Bio 121 final exam study guide

During peak usage, what happens to the cost of electricity?

It almost always increases. Because use is high, power plants are able to charge more for their product.

What is Hubbert's peak?

a prediction, based on rates of extraction and new discovery, of when a country's or global oil production will be at a maximum and then start to fall Hubbert's calculations accurately predicted that U.S. production of oil would peak in 1970. He later predicted that the world's production would peak in 1995. Further analysis using updated information has revised that date to sometime around 2005.

What occurs when coal mining exposes rock surfaces to weathering?

acid drainage Sulfide minerals in newly exposed rock surfaces react with oxygen and rainwater to produce sulfuric acid.

Why are we so eager to find clean coal technologies?

because coal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels in the United States

Many pollutants from coal-fired power plants are properly managed today. Which of the following is currently considered to be the biggest threat to the environment?

carbon dioxide

What term describes the ability to obtain a given result while using less energy?

energy efficiency

Where is electricity made at a coal-fired power plant?

generator:The generator is the only part of a coal-fired power plant that makes electricity.

Organizations like OPEC have formed ________.

in order to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil

What color smoke coming from a coal-fired power plant would indicate wasted fuel?

black Because coal is carbon-based, black smoke would indicate that valuable fuel is being wasted. Power plants do all that they can to prevent this from happening.

Once the carbon dioxide is captured from the fumes of a coal-burning power plant, something must be done with it. The option with the least environmental impact involves releasing the carbon dioxide into

deep underground caverns

One-quarter of Scotland's electricity is generated by the third-largest coal-fired power station in Europe. In just three minutes, this power plant uses __________ of coal.

one train car (wagon)

All fossil fuels, including coal, are considered an indirect form of ____________ energy.

solar: Because they are the remains of fossilized organisms which required the sun to survive, all fossil fuels are considered to be an indirect form of solar energy.

How does a coal-fired power plant use the energy in coal to produce electricity?

Burning coal heats water and creates steam that turns the blades of a turbine and generates electricity.

What is the difference between EROI (energy returned on investment) and net energy?

Net energy is simply the difference between energy returned and energy invested. EROI is a ratio with energy return in the numerator and energy invested in the denominator. Though seemingly an oversimplification, net energy can be characterized in broader terms than EROI, because it is the total cost of energy usage, which includes such things as financial investment, labor, and transportation. EROI is a science-based measure of the quantifiable, physical energy that is gained from energy inputs.

What environmental problem that contributes to global warming is addressed by using amine solutions to treat the fumes of a coal-burning power plant?

the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere