APES Unit 6

A hydrogen fuel cell-powered car driving on a highway is different from gasoline-powered cars because hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars only emit

water vapor and heat

Which of the following identifies the air pollutants most commonly released during the burning of biomass?

Carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter (PM), and carbon monoxide (CO)

Which of the following statements about the global distribution and use of fossil fuels is best supported by the data on the map?

Saudi Arabia and Australia produce large volumes of fossil fuels with relatively low energy demand.

Which of the following graphs best predicts the solar energy output in the town in Germany in December?

Smallest graph

Which of the following statements correctly describes a difference between biomass-fired power plants and traditional fossil-fuel-burning power plants, such as coal-fired plants?

The operational costs of biomass plants are very high when compared with traditional fossil fuel plants.

Which of the following best describes how a homeowner using an off-the-grid PV solar system, as seen in the graph above, can power a home between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM?

Using excess energy from a sunny day stored in batteries for power

Which of the following is an example of the process of cogeneration?

Using wastewater from electricity production for heating homes

Which of the following describes a step in the generation of electricity using fossil fuels that can most directly lead to an environmental problem?

Fossil fuel is burned to boil water.

Which of the following best describes a potential advantage of using geothermal energy instead of solar farms for power generation?

Geothermal energy can be harnessed without destroying large tracts of habitat, whereas solar farms require large amounts of space.

Which of the following most accurately explains how geothermal energy is produced and utilized in these applications?

Geothermal energy uses the natural insulating power of Earth to create temperature differentials that are used to heat buildings in the winter and cool them in the summer.

Which of the following is required to convert geothermal energy into electricity?

Groundwater

Which of the following statements best explains why natural gas is often used as a fuel when countries are transitioning from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources?

Natural gas burns more efficiently and cleanly than other sources of carbon-based fossil fuels, thus contributing to a reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Which of the following correctly depicts the nuclear chain reaction that occurs in a nuclear power plant?

Neutron to Neutron to Neutron

Which of the following geologic profiles would most likely be found at the circled region in the figure?

Peat, Peat, Sedimentary Rock, Igneous Rock

Which of the following best identifies a benefit of using renewable energy sources rather than nonrenewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources are replenishable and are virtually inexhaustible by human consumption, whereas nonrenewable sources do not form in a short period of time.

Which of the following statements best describes a difference between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources can be replaced naturally at current consumption rates, whereas nonrenewable energy sources cannot be replaced easily.

Which of the following correctly identifies the sequence of energy conversions that occur in a wind turbine?

Kinetic energy → mechanical energy → electrical energy

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using hydrogen fuel cells?

Hydrogen gas is not readily available on Earth.

Which of the following best explains energy transformation in hydrogen fuel cells?

Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water, which releases energy.

Which of the following best describes electricity generation using wind turbines?

Wind turbines can be constructed on either vertical or horizontal axes.

Which of the following best describes why people in less developed countries use wood as a primary energy source?

Wood, in the form of firewood and charcoal, is often readily available.

Which of the following time periods has the highest energy output?

12 pm-2 pm

The homeowner is considering purchasing a new model of refrigerator, Refrigerator B. This model uses 50 percent less energy per year. Which of the following would be the estimated cost savings for the homeowner in a year if she replaces Refrigerator A with Refrigerator B?

$131.40

How many kilowatt hours (kWh) per year does refrigerator A use?

2,190kWh

Based on the data above, approximately how much greater is the average cost of electricity produced in the United States from offshore wind than from hydroelectric power?

2.3 times greater

Which of the following is the approximate projected rate of change in renewable energy consumption from 2010-2040 ?

2.33 quadrillion BTUs per year

A state is looking to reduce the cost of transportation, which uses 7.10×1014 BTUs per year. Currently the cost of 106 BTUs is $20.00. How much will the state save in one year if they implement regulations requiring all transportation methods to be 20% more efficient?

2.84x10^9 dollars

Which of the following best describes a potential negative environmental effect of fossil fuel extraction?

Air pollutants, such as methane and particulate matter, are emitted into the atmosphere.

Which of the following are often used for energy storage of wind power?

Batteries

Which of the following is an environmental benefit associated with substituting ethanol for gasoline?

Burning ethanol produces fewer air pollutants than burning gasoline alone.

If a country possesses large oil and gas reserves within its borders, which of the labeled rock types must be present in the underlying geology of the country?

C (Sedimentary Rock)

In the diagram above, which letter correctly identifies the step where kinetic energy is converted to mechanical energy?

C (between the pump and generator)

At which of the following locations in the nuclear power plant would an accident most likely result in the release of fission products?

C (containment building)

Which of the following best describes the total consumption of all fossil fuels in 2040 compared to the consumption of nuclear energy in 2040?

Consumption of fossil fuels will be approximately 13 times greater than consumption of nuclear energy.

Which of the following statements best explains why there is continued widespread use of nonrenewable fossil fuels in energy production in the United States?

Established technology and transportation infrastructure for fossil fuels allows these resources to be converted into energy to meet consumer demand.

Which of the following best describes an environmental problem that is often linked to the process of fracking?

Wastewater from fracking operations is injected into porous rock formations, which can induce seismic activity.