EARTH SCIENCE
LECTURE | STEM | FOSSIL, GEO, HYDRO, WATER, SOIL | 1ST SEM 2022
FOSSIL FUELS
Fossil Fuels were created over millions of
years from dead organic material such as
plants and animals.
Layers of mud and sediments covered the dead
organic material and both heat and pressure led
to the formation of coil, oil, and gas.
Fossil Fuels such as oil, natural gas, petroleum,
and coal are all important non-renewable
resources that come from sedimentary rocks.
Oils are used to produce gasoline which has
various uses in our world.
Vehicles use gasoline as a form of energy.
(e.g. buses, trucks, motorcycles, and cars)
Natural gas is used for both heating and
cooling a home and also for cooking.
Coal is inexpensive and is used around the
world to help produce electricity.
Coal, Oil, and Gas were formed when these
plants and animals died and sank to the bottom
of the ocean.
Pressure from layers of sedimentary rocks
along with heat turned these dead animals and
plants into coal, oil, and gas.
Coal can be found in sedimentary rocks while
oil is found between layers of sedimentary
rocks such as shale. Natural gas usually is
found in the form of methane in pockets above
deposits of oil.
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black
sedimentary rock.
Generating Station is a facility for the
generation of electric power.
Pump Jack is the over ground drive for a
reciprocating piston pump in an oil well.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Geothermal energy comes from the heat within
the Earth. The word “geothermal” comes from
the Greek geo, meaning “Earth,” and therme,
meaning “heat.” People around the world use
geothermal energy to produce electricity, to heat
buildings and greenhouses, and for other
purposes.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
● Geothermal energy is a renewable
energy source because heat is
continuously produced inside the Earth.
● Geothermal energy is called a renewable
energy source because the water is
replenished by rainfall, and the heat is
continuously produced by the Earth.
● The Earth has been emitting heat for
about 4.5 billion years, and will continue
because of the ongoing radioactive
decay in Earth’s core.
HOW GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IS
CAPTURED
PEOPLE CAN CAPTURE GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY THROUGH:
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Geothermal Power Plants
- uses heat from deep inside the Earth to
generate steam to make electricity.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
- tap into heat close to the Earth’s surface
to heat water or provide heat water or
provide heat for buildings.
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT
How does it work?
1. Hot water is pumped from deep
underground through a well under
high pressure.
2. When the water reaches the surface,
the pressure drops, which causes the
water to turn into steam.
3. The stream spins a turbine, which is
connected to a generator that
produces electricity.
4. The steam cools off in a cooling tower
and condenses back to water.
5. The cooled water is pumped back
into the Earth to begin the process
again.
TYPES OF GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT
1. Dry Steam Power Plant - Hot steam
from underground is piped directly into
turbines, which powers the generator.
2. Flash Steam Power Plant - Hot water
is pumped into a cooler temperature
flash tank. The sudden change in
temperature creates steam which
powers the generator.
3. Binary Cycle Power Plant - Hot water
from underground is pumped through a
heat exchanger which heats a second
liquid that transforms into steam.
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT
How does it work?
1. Water or a refrigerant moves through
a loop of pipes.
2. When the weather is cold, the water
or refrigerant heats up as it travels
through the part of the loop that’s
buried underground.
3. Once it gets back above the ground,
the warmed water or refrigerant
transfers heat into the building.
4. The water or refrigerant cools down
after its heat is transferred. It is
pumped back underground where it
heats up once more, starting the
process again.
5. On a hot day, the system can run in
reverse. The water or refrigerant
cools the building and then is
pumped underground where extra
heat is transferred to the ground
around the pipes.
HYDROPOWER
Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is one of
the oldest and largest sources of renewable
energy, which uses the natural flow of moving
water to generate electricity. Some may be very
large, but they can be tiny too, taking advantage
of water flows in municipal water facilities or
irrigation ditches.
THE HYDROPOWER RESOURCE
Two main types of Hydropower:
Dam and Run of River
Various sizes of hydro plants that produces
electricity:
- Large Hydro (>30MW)
- Small Hydro (100 KW - 30 MW)
- Small Hydro (<100 KW)
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF GEOTHERMAL AND
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS?
➢ This energy source is more environmental
friendly than conventional fuel sources.
➢ A source of renewable energy.
➢ The number of exploitable geothermal
resources will increase with ongoing
research and development in the industry.
➢ A sustainable source of energy as it's
always available unlike wind and solar.
➢ A reliable source as it is easier to predict
the power output from a geothermal
plant with a high degree of accuracy.
➢ No fuel is required.
➢ Pollution levels are much lower
compared to fossil fuels.
WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF
USING GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS?
➢ The largest single disadvantage of
geothermal energy is that it is
location specific.
➢ Gasses are released into the
atmosphere during digging.
➢ Geothermal energy runs the risk of
triggering earthquakes.
➢ Expensive resource to tap into, with
high upfront costs ranging from
around $2-$7 million for a plant with
a 1 megawatt capacity.
➢ Energy fluid needs to be pumped
back into the underground
reservoirs faster than it is depleted.
Management is required to maintain
sustainability.
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF USING
HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS?
PROS:
➢ Renewable
➢ Low emissions
➢ Reliable
➢ Safe
CONS:
➢ Environmental consequences
➢ Expensive to build
➢ Drought potential
➢ Limited reserves
POINTS TO REMEMBER
● Geothermal energy comes from the
heat in the earth's core. This heat
creates underground reservoirs of
steam and hot water, which can be
tapped to generate electricity or to
heat and cool buildings directly.
Geothermal energy is the third largest
source of renewable energy, behind
hydropower and biomass.
● Hydropower is one of the oldest
power sources on the planet,
generating power when flowing water
spins a wheel or turbine. It was used
by farmers as far back as ancient
Greece for mechanical tasks like
grinding grain. Hydropower is also a
renewable energy source and
produces no air pollution or toxic
byproducts.
FRESHWATER RESOURCES
Global Overview:
● While 67% of Earth’s surface is covered
by water, only less than 2.7% of global
water is freshwater. Most of the
freshwater (2.05%) are locked in ice
caps and glaciers. Only less than 0.7%
is available for human use.
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Over two thirds of the earth's surface is
covered with water, 97.2% of which is
contained in the five oceans. The Antarctic ice
sheet, containing 90% of all freshwater on the
planet, is visible at the bottom. Atmospheric
water vapour can be seen as clouds,
contributing to the earth's albedo.
➔ Iceberg and Polar cap store most of the
freshwater on Earth
● A shift in food consumption pattern
toward more meat consumption will
cause a substantial increase in water
consumption.
WATER CONSUMPTION FOR FOOD
PRODUCTION (II)

VOLUME OF WATER STORED IN THE

WATER CYCLE'S RESERVOIRS

Reservoir Volume of Percent

water
of total
(106 km³)

Ocean 1370 97.25

Ice caps & 29 2.05

glaciers

Groundwater 9.5 0.68

Lakes 0.125 0.01

COMPETING WATER USES (I)
Soil Moisture 0.065 0.005

Atmosphere 0.013 0.001

Streams & 0.0017 0.0001

rivers

Biosphere 0.0006 0.00004

SCARCITY OF FRESHWATER

● On a global basis, fresh water is an

increasingly scarce resource. It is
partially caused by increasing
population coupled by change of
consumption pattern and climate
changes.

WATER CONSUMPTION FOR FOOD

PRODUCTION (I)

● Meat production uses a lot of water

when compared to growing food crops.

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 COMPETING WATER USES (II)
● Industrialized / developed countries
tend to use more water in their industrial
production.
● Other countries tend to use more water
for agricultural uses.
PROBLEMS RELATED TO WATER CRISIS
● Inadequate access to safe drinking
water by over 1.1 billion people.
● Groundwater overdrafting leading to
diminished agricultural yields.
● Overuse and pollution of water
resources harming biodiversity.
● Regional conflicts over scarce water
resources sometimes result in warfare.
THREATS TO FRESHWATER RESOURCES
● Climate change causes change in
frequencies of droughts and floods.
● Depletion of aquifers caused by
over-consumption as a result of
population growth.
● Pollution and contamination by sewage,
agricultural and industrial runoff.
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION AND
WATER RESOURCE
North and Central America 15% 8%
South America 26% 6%
Europe 8% 13%
Africa 11% 13%
Asia 36% 60%
Australia and Oceania 5% <1%
FRESHWATER OUTLOOK
● Estimated from existing data, some
countries are going to experience a
serious shortage of fresh water supply
in the coming 20 years.
● China, India and South Africa and
Middle East countries may be among
the most adversely affected countries.
WATER IN CHINA
❖ According to the World Bank forecast,
Mainland China has only a per-capita
share of 2700 cubic meters per annum,
one fourth of the world's average at
present.
❖ Half of China's 617 largest cities face
water deficits. Beijing is among the
most water-short.
❖ The areas south of the Yangtze River,
China's longest, which account for only
36.5 per cent of the country's total
territory, have 80.9 percent of its total
water resources. However the areas
north of the Yangtze, which makeup
63.5 percent of China, possess only
19.1 per cent of total water resources.
DESALINATION OF SEA WATER AS FRESH
WATER SUPPLY
● Desalination of seawater can be done
either via distillation or membrane
process.
● Both processes require large amounts
of energy and are thus costly, which
means desalination remains an
expensive option for providing reliable
fresh water supply, restricted to only
economically well-off countries.