Chapter 5 Earth Science

Chapter 5 Earth Science

Energy Resources

Natural Resources

Natural Resource – any natural material that is used by humans. Ex. Water, petroleum, minerals, forests,

and animals. Most resources are changed and made

into products that make people’s lives more comfortable and convenient.

Renewable Resources

Renewable Resources – natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed. Ex. Wind, Sun, and water (sometimes). Some resources can become

nonrenewable if they are used up too quickly like:▪ Water▪ Trees

Nonrenewable Resources

Nonrenewable Resources- a resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which it is consumed. Ex. Coal, Oil, Petroleum. Because these sources are

nonrenewable there is a major need to find sources of energy that are more reliable for the future.

Conserving Natural Resources

Because natural resources carry so much value to humans one should learn to conserve them even if they are considered renewable.

How to conserve Resources:

Ecological Footprint

http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/

RRR

Reduce Reduce the amount of waste that you create. Use cloth bags instead of paper/plastic.

Reuse Reuse products as much as possible before throwing

them out. Ex. Use a towel twice instead of washing it after one

use. Recycle

The process of recovering valuable or useful materials from waste or scrap.

Newspaper, aluminum cans, plastic, and cardboard can all be recycled.

Mining       the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth.

Deforestation the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is converted to a non-forest use.  Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. 

Agriculture (also called farming) is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. 

Overgrazing when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for long periods of time, or without enough recovery time. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals. 

Urbanization 

the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. 

Your Turn!

• What do you think the issue is with Urbanization, agriculture, overgrazing, deforestation, and mining?

MAKING NEWS!

• In the groups I assign, you will research a topic about a human impact on Earths surface.

• Using the information at your station; Video, Posted information, and Text Book, your group will create a 2 minute News Story to present to the class in a live studio recording! 

Information you MUST include in your news story..

• A description of the activity you are researching.

• Why it occurs.• Most importantly: The impact this activity has on the lithosphere both past and present.

• Keep it fun, exciting, and informative!  (Why would someone be interested in watching your news report?)

End of Section 5.1

Fossil Fuels

Energy resources – natural resources that humans use to generate energy.

Fossil fuel – a nonrenewable energy resource formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago examples include: ▪ Oil▪ Coal▪ Natural gas.

Release of Energy

Energy is released from fossil fuels when they are burned. Ex. Burning of coal in power plant is

used to provide electrical energy.

Fossil Fuels

All living things are made up of Carbon. Yes that means you are too.

Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of plants and animals.

Hydrocarbons – the way carbon is found in the majority of fossil fuels. A combination of hydrogen and carbon.

Types of Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels can be found as: Solid Liquid Gas

Liquid Fossil Fuels

Petroleum – a liquid mixture of complex hydrocarbon compounds; used widely as a fuel source. Also known as crude oil. Separated into several kinds of products

in refineries.

Liquid Fossil Fuels

Different types of products that petroleum can be separated into: Gasoline Jet Fuel Kerosene Diesel Fuel Fuel Oil

Black Gold

Petroleum is often referred to as black gold due to its importance to society. 40% of the world’s energy comes from

petroleum products. Petroleum products are the main fuel for

forms of transportation.

Gaseous Fossil Fuels

Natural gas – a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons located under the surface of the Earth, often near petroleum deposits; used as a fuel. Used for heating Generating electricity Some stoves use natural gas

Advantages of Natural Gases

Advantage of using natural gas: Using it causes les air pollution than

using oil. Disadvantages

Very flammable Gas leaks can lead to fires or deadly

explosions

Types of Natural Gas

Main components of natural gas: Methane ▪ CH4

• Other products that can be separated from natural gas include:▪Butane ▪Propane

▪These products are often used to cook with in camp stoves and outdoor grills.

Solid Fossil Fuels

Coal – a fossil fuel that forms underground from partially decomposed plant material.

Uses: Heating homes Transportation in trains and boats.▪ Coal is no longer used in heating or for

transportation purposes. Generation of electricity. ( Main use

today.)

Peat

Peat – is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation. Used as a fuel source. Releases large amounts of carbon when

burned.

Fossil Fuels in the US

Petroleum and Natural Gas Formation

1. Microscopic sea organisms die.2. The remains settle on the ocean

floor.3. The remains decay, are buried, and

become part of the ocean sediment.4. Eventually the sediment becomes

rock trapping the remains. Petroleum and natural gas form this way.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Formation

Eventually over time, the pressure of overlying rocks and sediment allow the fossil fuels to move through the permeable rocks.

Permeable rocks – rocks that allow fluids to move through them.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Formation

Petroleum and natural gas is an ongoing process.

Part of the remains of today’s sea life will become petroleum and natural gas millions of year from now.

Coal Formation - CARBONIZATION

1. Forms underground from decayed swamp plants over millions of years.

2. When the plants die, they sink to the bottom of the swamp.

3. This is the start of the process in which coal is formed.

Coal Formation

How Do We Obtain Fossil Fuels?

Petroleum and Natural Gas Removed from Earth by drilling wells into

rock.▪ Oil wells exist on land and in the ocean.

In the ocean, large drills are attached to large platforms that are anchored to the ocean floor.

Coal Obtained by either subsurface mining or

surface mining.

Problems with Fossil Fuels

Acid precipitation – precipitation, such as rain sleet or snow that contains a high concentration of acids, often because of the pollution of the atmosphere.

Formation of Acid Rain

1. Sulfur dioxide is released into the atmosphere when coal is burned without pollution controls.

2. Sulfur dioxide combines with moisture in the air to produce sulfuric acid.

3. Sulfuric acid is the cause of acid rain.4. Can effect wildlife, plants, buildings,

and statues.

How Acid Rain Works

Effects of Acid Rain

Effects of Acid Rain

Effects of Acid Rain

Coal Mining

The mining of coal can also create environmental problems. Surface mining removes soil in which

some plants and animals need for shelter.

Can lower water tables and pollute water supplies.

Coal mines endanger the lives of miners.

Petroleum Problems

Producing, transporting, and using petroleum can cause environmental problems and endanger wildlife. Ex. Treasure, an oil rig, sank off the coast

of South Africa and spilled more than 400 tons of oil.

The oil coated thousands of blackfooted penguins. ▪ Hindering the penguins from swimming and

catching fish for food.

Petroleum Problems

Smog

Smog – photochemical haze that forms when sunlight acts on industrial pollutants and burning fuels. Result of millions of automobiles that

burn gasoline. Due to the Mountains that surround Los

Angeles it prevents winds from blowing the pollutants away.

Smog

Smog

End of Section 5.2

Splitting the Atom

Nuclear energy – the energy released by a fission or fusion reaction; the binding energy of the atomic nucleus.

Fission – a process in which the nuclei of radioactive atoms are split into two or more smaller nuclei. Releases a large amount of energy.

Fission

Pros of Fission

A lot of energy is being produced. Economically it is fairly cheap once

the plant has been made. Cheapest and most clean way of

producing electricity, since no greenhouse gasses are produced.

Cons of Fission

Accidents Happen: If cooling system stops working the plant

could experience a meltdown. Ex. Chernobyl, USSR Three Mile Island

Nuclear Waste Storage Transportation

Chernobyl, USSR

In 1986 a runaway fission reaction at the power plant caused a violent explosion. 31 people were killed from the

explosion. 15,000 people are expected to die in the

next 50 years from radioactive fallout.

Abandoned City of Pripyat

Home of the power plant and the people that worked at it. Population before the accident was

approximately 50,000. Today the city is considered to be

safe to visit but many people are scared to enter the city due to its past.

Three Mile Island

March 28,1979 a nuclear reactor near Middletown, Pennsylvania partial melted down.

Due to the small amount of exposures of radiation there has been no links between cancer or other complications and the accident.

Three Mile Island

Three Mile Island

Combining Atoms

Fusion – is the joining of two or more nuclei to form a larger nucleus. This process releases large amounts of

energy. Occurs in the sun naturally. Too expensive to use fusion reactions on

Earth.

Advantages of Fusion

Produces very few dangerous wastes.

Abundant fuel supply would be available.

No Air Pollution No risk of a nuclear meltdown. No generation of weapons material.

Fusion

Solar Energy

Solar energy – the energy received by the Earth from the sun in the form of radiation. Renewable resource of energy. (Sort of) Can be used directly to heat building

and to generate electricity. Currently we do not generate the energy

needed to use solar energy.

Solar Energy

Solar panels – large panels made up of many solar cells wired together. Provide some of the electrical energy

used in buildings. Change sunlight into electrical energy

through the use of photovoltaic cells.▪ Ex. Solar powered calculator.

Solar Heating

Solar collectors – dark colored boxes that have glass or plastic tops. Used to heat water. Commonly used in Florida and California

Pros and cons of Solar Energy

Pros: No pollution is produced. Renewable source of energy.

Cons: Some climates don’t have enough sunny

days to benefit from solar energy. Solar cells and solar collectors are

expensive to make.

Wind Power

Wind Power – the use of a windmill to drive an electric generator. Use of a windmill to drive an electric

generator. Wind energy is renewable No pollution is Caused.Con

Wind isn’t strong enough or frequent enough to create energy on a large scale.

Wind Turbines

Hydroelectric Energy

Hydroelectric Energy – electrical energy produced by falling water. Man has used water power since ancient

times. During the Industrial Revolution, water

wheels provided energy for many factories.

Pros and Cons of Hydroelectric Energy

Pros: Inexpensive and causes little pollution Renewable (Kind of)

Cons: Not available everywhere. Can be produced only where large volumes of

falling water can be harnessed Large dams could destroy forest and wildlife

habitats.▪ Ex. Columbia river in Washington state salmon are

prevented from migrating up stream.

Hover Dam

Power From Plants

Biomass – organic matter that can be a source of energy. Animals and Plants both absorb energy

from the sun and store it for later use. Leaves, wood, and other parts of plants

contain the stored energy. Even the dung of a plant-grazing animal

is high in stored energy.

Burning Biomass

Biomass energy can be released in several ways.

Burning the biomass is the easiest and most common way. About half of the world burns wood or

charcoal to heat their homes and cook their food.

Gasohol

Gasohol – a mixture of gasoline and alcohol that is used as a fuel.

Biomass material can be changed into liquid fuel. Plants that contain sugar or starch can be made

into alcohol by a process known as fermentation. Biomass requires approximately one complete

harvest to provide only 10% of our gas usage in the US.

Gasohol also requires a lot of land in order to grow the corn.

Energy from Within Earth

Geothermal Energy – the energy produced by heat within the Earth.

Geothermal Energy

Geysers – natural vents that discharge steam or water in a column into the air.

Geothermal Energy

Power plants are built on top of these drilled wells to harness the energy. The world largest is located in California

called The Geysers.▪ Producing electricity for 1.7 million homes.

Geothermal energy can also be pumped through building in order to heat them.▪ Many building Iceland are heated this way.

The Geysers

OUTPUT: PROS AND CONS

ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY

PROS CONS

HYDROELECTRIC

SOLAR

FUSION

FISSION

CHEMICAL

GASOHOL

GEOTHERMAL

WIND

End of Alternative Energy

Consequences of various types of land use.

Urbanization Deforestation Agriculture

How to mitigate human impacts

Effects of human activity on shorelines.

Effects of human activity on mountainsides.