Energy and the Environment

Robert A. Ristinen, PhD, deceased, was Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He served as Chair of the University’s Radiation Safety Committee and Chair of the University Energy Conservation Committee.Jack J. Kraushaar, PhD, deceased, was Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He served on the Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Committee, the Boulder County Energy Conservation Board, and on the University Energy Conservation Committee. Jeffrey T. Brack, PhD, retired, was Senior Research Scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and in the High Energy Physics group at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, concentrating in Particle Astrophysics. He was a member of the international Pierre Auger Observatory Collaboration.

• Preface xiiiAcknowledgment xvAbout the Companion Website xvii1 Energy Fundamentals, Energy Use in an Industrial Society 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Why Do We Use So Much Energy? 41.3 Energy Basics 71.3.1 General 71.3.2 Forms of Energy 81.3.3 Power 101.4 Units of Energy 111.4.1 The Joule 121.4.2 The British Thermal Unit 121.4.3 The Calorie 121.4.4 The Foot-Pound 121.4.5 The Electron-Volt 121.5 Scientific Notation 131.6 Energy Consumption in the United States 141.7 The Principle of Energy Conservation 201.8 Transformation of Energy from One Form to Another 211.9 Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Sources 221.9.1 Nonrenewable Energy Sources 231.9.2 Renewable Energy Sources 23Key Terms 24Questions and Problems 25Multiple Choice Questions 26Suggested Reading and References 282 The Fossil Fuels 312.1 Introduction 312.2 Petroleum 322.3 History of the Production of Petroleum in the United States 332.4 Petroleum Resources of the United States 342.5 World Production of Petroleum 382.6 The Cost of Gasoline in the United States 392.7 Petroleum Refining 402.8 Natural Gas 432.9 The History of Use of Natural Gas 442.10 The Natural Gas Resource Base in the United States 472.11 The Natural Gas Resource Base for the World 482.12 The Formation of Coal 502.13 Coal Resources and Consumption 502.14 Oil Shale 532.15 Tar Sands 562.16 Summary 57Key Terms 58Questions and Problems 58Multiple Choice Questions 59Suggested Reading and References 623 Heat Engines 653.1 The Mechanical Equivalent of Heat 653.2 The Energy Content of Fuels 663.3 The Thermodynamics of Heat Engines 673.4 Generation of Electricity 693.5 Electric Power Transmission 713.6 Practical Heat Engines 733.6.1 Steam Engines 743.6.2 Gasoline Engines 753.6.3 Diesel Engines 773.6.4 Gas Turbines 783.7 Heat Pumps 793.8 Cogeneration 82Key Terms 84Questions and Problems 85Multiple Choice Questions 86Suggested Reading and References 904 Renewable Energy Sources I: Solar Energy 914.1 Introduction 914.2 Energy from the Sun 934.3 A Flat-Plate Collector System 974.4 Passive Solar 1024.5 Solar Thermal Electric Power Generation 1054.5.1 Power Towers 1074.5.2 Parabolic Dishes and Troughs 1094.6 The Direct Conversion of Solar Energy to Electrical Energy 1104.7 Solar Cooling 118Key Terms 119Questions and Problems 119Multiple Choice Questions 120Suggested Reading and References 1235 Renewable Energy Sources II: Alternatives 1255.1 Introduction 1255.2 Hydropower 1265.3 Wind Power 1325.4 Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion 1395.5 Biomass as an Energy Feedstock 1435.6 Biomass: Municipal Solid Waste 1495.7 Biomass-Derived Liquid and Gaseous Fuels 1505.8 Geothermal Energy 1545.9 Tidal Energy 1595.10 Wave Energy 1615.11 Summary 162Key Terms 162Questions and Problems 162Multiple Choice Questions 164Suggested Reading and References 1676 The Promise and Problems of Nuclear Energy 1696.1 Introduction 1696.2 A Short History of Nuclear Energy 1706.3 Radioactivity 1736.4 Nuclear Reactors 1756.5 The Boiling Water Reactor 1776.6 Fuel Cycle 1796.7 Uranium Resources 1806.8 Environmental and Safety Aspects of Nuclear Energy 1826.9 Nuclear Reactor Accidents 1856.9.1 The Chernobyl Disaster 1856.9.2 Fukushima Daiichi Disaster 1866.10 Nuclear Weapons 1876.11 The Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste 1896.12 The Cost of Nuclear Power 1916.13 Nuclear Fusion as an Energy Source 1926.14 Controlled Thermonuclear Reactions 1946.15 A Fusion Reactor 194Key Terms 199Questions and Problems 199Multiple Choice Questions 201Suggested Reading and References 2047 Energy Conservation 2077.1 A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned 2077.2 Space Heating 2107.2.1 Thermal Insulation 2107.2.2 Air Infiltration 2157.2.3 Furnaces, Stoves, and Fireplaces 2167.2.4 Solar and Other Sources of Heat Energy 2197.2.5 Standards for Home Heating 2207.3 Water Heaters, Home Appliances, and Lighting 2217.3.1 Water Heating 2217.3.2 Appliances 2227.3.3 Lighting 2257.3.4 The Energy-Conserving House 2277.4 Energy Conservation in Industry and Agriculture 2277.4.1 Housekeeping 2287.4.2 Waste Heat Recovery and Cogeneration 2297.4.3 Process Changes 2297.4.4 Recycling 2297.4.5 New Developments 2307.4.6 Help from Public Utilities 231Key Terms 232Questions and Problems 232Multiple Choice Questions 234Suggested Reading and References 2368 Transportation 2398.1 Introduction 2398.2 Power and Energy Requirements 2428.3 Electric Batteries, Flywheels, Hybrids, Hydrogen, Alcohol 2488.3.1 Electric Vehicles 2508.3.2 Flywheel-Powered Vehicles 2528.3.3 Hybrid Vehicles 2558.3.4 Hydrogen, Fuel Cells 2578.3.5 Alcohol as a Transportation Fuel 2618.4 Mass Transportation 263Key Terms 266Questions and Problems 266Multiple Choice Questions 267Suggested Reading and References 2709 Air Pollution 2719.1 Spaceship Earth 2719.2 The Earth’s Atmosphere 2729.3 Thermal Inversions 2739.4 Carbon Monoxide 2779.5 The Oxides of Nitrogen 2829.6 Hydrocarbon Emissions and Photochemical Smog 2849.7 Reduction of Vehicle Emissions 2869.8 Sulfur Dioxide in the Atmosphere 2899.9 Particulates as Pollutants 2929.10 Acid Rain 295Key Terms 300Questions and Problems 301Multiple Choice Questions 302Suggested Reading and References 30510 Global Effects 30710.1 Introduction 30810.2 Ozone Depletion in the Stratosphere 30810.3 The Greenhouse Effect and World Climate Changes 312Key Terms 326Questions and Problems 326Multiple Choice Questions 327Suggested Reading and References 328Appendix 329Answers to Selected End-of-Chapter Problems 335Index 337