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 Chapter 5: Energy

Energy to Power Your Life Over the past 100 years, the amount of energy used in the United States and else where has greatly increased. Today, a number of energy sources are available, such as coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, hydroelectric power, wind, and solar energy. Some of these energy sources are being used up and are nonrenewable, but others are replaced as fast as they are used and, therefore, are renewable. Some energy sources are so vast that human usage has almost no effect on the amount available. These energy sources are inexhaustible. Think about the types of energy you use at home and school every day. In this activity, you will investigate how and where energy is produced, and how it gets to you. You will also investigate alternative ways energy can be produced, and whether these sources are renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible.

What are the sources of the energy you use every day?

When you wake up in the morning and turn on a light, you use electrical energy. When you ride to school in a car or bus, its engine consumes chemical energy. What other types of energy do you use? Where is that energy produced? Which energy sources are nonrenewable, which are renewable, and which are inexhaustible? What are other sources of energy that you could use instead?

Goals Identify how energy you use is produced and delivered. Investigate alternative sources for the energy you use. Outline a plan for how these alternative sources of energy could be used. Data Sources Weblinks View Student Data

Plan Think about the activities you do every day and the things you use. When you watch television, listen to the radio, ride in a car, use a hair drier, or turn on the air conditioning, you use energy. Select one activity or appliance that uses energy. Identify the type of energy that is used. Investigate how that energy is produced and delivered to you. Determine if the energy source is renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible. If your energy source is nonrenewable, describe how the energy you use could be produced by renewable sources. Do Make sure your teacher approves your plan before you start. Organize your findings in a data table, similar to the one that is shown. Post your data.

Describe the process for producing and delivering the energy source you researched. How is it created, and how does it get to you? How much of the energy you use every day comes from the energy source you investigated? Is the energy source you researched renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible? Why? What other renewable or inexhaustible energy sources are used, or could be used, to generate electricity in your area? If the energy source you investigated is nonrenewable, describe how you could reduce your use of this energy source. What alternative sources of energy could you use for your everyday energy needs? On the computer, create a plan for using renewable or inexhaustible sources.

Results

Local Energy Information Energy Type Where is the energy produced? How is the energy produced? How is that energy delivered to you? Is the energy source renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible? What type of alternative energy source could you use instead? * City: * State: Select Your State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Not Applicable * School:

* required