Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia - 0 views
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basic laws of physics dictate that energy is conserved and can only be changed from one form to another or into matter.
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Fuel, on the other hand, is the accumulation of matter and therefore represents a store of energy.
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released in the form of heat when the fuel is burned in chemical or nuclear reactions
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cannot be reversed to regenerate the original fuel mass
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a fuel problem does exist
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If the supply of fuel is finite, not only will there be no energy supply when the fuel is exhausted
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Finite means: a form of a verb that can occur as the head of a sentence. In Sam wants to leave, wants is finite, leave is non-finite.
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all other processes that depend on it will cease
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Several factors combine to make the problem an urgent one
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World population
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demand for energy will also increase
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coal, oil (petroleum), natural gas, uranium, and fuel wood—is limited and insufficient to sustain rapid rates of development.
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debate about the exact length of time available before the effects of a worldwide shortage become apparent
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shortage will occur.
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geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, peat, ocean thermal energy, solar energy, tidal energy, wind power, and fuel wood.
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replenish themselves naturally in a relatively short time and will therefore always be available.
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Renewable energy resources
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indirectly responsible for many other renewable energy sources.
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ocean currents and winds are results of the uneven distribution of solar radiation over the Earth's surface
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winds in turn produce waves whose energy can be utilized
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windmills and wind power
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ocean thermal energy, solar heating of the upper layers of the ocean produces temperature gradients that can be harnessed to generate electricity
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Sun also powers the hydrologic cycle, in which ocean water is evaporated, transported over the continents, and precipitated as rain or snow to form rivers
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flow energy produces hydroelectric power.
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energy locked in such renewable fuel sources as wood and peat is derived from the Sun by the process of photosynthesis.
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renewable energy source is geothermal energy
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arises through the leakage of heat from the Earth's interior to the surface
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over the entire surface of the Earth at a very low average rate, leakage is much higher in certain locations.
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Yellowstone National Park
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Iceland, Italy, and New Zealand.
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possible to tap the heat and use it for human purposes.
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Nonrenewable resources originate from two processes: (1) photosynthesis, which occurred many millions of years ago, followed by the fossilization of the plant and animal life that resulted, and (2) the formation of the Earth itself.
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fossil fuels—coal, oil (petroleum), and natural gas;
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produced the fuels for nuclear energy, such as uranium for fission and lighter elements for fusion
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irreplaceable fuels represent an energy capital that must be invested wisely.
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A cleaner-burning fuel than oil, natural gas seemed to be in abundant supply at the turn of the 21st century and, with the greatly enlarged network of gas pipelines, was rapidly growing in use.
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nearly total dependence on fossil fuels and hydroelectricity ensures that efforts to solve energy problems by switching to alternative sources will have to overcome a great deal of inertia, both economic and psychological.
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sources as solar power, wind power, and synthetic fuels suffer from the serious drawback that few major installations now exist.
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handicapped by the engineering problems of converting the energy to a form useful to human beings.
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solar energy reaches the top of the atmosphere in amounts 10,000 times greater than all human production of energy, it reaches the Earth's surface at rates of only about 80 to 250 W/m2, and considerably less on cloudy days.
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arge-scale system based on solar-collector panels will be physically huge, causing problems of maintenance and land use
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Wind power, wave power, and ocean-thermal-generation sources suffer from similar difficulties
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Even though there are some difficulties with working towards the alternative fuels, it may prove to be more efficient for smaller things (heat and power to small communities or single buildings) in the long run
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