Environmental Science - Exam 3

One way the oil industry is decreasing the environmental impacts of drilling is __________.

by directional drilling

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. An average household uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. How many tons of carbon dioxide would be produced if the household's electricity were generated using only conventional energy sources?

7

Renewable energy produced about 12% of the electricity generated in the United States in 2012. Which of the following sources of renewable energy contributed the most to this total?

Hydropower

Which of the following statements is true about hydropower?

Hydropower cannot expand much more in the future.

Why would we apply the precautionary principle to switching to a hydrogen economy?

There are concerns that hydrogen gas could deplete the ozone layer.

Why is renewable energy use growing?

There is increasing concern over the environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion.

Which of the following is a drawback of the "run-of-river" approach to hydroelectric power?

This approach is not very reliable from season to season.

Which of the following regarding "new renewable energy" is true?

This type of energy provides less than 1% of our energy

________ has more natural gas reserves than any other country.

Russia

Which of the following countries has the most nuclear power plants?

United States

What is Hubbert's peak?

a prediction, based on rates of extraction and new discovery, of when a country's or global oil production will be at a maximum and then start to fall

What is bitumen?

a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand

Coal mining exposes rock surfaces and greatly accelerates the process of __________.

acid drainage

Which of the following is an example of a "green collar job"?

an engineer designing wind turbines

An environment that has little or no oxygen

anaerobic

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum... Vegetable oil ________.

can be directly burned as fuel

Energy conservation in the United States ________.

can be improved as individuals make conscious choices to reduce personal consumption

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum. Most is used for transportation, and most of it is imported. In 1992, after the first Gulf War, the federal government passed the Energy Policy Act, whose goal was to replace transportation-related petroleum with alternative fuels. Biodiesel made from vegetable oil or animal fat is an economical alternative to petroleum‑based fuels. It is safe, biodegradable, nontoxic, and has the highest energy balance of any liquid fuel. Unlike unrefined oils that can be burned directly as fuels, biodiesel can be used in conventional diesel engines without engine modification. It reduces wear without compromising performance, due to its high lubricity. It is renewable and emits far less air pollution when combusted as compared to petrodiesel. The raw material used to produce biodiesel exists in billions of gallons of vegetable oil used by restaurants each year, as well as in crops. Although biodiesel burns well in pure form (B100), commonly it is blended with petrodiesel in mixtures such as B20 and B5, which reduce toxic air pollution proportional to their biodiesel content. Biodiesel is currently available at over 600 filling stations nationwide. Demand is increasing due to federal and state tax incentives as well as the increased price and decreased availability of petrodiesel. More than 600 domestic fleets use biodiesel, including the military, NASA, Yellowstone National Park, and local governments. Many school districts use biodiesel‑powered school buses. Musicians Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, and Willie Nelson fuel their tour buses with biodiesel. Nelson, a lifelong supporter of American farmers, who benefit when their crops are used for fuel, sells his own brand, BioWillie Biodiesel, at many truck stops. Because biodiesel can be manufactured locally, fuel transportation costs are low, and dependence on foreign petroleum and the need for domestic oil exploration and development of sensitive wildlife areas, such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, can be reduced when biodiesel is used as an alternative fuel. There is concern, however, that biodiesel from crops may not be sustainable in the long term. Crops which are potentially food for humans, such as rapeseed and soy, affect the price of foods and also require land, pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation which may contribute to environmental degradation and stress on already limited resources. Compared to other uses of biomass, biodiesel from restaurant waste represents one of the best environmental alternatives to fossil fuels because it ________.

can be manufactured without the development of additional cropland agriculture

A major advantage of hydrogen‑generated electricity over other new renewable energy sources is that it ________.

can be produced where and when electricity is needed rather than being intermittent

Biodiesel

can be used in vehicles with diesel engines without engine modification

Although photovoltaic electricity as a power source is cleaner than burning fossil fuels, the problem with this electricity is that it ________.

cannot be stored easily in large quantities for use when and where it is needed

Which of the following technologies has helped us to reduce the amount of emissions released by vehicles?

catalytic converters

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. The entire output of Humboldt Industrial Park was quickly sold to subscribers, and further wind energy parks were soon built in Mill Run, Somerset, and other places. Most of the distribution has gone to businesses, universities, and state agencies. This means that ________.

many groups have recognized the economic benefits of alternative energy sources

Both pyrolysis and gasification are ways of producing ________ from ________.

methane and diesel fuels; biomass

In a nuclear power plant, the amount of electricity that is generated is regulated by ________.

moving control rods out of or into spaces between the fuel rods

What is a feed-in tariff system?

one in which energy companies pay citizens who add power to the grid

Every winter morning when the sun is shining bright, a man living in Montana pulls back the drapes on a large, south-facing window. In this way, he helps heat his home using ________.

passive solar heating

Alaskans benefit from the trans‑Alaska pipeline because Alaska's state constitution requires approximately 25% of state revenues associated with the oil industry to be placed into a monetary fund called the Permanent Fund, which ________.

pays yearly dividends to all Alaska residents

U.S. oil production ________.

peaked in 1970

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum... Biodiesel is to ________ as ethanol is to gasoline.

petrodiesel

Which of the following collect sunlight and convert it to electrical energy directly?

photovoltaic cells

Producing energy creates jobs, but not all energy sources create the same number of jobs. Which energy source creates the most jobs per unit of energy produced?

photovoltaic solar (PV)

A method of converting sunlight to electricity

photovoltaics

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum... A major barrier preventing more widespread use of biodiesel is ________.

political and economic inertia and current lack of abundant fueling stations

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto) ... The fact that there is a high sulfur content in the coal burned in South African power plants means that the ________.

power plants contribute to acid deposition

In the near future, the benefits of biofuel production may be enjoyed while reducing the impact on the global production of grain. One such promising approach is to ________.

produce biofuels from grasses instead of corn

Natural gas

produces less carbon dioxide per energy unit than coal or oil

Compared to the use of fossil fuels for generating electricity, wind energy ________.

produces no exhaust pollutants and contributes little to global climate change

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a ________.

prototype nuclear fusion reactor

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. Traditional uses of wind energy included ________.

pumping water and grinding grain

The energy bill passed by the U.S. Congress in 2007 ________.

raised the CAFE standard to 35 mpg for vehicles by the year 2020

Crude oil is ________.

refined to separate the chemicals used for gasoline, lubricants, plastics, and other products

The process of __________ turns crude oil into the type of gases that can be used for cooking, in cars, and for other human purposes.

refining

The run-of-the-river approach to hydropower often involves

diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipes

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto) ... The major long-term global problem with using coal to generate electricity is the ________.

effect of the released carbon dioxide on global climate

Hydrogen gas can be used as a fuel to produce __________ within fuel cells.

electricity

A form of energy that may not be completely renewable and can produce air pollution

geothermal

Which of the following renewable energy resources produces the most pollution in its production of electricity?

geothermal

Which of these forms of energy does not originate from radiation emitted by the sun?

geothermal

Carbon sequestration ________.

involves converting carbon dioxide gas to a liquid form for storage in the ocean or underground

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum... As a fuel, biodiesel ________.

is a beneficial alternative for buses and trucks

The Keystone XL pipeline ________.

is a hotly debated pipeline that would carry petroleum from Canada to the southern United States

E 85 __________

is an ethanol-gasoline mixture used in flexible-fuel vehicles

Hydrogen's use in fuel cells ______.

is extremely energy-efficient

The oil spill resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster ________.

is the largest accidental oil spill in world history, causing damage to marine and coastal ecosystems

Solar represents a minuscule portion of U.S. energy production because of ________.

lack of investment

ne difficulty with the process of using hydrogen as a power source is that it ________.

requires a substantial energy investment to begin the process

Electricity is a __________ form of energy.

secondary

Scientists search for fossil fuels in many ways. Sending a sound wave into the ground (by exploding dynamite, thumping the ground with a large weight, or using an electric vibrating machine) and measuring its return to the surface at receiving stations is called ________ surveying.

seismic

An inexhaustible, nonpolluting, decentralized energy source

solar

You were an engineer for the now defunct company Solyndra. What did you design?

solar modules

A major advantage of solar power is that ________.

solar systems provide local, decentralized control over power

"New renewables" are ________.

solar, wind, geothermal

Electrolysis is used to _______________.

split water into hydrogen and oxygen

One method for mining oil shale is __________.

strip mining

One major advantage of using hydrogen fuel cells is ________.

that the cells are nonpolluting

Whether using a food crop as a source of biofuels is environmentally sustainable would depend upon all of the following, except ________.

the corporate profits that would be made

Whether a hydrogen‑based energy system is environmentally cleaner than a fossil fuel system depends on ________.

the source of energy used to produce the hydrogen

Wind will not be a major U.S. energy resource in ________.

the southeast

The largest problem with adopting the new technology of renewable resources is ________.

the start‑up costs are high

A major disadvantage of solar power is ________.

the uneven distribution of sunshine around the world

U.S. geothermal energy is most available in ________.

the west

Many developed nations have their economies closely tied to imported fossil fuels. One important consideration for those nations is that ________.

their economy can be disrupted by the events and decisions made in fuel exporting nations

Which of the following types of energy is currently growing at the fastest rate?

wind and solar power

Solar radiation makes several other energy sources possible, including ________.

wind energy

Which of the following energy sources is sometimes fatal to wildlife when it is formed or generated?

wind power

One benefit of offshore wind farms is that ________.

wind speeds are higher and turbulence is lower over water than over land

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto)... One of the promises made by the government in 1994 was "free electricity." Since 2003 the government has provided a small amount of electricity free to each household. Beyond that, a household must pay for the electricity that it uses. Many people would prefer a flat‑rate pricing system, where each household throughout greater Johannesburg would pay the same rate each month. This would mean that ________.

with less incentive to keep electric usage low, environmental issues related to the generation of electricity would worsen

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto) ... Along with many other governmental reforms that began in 1994, the electrical plant just outside Soweto was closed in 2000, and other plants were brought into use. Some parts of Soweto were then wired for electricity. It is estimated, however, that only about 30% of the more than 1 million black inhabitants have electricity in their homes; the remainder either cannot afford the costs involved or live in areas that have no electrical access. These inhabitants probably use ________ for fuel.

wood and coal

What does NIMBY stand for?

"not in my backyard"

Natural gas is primarily composed of ________.

methane

A new local power company provides 10,000 kwh of electricity annually. How much credit will it receive if it makes full use of the production tax credit?

2200

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. Electricity production and consumption are most commonly measured in kilowatt‑hours (kWh). A kilowatt‑hour is one kilowatt (1,000 watts) of electricity produced or consumed for one hour. A 10‑kW wind turbine can generate about 10,000 kWh annually at a site with wind speeds averaging 12 miles per hour, or about enough to power a typical household. In just such a site, the 250‑kW turbine installed at the elementary school in Spirit Lake, Iowa, provides an average of over ________ annually.

250,000kw

According to the data in this figure, electricity derived from wind energy would have comprised what portion of the total electricity generated in the United States in 2012?

3.5%

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. If the wind speed averages 11 mph on Ashley Hill and 12 mph on Genevie Hill, then a turbine operating on Genevie Hill could, in theory, generate about ________% more electricity than a turbine on Ashley Hill.

30

What does the EROI (energy returned on energy invested) tell us about a potential energy source?

A high EROI ratio means an energy source is worth extracting based on the amount of energy needed to extract it.

Which of the following is most likely to happen if the production tax credit fails to be extended?

A loss of jobs in the wind and solar energy industries.

Why is there little to no growth expected for hydropower?

Almost all rivers that can be dammed for power generation have been dammed already.

__________ is an energy source that consists of organic material from living or recently living organisms.

Biomass

Sugar cane-based ethanol is a major component in the energy resources of ________.

Brazil

Which of the following statements about clean coal technology is true?

Clean coal technologies will reduce coal pollution but will not reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The world's most abundant fossil fuel is _________

Coal

How can dams cause species die off due to an increase in the temperature of rivers downstream?

Downstream waters can become unnaturally warm because of the reduced amount of water released.

Julie has decided to become more environmentally friendly and turns off all her lights when they are not in use and unplugs all her electronic devices at night. This is an example of __________.

Energy conservation

__________ describes the ability to obtain a given result while using less energy input.

Energy efficiency

Which of the following countries has the highest percentage of electricity generated from nuclear power plants?

France

Which of the following descriptions is NOT accurate regarding geothermal power?

Geothermal power generators are one of the true fully sustainable energy sources.

The nation that currently has the most progressive renewable energy policies and also produces the greatest amount of electricity from PV solar is ________.

Germany

Which of the following statements about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is true?

It contains approximately one month's supply for the United States.

Which one of the following is true of hydrogen fuel cell technology?

It has been used widely in NASA's spaceflight programs.

Hydropower uses the __________ energy of water to generate electricity.

Kinetic

Wind turbines convert the wind's __________ energy into electricity.

Kinetic

The United States keeps a reserve of oil located in __________.

Louisiana

Which of the following statements about alternative fossil fuels is true?

Mining methods for alternative fossil fuels can be devastating to the environment.

One of the problems with finding new fossil fuel deposits in developing countries is that ________

Multinational companies often move in to harvest the new deposit, and very little money or resource remains in the country

You live in the path of the Keystone XL pipeline. Where do you live?

Nebraska

What is the reason that solar power provides for so little of our energy needs?

Not enough money has been invested in the science and technology behind solar power.

Which energy source has received the most research and development funding from the U.S. government?

Nuclear Power

Currently, the fastest‑growing source of electricity generation using new renewable sources is ________.

PV Solar

Before Julia leaves for work she always closes her drapes in the summertime and opens them in the wintertime. This keeps the house dark and cool in the summer and bright and warm in the winter. This is an example of __________.

Passive Solar Energy

The people of some countries pay double what we do in the United States for gasoline. Which of the following statements is true regarding this fact?

People in the United States have less incentive to conserve gasoline than people in countries that charge more for gasoline.

Which of the following descriptions of primary extraction is accurate?

Primary extraction may leave as much as two-thirds of the total oil deposit below ground.

How has the discovery of oil in Nigeria affected the people living there?

The Ogoni still live in poverty while Shell Oil and the Nigerian government benefit from their oil.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is not being used for energy generation anywhere right now. Why not?

The cost of generating energy is much too high for OTEC to make economic sense.

A from of kinetic energy that can be harnessed with turbines

Wind

Which of the following types of energy is considered a "new renewable"?

Wind

Which one of the following is a type of "new renewable" energy?

Wind power

Which of these is NOT true of wind power?

Wind turbines take up large amounts of land that is then unsuitable for other purposes.

Which of the following is typically true in the U.S.?

Without federal subsidies, electricity produced from wind or solar power is more expensive than electricity produced from fossil fuels.

The United States consumes 21% of the world's petroleum... B20 represents ________.

a diesel fuel blend of 20% biodiesel to 80% petrodiesel

a prediction, based on rates of extraction and new discovery, of when a country's or global oil production will be at a maximum and then start to fall

are estimated by a number of geological techniques including seismology and drilling narrow rock cores

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto)... Other than in downtown Johannesburg, the worst air pollution in the region in the year 2000 was in Soweto. The probable explanation is that in downtown Johannesburg ________, while in Soweto ________.

automobile traffic was the cause; the burning of fuels in each home for heating, light, and cooking was the major contributor to indoor and outdoor air pollution

Primary extraction may leave as much as two-thirds of the total oil deposit below ground.

because coal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels in the United States

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. Using wind as a power source to do work ________.

began in Europe over 800 years ago

Geothermal energy is energy that arises from __________.

beneath Earth's surface

Passive solar energy collection includes which of the following technologies?

buildings designed and building materials chosen to maximize their direct absorption of sunlight

Coal scrubbers are an example of __________.

clean coal technology

The process in which biomass is combined with coal and burned in a high-efficiency boiler is called __________.

co-firing

Organic matter that has formed solid carbon structures while under high compression

coal

Organic matter that is compressed under high pressure to form solid carbon structures is __________.

coal

The primary energy source that is most used in the United States for production of electricity is ________.

coal

The world's most abundant fossil fuel is ________.

coal

Which of the fossil fuels is most abundant on Earth?

coal

The three fossil fuels that we use today to meet our energy needs are __________.

coal, natural gas, and crude oil

Which of the following methods for conservation allows businesses and homes to make use of wasted heat from traditional heating and cooling systems?

cogeneration

The primary motivation to develop the new renewable energy sources comes from ________.

concerns over diminishing fossil fuel supplies and negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel use

Oil shale deposits ________.

contain organic kerogen which can be processed into petroleum

A self-amplifying reaction and a nuclear explosion in a nuclear power plant are prevented in large part by ________.

control rods that absorb extra neutrons

What two major economic or global problems could be alleviated if we based our energy on hydrogen?

dependence on fossil fuels and climate change

Biofuels and nuclear power may prove useful as

energies to bridge the time between fossil fuel depletion and new renewables

When assessing energy resources, it is helpful to use a measure called EROI, which is ________.

energy returned divided by energy invested

Which of the following is an alternative liquid fuel produced from biomass?

ethanol

Nuclear power plants ________.

experienced the most growth in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s

Biomass energy is energy contained in ________.

firewood and other plant material

Electricity from nuclear power plants is produced via ________.

fission of uranium atoms by bombarding them with neutrons

Nuclear power plants in use today rely on ________.

fission reactions to generate heat to boil water

Globally, more than 80% of all primary energy for today's economies comes from ________.

fossil fuel

Which of the following energy sources is considered nonrenewable?

fossil fuel energy

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) ________.

functions to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil

Coal can be converted into a cleaner burning gas by combining it with oxygen and steam at a high temperature through the process of __________.

gasification

Wind turbines are generally more productive if they are ________.

higher, to minimize turbulence and maximize wind speed

The renewable energy source adopted in Iceland for use in vehicles

hydrogen

Which of the following is a renewable energy source?

hydropower

For primary energy, the major renewable sources in the United States are ________.

hydropower and bioenergy

The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online December 31, 1999. The two 65‑kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt‑hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide-the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are the major ingredients ________.

in acid rain and smog

The current practice of geothermal power generation may not always provide a practical renewable energy source because ________.

in some cases, the heated groundwater is used much faster than it is recharged

Effects attributed to Chernobyl ________.

include increased incidence of thyroid cancers

What might lead to a decrease in the cost of renewable energy?

increased acceptance and adoption of renewable energy in cities

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the South West Township (Soweto) ... The heavy levels of soot from the electrical plant upwind of Soweto, along with dust from gigantic mine dumps from gold and coal mines, created particulate pollution more than three times the recommended level. This would be expected to result in ________.

increased incident lung disease

Instead of only generating more electricity, rising energy demands may also be met by ________.

increasing the efficiency of energy consumption

One of the problems with finding new fossil fuel deposits in developing countries is that ________.

multinational companies often move in to harvest the new deposit, and very little money or resource remains in the country

A gaseous by‑product of anaerobic microbial decomposition

natural gas

Renewable energy includes all of the following except ________.

natural gas

The most cleanly burning fossil fuel available, producing the least pollutants, is ________.

natural gas

A major obstacle to the establishment of wind farms near populated and scenic areas is ________.

not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndrome

A potential energy source from oceans is ________.

ocean thermal energy

Natural gas

often associated with coal and petroleum deposits

In the United States, ________ is the leading source of energy.

oil

President Obama has proposed selling leases for drilling to obtain which of the following in the Gulf of Mexico?

oil and natural gas

__________ converts the mechanized energy in the ocean into electricity.

wave energy

Which type of mining creates the greatest environmental damage?

surface strip-mining and mountaintop removal

The United States and other industrialized nations devote the greatest proportion of their oil use to __________.

transportation

Passive solar technologies ________.

use the energy of sunlight without relying on electrical or mechanical devices

As currently practiced, carbon capture and carbon sequestration is __________.

used to trap carbon from coal-burning power plants and prevent it from entering the atmosphere

Secondary extraction of petroleum ________.

uses solvent, water or steam

Energy can be conserved by ________.

using cogeneration in power plants, fuel efficient transportation, and reengineered lightbulbs and appliances

Which of the following methods is considered a type of passive solar energy collection?

using heat‑absorbing construction materials

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is best described as ________.

using sunlight to generate electricity

The chemical product of burning hydrogen or using hydrogen fuel cells as an energy source is ________.

water

Of the following new renewable energy sources, which is the least developed (with the shortest period of experimentation and research)?

wave energy