premise of a nuclear power plant
use uranium pellets in the fuel rods to generate heat while using control rods to prevent a meltdown
public health issue related to the use of nuclear energy
thyroid cancer
low level radioactive waste includes:
contaminated clothing, tools used in plant maintenance, rags used to clean water from the reactor, contaminated protective gear worn by workers
how many half-lives do spent fuel rods remain a threat to human health
at least ten
best idea of what to do with waste from nuclear power plants
storing the waste in a geologically stable site away from human habitation
what type of electricity generating power plant regularly releases toxic metals such as mercury and lead into the atmosphere
coal fired power plant
which resource is the cleanest burning fossil fuel
natural gas
majority of _______ is produced by coal burning power plants
atmospheric mercury
location with largest proven coal reserves
us and china
why did the world oil consumption double between 1960 and 1970?
number of cars on the road increased
which metals are considered an energy resource
uranium
substances derived from petroleum
asphalt, ddt, polystyrene, nylon
stages of coal formation in order
beat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite
what is true about the increase in world fuel consumption between 1965 and 1980
increase in oil consumption outpaced the increases in coal and natural gas consumption
which energy sources are non renewable
nuclear and fossil fuels
in the use of coal to produce energy, what decreases the energy efficiency of the process
extracting the coal from the ground, waste heat, energy required to build the power plant, the removal of the waste products
what is primarily responsible for acid rain the us
coal
what kind of energy is renewable
solar
which is expected to be largely exhausted within the next 50 years
oil
what occurs naturally in bed rock and leads to the formation of radon
uranium 238