Environmental Biology Chapter 14

Which of the following is NOT an example of using passive solar energy?

A flat-plate collector mounted on the roof, which pumps heated water to a storage tank.

How many years of natural gas resources does the earth have left?

About 65 years

What is necessary for the formation of fossils fuels? High temperatures, Extreme pressure, Microbial action, or Millions of years?

All of these answers are correct.

Which of the following is an advantage of switching to renewable energy sources? They diversify an economy's energy mix; They emit far fewer, if any, greenhouse gases; They have created millions of new jobs; or They can provide energy in undeveloped areas, which are often too far from centralized power sources?

All of these are advantages of switching to renewable energy sources.

What of the following is an advantage of using fossil fuels to provide us with energy? Fossil fuels have been relatively abundant, Fossil fuels have provided us with vastly increased mobility, Fossil fuels have allowed us to increase our quality of life, or Fossil fuels have been relatively inexpensive?

All of these are advantages of using fossil fuels.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of wind power in the United States? Wind is an intermittent source, Population centers are far from wind resources, Local residents often oppose them, or They kill migratory birds and bats?

All of these are disadvantages of wind power.

Which of the following is NOT a source of biomass energy? Charcoal, Manure from livestock, Ethanol, or Processing wastes from pulp mills?

All of these are forms of biomass energy.

Which statement about tar (oil) sands is NOT correct?

Although currently not feasible, oil sands hold the promise of increasing energy supplies once the technology is developed.

Which of the following is FALSE about successfully using the ocean as an energy source?

Any ocean energy facility must be located in shallow waters along a coast to generate electricity.

How much longer will the oil reserves of the world (not including oil sands or shale oil) provide petroleum for us?

Approximately 40 to 50 years

We can reduce our dependence on other nations for oil supplies in many ways. Which of the following is NOT a way to reduce our dependence on other countries for oil supplies?

Become friends with Middle Eastern countries

What happens when foreign countries cut production and decrease their oil supplies to the U.S.?

By limiting oil production, foreign countries are able to keep supplies tight enough to force the price of oil to increase.

How is hydrogen for use as fuel mainly obtained?

By passing and electrical current through water, releasing hydrogen and oxygen gas.

Why do many people object to obtaining fossil fuels through the process of fracking?

Chemicals in fracking fluids can leak into groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies.

When burned, which fossil fuel is the most significant contributor to climate change?

Coal

What is true about the future of wind power?

Costs of wind power are now competitive with coal-fired power plants and are expected to decline in the future.

What does concentrated solar power (CSP) produce?

Electricity

Which of the following is NOT a primary energy source?

Electricity

What is the outlook for future geothermal energy sources?

Geothermal energy is a small but locally important source of energy.

What caused the United States to become the top ethanol producer in the world?

High gasoline prices, government subsidies, and legislation.

Is ethanol as an energy source carbon neutral?

In principle, although under certain conditions this may not be true.

What does a photovoltaic cell do?

It collects light and converts it directly to electrical power.

What does a wind turbine do?

It converts kinetic energy to electric energy.

Althought hydropower has many advantages, there are some drawbacks to this source of energy. Which of the following is NOT true about hydropower?

It increases downstream flooding and decreases recreational opportunities.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using geothermal energy?

It is virtually unlimited.

How does an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system work?

It uses the differences in temperature between surface and deeper water to generate electricity.

What is the projection for future hydroelectric power in the U.S.?

It will not grow significantly.

Why do many people object to constructing the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport crude oil through the midwestern U.S.?

It would cross over recharge zones for the Ogallala Aquifer.

Given our current rates of consumption, about how many years of coal reserves does the world have?

Less than 300 years

Based on the EROI (Energy Returned On Investment) value, which of the following energy sources would be the best to develop?

Liquid petroleum with an EROI of 24

What are some uses of natural gas? It is used to produce electricity, It is used in industry, It is used in transportation, or It is used as raw material for a variety of products?

Natural gas is used in all these ways.

_______ is the fossil fuel that releases the least CO2 when it is burned, and _______ is the fossil fuel that releases the most CO2 when it is burned.

Natural gas; coal

What is significant about the idea of "peak oil"?

Once peak oil has been reached, production declines, causing shortages and negative economic effects.

Which statement about solar energy is FALSE?

Solar facilities take years to become operational on a scale that is economical to use.

Which of the following is NOT a significant environmental impact of using coal?

Terrestrial ecosystems are permanently destroyed from strip mining.

Where are most of the world's oil reserves located?

The Middle East

Which statement about oil shale is NOT correct?

The United States has very little of this source of energy.

Which statement about ocean energy is NOT true?

The facilities generate significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

When discussing fossil fuels, what is a "proven (or proved) reserve"?

The quantity of fuel that could be recovered from known deposits using current technology at current prices.

Why is corn, instead of some other feedstock such as switchgrass, used to produce ethanol in the U.S.?

The simple sugar in corn is easier to convert to ethanol than the complex cellulose of switchgrass.

Which statement about solar energy is FALSE?

The upfront costs of solar energy are now cheaper than conventional energy.

Why are coal, petroleum, and natural gas called "fossil fuels"?

They are derived from the remains of living organisms that existed millions of years ago.

How do ground-source (geothermal) heat pumps (GSHPs) use geothermal energy?

They use the temperature difference in Earth's crust to warm buildings in the winter and cool them in the summer.

Which of the following is the correct definition for "strip mining"?

Topsoil and layers of rock are removed to access coal from less than 200 feet belowground.

What are the four major categories that are serviced by fossil fuels, particularly in developed nations?

Transportation, industry, residential/commercial, and electricity

The most common type of dam is an impoundment hydroelectric plant, which consists of a dam across a river, and a reservoir (lake) behind the dam. How does this type of dam work?

Water is stored behind a dam. When water is released from the dam, it flows downhill through a turbine, spinning the turbine and generating electricity.

What is the major by-product of obtaining hydrogen power from hydrogen combustion?

Water vapor

What of the following is NOT an environmental consequence of mining for oil sands?

Water, a by-product of extraction, causes significant erosion.

Why did the Deepwater Horizon accident occur?

We need to develop wells in deeper water and to drill deeper below the seafloor in order to keep production up.

Which of the following is a FALSE statement about wind power?

Wind turbines require additional fossil fuel supplies to help the generators work most efficiently.