The document provides an overview of different types of alternative energy sources including renewable and non-renewable resources. It discusses key topics such as fossil fuels, nuclear energy, solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric energy, and biomass energy. For each type of energy, it covers concepts like energy sources, processes, advantages, disadvantages, and major historical events. The goal is to provide students with essential information to study alternative energy topics.

1. Study Guide for Alternative Energy<br />Topics to Study:<br />How are renewable resources different from non-renewable resources?<br />Renewable resources can be replenished in a time frame that is similar to how fast they are used, non-renewable resources cannot<br />Which energy sources pollute the atmosphere? Which energy sources do not pollute the atmosphere?<br />Fossil Fuels pollute; nuclear, wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass sources do not pollute<br />What energy sources is the sun indirectly responsible for?<br />Fossil Fuels, Wind, and Biomass sources<br />Which energy sources use turbines to produce electricity?<br />Nuclear, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and Biomass sources<br />What is the main difference between the different types of power stations?<br />Energy source<br />Fossil Fuels<br />What are the 3 categories of fossil fuels?<br />Petroleum, Natural Gas, Coal<br />Which fossil fuel goes through fractional distillation?<br />Petroleum<br />What are the dangers of fossil fuels?<br />Produce carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and acid rain<br />How were fossil fuels made originally?<br />From dead plants and animals buried and placed under tremendous heat and pressure<br />Nuclear Energy<br />What is used as nuclear energy’s fuel source?<br />Uranium and Plutonium<br />What were the major accidents with nuclear power?<br />3 Mile Island and Chernobyl<br />What are the parts of a nuclear power plant?<br />Nuclear Core, Heat Exchanger, Turbine/Generator, Cooling System<br />What is fission?<br />Splitting apart of the nucleus, “division”<br />What is nuclear waste and where does the government want to put it?<br />What is left after fission occurs, put it at Yucca Mountain, Nevada<br />Solar Energy<br />What is radiation?<br />How the sun transfers the heat from its surface to the earth<br />What is fusion?<br />2 hydrogen molecules being joined, “fused,” together into one molecule<br />What are photovoltaic (PV) cells?<br />How we collect the energy from the sun, also called solar panels<br />Wind Energy<br />What is the purpose of windmills?<br />Collect the kinetic energy from the wind using the windmill’s turbine<br />Geothermal Energy<br />Where does geothermal energy come from?<br />The interior of the earth<br />What kind of heat reservoirs do we see?<br />Geysers, Hot water springs, Volcanoes<br />What caused the jump in geothermal energy in the 1980s?<br />An Energy bill was passed<br />Where is the Ring of Fire?<br />Around the Pacific Ocean<br />What 3 sources gave the earth all of its heat?<br />Friction, Radioactive Decay, large amounts of pressure<br />Hydroelectric Energy<br />What natural force allows hydroelectric energy to work?<br />Gravity<br />What country has the largest hydroelectric power station in the world?<br />China<br />What 3 ways can we collect hydroelectric energy?<br />Hydroelectric Dams, Waterfalls, Ocean Tides<br />What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric energy?<br />Advantages: last for a long time, does not pollute, can be used for other purposes; Disadvantages: take a long time to repay, can break causing major damage, can cause geological damage<br />Biomass Energy<br />What process replenishes the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?<br />Carbon Cycle<br />Which use of biomass energy comes from corn and is used to power automobiles?<br />Ethanol<br />What are the 3 uses for biomass energy today?<br />Ethanol, Space Heating, and Cooking<br />What are the sources of biomass energy?<br />Fast-growing trees, grasses, other crops, oil plants, biomass residues<br />