C.

1-Energy Sources(Data Booklet 13) STP: 273k P:100kPa

Oil is the fossil fuel that currently provides the worlds economy with the most
energy but this will change as our finite resources run out. Fossil fuels are
non-renewable energy sources-they are used at a faster rate that they can be
replaced
Uranium is another non-renewable source of energy, which gives up energy as
its nuclei splits to form smaller nuclei.
Conservation of Energy: energy cannot bet created or destroyed. It can only
change from one form into another.
o Although our energy resources are being run down, this is not happening
to the quantity of energy in the universe.
o The problem is that the quality of our energy is being degraded-if we
loose energy to the environment it is no longer available to do useful
work. (In any cyclical process designed to convert heat to work, some
energy is always degraded. Degraded energy is energy that is no longer
available for the performance of useful work.)
Sources of energy are either: Hot bodies (Sun) or Objects that store high
quality of potential energy (water in reservoir or chemical energy of a fossil
fuel).
Energy needs to be cheap, plentiful and readily accessible and provide highquality energy at a suitable rate (not too slow/not too fast). It should do this in
a way that has a minimal effect on the environment.
o Rain Water: poor energy source, possesses gravitational potential
energy but it releases it too slow at a rate to be useful.
o Nuclear Bomb: releases energy at too fast rate for it to be used safely.
o Current High Quality Sources: fossil fuels, nuclear fission,
electrochemical cells, solar energy, biomass and alternative sources
(wind, etc.).
Fuel: is a substance that can release energy by changing its chemical or
nuclear structure.
o Fossil fuels release energy chemical reaction
o Uranium releases energy during a fission reaction
Renewable resources can be replenished at a rate faster than they are used
(e.g. wood as trees can be grown to replace those chopped down to provide
wood as a fuel).
Chapter 5 combustion reaction/change enthalpy not relevant as factors
such as storage and transport of a fuel are not considered within. (Enthalpies
of combustion used for energy released)
Energy realesed

Energy density: fuel

energy produced per unit
Volume of fuel combusted
volume. (kJ/cm3)
Energy realesed

Specific energy: fuel

energy produced per unit
Mass of fuel combusted
mass. (kJ/g)
Mas s (g)
Density:
3
Volume (c m )
Fusion fuel
3 x 109
238
U
9 x 109
Gasoline (petrol)
45.8
Natural gas
55.5

Coal
33.0
Wood
17.0
Hydrogen
142
Nuclear fuels have the highest specific energies (and energy density) and
fossil fuels have higher specific energies that the related renewable sources.
Energy conversions are never 100% efficient. A primary source of energy is
often not used directly but converted to a secondary source such as
electricity and some energy is lost during the conversion.
Useful Output Energy
x 100
Efficiency (of an energy transfer) =
Total Input Energy
Fossil Fuel
Typical efficiency values
Gas
40-50%
Oil
35-45%
Coal
35-40%
Generally, the efficiency is less than 50% as the random motion of the heated
gas particles needs to be converted into the coordinated motion of the particle
in the solid turbine and some energy is lost in the process.