extracted.■ These are determined by
pricing/technology.
VIDEOS:
The Top Ten Largest Oil Reserves By Country in the
World
Oil Reserves by Country
Efficient Oil Technologies●Technologies exist that can allow for previously
unavailable oil to be turned into proven reserves.○ Horizontal Drilling■ involved drilling into a vertical well deep in the
ground and turning the shaft 90 degrees to drill horizontally into shale rock
○ Hydraulic Fracking■ also known as fracking■ uses high-pressure pumps to inject sand, water,
and chemicals into the well to fracture shale rock so tightly held oil/gas can be pumped from it
Horizontal Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing
VIDEO:
Horizontal Drilling &
Hydraulic Fracturing
Explained
Day 3 Exit Ticket
Identify one potential issue and one
potential benefit of hydraulic fracturing.
Day 4 Bell Ringer
What are some advantages and disadvantages of
crude oil?
Global Peak Production● Other ways exist that can lead to gaining more oil.○ offshore drilling in the ocean○ extract oil from remote places like the Arctic■ harder and more expensive
● Controversy exists over whether we have reached our global peak oil production.○ Once it has been officially reached, prices will rise.○ Many experts believe there is a global shortage of
“cheap” oil.
Oil Reserves and Production ● Many feel that reserves and production
are not in sync.○ not located where society needs
them● 13 countries hold about 81% of the
world’s proven reserves.● OPEC = Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries○ likely to control crude oil supplies for years to
come○ Members: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela■ 2 of the largest producers are not
included: U.S. and Russia
Production in the United States●One-third of commercial
energy in the U.S. comes from crude oil.○Oil consumption is much
greater than its production.■Oil has to be imported.
●The United States uses about 20% of the world’s oil.●The United States produces
about 12% of the world’s oil.
Alternative Oil Sources
● The world is now turning to heavy crude oil as reserves decline.○ Thicker and more sticky○ Comes from depleted
crude oil wells○ Extracted from tar sands
and oil shale rock
Shale Oil● Contains a mixture of kerogen and
hydrocarbons● Requires mining, crushing, and heating
the oil shale rock in order to get kerogen
● 72% of the world’s shale oil is located in the U.S.○ Colorado, Wyoming, Utah○ too expensive to develop and utilize
Tar Sands●Tar sands are another way to
expand oil resources.●¾ of the world’s tar sands are in
Canada.● It requires a lot of energy, therefore
reducing its net energy.●Causes negative impacts to the
environment●Production has slowed recently
Day 4 Exit Ticket
Why might the U.S. want to
produce more of its own oil
instead of relying on imports?
Day 5 Bell Ringer
What are some ways you can contribute to the conservation of energy?
Natural Gas
● Natural gas is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years.
● Contains a mixture of gases, most of which is methane
● Propane, butane, a toxic hydrogen sulfate are also found in it.
● Has many uses○ cooking○ industrial processes○ heating○ fuels cars/trucks
● Provides 25% of the energy consumed worldwide and 28% consumed in the U.S.
Liquidifed Petroleum Gas
● Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) can be produced from natural gas.
● A natural gas deposit is tapped and propane and butane gases can be removed by liquifying them under the pressure, forming LPG.
● Useful for people not served by natural gas pipelines.
Liquified Natural Gas
● Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) can also be produced from natural gas.
● Can be carried across oceans to those that need it● LNG is a highly flammable liquid, carried in
refrigerated tanker ships.● At its destination, it is heated and converted back into
a gas and the used for distribution in a pipeline.
Natural Gas
VIDEO:
Why Natural Gas Could Be the Fuel That Changes the World
Supply and Demand● Natural gas reserves are limited
and are not distributed evenly.● The U.S. does not currently rely
on any other country for its supplies.
● The demand in the U.S. is expected to double between 2010 and 2050.
● Fracking has helped to improve supplies in the U.S.
Day 5 Exit Ticket
How might fracking play a role in the supply of natural gas in
the United States?
Day 6 Bell Ringer
What are some uses for natural
gas?
Lesson 10.3What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages
of Using Nuclear Power?
What you will learn....
●How a nuclear fission reaction works and the nuclear fuel cycle
●The advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear power
●The future of nuclear power
Key Terms●nuclear fission●nuclear fusion
Nuclear Fission
● Generates power● Nonrenewable energy resource● Occurs when a neutron is used to
split a large nucleus into 2 or more smaller nuclei.● The reaction release a large amount of energy.● The process takes place in a nuclear power plant.● Requires the mineral uranium-235○ mined from limited ores in Earth’s crust
● The three leading producers include France, Russia, and the United States.
Nuclear Fission {cont’d.}
VIDEO:
Nuclear Fission (Animation)
Nuclear Power and the Environment
● A nuclear power plants presents a low risk if operated correctly.
● When thinking about the entire nuclear cycle, environmental impacts increase.
● Some claim that the use of nuclear power can greatly reduceCO2 emissions.○ This could help slow climate change.
Nuclear Power Plants
VIDEO:
How do nuclear power plants work?
Nuclear Power Plant Advantages
●low fuel costs●plants have a long lifetime●reduces transportation and
mining effects on the environment
●waste is radioactive ●large-scale accidents can be
catastrophic●costs of building are high●time to build is lengthy●negative public perception●can affect the environment
negatively
Nuclear Power Plant Disadvantages
Day 6 Exit Ticket
Would you feel comfortable living near a nuclear power plant?
Why or why not?
Day 7 Bell Ringer
How does nuclear fission produce energy?
Radioactive Wastes●Nuclear reactors produce nuclear waste
○Leads to potential problems
■Emits excessive radiation
●can be deadly
VIDEO: Where Do We Store Nuclear Waste?
Nuclear Accidents
● Nuclear reactors may lead to danger due to explosions or the loss of coolant water.
● The core of the reactor can experience a meltdown without the coolant water.
● Explosions/meltdowns can release radioactivity.● 34 serious incidents/accidents have occurred
between 1952 and 2015.● One such accident occurred at Three Mile Island in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on March 28, 1979 when a small valve malfunctioned.○ 140,000 people fled in panic.○ Cleanup after the event took twelve years.
Three Mile Island
VIDEO:
Three Mile Island Documentary: Nuclear Power's Promise and Peril | Retro Report | The New York Times
Day 7 Exit Ticket
What effects did the Three Mile Island incident have on its city?
Day 8 Bell Ringer Why is the net energy of
a resource important in
determining whether to
use it?
The Future of Nuclear Power● The two drawbacks of the use of nuclear power include
its high cost and the chance that its by-products can be used for dangerous nuclear weapons.○ Government subsidies have covered much of the cost
of nuclear power over the past 50 years.■ Many people now question this continued spending.
○ Safety Concerns related to the actual power plants and their by-products are controversial issues.
Nuclear Fusion● A possible solution is nuclear fusion.
○ the nuclei of two isotopes fuse together at very high temperatures until a heavier nucleus forms, releasing energy.
○ Controlled nuclear fusion may provide limitless energy in the future.■ No risk of meltdowns, no large
amounts of radioactive materials, and little risk of the spread of nuclear weapons
○ It may be used to destroy toxic wastes, supply electricity for desalinating water, and help produce hydrogen fuel.
Nuclear Fusion Power
VIDEO:
The truth about nuclear fusion power - new breakthroughs
Day 8 Exit Ticket
Why is there a lack of public support for
subsidizing nuclear power?
Day 9 Bell Ringer
What are some benefits of using nuclear fusion to produce energy?
Database: MyEnvironment
● The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) works to protect human health and the environment.○ MyEnvironment: provides a
cross-section of environmental data for any location in the U.S.
Link:https://www3.epa.gov/myem/envmap/find.html
Day 11 Exit Ticket
Which energy resource is most commonly used in your community?
Do any energy facilities operate in your area? If so, what type(s)?