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ES Ch8-9 Vocab
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| absorbed dose | The amount of energy absorbed by matter, measured in grays or rads. |
| Acid mine drainage | A kind of pollution, associated with coal mines, in which bacteria convert the sulfur in coal into compounds that form sulfuric acid. |
| Alpha radiation | A type of radiation consisting of a particle with two neutrons and two protons. |
| Anthracite | A hard, high-carbon coal that burns cleanly and efficiently, ideal for heating and industrial use. |
| Beta radiation | A type of radiation consisting of elec- trons released from the nuclei of many fissionable atoms. |
| Bituminous | A mid-grade coal used widely for electricity and industrial energy due to its high energy content. |
| Black lung disease | A respiratory condition resulting from the accumulation of large amounts of fine coal-dust particles in miners’ lungs. |
| Coal | A fossil fuel formed from ancient plants, used for energy, heating, and industrial processes. |
| Crude oil | Unrefined petroleum used to make fuels like gasoline and products like plastics. |
| Dose equivalent | The absorbed dose times a quality factor. |
| Fissionable | The property of the nucleus of some atoms that allows them to split into smaller particles. |
| Fossil fuels | The organic remains of plants, animals, and microorganisms that lived millions of years ago that are preserved as natural gas, oil, and coal. |
| Gamma radiation | A type of electromagnetic radiation that comes from disintegrating atomic nuclei. |
| Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) | A process to extract oil and gas by injecting fluid into underground rock formations. |
| Industrial Revolution | A period of history during which machinery replaced human labor. |
| Ionizing radiation | Radiation that can dislodge electrons from atoms to form ions. |
| Lignite | Low-grade, brown coal with high moisture, mainly used for power generation. |
| Liquified natural gas | Natural gas that has been con- verted to a liquid by cooling it to 21628C. |
| Mountaintop removal | A mining method in which the top of a mountain is removed to get at a coal vein and the unwanted soil and rock is pushed into the adjacent valley. |
| Natural gas | A cleaner-burning fossil fuel used for electricity, heating, and industrial production. |
| Non-renewable | Energy resources like coal, oil, and gas that deplete over time and cannot be replenished quickly. |
| Nuclear chain reaction | A continuous process in which a splitting nucleus releases neutrons that strike and split the nuclei of other atoms, releasing nuclear energy. |
| Nuclear fission | The decomposition of an atom’s nucleus with the release of particles and energy. |
| Nuclear reactor | A device that permits a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction. |
| Oil shale | A rock material that contains a high viscos- ity mixture of hydrocarbons that must be heated to extract the oil. |
| Open pit mining | A surface mining technique to extract resources like coal and minerals, often disrupting the environment. |
| Ore | A mineral or rock containing valuable metals or minerals for extraction. |
| Overburden | The layer of soil and rock that covers deposits of desirable minerals. |
| Peat | Partially decayed organic matter, a precursor to coal, used as fuel and for carbon storage. |
| Petrochemicals | Chemicals derived from petroleum or natural gas, used to make plastics, fertilizers, and more. |
| Petroleum (crude oil) | A naturally occurring, liquid mixture of hydrocarbons found beneath the Earth's surface. It is a primary source of energy and raw materials for various products. |
| Plutonium-239 | A radioactive isotope produced in a breeder reactor and used as a nuclear fuel. |
| Radiation | Energy that travels through space in the form of waves or particles. |
| Radioactive | Describes unstable nuclei that release particles and energy as they disintegrate. |
| Radioactive half-life | The time it takes for half of the radioactive material to spontaneously decompose. |
| Renewable energy sources | Those energy sources that can be regenerated by natural processes. |
| Reserves | The known deposits from which materials can be extracted profitably with existing technology under present economic conditions. |
| Resource | Naturally occurring substances that can be utilized by people but may not be economic. |
| Smelting | A process that involves heating ores to extract metals. It often releases harmful pollutants into the environment. |
| Spoils | Waste materials generated from mining operations, including overburden and tailings. They can contaminate soil and water if not properly managed. |
| Strip mining | A surface mining technique where layers of soil and rock are removed to extract mineral deposits. It causes significant environmental damage, including habitat destruction and soil erosion. |
| Surface mining | A type of mining in which the overburden is removed to procure the underlying deposit. |
| Tar sands | A combination of clay, sand, water, and a thick oil called bitumen. (Also referred to as oil sands.) |
| Underground mining | A type of mining in which the deposited material is removed without disturbing the overburden. |
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