environmental science ch. 10

What percent of world energy comes from renewable energy sources?

13% of the world's energy comes from renewable energy

Compare a passive solar heating system with an active solar heating system.

A passive solar system is a design that allows for the entrapment and transfer of heat from the sun to a building without the use of moving parts or machinery. An active system is one that traps sunlight energy as heat energy and uses mechanical means to move it to another location.

What renewable energy source provides the majority of renewable energy?

Biomass provides the majority of global renewable energy

How is the biofuel ethanol produced?

Ethanol is produced by fermenting sugars in plants such as corn or sugar cane.

What are negative environmental impacts of developing hydroelectric power?

Large amounts of lands are flooded, dams hinder the migration of fish, and change water quality up and down stream.

List industries that typically make use of the waste they produce to provide themselves with energy.

Lumber, paper mills, and sugar cane processing plants are industries that make use of their waste by burning it.

List two reasons people oppose additional wind energy development.

People oppose wind energy because it must be coupled with another energy source as well as the possible visual and noise pollution.

What are the general characteristics of renewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources can replenish themselves continuously

Describe two different ways sunlight is used to make electricity.

Sunlight can be used to create steam that turns turbines and generates energy or photovoltaic cells can generate energy by capturing sunlight.

Why is burning of municipal waste to produce energy more common in Europe than in North America?

The burning of municipal waste is more common in Europe than in North America because Europe has strict restrictions on land used for landfills.

List three negative environmental impacts of using biomass to provide energy.

The negative environmental impacts of biomass are loss of habitat, air pollution, release of carbon dioxide, and decrease in food production.

List three energy conservation techniques.

• Switch to highly efficient fluorescent light bulbs • Buy energy efficient appliances • Install low emissive glass windows.