APES Vocabulary

Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to another.

When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always degraded into lower quality energy (lost as heat)

Radiation with enough energy to free electrons from atoms forming ions, may cause cancer (gamma, X-rays, UV)

Organized and concentrated, can perform useful work (fossil fuels and nuclear)

Disorganized, dispersed (heat in ocean or air/wind, solar)

Unstable radioisotopes decay releasing gamma rays, alpha and beta particles (Radon)

The time it takes for 1/2 of the mass of a radioisotope to decay. A radioactive isotope must be stored for approximately 10 half lives until is decays to a safe level.

Nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neurons

2 isotopes of light elements (H) forced together at high temperatures until they fuse to form a heavier nucleus. Happens in the sun, very difficult to accomplish on Earth, expensive

A rock that contains a large enough concentration of a mineral making it profitable to mine

Identified deposits currently profitable to extract

Cheaper, can remove more minerals, less hazardous to workers

Organic, dark material remaining after decomposition by microorganisms

Removal of dissolved minerals from soil by water moving downwards through soil

Perfect agricultural soil with equal portions of sand, silt and clay