What Kind of Energy is Used in Burning Wood?
Energy from sunlight is stored as chemical energy in wood and other organic material, using a process called photosynthesis. This energy is released as heat when wood is burned. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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People have been using the energy generated by burning wood for thousands of years to stay warm and cook their foods.
Size
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, burning wood and wood waste only generate about 2 percent of the United States' total energy.
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Benefits
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Because more trees can always be grown, wood is a renewable resource. It's usually grown in the country where it is used, reducing dependence on foreign sources of energy such as oil.
Warning
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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, when wood is burned it releases carbon monoxide, cancer-causing chemicals and particulate matter (PM) that can aggravate asthma and heart disease.
Considerations
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Although burning wood releases carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, the photosynthesis process (how plants convert sunlight into chemical energy) captures an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.
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- Photo Credit ericcharl, www.sxc.hu
