APES-Biomass, Solar, Hydroelectric

A major limitation of using photovoltaic cells to generate electricity is that they A) Do not produce as much CO2 as other energy sources do B) Do not produce as much electricity on cloudy days C) Have no moving parts D) Present a danger to birds and bats E) Cannot be connected to the electrical grid

B) Do not produce as much electricity on cloudy days

Construction of a solar power plant is proposed for a desert area near a school. A student has hypothesized that the shade cast by the solar panels will increase the mortality of creosote bush, a native desert plant in the area. Before construction begins, what experimental data should the student collect in order to eventually test the hypothesis? A) The rate of increase in atmospheric CO2 worldwide (in ppm) that occurs in the 12-month period prior to the start of construction B) Average noise levels (in decibels) at a construction site, compared to average noise levels in the desert 20 km away from the construction site C) The rate of wind-caused soil erosion (in kg/yr) near solar panels at a similar desert location where creosote bush grows D) The direct sunlight received by creosote bush in the desert area (in kWh/m2) during a 12-month period E) The changes in monthly precipitation (in mm/yr) at a similar desert location where creosote bush grows

D) The direct sunlight received by creosote bush in the desert area (in kWh/m2) during a 12-month period

The source whose use is a direct cause of deforestation A) Biomass B) Wind C) Tidal energy D) Nuclear fission E) Sunlight

A) Biomass

Throughout the world, especially the less-developed countries, burning wood or other biomass for heating or cooking in homes is common. One negative environmental impact of this practice is the production of particulates indoors, which can be a health hazard to humans. Which of the following describes the best strategy for mitigating this potential problem? A) Installing effective ventilation systems in dwellings B) Updating dwellings with well-sealed windows C) Planting native plants around the dwelling D) Equipping dwellings with rainwater collection systems

A) Installing effective ventilation systems in dwellings

Negative environmental impacts associated with large-scale hydroelectric projects have been demonstrated in which of the following areas? A) James Bay, Quebec B) Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania C) Kissimmee River, Florida D) Mono Lake, California E) Aral Sea, former USSR

A) James Bay, Quebec

Converts solar energy directly into electrical energy A) Photovoltaics B) Geothermal C) Biomass D) Hydroelectric E) Hydrogen Fuel

A) Photovoltaics

Some solar energy systems produce high-temperature water for industrial applications and produce steam to run turbines that generate electricity. What type of solar energy system is needed for these kinds of applications? A) A flat-panel solar collector system B) A solar collector system using mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight C) A passive solar system that uses building design to block summer sunlight D) A flat non-tracking array of photovoltaic panels E) A passive solar system that uses building design to collect winter sunlight

B) A solar collector system using mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight

Which of the following is a true statement about passive solar heating? A) It is effective only during the summer months B) It is based in part on the principle of the greenhouse effect C) It is not used to heat commercial buildings D) It is not efficient because it cannot produce high-quality energy E) It produces more pollution than heating with an electric heat pump

B) It is based in part on the principle of the greenhouse effect

In the majority of less developed countries, the major source of energy for domestic use is which of the following? A) Oil B) Coal C) Biomass D) Nuclear E) Geothermal

C) Biomass

More commonly used in the least developed countries than in highly developed countries A) Photovoltaics B) Geothermal C) Biomass D) Hydroelectric E) Hydrogen Fuel

C) Biomass

Which of the following best describes an advantage of burning biomass rather than burning fossil fuels in developing countries? A) Biomass production requires less open space than fossil fuel extraction does, so land is available for other purposes B) Burning biomass is associated with fewer human respiratory concerns than fossil fuels are because it does not give off sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides C) Biomass production is cheaper than fossil fuel extraction, making it more readily available for use D) Burning biomass is more efficient than burning fossil fuels, providing more available energy from less of the resource

C) Biomass production is cheaper than fossil fuel extraction, making it more readily available for use

Which of the following is the most successful solution to the problem of fish mortality caused by dams? A) Placing fish repellents on dam turbines B) Eliminating keystone species above the dam C) Building fish ladders around the dam D) Harvesting the fish before they reach the dam E) Dredging the sediments upstream of the dam

C) Building fish ladders around the dam

Economic benefits of building large dams include which of the following? I. Storage of water for agriculture and domestic use II. Controlling floods upstream III. Production of renewable energy A) I only B) II only C) I and III only D) II and III only E) I, II, and III

C) I and III only

The primary cause for the decline in the use of wood as a fuel in the eighteen hundreds was the... A) Discovery of major oil fields in the Middle East B) Lowering of per capita energy consumption C) Reduced wood availability resulting from widespread deforestation D) Global rise in temperatures during the 1800s E) Lower energy density of coal as compared to wood

C) Reduced wood availability resulting from widespread deforestation

Which of the following is a drawback to using biofuels, such as ethanol, as a fuel source? A) Ethanol-blended gasoline has higher carbon emissions than petroleum alone B) The global demand for biofuels is continually decreasing C) There is high energy investment in producing and processing the crops needed for ethanol production D) Ethanol-blended gasoline increases the likelihood of freezing gas lines in winter months

C) There is high energy investment in producing and processing the crops needed for ethanol production

Many environmentalists consider Egypt's Aswan High Dam on the Nile River to be an ecological disaster. Which of the following is the best evidence to support this viewpoint? A) Creation of the dam flooded important archaeological sites. B) Sardine populations near the Nile delta increased exponentially as a result of decreased annual rates of water flow C) The Aswan High Dam supplies one-third of the electrical power used in Egypt D) Some countries upstream from the dam have diverted Nile River water for their own projects E) Most of the nutrient-rich silt that the Nile annually deposited downstream is now deposited behind the dam

E) Most of the nutrient-rich silt that the Nile annually deposited downstream is now deposited behind the dam

The source that is converted directly into electrical energy by photovoltaic cells A) Biomass B) Wind C) Tidal energy D) Nuclear fission E) Sunlight

E) Sunlight

Which of the following is the best example of an energy storage element in a solar energy system? A) The photovoltaic array in a solar electric system B) The overhang that blocks sunlight in a passively cooled home C) The insulated windows in a passively heated solar home D) The sun-tracking mirrors in a power tower system E) The hot water tank in a solar hot water system

E) The hot water tank in a solar hot water system