UNIT 1 Resources and Energy Sources Natural vs

UNIT 1: Resources and Energy Sources

Natural vs. Produced • What are natural resources? • Examples: – wood, minerals, water, animals, plants, oil, coal etc. • What are produced resources? • Examples – gas, alloys, composites, plastics, etc.

Earth’s Resources • Resources come from the Earth, either in raw form or as material used to make new products. • Earth’s resources include organisms, air, water, and soil, as well as materials such as oil, gas, and ores that are removed from the ground for processing. Two Main Classifications of Resources § § Renewable resources Nonrenewable resources

Renewable Resources Definition: any material or energy source that cycles, or can be replaced easily within a short time period. Ø Common renewable resources • • Food and Fiber Soil Wind The Sun Water Biomass Fuels Geothermal Energy

Nonrenewable Resources • Definition: material or energy source that cannot be replaced easily or requires extremely long amounts of time to replace itself. • Common nonrenewable resources Ores § Rocks as Resources § Fossil Fuels • Coal • Petroleum and Natural Gas • Oil §

Fossil Fuels • Definition: fuels such as wood, charcoal, peat, coal, oil, and natural gas that release energy when burned • Considered nonrenewable because they take millions of years to form. • Major fossil fuels in developed countries include: § Coal § Oil § Natural gas

Coal • Formed when wetland plants die, are buried, and undergo physical and chemical changes over millions of years. • Considered nonrenewable because they take millions of years to form

Petroleum and Natural Gas • Formed from the remains of plants, bacteria, algae, and other microscopic marine organisms. • Formed when more organic matter is produced than is destroyed, which is common in coastal waters. • Chemical and physical changes result in the formation of organic matter in the form of liquids and gases.

Global Energy Use and Production • World’s total energy consumption rates have been increasing in many countries, both developed and developing. § Example: China uses coal as the main resource to heat their homes. Thus, as populations increase, and consumption rates increase, coal supplies must also increase in order to meet this demand. § Why are nonrenewable energy sources not a good choice for our global energy needs?

Alternative Energy Resources • Alternative energy sources are being pursued in many developed countries as a way to counteract the developed world's dependence on nonrenewable resources that are being exhausted faster than they can be replaced. • Common alternative energy resources • Solar Energy • Wind • Hydropower • Geothermal Energy • Nuclear Power • Trash • Hydrogen