Environmental Exam 2
Why do we have to switch to renewable energy sources?
-Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, which is changing our climate. -Fossil fuel supplies are limited, so we need an alternative source of energy. -Many people live too far from a traditional energy infrastructure. -Fossil fuels emit air and water pollution, and destroy habitat.
What does "fracking" do?
-It involves pumping hydraulic fluids and sand deep into a well to "fracture" shale to release natural gas or oil. -It greatly increases supplies of petroleum and natural gas. -It brings the cost of natural gas down. -It causes earthquakes.
Why is ethanol produced from corn not necessarily a sustainable option as a source of energy?
-Using corn as fuel has led to higher food prices. -Very little additional land is available for growing more corn. -Growing corn requires fertilizer and pesticides. -Tractors used to harvest corn use fossil fuel.
Radiation exposure immediately around a properly functioning nuclear power plant is about
1% greater than the normal environmental background exposure.
Any policy involving increased use of coal will have to do what?
Achieve higher efficiencies to reduce greenhouse gases
When someone talks about "proved reserves" of a resource, what is being discussed?
An accurate estimate of how much of the resource can be economically obtained
What happens if a power plant cannot meet the demand for electricity during a heat wave, and it experiences a total loss of power?
Blackout
After constructing their planned nuclear facilities, which country will have increased their nuclear-generated electricity the most?
CANADA?????
Which of the following gases by virtue of its enormous amount in the atmosphere has the greatest impact on global climate change?
Carbon Dioxide
Where has the market for PV panels grown the most in 2010-2013?
China
Which factors work to reduce (cool) Earth's temperature?
Clouds, snow, glaciers, ice, aerosols, soot, volcanoes
Which statement comparing coal to nuclear power is not correct?
Coal emits far more pollutants (sulfur dioxide, particulate matter) than nuclear energy.
Which of the following is a mitigation, not an adaptation strategy to climate change?
Discontinue fossil fuel subsidies, carbon-taxes, capture carbon dioxide at the site of release, stop deforestation
Which of the following is a secondary energy source?
Electricity
Which of these is a correct statement regarding a nuclear reactor?
Fuel rods contain uranium dioxide pellets, which undergo fission.
Where is spent nuclear fuel currently stored?
It is placed into air-cooled dry casks.
Which statement about climate change is correct?
Many Americans distrust scientists and give as much credit to fringe speakers as to scientists.
Why is it unlikely that many more large dams will be built in the future?
Most large rivers are already dammed.
Electricity is made using which type of solar energy?
PV
What did the U.S. government do to support the nuclear power industry when it was just starting?
Passed laws guaranteeing insurance coverage for any liabilities incurred involving the nuclear power plants
Why was nuclear power curtailed in the 1970s?
People were concerned about safety issues.
this figure, why does the carbon dioxide concentration look like a "sawtooth" (increasing and decreasing slightly)?
Photosynthesis varies between winter and summer
What energy source will play an increasingly important role in supplying electricity in the future?
Renewable
What conclusion could be drawn from these two graphs?
Renewable energy sources have great potential to replace nonrenewable energy.
What conclusions can be drawn about global sea level rise from this figure?
Sea levels have been rising, although they did decrease slightly some years
Solar and wind energy can replace coal and nuclear energy. Which of the following statements is false?
Solar and wind facilities are more financially risky for utility companies.
What caused the oil crisis of the 1970s?
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries lowered production to increase prices.
Which statement about oil sand is not correct?
The United States has the world's largest reserves
Which of the following statements about energy consumption in the United States is correct?
The mix of energy sources has changed over the years.
What is the major finding of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?
The warming of Earth's climate is unequivocal, and humans have contributed to this warming.
What did the accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima teach us about nuclear energy?
These accidents were due to human error or natural disasters, causing a loss of public trust in nuclear safety
What is a major advantage of wind turbines?
They produce pollution-free electricity at prices competitive with traditional sources.
According to the IPCC, which of the following is already occurring due to climate change?
Thinning glaciers and ice caps Warming oceans Rising sea levels Longer, more frequent droughts
Which record provides information on climate conditions from thousands to hundreds of thousands of years ago?
Tree rings, pollen deposits, and ice cores
In nuclear _____, a large atom of one element is split into two atoms of different elements, and emits _____.
fission; energy
The early Industrial Revolution primarily relied on fossil fuels to
generate steam
Radioactive wastes consist of
high-level direct products of fission and low-level indirect products of fission.
The U.N. and many international agencies feel a sense of urgency to make the transition to renewable energies soon, because
projected levels of carbon dioxide levels may reach 1000 ppm by 2100 with catastrophic effects of global sea levels and climate
In order to make a rapid transition to renewable energies, countries such as the United States will have to
reduce subsidies to the fossil fuel industry
Using ice core samples and analyses, researchers have discovered that over the past 800,000 years
there is a strong correlation between global temperatures and greenhouse gases.