GEOG 1070 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Alternative Energy, Thermal Pollution, Active Solar
1 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Energy and the environment: renewable and nuclear energy. Problems with fossil fuels: oil will run out soonest, coal last longest, high environmental impacts-air, water pollution, high impact on climate change. Alternative energy: main types of alternative energy-nuclear, hydroelectric, biomass, wind, solar, geothermal. Nuclear fission-neutron hits nucleus of atom and splits, releasing radioactive energy-filled products. Conventional fission: mainly uses ur-235, heat from fission creates steam, which rotates turbine, which drives a generator that produces electricity. Breeder reactors: these use uranium 238, which generate much more energy. Current power from nuclear energy: produces 6-7% of energy, most reactors found in developed nations, us has 99 reactors. Pros of nuclear power: doesn"t contribute to global warming or acid rain, use less fuel than fossil fuels to release energy, produces less waste than fossil fuels. Cons: non-renewable, only a certain amount of ur, environmental concerns/public fear of radiation exposure. Radiation damages cells; high dose can prevent cell division causing death.
