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Natural Resources

Natural Resources. Chapter 7. Minerals. Environment: all resources, influences, and conditions near Earth’s surface Renewable resource: can be replaced in nature at a rate close to the rate used Nonrenewable resource: fixed amount; used faster that can be replaced in nature

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Natural Resources

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  1. Natural Resources Chapter 7

  2. Minerals • Environment: all resources, influences, and conditions near Earth’s surface • Renewable resource: can be replaced in nature at a rate close to the rate used • Nonrenewable resource: fixed amount; used faster that can be replaced in nature • 93% of world’s energy = nonrenewable

  3. Which of the following is most likely made from a nonrenewable resource? A. bread B. gasoline C. oxygen D. lumber

  4. What percent of the world’s energy comes from nonrenewable energy resources? A. 100 percent B. 93 percent C. 75 percent D. 7 percent

  5. Earth’s Minerals • Elements can be nonmetal/metal • Important metallic elements in minerals • Ore mineral: valuable mineral; contains metallic element • Gangue: rest of the rock • Other valuable minerals not found in ore (nonmetallic) • Sand, gravel, rock salt, talc, graphite, etc

  6. Supply & Demand • Like a store • Want to supply products to meet the needs of shoppers • Minerals work the same • Problem = natural ability to replace used minerals • Reserve: deposits of a mineral in ores that are worth mining • Difficult to determine where they exist b/c the world hasn’t been explored for all minerals

  7. Minerals are non-renewable • Knowing size of the reserve + rate at which it is being used  determine how long it will last • Use continues reserves in the US will be used up within the next 60 years • Why are these resources important? • Iron  steel  skyscrapers, buildings, tunnels • Copper  electrical wiring and makes brass • Zinc  protects from rust • Aluminum  cans, cookware, bicycle frames • Lead  car batteries, shields around radioactive material • Must plan for when the resources will not be around • Decrease in demand = longer availability, but will eventually be gone

  8. A mineral reserve refers to A. the rate at which the mineral is used B. the cost of mining the mineral C. the equipment needed to find the mineral D. the known deposits of the mineral that are worth mining

  9. Although the mining process can be difficult and expensive, metal mineral reserves are mined because A. metals are easily located B. there is little demands for metals C. metals are useful and there is a great demand for them D. metals cannot be imported

  10. Energy Resources • Nonrenewable Energy • Fossil fuels • Uranium • Fossil fuel • Formed from the remains of organisms that lived millions of years ago • Coal, petroleum, natural gas • Burning = release of energy • Used much faster than they are forming • Coal used in power plants to generate electricity

  11. Fossil fuels (cont.) • Petroleum (i.e. oil)  liquid • Recovered by drilling • Slow chemical changes in organic matter • Compacted & oil/gas forced into pores of sandstone/limestone (usually in shale) • Oil trap keeps oil/gas from escaping • Natural gas = mix of methane & other hydrocarbon gases • Found w/petroleum, helps bring petroleum to the surface • Can be found in pockets alone • Other fossil fuels = oil shales, tar sands

  12. Uranium • Nucleus (nuclei): center of an atom; contains protons (positive part of an atom) & neutrons (neutral part of an atom) • Fusion: combining of the nuclei of lighter elements to form a heavier element • Fission: splitting of atoms • Atomic fusion reaction: atoms of uranium are hit with neutrons • Releases energy • New neutrons cause fission of other nuclei • Happens in a nuclear power plant • Recovered from black mineral – uraninite

  13. A fossil fuel that is sometimes obtained from shale is A. uranium B. peat C. anthracite D. oil

  14. The main use of coal in the US today is A. home heating B. electricity generation C. steel production D. petroleum refining

  15. A fuel commonly found with oil is A. lignite B. natural gas C. gasoline D. uranium

  16. Fossil fuels include all of the following except A. coal B. petroleum C. natural gas D. nuclear energy

  17. Renewable Resources • Water • Produces electricity: hydroelectric power • Most efficient • Water directly turns turbines • E from coal/uranium must convert water to steam first, which turns a turbine as well • Tides generate electricity • Drops from high to low tide, turns turbine

  18. Wind • Wind power: force of moving air • Captured in a windmill • Creates electricity  amount depends on: • Speed of wind • Length of the windmill blades • Efficiency of the windmill • Windmill farm: provides electricity to large areas; contains several hundred windmills • CA  more efficient windmills have kept the amount of E generated the same, while the # of farms decreased

  19. The sun • Solar power: energy from the sun • Passive: collects and stores solar energy • Ex: a special window collects energy & doesn’t let heat escape • Active: has 3 parts • Solar collector facing: absorbs heat • Storage area: gets heat from the collector and stores it until needed • Distributor: distributes heat throughout the building • Solar cells: convert light into electricity

  20. Geothermal Energy • Heat from Earth’s interior • Steam that naturally rises • Drilled & controlled like oil wells • Converted into electrical energy when steam/hot water piped through a power plant & run through a generator • High where there is high volcanic activity • CA the Geysers = largest source of geothermal energy in the world

  21. All of the following methods of generating electricity involve a turbine except A. burning coal B. nuclear fission C. solar cells D. water power

  22. Hydroelectric power generates electricity with A. water B. moving electrons C. moving air D. hot bedrock

  23. The amount of power produced by a windmill depends on all of the following except A. the speed of the wind B. the length of the windmills’ blades C. the energy needs of consumers D. the efficiency of the windmill

  24. Which of the following is not a method of conserving nonrenewable resources? A. recycling materials B. developing substitute materials C. discovering new deposits of nonrenewable materials D. reducing waste

  25. The energy source that depends on Earth’s internal heat is A. water power B. geothermal energy C. fossil fuels D. uranium

  26. Which energy source can be renewed by falling rain? A. hydroelectric power B. wind power C. geothermal power D. solar power

  27. California Geology

  28. Geology of California • California has formed over the last billion years of Earth's history • Oldest rocks exposed in CA are in the Death Valley & Mojave Desert regions • represent ancient oceanic crust & marine platform sediments that accumulated in the oceans of CA

  29. Death Valley

  30. Death Valley

  31. Driving into Death Valley

  32. Forces that shaped the earth in the past are still occurring today, as best demonstrated by California's • Earthquakes • Volcanic eruptions • Landslides • Floods • Other natural events

  33. Resources • Power sources in CA:

  34. Oil is found in 18 of the 58 counties in CA • Kern County (Bakersfield) = one of the largest oil production places in the country • We only get 1/2 of our oil from CA wells • Solar power plants in CA's Mojave Desert • use a highly curved mirror = a parabolic trough • Focuses sunlight on a pipe running down a central point above the curve of the mirror • The pipe so hot that it can boil water into steam • The steam is used to turn a turbine = electricity

  35. Huge rows of solar mirrors = "solar thermal power plants" • Makes electricity for more than 350,000 homes. • Problem = it works only when the sun is shining • On cloudy days & at night, the power plants can't create energy • Some plants are a "hybrid" technology • During the daytime they use the sun • At night & on cloudy days they burn natural gas to boil the water so they can continue to make electricity

  36. Geothermal energy = 6% of CA electrical needs • From plate tectonic spreading, or rifting • Use the geothermally heated hot water in • Swimming pools • Health spas • Warm buildings for growing plants, like in the green house • Used to heat buildings during the winter (San Bernardino, in Southern CA) • Hot water runs through miles of insulated pipes to dozens of public buildings • City Hall, animal shelters, retirement homes, state agencies, a hotel and convention center

  37. There are 14 areas in CA where we use geothermal energy to make electricity • Some are not used yet b/c the resource is too small, too isolated or the water temperatures are not hot enough to make electricity • Main spots: • The Geysers area north of San Francisco • NW corner of the state near Lassen Volcanic National Park • Mammoth Lakes area - the site of a huge ancient volcano • Coso Hot Springs area in Inyo County • Imperial Valley in Southern California

  38. CA's existing nuclear power plants provide a significant amount of CA's non-fossil fuel based energy and power • But there is a significant amounts of spent nuclear fuel

  39. In addition to power … • California Central Valley • Full of sediments = major agricultural area • Caused from faults that occurred as the Sierra Nevada rose and eroded

  40. Agriculture = Need for Water • Economy = industry & agriculture = need for a lot of water • Most water is from rain & snow in the mountains • Yet in Eastern CA  water from the Colorado River • As you travel further north = more precipitation (rainfall)

  41. Water and Geography • California is a state of different climates, which causes water supply to vary widely • Depends on runoff from the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range • Floods and droughts can occur in the same year

  42. Precipitation amounts can vary from less than an inch in CA’s Death Valley desert to about 56 inches along the North Coast • Precipitation • Captured & stored in reservoirs • It can recharge groundwater basins • These underground aquifers can hold 6-10 times the amount of surface water reservoir • Many are over-pumped & some are contaminated by toxins • Other aquifers are too deep to reach economically

  43. Agriculture is Important to the Economy • 1 out of every 6 jobs in CA is tied to agriculture in some way • CA has the largest agricultural economy in the nation • 1/2 of the nation’s fruits, nuts, and vegetables are grown here • Fresno is the most productive county in the nation, with an agricultural worth of 3.5 billion dollars in 2000 • Some crops use great quantities of water • EX: a hamburger patty = more than 1,300 gallons

  44. Water Projects & State’s Economy • Water development has three primary goals • flood control • water storage • hydroelectric power generation • CA is home to four massive water projects, plus numerous local projects • The Los Angeles Aqueduct brings water from the Owens Valley south to Los Angeles • The Colorado River Aqueduct brings water from the Colorado River to Southern California for urban uses

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