Renewable & Nonrenewable Resources

Lesson Review 2.3: “Distribution & Management of Natural Resources”

1. Explain 2 ways that electricity is generated in PA. What energy source generates the majority of PA’s electricity?

• More than half of the electricity currently generated in PA comes from coal-burning power plants around the state; another 1/3 comes from nuclear power plants.

2. Compare & contrast 2 types of underground coal mining methods.• The room & pillar method cuts rooms into

the coal bed, leaving a series of coal columns to help support the mine roof & control the flow of air.

• In longwall mining, a cutting head moves back & forth across a coal seam, causing pieces of coal to fall onto a flexible conveyor. Longwall mining involves special roof supports that are moved as the seam is cut.

3. Describe 4 negative effects that coal mining & the use of coal as fuel have on the environment.

1. Acid mine drainage can form when pyrite in coal is exposed to air & rainwater.

2. AMD lowers the pH of a water body & covers the river channels with iron hydroxide.

3. Coal mining also alters the landscape.4. Coal affects the environment when it is burned.

Emissions combine with water vapor in the air to form acid precipitation that harms plants & animals. Acid precipitation also leaches aluminum from the soil, which can be extremely toxic to many aquatic organisms.

4. Explain the advantages & disadvantages of coal-burning, nuclear, & hydroelectric power plants.

• Coal-burning plants are relatively inexpensive to build & run. As with most conventional power plants, however, the chemicals & particulate matter released during combustion of coal can cause air pollution.

4. Explain the advantages & disadvantages of coal-burning, nuclear, & hydroelectric power plants.

• Nuclear power plants use much less fuel than coal-burning plants to produce an equal amount of electrical power. Nuclear plants also cause much less air pollution than do fossil-fuel burning plants. However, the fuels used in nuclear plants are radioactive materials that pose safety hazards.

4. Explain the advantages & disadvantages of coal-burning, nuclear, & hydroelectric power plants.

• Hydroelectric power plants cost less to operate than fossil-fuel plants & do not pollute the air. The number of hydroelectric power plants is limited by the availability of the water needed to run them.

5. List the steps involved in getting electricity from a power plant to the consumer.

• In the U.S., most electricity travels through overhead wires from the power plant to the consumer. Some industries can use the electrical current directly from the transmission lines. Most other uses require that the voltage be decreased before the power is distributed. Power substations use devices called step-down transformers to reduce the voltage.

6. Name 4 global organizations or agencies, & describe how each works to promote conservation of Earth’s resources.

• Global Response is working to prevent clear-cutting of the lenga forests of Tierra del Fuego & prevent destruction of an Australian wetland lake.• Conservation International is focusing

on conserving the Guinean Forests of West Africa.

6. Name 4 global organizations or agencies, & describe how each works to promote conservation of Earth’s resources.

• The International Energy Agency is an organization of 26 countries that are working to ensure conservation of Earth’s oil supply.

• The U.S. EPA works to repair damage already done to the environment & establish new criteria to protect human health & the air, water, & land.

7. How might an information system ensure that oil moves through a pipeline without causing an increase in pressure that could damage the pipeline?

• Computers can monitor the opening & closing of valves to ensure a constant flow.