EVR1001 Ch15
Moving clockwise, label the steps of energy production in this diagram of a coal-fired power plant.
1. Coal is burned in the furnace 2. Heat from combustion boils water 3. Steam turns the turbine 4. Magnets are moved past copper coils to generate current 5. Steam is cooled and condensed 6. Air pollutants are filtered out 7. Toxic ash is taken to a hazardous waste disposal site
Now calculate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 1750 (assume 0.03 trillion kg C). How many times greater was the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in 2000 than in 1750? 6 x 10-7 1.7 x 106 350,000,210 7.4 x 1010
1.7 x 106
The red line represents annual human consumption of paleoproduction by fossil fuel combustion. The dashed line indicates current annual net primary production (NPP) for the entire planet. Estimate in what year the annual consumption of paleoproduction surpassed Earth's current annual NPP. 1850 1890 1920 1960
1890
Estimate in what year our consumption of paleoproduction reached 100 times Earth's current annual net primary production. 1850 1890 1920 1960
1960
If the paleoproduction consumption line reached a peak in 2000 and began to decline at the same rate it increased, in what year would we be at global net primary productivity again? 2040 2080 2110 2130
2110
If on average it takes 7,000 units of paleoproduction to produce 1 unit of fossil fuel, estimate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 2000 (assume 50,000 trillion kg C consumption in 2000). 7 trillion kg C 7,000 trillion kg C 50,000 trillion kg C 3.5 x 108 trillion kg C
3.5 x 108 trillion kg C
Both authors present their arguments for or against nuclear power as factual. Which of the following quotes is referenced to a specific source? A nuclear accident at the Indian Point 3 plant would cause an estimated 50,000 "peak fatalities." Based on 12,500 reactor years of experience, nuclear power is the safest large-scale source of energy. Nuclear energy is already cost-competitive, and trends point to falling nuclear prices and rising fossil fuel prices. The overall "nuclear cycle" produces significant greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
A nuclear accident at the Indian Point 3 plant would cause an estimated 50,000 "peak fatalities."
How does the burning of coal contribute to acid rain? Hints Burning coal releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Burning coal increases the probability of rain. Acidic pollutants from coal burning destroy the ozone layer. Burning coal releases sulfur and nitrogen acids.
Burning coal releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Which of the following countries exports the most oil to the United States? Hints Venezuela Kuwait Saudi Arabia Canada
Canada
Which of the following is most likely to support stricter federal regulations on fracking? Environmental Defense Fund Independent Petroleum Association of America Energy In Depth Chesapeake Energy Corporation
Environmental Defense Fund
You are a state senator on an energy task force. Your task force will recommend whether or not to pursue nuclear power for your state's growing energy needs. Based on the information in both essays, which of the following priorities would favor nuclear power? Fuel sustainability Low cost Minimal greenhouse gas emissions Safety
Fuel sustainability
When it comes to the pipeline, the same method used to cross the Missouri River is going to be used to cross the Mississippi River. What method is this? Going under it. Going over it. Going around it. Going through it.
Going under it.
Which of the following currently appears to be the best option for protecting groundwater in areas where fracking is taking place? Increase the use of intermediate casings. Take the steel out of intermediate casings. Eliminate the use of intermediate casings. Take the cement out of intermediate casings.
Increase the use of intermediate casings.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is most likely to get support from farmers in which of the following states that will be directly impacted by the pipeline? Nebraska Wyoming Iowa Oklahoma
Iowa
You are a toxicologist and discover that 2BE has the same effects in humans as in rodents. What does it do to humans? It causes skin rashes. It causes blindness. It has no effect. It causes tumors.
It causes tumors.
Which of the following is true regarding 2BE? It is found in many household products. It is also approved for use as an insecticide. It has been banned in the U.S. It is used only for fracking.
It is found in many household products.
Which of the following is true regarding carbon capture the way it is being done at Boundary Dam? It requires no energy input. While it requires energy input, it is highly efficient. It requires a lot of energy. It produces excess energy that is sold.
It requires a lot of energy.
If this pipeline is finished, what will happen once the oil makes it to Illinois? It will be refined into gasoline. It will be turned into natural gas. It will be sent to a power plant. It will be distributed to other pipelines and sent throughout the United States.
It will be distributed to other pipelines and sent throughout the United States.
What is the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration most likely to say about the Dakota Access Pipeline? Safety will be determined on a wait-and-see basis. They will not express an opinion on its safety. It will be safe. It will not be safe.
It will be safe.
Of the five countries shown, ________ have essentially no domestic oil production. the United States and Germany Japan and the United States Iran and Saudi Arabia Japan and Germany Germany and the United States
Japan and Germany
Where does the United States keep an emergency stockpile of oil? Louisiana Yucca Mountain, Nevada Chicago, Illinois Fort Knox
Louisiana
You are working to improve carbon capture technology. Which of the following would be most helpful at Boundary Dam? Reducing the temperature of combustion. Preventing contamination of the amine. Creating less expensive filters. Improving the quality of the coal.
Preventing contamination of the amine.
Which of the following is true? State agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline, but federal agencies do not. Federal agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline, but state agencies do not. Neither state nor federal agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline. State and federal agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
State and federal agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Karl Grossman suggests that a return to building nuclear power plants will have disastrous impacts. Which of the following impacts does he discuss in his essay? The potential for terrorist attacks on nuclear plants The low probability of severe core melt accidents at U.S. atomic plants Laws that eliminate all liability for nuclear plant owners in case of an accident The radioactive waste from nuclear plants, which must be isolated for dozens of years
The potential for terrorist attacks on nuclear plants
Compare and contrast the two essays. Which of the following topics represents a clear example of disagreement between the two authors? Transportation of nuclear materials The safety of nuclear power The use of nuclear power to replace imported oil The need for safe, clean energy
The safety of nuclear power
John Ritch suggests that nuclear power is the only option for clean energy on a massive scale. Which of the following statements represents one of his pro-nuclear arguments? All reactors are similar to the Chernobyl reactor but today's nuclear technicians have better training. As fossil fuel prices decrease, nuclear power prices will increase. We have several centuries' supply of uranium available for use as nuclear fuel. Atomic bombs are often developed alongside nuclear power programs, but international monitoring is well established.
We have several centuries' supply of uranium available for use as nuclear fuel.
What is bitumen? Hints a bitter form of crude oil eaten by birds a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand a rare form of uranium a vitamin-enriched form of coal
a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand
What disabled the emergency power generators at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan and led to the reactor meltdowns? Hints operator error an earthquake a landslide a tsunami
a tsunami
What occurs when coal mining exposes rock surfaces to weathering? Hints acid flooding oil discovery surface area reduction acid drainage
acid drainage
Why are we so eager to find clean coal technologies? Hints because coal is the most environmentally friendly of the fossil fuels because coal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels in the United States because coal in its natural form costs too much for us to use because the government is charging industry for the amount of coal emissions being produced
because coal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels in the United States
Energy conservation in the United States ________. can be accomplished by changes in tax laws can be accomplished only through changes in environmental laws will be a reality only if there is another major war can be improved as individuals make conscious choices to reduce personal consumption is unlikely to ever occur
can be improved as individuals make conscious choices to reduce personal consumption
If this form of carbon capture works, which of the following would be most reduced in the atmosphere? water vapor carbon dioxide methane carbon monoxide
carbon dioxide
Plant-based organic matter that is compressed under high pressure to form solid carbon structures is known as __________. Hints charcoal coal peat biomass
coal
The world's most abundant fossil fuel is ________. oil methane biodiesel natural gas coal
coal
The world's most abundant fossil fuel:
coal
Used primarily in the United States for electricity generation:
coal
Created very slowly and considered nonrenewable at current extraction rates:
coal, oil, and natural gas
Remains of ancient organisms, modified underground for long periods by temperature and pressure:
coal, oil, and natural gas
Energy can be conserved by ________. repealing the Law of Entropy replacing compact florescent with tungsten bulbs cogeneration in automobiles, especially in SUVs replacing mass transit with more and larger roads for cars and trucks cogeneration in power plants, fuel efficient transportation, reengineered appliances
cogeneration in power plants, fuel efficient transportation, reengineered appliances
If successful, this type of carbon capture will be most beneficial to which of the following? transportation solar plants electrical power plants geothermal plants
electrical power plants
When assessing energy resources, it is helpful to use a measure called EROI, which is ________. energy returned divided by energy invested energy returned minus energy invested amount of energy invested minus heat released into the environment money invested in extraction and processing minus money in sales energy returned plus energy invested
energy returned divided by energy invested
U.S. oil production ________. has to fit the quotas imposed by OPEC will peak out in 2100, requiring for the first time imports to meet growing demand is now high enough for us to export nearly 50% falls far short of U.S. oil consumption is sufficient to meet national needs thanks to major conservation efforts
falls far short of U.S. oil consumption
China's main source of energy contributes most to what global environmental problem? Hints global climate change the loss of tropical rain forests the loss of biodiversity erosion
global climate change
Which of the following characterizes U.S. nuclear power plants? largely unregulated highly subsidized widely trusted and accepted by the public inexpensive to operate account for nearly half of domestic energy production
highly subsidized
What have Chinese companies started producing to reduce the use of gasoline (petrol)? Hints solar-powered lawnmowers nuclear-powered trains natural-gas-powered automobiles hybrid cars
hybrid cars
Organizations like OPEC have formed ________. to protect their national members' petroleum reserves for their own use to develop technologies to conserve non-renewable energy resources to ensure that developing nations get their fair share of fossil fuels as a military alliance to protect developed nations' energy reserves in order to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil
in order to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil
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 resulted in ________. enriched agricultural fields and increased crop yields problems with running local automobiles and other machinery increased incidence of lung disease high levels of heart disease high levels of birth defects
increased incidence of lung disease
Carbon sequestration ________. is an unproven technology only begun in 2008 permanently removes captured carbon from the environment involves capturing carbon emissions and then releasing them into the stratosphere has proved to be more dangerous to the environment than releasing carbon emissions has been used by U.S. electrical plants since 1955, converting carbon dioxide to limestone
is an unproven technology only begun in 2008
Scientists currently assessing the environmental impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico report that ________. Gulf productivity has already returned to normal and no further effects will be felt it may take years or decades before the full impacts are known the damage was limited to wildlife kills immediately after the spill the coastal marshes of Louisiana suffered no measurable damage the entire Gulf food web will eventually collapse
it may take years or decades before the full impacts are known
The average miles per gallon rating of U.S. vehicles has ________. now matched the 45 mpg rating mandated by the European union made no improvement the past two decades been raised to 40 mpg because of the 2010 energy bill passed by Congress doubled since the 2008 election doubled in the past two decades
made no improvement the past two decades
Which fossil fuel is produced as a by-product that occurs when bacteria decompose organic material under anaerobic conditions? Hints methane anthracite coal oil peat
methane
Chevron decides to frack near your home. Which of the following are they interested in obtaining? coal water oil natural gas
natural gas
Primary fuel used in the United States for space and water heating:
natural gas
Produces the least carbon dioxide per unit energy when combusted:
natural gas
Natural gas is ________. more damaging to the environment than coal when extracted only produced by bacteria during decomposition trapped over some cities for commercial use often associated with coal and petroleum deposits still much more expensive than other fossil fuels
often associated with coal and petroleum deposits
A mixture of hundreds or thousands of different hydrocarbon molecules:
oil
For the United States, the primary fuel that we use for our energy is ________. natural gas coal nuclear wood oil
oil
Used primarily in the United States as a source of vehicle fuels:
oil
Which of the following industries would most like to see an increase in carbon capture, as it uses the waste product captured at Boundary Dam? nuclear industry oil industry hydroelectric industry solar industry
oil industry
The energy bill passed by the U.S. Congress in 2007 ________. will, according to analysts, allow us to import only 25% of our oil instead of 60% primarily focused on taxing polluters and those who profit from the fossil fuel industry raised the CAFE standard to 35mpg for vehicles by the year 2020 mandates the rapid development of all remaining fossil fuel resources as quickly as possible primarily focused on major new policies for conservation and for development of renewable energy sources
raised the CAFE standard to 35mpg for vehicles by the year 2020
The process of __________ turns crude oil into the type of gases that can be used for cooking, in cars, and for other human purposes. Hints redefining secondary drilling primary drilling refining
refining
All of the following are advantages of nuclear power except ________. nuclear power plants generate no nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide uranium mines cause less environmental damage than coal mines because less uranium is needed to generate power safe disposal of nuclear wastes uranium generates far greater amounts of energy than coal by weight or volume the power-generating process is emission-free
safe disposal of nuclear wastes
China's government is encouraging companies to __________. Hints relocate their workers to homes that are closer to factories to decrease commuting distances make the switch from coal to natural gas for the generation of electricity take the lead in all green technologies move their factories to other countries
take the lead in all green technologies
The country with the greatest differential between domestic production and total consumption is ________. Saudi Arabia Japan Germany the United States Iran
the United States
Coal continues to be the main fuel used to generate electricity in the United States. This is partially because ________. the quality of coal in the United States is very consistent from deposit to deposit the country has such large reserves of coal compared to natural gas and oil, coal contains very few impurities, such as sulfur coal deposits in the United States lie very close to the surface and are easily extracted coal causes almost no air pollution when burned
the country has such large reserves of coal
What is energy intensity? Hints the capturing of excess heat during electrical generation the use of LED rather than incandescent light bulbs a measure of the reduction of wasteful or unnecessary energy use the energy use per dollar of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
the energy use per dollar of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
When did the use of coal for cooking, heating, and other purposes begin? Hints in the 1700s, by people who needed cooking fuel sources thousands of years ago, by Native Americans (and other ancient cultures) with the industrial revolution
thousands of years ago, by Native Americans (and other ancient cultures)
The United States and other industrialized nations devote the greatest proportion of their oil use to __________. Hints industry transportation agriculture
transportation
All of the following are fossil fuels except ________. natural gas uranium oil tar sands coal
uranium
Which of the following elements is the starting material for nuclear fission reactions? Hints iron carbon hydrogen uranium
uranium
Secondary extraction of petroleum ________. uses solvents, water, or steam occurs immediately after primary extraction allows the oil to be extracted to the last drop causes less environmental damage than tertiary extraction is less expensive than primary extraction
uses solvents, water, or steam
One of China's cement factories has become more energy efficient by __________. Hints using wind turbines to generate electricity for the plant using the extra gas and heat from the kilns to generate electricity relying on nuclear energy to produce cement using solar power for half of its energy needs
using the extra gas and heat from the kilns to generate electricity
Of the available policy options regarding eventual conversion to renewable energy sources, environmentalists would probably prefer that ________. we plan for the switch to renewable energy sources, but not implement any plans until all fossil fuels have been depleted we pass laws immediately banning the use of fossil fuels we prepare for a gradual changeover by slowly increasing funding and putting alternative energy resources into place over the next 100 years we pass laws immediately banning the exploration and development of further fossil fuel resources we encourage, with subsidies, tax rebates, and grants, the rapid development and widespread use of renewable alternative energy resources
we encourage, with subsidies, tax rebates, and grants, the rapid development and widespread use of renewable alternative energy resources
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 cannot afford the costs involved or live in areas that have no electrical access. So, they probably use ________ for fuel. natural gas and solar cells gas-powered home generators natural gas and backyard windmills charcoal and candles wood and coal
wood and coal