Synopses & Reviews
Become Part of an Informed Citizenry with Energy and the Environment! To effectively deal with the challenges of energy usage today, we are dependent upon the actions of an informed citizenry. Energy usage and its effects on the environment are crucial to all of us. This text deals with the facts needed to make critical decisions concerning the effects of energy usage on the environment, and provides a better understanding of the complex issues facing our society today. Energy And The Environment contains the latest information on the core subjects in this field as well as basic concepts, resources, applications, and problems of current interest. Research from the pages of current journals and government publications helps make this text up-to-date and relevant to todays issues. And discussions on the effects of emissions on the local and global atmospheres, and the problems of radioactive waste disposal are included.
Synopsis
The topics of energy and the environment are obviously crucial to all of us as evidence is growing that the problems are becoming more severe with the passage of time as our fossil fuels diminish and underdeveloped countries become more energy dependent. This text deals mainly with the core subject matter of energy concepts, resources, and applications. Discussion of the impact of our energy use on the environment is also included. Its goal is to help readers think beyond that "heat comes from the furnace, food comes from the store, water comes from the faucet, and gasoline comes from the filling station."
Synopsis
The cover photo showing illuminated areas of the Earth at night as seen from space satellites illustrates global energy use patterns. The global extent of increasing energy use is cause to examine the ramifications of resource consumption and its effects on the world in which we live. This text examines several critical topics of global importance associated with our increasing use of resource consumption and its impact on our environment.
Energy and the Environment, 2e provides updated information on pivotal issues that surround the study of energy through the exploration of basic concepts, resources applications, and problems of current interest. The text presents up-to-date research and data from the pages of current journals and government publications.
About the Author
About the Authors ROBERT A. RISTINEN is Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Since 1974, he has taught the Energy and Environment course several times. Ristinen is a Former Chair of the University Energy Conservation Committee and has served for many years as Chair of the universitys Radiation Safety Committee. JACK J. KRAUSHAAR is a retired Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He started teaching the course on Energy and the Environment in 1971 and has taught it several times since then. He has served on the Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Committee, on the Boulder County Energy Conservation Board, and on the University Energy Conservation Committee.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Energy Fundamentals, Energy Use in an Industrial Society.
Chapter 2. The Fossil Fuels.
Chapter 3. Heat Engines.
Chapter 4. Renewable Energy Sources I: Solar Energy.
Chapter 5. Renewable Energy Sources II: Alternatives.
Chapter 6. The Promise and Problems of Nuclear Energy.
Chapter 7. Energy Conservation.
Chapter 8. Transportation.
Chapter 9. Air Pollution.
Chapter 10. Global Effects.
Epilogue: Looking Ahead.
Appendix A: Linear Plots, Semilogarithmic Plots, and Exponential Growth.
Appendix B: Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin Temperature Scales.
Answers to Selected End-of-Chapter Problems.
Index.