AP®︎ Environmental Science: Topic 6.5 Flashcards

An exothermic reaction in which fuel reacts with oxygen, releasing energy; complete hydrocarbon combustion produces CO₂ and H₂O.

Complete combustion has sufficient oxygen and chiefly produces CO₂ and H₂O; incomplete combustion can produce toxic CO and unburned hydrocarbons

Burns fossil fuel to heat water into steam; the steam spins a turbine that drives a generator, converting chemical energy → thermal energy → mechanical energy → electrical energy

A turbine spun directly by hot combustion gases, commonly using natural gas to drive a generator

Uses a gas turbine first, then uses its hot exhaust to make steam that drives a second turbine, increasing efficiency

Removal of overburden—soil and rock—to expose shallow coal deposits, causing substantial land and habitat disturbance

Use of shafts and tunnels to reach deep coal deposits, with risks including worker hazards, subsidence, and acidic drainage

Drilling a well into porous rock beneath an impermeable layer to recover accumulated petroleum or natural gas

High-pressure water, sand, and chemicals fracture low-permeability rock so oil or gas can enter a well; it can contaminate groundwater and release VOCs

Carbon-containing chemicals that readily evaporate; fracking operations can emit them, and some are toxic or help form ground-level ozone