Section 2 – Renewable Energy Resources Study Guide

Chapter 5: Earth’s Energy and Mineral Resources

Warm up review question

Warm Up review question

Inexhaustible Energy ResourcesInexhaustible energy resources

are sources of renewable energy that are constant and will not run out in the future.

Inexhaustible energy resources include the Sun, wind, water, and geothermal energy.

Solar EnergySolar energy is energy from the

Sun.

As the Sun’s energy heats the Earth, it causes circulation in Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. Global winds and ocean currents occur due to solar energy.

Solar EnergyPeople use solar cells to actively

collect energy from the sun.

Solar energy is clean and inexhaustible, but it does have some disadvantages.

Solar cells don’t work very well on cloudy days, and they do not work at all at night.

Energy from Wind

Windmills can be used to generate electricity. When a large number of windmills are placed in one area for the purpose of generating electricity, the area is called a wind farm.

Energy from WindWind energy is nonpolluting and

free, does little to harm the environment, and produces no waste.

The disadvantage is that only a few regions of the world have winds that are steady and strong enough to produce electricity.

Energy from WaterElectricity produced by water

power is called hydroelectric energy.

To generate the electricity, a large dam is built to retain water.

As the water is released, its force powers generators that make electricity.

Energy from Water

Hydroelectric power has disadvantages. When dams are built, upstream lakes fill with sediment and downstream erosion increases. Wildlife habitats can be damaged when areas are flooded.

Energy from the EarthEnergy obtained by using hot

magma or hot, dry rocks inside Earth is called geothermal energy.

Geothermal energy is the same type of energy that causes volcanoes to erupt or water to shoot up as geysers.

Energy from the Earth

Bodies of magma heat large reservoirs of groundwater. Geothermal power plants use steam from the reservoirs to produce electricity.

Renewable Energy ResourcesEnergy resources that can be

replaced in nature or by humans within a relatively short period of time are referred to as renewable energy resources.

Biomass energy is energy derived from burning organic materials such as wood, alcohol, and garbage.

Renewable Energy ResourcesWood is the most widely used

biomass fuel.

Burning wood has disadvantages. Gases and small particles pollute the air when wood is burned. When trees are cut down, natural habitats are destroyed.

Renewable Energy Resources

In some areas, alcohol and garbage are being used to generate energy.

ConservationRecycling is using old materials to

make new ones.

By reducing our use of resources, reusing resources whenever possible, and recycling resources, like aluminum, we can conserve our natural resources. (The 3 R’s)

Virginia’s mineral resourcesVirginia has some major mineral

resources. The 3 major mineral resources found in Virginia are coal, granite and limestone

Granite and Limestone can be used to create crushed stone for use in the construction industry.

Limestone is used to create concrete which is heavily used in the building of roads, buildings and bridges.