Unit 6
16. Which of the following would be the best location for a wind farm with ten industrial turbines?
Arranged uniformly on a local farm that has fields and pastureland for dairy and grain production
14. Which of the following best explains the process of electricity generation in a hydrogen fuel cell?
At the anode, hydrogen is oxidized and electrons flow in a circuit to the cathode. At the cathode, oxygen reacts with the hydrogen to produce water. Water and heat are by-products of the reaction.
6. Which of the following best describes an advantage of burning biomass rather than burning fossil fuels in developing countries?
Biomass production is cheaper than fossil fuel extraction, making it more readily available for use.
11. Which of the following describes an environmental problem that can result from the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity?
Carbon dioxide is a product of the combustion fossil fuels, and it can lead to global climate change when released into the atmosphere.
9. In an apartment building, exhaust from a gas-powered electrical generator is captured to produce hot water to heat a swimming pool. Which of the following is illustrated by this process?
Cogeneration
12. Which of the following best describes an environmental problem associated with hydrologic fracturing, or fracking?
Fracking fluids can escape from the drill hole and contaminate surface water and groundwater.
13. Which of the following best describes a disadvantage of geothermal energy production?
Geothermal energy implementation in homes and businesses has a high upfront cost, and electricity is needed to operate pumps.
5. 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?
Installing effective ventilation systems in dwellings
2. Which of the following PV panel systems is least effective at producing energy?
No tracking, tilted east
1. If peak electricity use occurs around in the Los Angeles area and avoiding brownouts is more important to the installers of the panels than annual energy output, which of the following panel systems would be best to use in the area?
No tracking, tilted west
18. Which of the following is a characteristic of nonrenewable energy sources that distinguishes them from renewable energy sources?
Nonrenewable energy sources typically take a longer time to replenish than renewable energy sources do.
4. Which of the following best describes a benefit of increasing the number of offshore wind farms rather than onshore wind farms?
Offshore winds farms will produce up to three times as much electricity as wind farms on land because of increased wind speeds offshore.
3. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data shown in the graph?
PV panels that can track the Sun and are constantly moving to always directly face the Sun produce the most electricity daily and annually.
Which of the following best describes the conditions under which peat is formed?
Partially decayed vegetation is placed under high-pressure, anaerobic, acidic conditions.
17. Which of the following best describes how the use of hydrogen fuel negatively impacts the environment?
The energy needed to produce the hydrogen fuel may come from fossil fuels, whose use contributes to ocean acidification and global climate change.
15. Although nuclear energy is considered a cleaner energy source than fossil fuels, some scientists argue this does not support the claim that nuclear energy is renewable. Which of the following claims best supports the argument that nuclear energy is a nonrenewable energy source?
The uranium deposits on Earth are finite.
10. Which of the following best describes the method of vehicle transport that is the most environmentally sustainable?
The use of a vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells because there are no carbon emissions
8. Which of the following is a drawback to using biofuels, such as ethanol, as a fuel source?
There is high energy investment in producing and processing the crops needed for ethanol production.
