Unit 6 - Vocabulary List

a reaction that occurs when lighter nuclei are forced together to produce heavier nuclei

nuclear fuel that can no longer produce enough heat to be useful in a power plant but continues to emit radioactive

a cylindrical device inserted between the fuel rods in a nuclear reactor to absorb excess neutrons and slow or stop the fission reaction

a cylindrical tube that encloses nuclear fuel within a nuclear reactor

a nuclear reaction in which a neutronstrikes a relatively large atomic nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts, releasing additional neutrons and energy in the form of heat

the point at which half the total known oil supply is used up

a bell-shaped curve representing oil use and projecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when the world will run out of oil

the energy use per unit of gross domestic product

a degraded petroleum that forms when petroleum migrates to the surface of the earth and is modified by bacteria; also called tar or pitch

slow-flowing, viscous deposits of bitumen mixed with sand, water, and clay

liquid petroleum removed from the ground

a fossile fuel that occurs in underground deposits, composed of a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, water, and sulfur

a solid fuel formed primarily from the remains of trees, ferns, and other plant materials presered 280 million to 360 million years ago

the use of a fuel to generate elctricity and produce heat, also known as combined heat & power

the fraction of time a power plant operates in a year

in reference to an electricity-generating plant, the maximum electrical output

a power plant that uses both exhaust gases and steam turbines to generate electricity

a network of interconnected transmission lines that joins power plants together and links them with end users of electricity

a device with blades that can be turned by water, wind, steam, or exhaust gas from combustion that turns a generator in an electricity-producing plant

something that can move and deliver energy in a convenient, usable form to end senders

an energy source gathered by individuals for their own immediate needs

an anergy source that is bought and sold

fuel derived from radioactive materials that give off energy

a fuel derived from biological material that became fossilized millions of years ago