Chapter 17

8. a facility within a nuclear power plant that generates electricity through controlled nuclear fusion
11. conversion of the energy within an atom's nucleus to usable thermal energy by splitting apart atomic nuclei
12. an icelike solid that consists of molecules of methane within a crystal network of water molecules
13. a deposit of moist sand and clay that can be mined to extract liquid petroleum
15. type of mining in which vertical shafts are dug deep into the ground and networks of horizontal tunnels are dug or blasted out to follow deposits of a resource
18. energy that an object has because of its position or shape
19. energy produced by the flow and interactions of electrons
20. chemical reaction when fuel combines rapidly with oxygen
21. radioactive material left over from the production of energy and other processes in a nuclear power plant
22. a chemical compound derived from oil to make plastics

1. energy that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of an atom
2. energy source that can be replaced in a short amount of time
3. a liquid fossil fuel made up mostly of hydrocarbons
4. an expression of how much of the energy put into a system actually does useful work
5. the ability to do work or cause a change
6. type of mining pollution that occurs when oxygen and rainwater react with newly exposed rock
7. resource that is formed much slower than it is used
9. rock that contains hydrocarbons
10. conversion of the energy within an atom's nucleus to usable thermal energy by forcing together the small nuclei of lightweight elements under high temperature and pressure
14. the accidental melting of the uranium fuel rods inside the core of a nuclear reactor, which causes the release of radiation
16. energy produced by motion
17. type of mining in which layers of of surface soil and rock are removed from large areas to expose the resource