by Robert A. Ristinen, Jack J. Kraushaar, Jeffrey T. Brack
Energy and the Environment
Examine
the tension between energy production and consumption and environmental
conservation with the latest edition of this widely read text
In
the newly revised Fourth Edition of Energy and the Environment, the
authors deliver an insightful and expanded discussion on the central
topics regarding the interaction between energy production, consumption,
and environmental stewardship. The book explores every major form of
energy technology, including fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear
power, wrapping up with chapters on how energy usage affects our
atmosphere, and the resulting global effects.
The
latest edition includes new figures and tables that reflect the most
recent numbers on conventional and renewable energy production and
consumption. The history and current status of relevant U.S. and
international governmental energy legislation is discussed along with
the text. Readers will also find:
- A
thorough introduction to the fundamentals of energy and energy use in
industrial societies, including the forms of energy, scientific
notation, and the principle of energy conservation
- A
comprehensive exploration of fossil fuels, including petroleum, coal,
and natural gas, along with their history, world production, and
remaining future resources
- Discussion
of the pros and cons of nuclear power, it’s rise in China, and it’s
fall elsewhere, and a history of power plant accidents
- A practical discussion of heat engines, including their thermodynamics, energy content of fuels, and heat pumps and engines
- In-depth
examinations of new innovations and rapidly increasing use of renewable
energy sources, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass
energy, along with updates on battery technology and alternative energy
storage techniques
- Detailed
discussions of the atmospheric effects of our energy usage on scales
both local and global; reports from the International Panel on Climate
Change; the carbon budget, carbon capture and storage, and
geoengineering
Perfect for
either graduate or upper-level undergraduate students of physics,
environmental science, and engineering, Energy and the Environment is
also an indispensable resource for anyone professionally or personally
interested in climate change, energy policy, and energy conservation.
