| A | B |
|---|
| combustion | the burning of a fuel |
| fossil fuels | an energy-rich substance (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) formed from the remains of organisms |
| hydrocarbons | compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen atoms |
| reserve | a known deposit of fuels |
| petroleum | liquid fossil fuel; oil |
| refinery | a factory where crude oil is separated into fuels and other products |
| petrochemicals | compounds made from oil |
| nonrenewable resources | a natural resource that is not replaced as it is used |
| passive solar system | a method of converting solar energy into heat without pumps or fans |
| active solar system | a method of capturing the sun's energy and distributing it using pumps and fans |
| hydroelectric power | electricity produced by the kinetic energy of water moving over a waterfall or dam |
| biomass fuels | fuel made from things that once were alive |
| gasohol | a mixture of gasoline and alcohol |
| geothermal energy | heat energy in Earth's interior from water or steam that has been heated by magma |
| nucleus | the central core of an atom that contains the protons and neutrons |
| nuclear fission | the splitting of an atom's nucleus into smaller nuclei |
| reactor vessel | the part of a nuclear reactor where nuclear fission occurs |
| fuel rod | uranium rod that undergoes fission in a nuclear reactor |
| control rods | cadmium rods used in a nuclear reactor to absorb neutrons from fission |
| meltdown | a dangerous condition caused by overheating inside a nuclear reactor |
| nuclear fusion | the combining of two atomic nuclei into a single larger nucleus, as when two hydrogen atoms join together to form helium, releasing energy |
| energy conservation | the practice of reducing energy use |
| insulation | building material that blocks heat transfer between the air inside and outside |
| efficiency | the percentage of energy that is used by a device to perform work |
