Module D , Unit 3 , Lesson 3
Non Renewable Resources
Introduction
Most energy sources can be traced directly or indirectly to the sun, including solar energy, wind
energy, moving water, biomass, and fossil fuels. However, energy from nuclear fission and
energy within Earth, or geothermal energy, do not come from the sun
1. How humans use energy resources ?
Humans use energy resources to do work and to power technology
• The energy that lights up this city and powers the vehicles comes from energy
resources.
• Most of our energy resources are being used up faster than natural processes
can replace them.
• Most of the energy used in the United States comes from nonrenewable resources.
2. What are energy resources?
• An energy resource is a natural resource that humans use to generate energy and can be
renewable or nonrenewable.
3. Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resources ?
• Renewable resources are replaced by natural processes at least as quickly as
they are used.
• Nonrenewable resources are used up faster than they can be replaced.
4. Identify the two main types of nonrenewable energy resources ?
a. Fossil Fuels
What is Fossil Fuels energy?
1. Describe the characteristics of fossil fuels.
2. Explain how fossil fuels are used.
3. List the advantages and disadvantages of using fossil
fuels.
• A fossil fuel is a nonrenewable energy resource that forms from the remains of organisms
that lived long ago.
• Fossil fuels release energy when they are burned. This energy can be converted to electricity
or used to power engines.
• Fossil fuels are used for heating, cooking, and generating electricity.
• They are also used to make fuels to power vehicles and to make products such as plastics.
• Why Fossil fuels are the most commonly used energy resource ?
Because they are relatively inexpensive to locate and process,
i.e , Fossil fuels are relatively easy to obtain and transport.
• The extraction and use of fossil fuels have an environmental impact.
b. Nuclear Fuel
What is nuclear energy?
1. Explain how nuclear energy is generated.
2. Describe how nuclear energy is used to generate electricity.
3. List the advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear energy.
• Is the energy released when the nuclei of atoms are split or combined.
• This energy can be obtained by two kinds of nuclear reactions—fusion and fission.
• Today’s nuclear power plants use fission, because the technology for fusion power
plants does not currently exist.
• The most common nuclear fuel is uranium.
• Uranium is obtained by mining and processing uranium ore, which is a nonrenewable
resource
• During atomic fission, the nuclei of radioactive elements, such as uranium, are split,
releasing large amounts of energy.
• This energy is used to generate electricity.
• Nuclear energy does not cause air pollution from burning. However, uranium ore must be
mined.
• Nuclear power plants produce dangerous radioactive waste that must be safely stored for
long periods of time.
hat22222.5. What are the three main types of fossil fuels? ( CON )
• All living things contain the element carbon.
• Fossil fuels form from the remains of living things, so they also contain carbon.
• Most of this carbon is in the form of hydrocarbons, which are compounds
made of hydrogen and carbon.
• Fossil fuels can be liquids, gases, or solids.
• Fossil fuels include petroleum, natural gas, and coal
a. Petroleum
• Petroleum, or crude oil, is a liquid mixture of complex hydrocarbon compounds.
• Crude oil is extracted from the ground by drilling ( Digging ) then processed for use.
• This process, called refining ( Purification ) , separates the crude oil into different products
such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel.
• More than 35% of the world’s energy comes from crude oil products.
• Crude oil is also used to make products such as ink, bubble gum, and plastics.
• This crude oil will be refined into gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, kerosene, and
other products.
b. Natural Gas
• Natural gas is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons.
• Most natural gas is used for heating and cooking, but some is used to generate electricity.
• Some vehicles use natural gas as fuel.
• Methane is the main component of natural gas.
• Butane and propane can also be separated from natural gas.
• Butane and propane are used as fuel for camp stoves and outdoor grills.
• Some rural ( Village ) homes also use propane as a heating fuel.
• Natural gas is a popular fuel for cooking because it is inexpensive.
c. Coal
• The fossil fuel most widely used for generating electrical power is a solid called Coal.
• Coal was once used to heat homes and for transportation.
• In fact, many trains in the 1800s and early 1900s were pulled by coal-burning steam
locomotives ( vehicle used for pulling trains ).
• Now, most people use gasoline for transportation fuel.
• More than half of our nation’s electricity comes from coal-burning power plants.
• Coal is a fossil fuel often used to generate electricity.
6. How do fossil fuels form?
• Fossil fuels form over millions of years from the buried remains of ancient organisms.
• Fossil fuels differ in the kinds of organisms from which they form and in how they form.
• This process is continuing, too.
• The fossil fuels forming today will be available for use in a few million years!
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Form from Marine Organisms
• Petroleum and natural gas form mainly from the remains of microscopic sea organisms.
A. Petroleum and Natural Gas Formation :
1. When these organisms die, their remains sink and settle on the ocean floor.
2. There, the dead organisms are gradually buried by sediment.
3. The sediment is compacted by more layers of dead organisms and
sediment.
4. Over time the sediment layers become layers of rock.
5. Over millions of years, heat and pressure turn the remains of the organisms into petroleum
and natural gas.
6. The petroleum and natural gas, along with groundwater, flow into pores
in the rock. A rock with pores is a permeable rock.
7. Permeable rocks become reservoirs ( Tanks ) , where the petroleum and natural gas are
trapped and concentrated over time.
8. Humans can extract the fuels from these reservoirs ( Tanks ).
B. Coal Forms from Plant Remains
What are the factors that convert the buried plants into coal ?
• Coal is formed over millions of years from the remains of swamp plants.
• When the plants die, they sink to the swamp floor.
• Low oxygen levels in the water keep many plants from decaying and allow the process of
coal formation to begin.
• Today’s swamp plants may eventually turn into coal millions of years from now.
• The first step of coal formation :
1. Plant matter changing into peat.
2. Peat is made mostly of plant material and water. Peat is not coal.
3. In some parts of the world, peat is dried and burned for warmth or used as fuel.
4. Peat that is buried by layers of sediment can turn into coal after millions of years.
5. Over time, pressure and high temperature force water and gases out of the peat.
6. The peat gradually becomes harder, and its carbon content increases.
• The amount of heat and pressure determines the type of coal that forms.
• Types of Coal :
1. Lignite : “brown coal” because it is lighter in color. It has the lowest carbon content .
2. Bituminous coal : “soft coal,” has slightly lower carbon content than anthracite
3. Anthracite : “hard coal,” contains the highest amount of carbon
• Anthracite is highly valued because it has the highest carbon content and
gives off the most energy as heat when burned.
• Today, all three types of coal are mined around the world. When burned, coal releases energy
as heat and pollutes the air.
• The greater the carbon content of the coal, the fewer pollutants are released and the
cleaner the coal burns.
7. How are fossil fuels used as energy sources? See diagram P.164
• In the United States, petroleum fuels are mainly used for
transportation and heating.
• Airplanes, trains, boats, and cars all use petroleum for energy.
• Some people also use petroleum as a heating fuel. There are some oil-fired power plants in the
United States, but most are found in other parts of the world.
• Natural gas can be used as transportation fuel but is mainly used for heating and cooking.
• The use of natural gas as a source of electrical power is increasing.
• The U.S. Department of Energy projects that most power plants in the near future will use
natural gas.
• Today, coal is mainly used in the U.S. to generate electricity, which we use for lighting and to
power appliances and technology.
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8. How is energy produced from nuclear fuels? See diagram P.165
• During fission, the nuclei of radioactive atoms are split into two or
more fragments.
• A small particle called a neutron hits and splits an atom. This process releases large amounts
of energy as heat and radiation.
• Fission also releases more neutrons that bombard other atoms. The process repeats as a chain
reaction.
• Fission takes place inside a reactor core.
• Fuel rods containing uranium, shown in blue below, provide the material for the chain
reaction.
• Control rods that absorb neutrons are used to regulate the chain reaction.
• The energy is released, which is used to generate electrical power.
• A closed reactor system contains the radioactivity.
• Nuclear wastes are contained separately for disposal.
• Nuclear power plants produce dangerous radioactive waste that must be
safely stored for long periods of time.
9. How can we evaluate nonrenewable
energy resources?
• There are advantages and disadvantages to using nonrenewable energy resources.
• Nonrenewable resources provide much of the energy that humans need to power
transportation, warm homes, and produce electricity relatively cheaply.
• But the methods of obtaining and using these resources can have negative effects on
the environment.
• The use of certain resources can negatively impact the environment, resulting in habitat loss
and the pollution of air, water, and land.
The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Fuel
1. Nuclear fission produces a large amount of energy and does not
cause air pollution because no fuel is burned.
2. Mining uranium also does not usually result in massive strip mines ( type of surface
mining means removal of soil and rock (overburden) above a layer (particularly coal ),
followed by the removal of the exposed mineral ) or large loss of habitats.
Nuclear power does have drawbacks ( disadvantges ) :
3. Nuclear power plants produce dangerous wastes that remain radioactive for thousands of
years. So the waste must be specially stored to prevent harm to anyone.
4. Harmful radiation may also be released into the environment accidentally.
5. Hot water released from the power plant can also be a problem.
This heated water can disrupt aquatic ecosystems. So the hot water must be cooled before it is
released into local bodies of water.
The Pros and Cons of Fossil Fuels
1. Fossil fuels are relatively inexpensive to obtain and use.
2. However, there are problems associated with their Burning :
Coal can release sulfur dioxide, which combines with moisture in the air to form acid rain.
Acid rain causes damage to structures and the environment.
3. Coal mining also disturbs habitats, lowers water tables, and pollutes water.
4. Environmental problems are also associated with using oil.
In 2010, a blown oil well spilled an estimated 126 million gallons
of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days. The environmental costs
may continue for years.
5. Burning fossil fuels can cause smog, especially in cities with millions of vehicles.
Smog is a brownish haze that can cause respiratory problems and contribute to acid rain.
6. Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide can lead to global warming.e of hydrogen and
carbon. Fossil fuels can be liquids, gases, or
solids. Fossil fuels include petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
Petroleum
Petroleum, or crude oil, is a liquid mixture of
complex hydrocarbon compounds. Crude oil
is extracted from the ground by drilling then
processed for use. This process, called refining,
separates the crude oil into different products
such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel. More
than 35 percent of the world’s energy comes from
crude oil products. Crude oil is also used to make
products such as ink, bubble gum, and plastics.
This crude oil will be refined
into gasoline, diesel fuel,
heating oil, kerosene, and
other products.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons.
Most natural gas is used for heating and cooking,
but some is used to generate electricity. A
homes and for transportation.
1. Which nonrenewable energy resource
do you feel is safest to use in terms of environmental and health issues?
Natural gas does not cause as much pollution as coal or petroleum, and it doesn’t have
the storage and health risks associated with nuclear energy.
were pulled by coal-burn
2. What energy conversions take place in a coal-fired power
plant?
Energy from heat produced by burning the coal is used to boil
water to make steam. The steam turns turbines. The mechanical energy of the turbines
powers a generator, producing electricity.
Chemical E Heat E Kinetic E Mechanical E Electerical E
fuel. But more than half of our n
Of4. t 4. If fossil fuels are still forming, why are they considered a nonrenewable resource?
They are being used up faster than they can form.
5. What role do permeable rocks have in the formation of petroleum and natural gas?
Permeable rocks have pores.
Petroleum and natural gas flow into these pores so that the permeable rocks then
become reservoirs that hold these fossil fuels.
6. Which type of coal would you expect to cost the most?
Anthracite probably costs the most because it has the highest carbon content so it gives off the most
heat when burned and burns cleaner than other types of coal
Active Reading 7 Identify As you read, underline
7. If we run out of Non-renewable resources, what will happen
I could not do many activities that require nonrenewable energy resources, such as flying in a
plane to see my grandparents or watching television.
8. Nonrenewable energy resources are no longer being formed by natural processes. Is this
true?
No, it is not true. The formation of nonrenewable energy
resources like fossil fuels is an ongoing process, which takes
millions of years.
9. What do you think is the most important fossil fuel?
Coal is the most important because the United States gets at least half of its electricity from burning
coal
10. What is your greatest concern about the use of nonrenewable energy resources?
Running out of these resources before they are replaced & pollution
11. How can we reduce pollution from fossil fuels?
Use public transportation when possible.
12. In which part of the plant does fission occur?
Inside the reactor vessel.
13. What fuel is used in this process and where is the fuel placed?
Uranium is the fuel & it is placed in fuel rods inside the reactor.
14. Why do you think is it necessary to place the reactor and fuel rods inside
a containment structure?
To prevent harmful radiation leaks
15. Which part of the plant produces electricity?
The generator
16. Petroleum and Natural gas are accessed by drilled wells rather than mines.
Why can’t these fossil fuels be mined like coal?
They are a liquid and a gas, and cannot be mined like solid coal.
17. How does the lack of oxygen impact the formation of fossil fuels from organic debris?
It allows the formation of fossil fuels to occur by preventing complete decomposition of organic
debris
