Description

Energy Use Investigation

Glossary of Terms

Here you will find a list of terms and phrases explained in an easy to understand manner.

A - B | C - D | E - End | Energy - Externality
F - G | H - K | L - M | N | P | R - S | T - W

Natural gas
An odorless, colorless, gaseous hydrocarbon mixture made up of methane (CH4) and a small percentage of other light hydrocarbons. Natural gas is found naturally underground or produced by gasification of coal. Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel.

Nitrogen oxides (formulas: NO, NO2, N2O)
Gaseous compounds of nitrogen and oxygen produced directly or indirectly from the combustion of fossil fuels and from processes used in chemical plants. Three forms of nitrogen oxides are nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Atmospheric emissions of nitrogen oxide combine with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide, which in turn reacts with water vapor to form nitric acid, a component of acid deposition. Nitrogen dioxide is listed as a criteria pollutant.

N-layer
A layer of material used in computer chips, solar cells, and transistors and made by mixing a semiconductor (such as silicon) with substances that have more electrons than the semiconductor has. The n-layer has a negative charge and the excess electrons within it are free to move as part of an electric current. See P-layer, P-N junction, Semiconductor.

Nonrenewable energy resource
Energy resource that is either replenished very slowly or is not replenished at all by natural processes. A nonrenewable resource can ultimately be totally depleted or depleted to the point where it is too expensive to extract and process for human use. Fossil fuels are examples of nonrenewable energy resources.

Nuclear energy
A form of potential energy in the he nuclei of atoms and released by fission (the splitting of nuclei of heavy atoms such as uranium) or by fusion (the combining of nuclei of light atoms such as hydrogen).
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