ECOL 1000 Final: Exam Study Notes at UGA
Document Summary
Where do various forms of fossil fuels come from geographically: the middle east produces half of the oil reserves, us and canada have the highest oil reserves. For what purposes are fossil fuels used: heat homes, run vehicles, power industry and manufacturing, electricity. What are environmental externalities associated with plastics: not biodegradable, entering food webs, ocean birds ingest the plastic, feed their young, starvation. What are social and environmental concerns associated with hydrofracking: allows toxic chemicals and methane gas to seep into drinking water, radioactive radium 226. Benefits of nuclear energy: low cost of production after startup costs, cheap. Disadvantages: disturbed landscape, heat alteration, safe disposal is a concern. Nuclear fission: decay of uranium 235u, split nucleus of u, releasing neutrons, causing chain reaction. Why is ga interested in nuclear: because we have nuclear power plant under constructon. Long term concerns: spent fuel pools, concrete- encased barrels, long term effects, spent is still reactive.
