| A | B |
|---|
| combustion | a rapid reaction between oxygen and fuel that results in fire; burning a fuel produces thermal energy. |
| energy transformation | any change from one form of enregy to another. |
| fossil fuel | an energy-rich substance (coal, oil or natural gas) formed from the remains of organisms; burned to release chemical energy. |
| fuel | a material that releases energy when it burns. |
| hydrocarbon | an organic compound that contains ONLY the elements carbon and hydrogen. |
| nonrenewable resource | a natural resource that is not replaced as it is used. |
| petrochemical | compound made from oil. |
| petroleum | LIQUID fossil fuel; OIL. |
| refinery | a factory where crude oil is separated into fuels and other products. |
| reserves | a known deposit of fuels. |
| hydrocarbon | an organic compound that contains only the elements carbon and hydrogen |
| renewable resources | a natural resource that can be replaced in nature at a rate close to the rate at which it is being used |
| solar energy | energy from the sun |
| inexhaustible resource | any living or nonliving thing in the environment of which there is a limitless supply |
| hydroelectric power | electricity produced by the kinetic energy of water moving over a waterfall or dam |
| biomass fuel | fuel made from things that once were alive |
| geothermal energy | heat energy in Earth's interior from water or steam that has been heated by magma |
| nucleus | central core of an atom; control center |
| nuclear fission | splittinng of an atom's nucleus into smaller nuclei |
| reactor vessel | part of anuclear reactor where nuclear fission occurs |
| fuel rod | uranium rod that undergoes fission in a nuclear reactor |
| control rod | cadmium rod used in a nuclear reator to absorb neutrons from fission |
| meltdown | a dangerous condition caused by overheating inside a nuclear reactor |
| nuclear fusion | process in which smaller nuclei combine into larger nuclei, forming heavier elements and releasing energy |
| energy conservation | the practice of reducing energy use |
| efficiency | the percentage of the input work that is converted to output work |
| insulation | building material that blcoks heat transfer between the air inside and outside |
