14.6 不可再生能源资源
章节大纲
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It may look beautiful, but this oil slick threatens the environment and living things. Unfortunately, oil spills are common because we rely heavily on oil as an resource. Oil is an example of a nonrenewable resource .
::它可能看起来很美,但这一浮油威胁着环境和生命。 不幸的是,石油泄漏很常见,因为我们严重依赖石油作为资源。 石油是不可再生资源的例子。What Are Nonrenewable Resources?
::什么是不可再生资源?Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that are limited in supply and cannot be replaced as quickly as they are used up. A natural resource is anything people can use that comes from nature. Energy resources are some of the most important natural resources because everything we do requires energy. Nonrenewable energy resources include fossil fuels such as oil and the radioactive uranium.
::不可再生资源是有限的自然资源,供应有限,不能随着耗尽而迅速被取代,自然资源是人类可以使用的任何自然资源。 能源是最重要的自然资源之一,因为我们所做的一切需要能源。 不可再生能源资源包括化石燃料,如石油和放射性铀。Types of Fossil Fuels
::各类化石燃料Oil, or petroleum, is one of several fossil fuels . Fossil fuels are mixtures of (compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon) that formed over millions of years from the remains of dead organisms. In addition to oil, they include coal and natural . Fossil fuels provide most of the energy used in the world today. They are burned in power plants to produce electrical energy , and they also fuel cars, homes, and supply energy for many other purposes. You can see some ways they are used in the Figure .
::化石燃料是几种化石燃料之一。 化石燃料是( 含有仅含氢和碳的化合物) 的混合物( 含有仅含氢和碳的化合物) , 由死生物的残骸形成, 数以百万年之久。 除了石油外, 还包括煤炭和天然燃料。 化石燃料提供了当今世界使用的大部分能源。 这些燃料在发电厂中燃烧,以生产电能,它们也为汽车、住宅和许多其他用途提供能源。 您可以看到这些燃料在图中使用的一些方式 。Q: Why do fossil fuels have energy?
::问:为什么化石燃料有能源?A: Fossil fuels contain stored chemical energy that came originally from the sun.
::A:化石燃料含有原来自太阳的储存化学能量。How Fossil Fuels Formed
::化石燃料如何形成When ancient plants underwent , they changed energy in sunlight to stored chemical energy in food. The plants used the food and so did the organisms that ate the plants. After the plants and other organisms died, their remains gradually changed to fossil fuels as they were covered and compressed by layers of sediments. Petroleum and natural gas formed from ocean organisms and are found together. Coal formed from giant tree ferns and other swamp plants.
::当古代植物发生时,它们改变了阳光下的能量,将化学能量储存在食物中,植物使用食物,而食用植物的生物也使用食物。植物和其他生物死亡后,它们的残骸逐渐变成化石燃料,因为它们被沉积物层覆盖和压缩。石油和天然气由海洋生物形成,并被一起发现。煤炭由巨型树枝和其他沼泽植物形成。Fossil Fuels and the Environment
::矿物燃料与环境When fossil fuels burn, they release , water vapor, and carbon dioxide. The thermal energy can be used to generate electricity or do other work. The carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and is a major cause of global climate change. The burning of fossil fuels also releases many pollutants into the air. Pollutants such as sulfur dioxide form rain, which kills living things and damages , stonework, and other materials. Pollutants such as nitrogen oxides cause smog, which is harmful to human health. Tiny particles, or particulates, released when fossil fuels burn also harm human health.
::当化石燃料燃烧时,它们会释放、水蒸气和二氧化碳。热能可以用来发电或做其他工作。二氧化碳会释放到大气中,是造成全球气候变化的一个主要原因。化石燃料燃烧也会释放许多污染物进入空气中。二氧化硫的雨水等污染物会杀死生命和破坏、石器和其他材料。氧化氮等污染物会引发烟雾,对人类健康有害。化石燃料燃烧时释放的微粒或微粒也会危害人类健康。The Figure shows the amounts of pollutants released by different fossil fuels. Natural gas releases the least pollution; coal releases the most. Petroleum has the additional risk of oil spills, which may seriously damage ecosystems.
::该图显示了不同矿物燃料释放的污染物的数量,天然气释放的污染最小,煤排放最多,石油有石油外溢的额外风险,可能严重损害生态系统。Q: Some newer models of cars and other motor vehicles can run on natural gas. Why would a natural gas vehicle be better for the environment than a vehicle that burns gasoline, which is made from oil?
::问题:一些汽车和其他机动车辆的新型号可以使用天然气。 为什么天然气车比用石油制成的燃烧汽油的车更适合环境?A: Natural gas produces much less pollution and carbon dioxide when it burns than gasoline does. So a natural gas vehicle would contribute less to global climate change, acid rain, and air pollution that harms health. Besides being better for the environment, burning natural gas instead of gasoline results in less engine wear and provides more energy for a given amount of fuel.
::A:天然气燃烧时产生的污染和二氧化碳比汽油少得多。 因此,天然气载体对全球气候变化、酸雨和有害健康的空气污染的贡献会更少。 燃烧天然气而不是汽油除了对环境有利外,还导致发动机磨损更少,为一定数量的燃料提供更多能源。Nuclear Energy
::核能 核能Like fossil fuels, the radioactive element uranium can be used to generate electrical energy in power plants. This source of energy is known as nuclear energy . In a nuclear power plant, the nuclei of uranium atoms are split apart into smaller nuclei in the process of . This process releases a tremendous amount of energy from just a small amount of uranium. The total supply of uranium in the world is quite limited, however, and cannot be replaced once it is used up. That’s why nuclear energy is a nonrenewable resource. The use of nuclear energy also produces dangerous radioactive wastes. In addition, accidents at nuclear power plants have the potential to release large amounts of harmful radiation into the environment.
::与化石燃料一样,放射性元素铀可以用于发电厂发电能源。这种能源被称为核能。在核电厂中,铀原子核心在核电过程中被分割成较小的核心。这一过程释放了大量的能源,只是少量的铀。然而,全世界的铀总供应相当有限,一旦用完后无法替换。这就是为什么核能是一种不可再生的资源。核能的使用也会产生危险的放射性废料。此外,核电厂的事故有可能将大量的有害辐射释放到环境中。Q: Why is nuclear energy often considered to be “greener” than energy from fossil fuels?
::问题:为什么核能常常被视为比化石燃料能源“更绿色”?A: Unlike energy from fossil fuels, nuclear energy doesn’t produce air pollution or carbon dioxide that contributes to global climate change.
::与化石燃料能源不同, 核能不会产生空气污染或二氧化碳,Summary
::摘要-
Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that are limited in supply and cannot be replaced as quickly as they are used up. Nonrenewable energy resources include fossil fuels and uranium.
::不可再生资源是供应有限的自然资源,不能随着耗尽而迅速被取代,不可再生能源资源包括化石燃料和铀。 -
Fossil fuels—including oil, natural gas, and coal—provide most of the energy used in the world today. Burning fossil fuels produces air pollution as well as carbon dioxide that causes global climate change.
::化石燃料 — — 包括石油、天然气和煤炭 — — 提供了当今世界使用的大部分能源。 燃烧化石燃料会产生空气污染和二氧化碳,导致全球气候变化。 -
Nuclear energy is produced by splitting the nuclei of radioactive uranium. This doesn’t release air pollution or carbon dioxide, but it does produce dangerous radioactive wastes.
::核能是通过分离放射性铀核心来生产的。 这不会释放空气污染或二氧化碳,但确实会产生危险的放射性废料。
Review
::回顾-
Define natural resource. What are nonrenewable natural resources?
::界定自然资源。什么是不可再生自然资源? -
List four commonly used nonrenewable energy resources.
::第四组列出常用的不可再生能源资源。 -
Explain how fossil fuels formed.
::解释化石燃料是如何形成的。 -
Compare and contrast the three types of fossil fuels in terms of the pollution they produce.
::比较和对比三种矿物燃料的污染。 -
Present the pros and cons of nuclear energy use.
::介绍核能利用的利弊。
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Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that are limited in supply and cannot be replaced as quickly as they are used up. Nonrenewable energy resources include fossil fuels and uranium.
