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12/6/13 5 th /6 th. Bellringer : Rare earth in China Turn in Mineral I.D. Lab Notes: IMPACTS of FOSSIL FUELS . Rare Earth in China . Rare Earth minerals are VERY economically beneficial and VERY environmentally harmful to get.
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12/6/13 5th/6th • Bellringer: Rare earth in China • Turn in Mineral I.D. Lab • Notes: IMPACTS of FOSSIL FUELS
Rare Earth in China • Rare Earth minerals are VERY economically beneficial and VERY environmentally harmful to get. • Should the USA start mining Rare Earth again or let China to continue to make LOTS of profits while harming their environment?? Explain your reasoning.
12/9/13 4th • Bellringer: Dirty Fuel • Turn in Mineral ID • Impacts of Fossil Fuels NOTES
Dirty Fuel • Coal is considered the “Dirtiest” Fuel. • What does this actually mean?
What elements do plants and animals consist of? • Nitrogen • Carbon • Hydrogen • Oxygen • Phosphorus • Sulfur • (+ Mercury, discussed later)
What elements do fossil fuels consist of? • Nitrogen • Carbon • Hydrogen • Oxygen • Phosphorus • Sulfur • (Mercury, discussed later)
When fossil fuels are burned, what elements get released? • Nitrogen • Carbon • Hydrogen • Oxygen • Phosphorus • Sulfur • (+ Mercury, discussed later)
An Easy Way to Think of This N.C.H.O.P.S. (+Hg)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned? NCHOPS are released into the air in different chemical forms. N2and O2 produce NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned? C and O2 • produce CO2 and CO • (carbon dioxide & • carbon monoxide)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned? H2 and O2produce H2O (water)
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned? • P and O2 produce P2O5(phosphorus pentoxide)* *P2O5 IS NOT RELEASED INTO ATMOSPHERE
How are pollutants formed when coal is burned? S and O2 produce SO2 and SO3 (sulfur dioxide & sulfur trioxide)
Mercury (Hg) • Mercury combines with Carbon and Hydrogen • CH3Hg
Negative Impact #1 Acid Rain NCHOPS can produce acid rain when they are chemically combined with water in the atmosphere • NO2reacts with water to form nitric acid (HNO3) • CO2reacts with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) • SO3reacts with water to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
Negative Impacts #2 Smog NOxproduces smog, which is ground level ozone. An estimated 140 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of smog according to the The American Lung Association.
Negative Impacts #3 Green House Gasses • Coal and other energy uses are the single largest source of GHGs in the U.S. and the world
Negative Impacts #4 Particulates • Pollution in solid form can be inhaled which leads to health problem • Asthma, cancer and death • People who live near coal plants are at much greater risk
Negative Impacts #5Mercury • Mercury accumulates in the atmosphere and falls to the earth during precipitation • Mercury is a “heavy-metal” and it Bio-Accumulates up the food chain • Adverse risks to pregnancy and child development
Mercury in Lakes • Besides answering the question, tell me what paragraph you found the answers • You may have used more than one paragraph for an answer
Biomagnification • Explain what happens to biomass (energy) as you move up trophic levels • Explain what happens to persistent pollutants (like Mercury) as you move up trophic levels
Biomass decreases Pollutants increase • Biological magnification pollutants become more concentrated in organisms higher in the food chain
12/9/13 5th/6th • Bellringer: Dihydrogen Monoxide • Finish: Impacts of Fossil Fuels Notes • Read: Loons in Wisconsin
DiHydrogen Monoxide 1) Should DHMO be banned? Explain why or why not? • ***ANSWER AFTER OUR DISCUSSION*** Explain how this article uses Sensationalism(the use of exciting/shocking language at the expense of accuracy) to lead to an uneducated decision by the reader.
12/11/13 4th • Bellringer: Mercury in Fish • Finish Notes • Start Acid Rain Lab
Mercury in Fish • Based on the amounts of Mercury in each fish, name 2 fishes that are top predators and 2 fishes that are low on the food chain. • Which is the safest combination (lowest mercury) to buy at the grocery store? • Marlin, Bluefish and Halibut • Catfish, Cod and Bigeye Tuna
Global, Regional, or Local? • Acid Rain • Smog • Greenhouse Gasses • Particulates • Mercury/Bioaccumulation • Regional • Local • Global • Local • Regional
Tradeoffs • Which is Better? • Cheaper electricity with higher emissions • Expensive electricity with lower emissions Long-Term vs. Short Term Can the average American make the investment to more expensive, ecofriendly energy?
Coal Review • Pros and Cons
Pros of Coal Power • Cheap • Cheaper per unit energy than oil or natural gas • Will continue to be an important global resource • Abundant • Coal is the world’s most abundant fossil fuel • Sufficient reserves for the next 250 years
Pros of Coal Power USAGE • Supplying approximately 50% of electricity to the USA Economy • Coal-mining stimulates over one million jobs in the • U.S.Coalcontributes over $80 billion annually to the economy
Cons of Coal Power • GHGs • Pollutants (Smog, Acid Rain, Particulates, Mercury) • NON-RENEWABLE (will run out) • Long term problems will be EXPENSIVE
Future of Coal Clean coal technology • New type of coal-burning power plants with technology to reduce pollution emissions
How to rely less on Coal • Energy Conservation… (use less energy). • Heating/Cooling our houses • Unplugging Appliances • Less dependence on cars. • Technology… (use smarter energy) • Switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy • This can be done on the national/global level or on the individual level
Next Up…Investigating the Impacts of Coal • Mercury • Acid Rain • Greenhouse Gasses and Climate Change • Energy Conservation • Making the Switch to Green Energy