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The Open University

An introduction to energy resources

The Open University via OpenLearn

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Overview

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Energy resources are essential for any society, be it one dependent on subsistence farming or an industrialised country. There are many different sources of energy, some well-known such as coal or petroleum, others less so, such as tides or the heat inside the Earth. Is nuclear power a salvation or a nightmare? This free course, An introduction to energy resources, provides background information to each, so that you can assess them for yourself.

Syllabus

  • An introduction to energy resources
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 Energy use
  • 1 Energy use
  • 2 Energy, work, power and efficiency
  • 2 Energy, work, power and efficiency
  • 2.1 Some basic concepts
  • 2.2 Present-day energy use
  • 2.3 Global power demand
  • 3 Sources of energy from the natural environment
  • 3 Sources of energy from the natural environment
  • 3.1 Solar radiation
  • 3.2 Tides
  • 3.3 The Earth's internal heat
  • 4 Fossil fuels
  • 4 Fossil fuels
  • 4.1 Natural stores of carbon
  • 4.2 The terrestrial carbon cycle
  • 4.3 Photosynthesis, respiration and decay
  • 4.4 The marine carbon cycle
  • 4.5 Generating carbon — the legacy of volcanoes
  • 4.6 The fossil fuel 'bank'
  • 5 Nuclear energy
  • 5 Nuclear energy
  • 6 Concentrating, storing and transporting energy
  • 6 Concentrating, storing and transporting energy
  • 6.1 Concentrating energy
  • 6.2 Storing and transporting energy
  • 7 Renewable and non-renewable energy supplies
  • 7 Renewable and non-renewable energy supplies
  • Conclusion
  • 9 Glossary
  • 9 Glossary
  • Acknowledgements

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4.3 rating at OpenLearn based on 7 ratings

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