Hosalli JackD Noble 1

Prathik Hosalli, Alan Noble, Jack D Mr.Majask A1-World Studies 16 November 2013 Geothermal Energy Notes Outline I. Geothermal Energy A. In reference to the article Geothermal Energy by Rick G. Graff, the word geothermal derives from the greek words geo which means earth and therme which means heat. B. It is the energy from the heat of the Earth to produce energy in the form of heat and electricity for us. This energy works the greater the temperature on the inside of the Earth than the outside (Graff 111). C. It was first found in Hungary when a drilling crew opened a well in the year of 1867 II. How it works? A. According to the article Geothermal Energy by David E. Newton, in the mantle and crust, uranium and other elements and their radioactive decay fuel this energy. But the main source of geothermal energy that we receive comes from the heat from the core (Newton 635).

Hosalli JackD Noble 2 1. Can be accessed to by intruding into the Earths crust. 2. There are three types of geothermal energy fields, which are wet steam, dry steam, and hot water. B. The hot rocks and steam that are below the Earth can be collected to power electricity for us through generators. III. What are the benefits from it? A. A dry steam well is the cheapest and easiest way to receive geothermal energy. B. The water in the steam used to provide energy for geothermal energy can be put back into the Earth in order to provide the power to the process again; and mining for geothermal energy in one area can last for at least a few hundred years. C. People use the water heated by the geothermal energy to heat homes and other appliances. IV. What are some cons to geothermal energy? A. As stated by the article Geothermal Energy from the encyclopedia World of Earth Science, the water from the steam released from the process of obtaining energy from geothermal turbines contain hydrogen sulfide and dissolved metals which in turn makes depositing it very difficult (World of Earth Science 252). B. Geothermal energy is not very common. 1. It can only be used in certain places such as areas near volcanic activity.

Hosalli JackD Noble 3 V. How geothermal energy is processed into energy that we use? A. In general, geothermal energy is very important in the generation of electricity. 1. First, hot steam or superheated water is pumped into the surface of the planet in order to power turbines. 2. Next, the generator pumps cool water back into the ground after all the energy is processed 3. In this process, water is lost to evaporation so to some extent, technically geothermal energy is considered a nonrenewable resource. B. One of the easiest and least expensive ways to process geothermal energy is through a dry steam well. 1. Heated underground rocks provide steam which is carried by a pipe to a turbine which powers an electrical generator. 2. The spent steam go through a condenser; the condenser takes the used steam and converts it back into water which is then released into the Earth. VI. According to the article Geothermal Energy from the encyclopedia Alternative Energy there are many examples of Geothermal Energy in nature such as hot springs; they are caused when hot water rises regularly from the Earth. A. Geysers are a common example. 1. They are hot springs that are explosively from a hole in the ground

Hosalli JackD Noble 4 B. Geothermal energy can also be found from mudpots. 1. They are near-volcanic openings that have sulfurous gases and steam coming from them. C. Finally, fumaroles are the last type of geothermal energy. 1. They are fumaroles which only has a small amount of water (Alternative Energy 108). VII. How countries use geothermal energy as an energy source? A. Geothermal energy is a very common source of energy in the Iceland. 1. About ninety-nine percent of buildings in Iceland are powered by this energy. B. After it was founded in Hungary, it was used in some parts of Budapest. 1. It was used in order to heat homes by taking water from hot wells powered by geothermal energy.

Hosalli JackD Noble 5 Works Cited "Geothermal Energy." Alternative Energy. Ed. Neil Schlager and Jayne Weisblatt. Vol. 1: Fossil Fuels, Bioenergy, Geothermal Energy. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 97-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. "Geothermal Energy." World of Earth Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 252. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Graff, Rick G. "Geothermal Energy." Water: Science and Issues. Ed. E. Julius Dasch. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003. 111-114. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Newton, David E. "Geothermal Energy." Environmental Encyclopedia. Ed. Marci Bortman, Peter Brimblecombe, and Mary Ann Cunningham. 3rd Ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 635-636. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.