Energy and the

Environment
Science 30: Unit D
Chapter 1: Limitless
energy

1.1- Energy on Demand

Energy

is not a limitless resource;

Canadians are not making energyconscious decisions.
From 1990-2002 a shift towards SUVs
increased fuel consumption by $370/year
compared to cars.
GDP (gross domestic product) is $753
billion; leads to increase energy use to
manufacture goods.
Energy intensity is calculated by dividing
energy use by GDP per year;
industrialized countries have low values.

1) Factors affecting usage

Climate: extremes in temperature

influence energy usage.

Canada = used to heat homes

Australia= used to cool homes
Changes cause huge variance (47.9 PJ)

Activity: how much work is being done

Measured in $, tones, km travelled.
AS GDP increases; activity increases; energy
usage increases.

Factors affecting usage

Population: energy use per capita.

Used to measure prosperity of a country.
In order to become prosperous, energy use is
increased= consequences for environment.

Energy intensity: energy used/ GDP.

Natural resources industry requires more
energy usage = higher intensity.
Since 1990s Canada has developed a less
energy-intensive economy

2) Energy Efficiency
Energy

transformation is NOT 100%;

some is lost as waste energy.
The desired energy is useful
energy; the total energy used is the
input energy.
To calculate efficiency:
Efficiency = energy (or work) output
energy (or work) input

A) Kinetic and Potential energy

example
2. A golf ball starts with 345J of Potential energy;
the energy at the end of the rollercoaster is 120J
of Kinetic energy. What is the efficiency of the
rollercoaster?
% efficiency = output energy/input energy
= Kinetic energy/Potential energy
= (120J/345J) x 100
= 34.78%
b) What percent of the total energy is lost as waste
energy (heat, sound, etc.)?
100% - efficiency = waste energy %
100% - 34.78% = 65.22%

B) Percentage example
3. If a machine is 52% efficient and the total
energy output is 235J; what is the energy
input?
% efficiency = energy output/energy input
Energy input = energy output / % efficiency
= 235J/0.52
= 452J
b) What is the energy (in Joules) that is lost
to the surroundings?
100% - % efficiency = 48%
x 452J = 217J

c) Efficiency improvements
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with
fluorescent saves energy.
From 1990-2002 the energy use in mining
decreased by 12% but amount did not.
Royalties are paid to Albertas government
by energy companies in order to offset the
environmental cost.

Recall Stelmach and the royalty scandal last

year?
Gas and Oil

1.3) Harvesting Chemical Energy

Fossil fuels are used to power
engines as well as electronics;
where and how they are made is
important.
Discarding rechargeable batteries
can lead to soil contamination
from heavy metals.
Energy released in combustion
reactions (from fossil fuels)
releases carbon dioxide and
water vapor.

Chemical potential energy changes.

Hydrocarbons contain lots of energy

1) Energy release
Energy

from combustion reactions

takes many forms:
Radiant energy (IR and visible light).
Kinetic energy (movement increases)

Products

are at a higher
temperature; transfer of energy from
hot to cold is called heat.
Energy released is useful
movement or waste heat.

Cars

2) Heat of combustion
Reactants have more chemical
energy products have more
kinetic.
Potential energy changes in
combustion reactions; products
have less stored energy than
reactants.

Difference = energy released.

Heat of combustion( cH) is the

energy released during the
exothermic (energy released)
reaction.

a) Calorimetry
A

calorimeter is used to measure

energy transferred to water from the
substance being burned.
An experimental value for heat of
combustion is given, but there are
errors due to waste energy lost.

b) Hesss Law
cH = fHproducts fHreactants
Uses

standard heat of formation

(energy it takes to form a
compound) to estimate potential
energy.
Standard heat of formation ( fH):
element = 0 kJ
Substances = value from chart (p.5)

Steps
1.
2.
3.
4.

Divide into products and reactants.

Identify # moles for each
Assign values from page 5 table.
Total and subtract from each other.

Hesss law examples

Calculate the energy change in

combustion for the following (use
the table):
CH4 (l) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (l)

C4H10 (l) + 13 O2 (g) 8CO2 (g) + 10 H2O (l)

3) Inefficiency of machines
Total

energy input = total energy

transferred out (First law of
thermodynamics).
Some energy will always pass to the
environment as heat = 2nd law
(always from hot to cold object).
Minimizing the heat loss is the
important challenge.

4) Coal-fired generators

Coal is used to produce more than 70% of

Albertas electricity.
Converts chemical potential energy into
electrical energy.

Process:
Crush coal to fine dust, blow into combustion
chamber, IGNITE.
Energy released is absorbed by water lining the
chamber.
Water is converted to steam; causes turbine to
spin--- connected to generator.

Energy conversion:
1. Chemical potential
2. Kinetic energy
(steam)
3. Kinetic energy
(turbine)
4. Kinetic energy
(generator)
5. Kinetic energy
(electrical lines)

1.4) Harvesting Nuclear energy

CANDU = nuclear
reactor developed
in Canada
(Canadian
Deuterium
Uranium reactor).
Nuclear energy
results from the
nucleus of atoms;
combining 2
particles or
splitting them.

1) The nucleus
There

are 3 subatomic particles in

the nucleus:
Proton = positive charge, mass of
nucleus, atomic number.
Neutrons = no charge, mass of nucleus,
responsible for isotopes ( different
numbers of neutrons, same protons).
Electrons = negative charge, orbit
nucleus, responsible for charge.

a) Nucleons
Protons

and neutrons compose

nucleus = nucleons.
Use nuclear notation to describe
nucleons:

Mass

# - Atomic # = neutrons.

b) Stable Vs Unstable Nuclei

Stable nucleus = one that will stay together
indefinitely
What makes a nucleus stable?
Strong Nuclear Force which is much stronger
than the electric repulsive forces pushing
protons apart.
Strong nuclear forces only work over very
short distances.
In a large nucleus or a nucleus with extra
neutrons, Strong Nuclear Forces dont work
as well and the nucleus is unstable.

2) NUCLEAR REACTIONS
Chemical reactions, like combustion, only
involve changes to electrons.
NUCLEAR reactions involve changes
within the nucleus new elements are
sometimes formed as a result.
3 Types of NUCLEAR REACTIONS:
Radioactive decay
Nuclear fission
Nuclear Notation
Nuclear fusion

a) Radioactive decay
If

the force in the nucleus is unstable,

the neutron responsible will force the
nucleus to split.
The split nucleus = 2 alpha particles.
Alpha particle = 2 p+ and 2n (charge
= 2+); often written as a helium
atom.
Release of alpha particles = alpha
radiation; usually only 1 product is an
alpha particle.

Radioactive decay: Types of Radiation

ALPHA radiation is a particle consisting of two

protons and two neutrons (helium nucleus)

BETA Radiation is high speed electrons

produced by changing one neutron into a
proton and an electron.

GAMMA radiation are high energy photons.

1) Alpha decay
Number

of radioactive nucleons must

balance between reactants and
products.
1 product is always an alpha particle
( 4 nucleons, 2 protons).
6
3Li

H --->

2
1

4
2He

alpha decay process

+?

steps
1.

2.
3.

4.

5.

Split reaction into

reactants and
6
2
4
products (1 product
3Li + 1H ---> 2He
is always an alpha
particle).
reactant
Create a table.
Calculate the mass # Mass #
6
and Atomic # of
Atomic #
unknown.
3
Identify which
element it is (by
atomic #).
Write the balanced
reaction.

+?
product

4+A
2+Z

2) Beta Decay
Instability

in the nucleus leads to a

beta particle (an electron) emission.
Emitted from the nucleus; a stream
of beta particles = beta radiation.
In beta decay, # of nucleons is
constant but atomic # changes;
causes conversion of 1 neutron into a
proton.
beta decay process

steps
1.

2.
3.

4.

5.

List reactants and

products.
Create a table:
Determine mass #
and atomic # of the
product.
10
0
4Be ---> 1-e + ?
Identify unknown
product (Atomic # =
reactant
protons).
Mass #
10
Write balanced
equation.
Atomic #
4

product
0+A
-1 + Z

3) Gamma Radiation
Composed

of photons with no mass

or charge (
).
Usually an excess product of alpha
and beta decay.
Are harmful to humans; considered
to be ionizing radiation.
Radioactive Decay

Shielding radiation
Alpha,

Beta and Gamma rays are

ionizing radiation and must be
shielded.
A Geiger counter is used to test how
much radiation escapes the container
(shield).
Shielding is most difficult for gamma
rays because they are the smallest;
then beta and finally alpha.

Energy of Different Types of

Radiation

Each type of radiation has a different amount of

energy as shown by the penetrating power.

Alpha is stopped by paper

Beta is stopped by a thin sheet of copper or a

wood or a flesh

gamma is only stopped by a thick sheet of lead.

Radioactivity

b) Nuclear Fission
Energy is created by
splitting an atom; a large
nucleus is struck by a
neutron and breaks into 2
smaller nuclei.
Used in the 1st atomic
bomb; used to generate
electricity (CANDU
reactor).
Products of the reaction
have high kinetic energy;
used to spin generators =
electricity.

Nuclear Fission

1) Balancing equations
Same

as the steps to balance all

other types of radiation.
Complete the following:
235

92

U+

n ---> 3

n+

X+

A
Z

137

53

2) Controlling the Fission reaction

1) CANDU reactor controls neutrons
available by using heavy water =
uses heavy hydrogen and oxygen.
Controls the speed of the neutrons.
AKA = moderator (moderates speed).

2) Control rods = lower into Uranium

core, decreasing fission reaction #s.
Prevents the uncontrolled chain
reaction = nuclear meltdown.

Chernobyl Nuclear Meltdown

Chernobyl
videos

Chernobyl
remembered MSN Video

3) Mass-Energy Equivalence
An

uranium pellet of 7g can release

same amount of energy as 560 L of
oil.
Einstein explained that mass and
energy can be converted.
Mass is the sum of all energy;
energy is conserved not mass.
Uses equation:
Energy-mass
E = mc2

a) Energy problems
A small change in mass can create a huge
change in energy.
Sun converts 4.2 x109 kg into energy per
second.
Balance nuclear equations as usual but
find masses from the data booklet.
Find mass for reactants, products and
change in mass.
Calculate the energy given off.

See page 515 problem 1.8

3) Nuclear Fusion

energy of stars
2 small masses combine to form larger masses
Extremely high temperature s required, so fusion
reactions are called thermonuclear
sun temperatures are ~ 15 000 000 C
Fusion bomb = H bomb - fission reactions are used to
create high enough temps to have a fusion reaction
happen.
Slow controlled release of energy from a fusion
reaction escapes physicists.
Has been pursued for over 40 years
Scientists claimed they had a cold fusion reaction
but it has not ever been proven or replicated.
Ongoing research
Enormous potential energy and the fuel for this
type of reaction is almost unlimited.

Fusion video