Lecture 3: January 21, 2010

Announcements:

• practice mini-quiz was graded automatically
• next mini-quz based on vocabulary from the first three lectures

1. Geological resources

mining of minerals and energy sources have damaging impacts on the Earth

mineral resources

• metals such as aluminum, copper and iron
• resources are limited
• can change the depletion time by recycling (figure 14-23)
• prices can drive depletion

energy such as coal

• energy is not recyclable
• "recycling" metals is very different process than trying to find "renewable" energy

amount of reserves
depends on the certainty of knowing that it exists and the economics of extraction (i.e. mining)

	undiscovered	discovered
low cost	other resources	RESERVES	economical
higher cost	other resources	other resources	non- economical
	deceasing certainty	known

 

 

2. Nonrenewable energy

Fossil fuels

came from buried plant, algae and other biomass put under pressure for a long time

energy use by source for World and the US (figure 15-3)

• this is very important
• all the different sources by %
• dependence on fossil fuels
• graphic displays % - we could move to 50% renewable and be using more fossil fuels

oil or coal reserves

• known reserves
• predicted reservers
  • detection
  • change in methods or cost allow more reserves to be cost-effect
• unknown and uncertain

"net energy" is what counts

• efficiency
• number of steps

 

3. Comparison of non-renewable energy sources

advantages and disadvantages of:

(the potential damage from these sources)

• oil
• natural gas
• coal
• nuclear
  • nuclear fuel cycle, not just plant operation

good place for a discussion of these types

4. Impact of fossil fuels

We hear a lot about global warming or global climate change but there are other impacts

• global climate change - estimated impacts of business as usual
  • warming
  • extreme weather (hurricanes and droughts)
  • flooding
  • sea level rise
• other environmental impacts
  • pollution from combustion furnaces and engines
  • mercury from coal
  • urban pollution from cars
• risks from fossil fuels
  • oil spills
  • oil well leaks and fires
  • inter-nation strife

5. Energy efficiency and renewable energy

preview of next lecture

sources of renewable energy such as with comparison of advantages and disadvantages:

• hydro
• geothermal
• solar
• wind
• biomass

importance of energy use efficiency

the importance in technology and how we take responsibility for, and manage technology

Assignments

Read the chapter from Multiple Perspective on XXX.

Read the Wiki and Encyclopedia of the Earth pages.

Study the vocabulary list.

Take the mini-quiz by this Sunday night.