Energy Sources


STOP - You must read Chapter 10 before doing this lesson

Introduction

Human society is dependent upon a continuos flow of energy. One of the primary concerns of any nation is to ensure that its citizens have ready access to the energy they need, whether that energy takes the form of food, heat for a home, power to drive machinery or electricity to run appliances. Energy is necessary for industrial development; thus, most of the world's energy flow historically has been through industrialized countries.

Conventional Energy Sources - Fossil Fuels

The fossil fuels are coal, oil (petroleum), and natural gas. They are form over geologic time from the remains of plants and animals buried under layers of sedeimentary rock. Humans are consuming fossil fuels millions of times faster than they are forming, so for all practical purposes fossil fuels constitute a nonrenewable resource. Fossil fuels provide about 90% of all commercial energy in the world.

  • Coal - it is a fuel substance of plant origin, largely or almost entirely composed of carbon with varying amounts of mineral matter.

    COAL - web site with more information about environmental problems cause by the used of coal.

    COAL - US Department of Energy web site on coal.

  • Oil (Petroleum) - it is a flammable liquid that occurs naturally in deposits, usually beneath the surface of the earth. Like coal is derived from organic molecules. It consists primarily of a mixture of hydrocarbons, with traces of various nitrogenous and sulfurous compounds.

    OIL - web site with more information about the use of oil and environmental problems caused by it.

    OIL - US Department of Energy web site on oil.

  • Natural Gas - it is the third largest commercial fuel, making up 24% of global energy consumption. It is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons found issuing from the ground or obtained from specially driven wells. The composition of natural gas varies in different localities. The major component is methane which can make between 80 to 95 percent.

    Natural Gas - web site with more information about natural gas.

    Natural Gas - US Department of Energy web site on natural gas.

    • Environmental Considerations - There is a growing concern about the environmental contamination caused by the burning of great amounts of fossil fuels and about the increase expense of finding them and processing them into easily usable forms. During the last 100 years the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increase, and there is evidence that this phenomenon may be due the burning of fossil fuel. Also, the combustion of these fuels releases other pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, which pose health risks.

    Click here for more information about environmental problems cause by the use of fossil fuels.

    Environmental Quality - US Department of Energy web site.

    Clean Air and Energy

    Nuclear Energy

    Nuclear power supplies roughly 5% of the world's commercial energy. Nuclear power is relatively clean in that greenhouse gases and related pollutants are not released into the atmosphere. However, the potential for radioactive contamination of the environment is the subject of an ongoing debate. Nuclear power plants are very expensive to build, and the mining and processing of uranium can lead to environmental problems due to uranium mining tails and other by products.

    Nuclear Power - web site with more information about nuclear energy production and use.

    Nuclear Power - US Department of Energy web site on neclear energy.

    Substainable Energy - Renewable Energy

    As world oil reserves decline, as environmental problems caused by fossil fuels intensify, and as population spirals upward, more and more countries will shift to renewable energy sources. Examples of renewable energy are solar energy, hydropower, wind energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy, and ocean energy.

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