Radience

Resources and Energy

Science

biomass

organic matter or animal waste that can be burned for energy
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coal

a fossil fuel made of decayed plant material
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conservation

the careful management and use of resources
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efficiency

the percentage of energy input that a machine converts to work output
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energy

the ability to do work
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fossil fuel

an energy source made of the remains of organisms that lived long ago, like coal or oil
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friction

the force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are touching
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fuel

a material that releases energy when burned, like wood, coal or oil
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gasohol

a mixture of gasoline and alcohol that is used as a fuel
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geothermal energy

heat energy released from within the Earth
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heat

the thermal energy transferred from a warmer object to a cooler object
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hydroelectric energy

electricity generated from flowing water
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insulation

a material that slows the transfer of heat energy
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kinetic energy

the energy of a moving object
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natural gas

a fossil fuel often found in underground rock layers
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natural resource

a material or an energy source in the environment, like trees, water or wind
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nonrenewable resource

a natural resource that is consumed faster than it can be created
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nuclear energy

the energy released when the nuclei of atoms are split or combined
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nuclear fission

the splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei and neutrons, this releases energy
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nuclear fusion

the combining of two nuclei to form a single nucleus, this releases energy
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petroleum

a black liquid fossil fuel that is nonrenewable
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potential energy

the energy an object has from its position or condition, like a ball on a hill or a stretched spring
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recycling

recovering useful material from waste for reuse
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renewable resource

a resource that is replaced by nature more quickly than it is consumed
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solar energy

the energy from sunlight
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temperature

how hot or cold something is, it is determined by the kinetic energy of its particles
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thermal energy

the energy of the moving particles in an object
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wave

a repeating disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space
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