APES Energy Quiz 4/11 STUDY GUIDE

If an energy star refrigerator costs 2 cents less per hour to run, and if it runs for 16 hours a day, how much will it save in a year?

$117

What are 2 ways that water impoundment systems generate GHG emissions?

1. cement for construction produces CO2 2. removed water kills plants and trees that release greenhouse gases due to their decomposition

One g of U - 235 produces approximately how much more energy than 1 g of coal?

2,000,000 times

for a sample of Ti-44 with a half-life of 63 years, how long until 1/16 of the original amount is left?

252 years

What is the chemical reaction taking place inside a hydrogen fuel cell?

2H2 + O2 = energy + H2OHydrogen and oxygen create energy, which forms water.

How many homes does an average wind turbine power during the course of a year?

400 homes

Traveling alone in a car uses 3.6 MJ of energy per kilometer. If 4 people go on a trip of 400 miles, what is the MJ used per person?

580MJ

what is an example of the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

A hot coffee becomes cold on its own. While it can not become hot again on its own.

Control rods slow nuclear reactions by

Absorbing excess neutrons

How are fuel rods and control rods used to control the temperature of the water in a nuclear power plant?

Control rods absorb the excess neutrons, slowing or stopping fission, lower the temperature. Fuel rods generate the heat.

Why is high-level nuclear waste considered more dangerous than the other 2 types?

It must be permanently stored in a location where it will containment people and the environment indefinitely ex: somehow we must ensure that these locations are not messed with because they will be radioactive for thousands of years

Why is it a challenge to have a supply of hydrogen?

It's explosive and requires large volumes for storage

Describe what led to the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents, as well as their effects on surrounding areas

Lack of ability to cool the plants down, overheated, led to radioactive environment, contamination of people and food products and cancer.

Describe how a solar system plant works

Lenses are used to focus sunlight falling on a large area into a small beam, then the heat from the beam is used to evaporate water and produce steam that turns a turbine to generate electricity

Increased interest in nuclear power is due to

Low carbon dioxide emissions

How does the energy content of 1 gram of 235U compare to 1 gram of coal? What is the significance of this?

U contains 2 to 3 million the times the energy in coal, allowing to produce more heat and more steam

explain how electricity is generated and distributed and why it is so useful and powerful for modern society

electricity is generated at power plants and moves through a complex system of electricity substations, transformers, and power lines that connect electricity producers and consumers. it is extremely useful and powerful because it is used for lighting, heating, cooling, and refrigeration and for operating appliances, computers, electronics, machinery, and public transportation systems

What is the difference between energy efficiency and energy conservation?

energy efficiency: use less energy to perform the same task and eliminate energy waste. Energy conservation: the decision and practice of using less energy.

How are renewable energies (ex: wind and hydroelectric) related to the Sun?

energy produced from sources like the sun are naturally replenished and do not run out

What is one disadvantage of Charcoal as a biomass fuel?

expensive

what are 3 specific limitations of many renewable energy resources?

expensive storage costs, takes a lot of space to install, and renewable energy can be unreliable.

What is one disadvantage of the Hydroelectric System: Tidal

expensive upfront

What are the major advantages of nuclear power?

extremely small carbon footprint, low-carbon energy sources, reliable and cost-effective

how does petroleum form, and what is typically like by the time it is extracted?

formed from organic material mainly deposited as sediments on the seabed and then broken down and transformed over millions of years. it is crude oil when extracted

how can the government encourage consumers to invest in wind, solar, and other renewable resources?

gov added different policies to promote and support the development of renewable energy, such as the feed-in-tariff (FiT), bidding system, quota system, green certificate trading, and fiscal incentives (e.g. rebates, tax exemptions).

why does 5-10% of the electricity generated in the U.S. get lost as it's transported along transmission lines?

he transmission over long distances creates power losses. the major part of the energy losses comes from joule effect in transformers and power lines. the energy is lost as heat in the conductors.

What is the 2nd law of thermodynamics?

heat is transferred from one body to another body only if the two bodies are at different temperatures, and that the heat flows from the body at the highest temperature to the body at the lowest temperature

What is one advantage of Wood as a biomass fuel?

improves air and water quality

Which is true of solid biofuels? (a) Charcoal is the primary replacement when wood is scarce (b) Indoor air pollution from them results in millions of deaths annually. (c) Switchgrass is a newly developed replacement for wood. (d) They are carbon neutral due to the net removal of forests.

indoor air pollutions from these results in millions of deaths annually

how can technologies like combined cycle and cogeneration in power plants increase efficiency?

instead of burning fuel to create steam to push a turbine, companies now let the gases produced from the burning to push wheels as well increase the amount of energy produced

describe the process of coal formation, including the different types and their properties

involves the burial of peat (made of partly decayed plant materials) deep underground. layers of peat are buried deeper and compress to become lignite. lignite is buried deeper and layers are compressed to form bituminous coal. compression continues, along with heat and tectonic activity, forming anthracite coal

why is energy efficiency in transportation so important to achieving energy sustainability?

it accounts for one the largest portions of energy usage

How can geothermal be considered both nondepletable and depleteable at the same time?

it can be naturally replenished since it comes from Earth's surface but also depletable because it is exceedingly rare and hard to harness

how does a smart grid help to alleviate energy peak loads?

it can recognize irregularities within the utility grid and automatically adjust to increase energy efficiency and resiliency. because of this, smart grids create environmental and cost benefits by reducing the amount of energy wasted and improving efficiency of generation, delivery and consumption.

what are the advantages of coal usage, and how is it generally used?

it is energy dense and plentiful- used for electricity and industrial processing

What is one disadvantage of the Hydroelectric System: Run-of-the-River

low dissolved oxygen levels in the water (reduces habitat quality)

What is one advantage of the Hydroelectric System: Run-of-the-River

low-cost electricity and durability over time

what are the advantages of natural gas, and how is it generally used?

lowest-carbon hydrocarbon, odorless, colorless and non-toxic provides warmth for cooking and heating, and fuels power stations that provide electricity to homes and businesses

What is one advantage of the Hydroelectric System: Tidal

more efficient and powerful than wind energy

Why is nuclear waste so difficult to dispose of, and how do nuclear plants currently store their waste?

needs to be stored indefinitely; currently they use pools of water and lead lined containers

what type of resource is electricity? Why?

nondepletable because although it can be created from nonrenewable sources, it can also be created from non-depetable sources

what are the disadvantages to using natural gas?

nonrenewable, requires large storage volume, emits Carbon Dioxide, can be difficult to extract

Differentiate between nonrenewable, potentially renewable and nondepletable energy sources. Include a few examples of each.

nonrenewable: resources cannot be created when we use them up ex: coal, uranium, petroleum potentially renewable: resources can be regenerated indefinitely as long as we do not consume them more quickly than can be replenished ex: wood and biofuel nondepletable: resources will never run out ex: wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal

What are 2 disadvantages of biodiesels?

not suitable for use in low temperatures, expensive to produce

Which energy source does not originate from the Sun? coal, solar, oil, nuclear

nuclear

rank the fossil fuels in order of (worldwide) usage, and list a few activities each is used for

oil - gas, jet fuel coal - electricity, metal production natural gas - electricity, heat renewable energy - electricity, transportation nuclear energy - electricity, space exploration

what did the people of William Kamkwamba's village initially think of windmill plan? what changed their mind?

people around the village originally thought he was mentally disturbed or practicing magic. but when he was able to illuminate a light bulb at the top of his windmill, he became a local hero

What is one advantage of Charcoal as a biomass fuel?

produces less smoke while burning

What are the environmental impacts of mining Uranium to produce nuclear fuel?

radioactive dust, radon gas, water-borne toxins, and increased levels of background radiation

how is crude oil refined into various products such as tar, asphalt, gasoline, diesel, etc?

refining, often by converting to gas and separating based in various molecular weights

What are 2 disadvantages of ethanol?

requires a large piece of land, higher evaporative emissions which lead to ozone and smog

what areas of research should the government encourage to achieve a sustainable energy future for our country?

shifting from polluting energy sources to clean, locally-produced renewable energy protects the health of the american people, keeps our air and water cleaner, improves our national security, and boosts our economy by creating good jobs and new careers for american workers

describe a scenario how smart grid technology could reduce a homeowner's electric bill

smart grids can reduce brownouts (drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system) during high energy-use times. ex: when high power is demanded, the smart grid can even out electricity distribution to reduce the toll on the system.

what harmful products are released when coal is burned?

sulfur, mercury, lead, arsenic, CO2

why do scientists recommend that wind and solar energy should not make up more than 20% of our total electricity?

sunlight and wind are unreliable and energy-dilute (large amounts needed to produce small amounts of energy). adding solar panels and wind turbines in large quantities increases the cost of generating electricity, locks in fossil fuels, and increases the environmental footprint of energy production.

Cellulosic ethanol is produced from

switchgrass

How are fossil fuels related to the Sun?

the Sun gives energy to living things which died and became coal, and oil

Cogeneration is

the use of a fuel to generate heat and electricity

what are the benefits of these parks?

these micro-electricity producers are relatively small scale, inexpensive, and most importantly, produce little to no carbon emissions

what are the main problems associated with petroleum usage and extraction?

usage and extraction are both dangerous to people and the environment and add CO2

What are 2 real-world sources of hydrogen?

water and methane

how are fossil fuels originally formed?

when prehistoric plants and animals died and were gradually buried by layers of rock

Explain how fission can occur in a self-sustaining chain reaction.

when the number of neutrons released in a given time equals or exceeds the number of neutrons lost by absorption in non-fissionable material or by escape from the system

What are some examples of passive solar design? How is this part of sustainable building practices?

windows in a house allow the sun to warm and brighten the house. this is a part of sustainable building practices because less energy is needed to light or heat the house

Which is NOT used in sustainable design in North America? recycled building materials an overhanging roof windows on the northern wall building materials with high thermal mass

windows on the northern wall

how can coal washing and waste ash storage cause problems?

without proper management, they can pollute waterways, ground water, drinking water, and the air

what is an example of the 1st law of thermodynamics?

you have a pot of water at room temperature. You add some heat to the system. First, the temperature and energy of the water increases. Second, the system releases some energy and it works on the environment (maybe heating the air around the water, making the air rise).

How does the sun create wind energy?

The sun is the solar radiation and ground surface heating that drives air circulation

what is the overall problem with our current reliance on fossil fuels?

Their production and usage is dangerous to people and the environment

what are the advantages of petroleum, and how is it generally used?

easy to transport and burn, energy dense, mostly used in transportation

What is the difference in carbon emissions between biofuels and fossil fuels?

Biofuels burn cleaner than gasoline, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions

What are 2 advantages of biodiesels?

Burn Cleaner Than Fossil Fuels, can reduce the need for landfill space

how does energy use differ across geographic regions of the US and in different seasons?

During winters more fuel is used. Midwestern and Southeastern states use more coal, whereas west and northeastern states tend to use natural gas, nuclear fuel, and/or hydroelectric power

Which is an example of a secondary energy source? solar, coal, electricity, nuclear

Electricity

What is the 1st law of thermodynamics?

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed

what types of considerations go into choosing the best energy source for a particular situation?

Energy efficiency, reaction time

what are the inputs of the US energy system?

Inputs: oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear energy, renewable energy

Why have some electric companies adopted a tiered rate system? Why might some customers consider it an unfair practice?

It discourages the use of large amounts of energy. some customers might consider it unfair because they might have bigger families that have to use more energy, so the price goes up even if they can't pay for it.

How does active solar energy differ from passive solar energy?

Passive systems are structures whose design, placement, or materials optimize the use of heat or light directly from the sun. Active systems have devices to convert the sun's energy into a more usable form, such as hot water or electricity.

Why is a ground source heat pump considered more "solar energy" than "geothermal energy"?

The ground maintains its temperature because it retains the Sun's heat

what is the significance of the Hubbert curve and the concept of "peak oil" for our society?

Hubbert's peak theory predicts the rise, peak, and decline of fossil fuel production (bell-shaped curve) peak oil is the hypothetical point at which global crude oil production will hit its maximum rate, at which production will start to decline

A hydroelectric power plant's rate of electricity generation depends on I. the flow rate of the water. II. the vertical distance the water falls. III. the amount of water behind the dam.

I and II only

The major source of energy in the United States is

Oil

what are the outputs of the US energy system?

Outputs: work (end use of energy i.e. transportation, industrial, residential, commercial) waste (heat, carbon dioxide, and other pollutants released when energy is converted and entropy increases)

What is one advantage of Manure as a biomass fuel?

Reliable and reduces our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels

Which is an energy efficiency improvement? adjusting the thermostat in a building using a power strip using cold water instead of hot water Replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs

Replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs

The process of fusion

Requires extremely high temperatures

how is nuclear fission (decay) used to generate electricity?

When a neutron hits a relatively large nucleus, which then splits into two or more parts and releases heat. This heat is used to convert water to steam, which turns a turbine and generates electricity.

What are some reasons (cited in the textbook) why wind energy has not been popular in the USA?

Windmills cause habitat fragmentation and noise

in comparing the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy with fossil fuel-based electricity generation plants (coal and gas), do you think nuclear energy represents a preferable option?

Yes. Nuclear energy uses uranium as a source for energy, which is easily accessible, readily available and renewable. Nuclear emissions are cleaner. nuclear energy generates power through nuclear fission and the heat released by fission creates steam that spins a turbine for electricity

What is ethanol?

a renewable fuel made from corn and other plant materials

describe a small-scale electricity generation park.

a separate area used and planned for the purpose of clean energy development, like wind and solar generation facilities

Which energy source is NOT nondepletable? wind biomass tidal solar

biomass

What is one disadvantage of the Hydroelectric System: Water Impoundment

can damage the environment both upstream and downstream by the construction process

What is one disadvantage of Wood as a biomass fuel?

can lead to deforestation

What is one disadvantage of Manure as a biomass fuel?

carbon neutral

Which is not a form of biomass? coal charcoal municipal solid waste ethanol

coal - Biomass excludes organic material which has been transformed via geological processes to fossil fuels

What are 2 advantages of ethanol?

cost-effective, reduces GHG emissions

What is one advantage of the Hydroelectric System: Water Impoundment

creates reservoirs that offer recreational opportunities such as fishing, swimming, and boating