Post on 03-Jan-2016
First Law of Thermodynamics
First Law: Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy Flows through Systems
Sun Plants geologic forces coal human effort power plant electricity toaster toast you heat, walking around, talking, thinking, etc.
Energy can change form
Nuclear light chemical mechanicalchemical mechanical heat mechanical electrical heat chemical heat, mechanical, sound, chemical, etc.
Second Law of Thermodynamics
When energy is converted from one form to another, a less useful form results (a decrease in energy quality). Energy cannot be recycled to a higher quality. Only 20% of the energy in gasoline is converted to
mechanical energy. The rest is lost as heat (low quality energy)
Heat is the by-product of most energy conversions
Energy Needs
Energy demands are continually increasing
All societies on Earth want better standards of living Requires Energy Diverse sources of energy can meet these increasing
demands
Energy and International Politics
As of the mid-1960s, the U.S. was no longer self-sufficient in energy and begins to import oil.
This generates instability in the U.S. economy with numerous "oil crises" 1973: OPEC embargo in response to western support of Israel 1979: Iranian Revolution 1990: First Gulf War 2000-2001: Deregulation of California energy industry leads to
corporate corruption 2006-2008: Political instability in Venezuela, Iran, and Iraq;
increased demand by India and China
Oil Crises & the Economy
A 5% decrease in Imported Oil will cause an Energy/Oil Crisis.
All Oil Crises have resulted in high rates of inflation followed by recessions
In 1998, the U.S. began to import more oil than what it produced domestically.
According to the EIA, the current recession is the result of 2 factors: 2006-2008 Oil shortage Sub-prime mortgage crisis