APES
Which of the following best describes a potential negative environmental effect of fossil fuel extraction?
Air pollutants, such as methane and particulate matter, are emitted into the atmosphere.
Which of the following best describes why people in less developed countries use wood as a primary energy source?
Wood, in the form of firewood and charcoal, is often readily available.
Which of the following statements best explains why natural gas is often used as a fuel when countries are transitioning from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources?
Natural gas burns more efficiently and cleanly than other sources of carbon-based fossil fuels, thus contributing to a reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Which of the following describes a step in the generation of electricity using fossil fuels that can most directly lead to an environmental problem?
Fossil fuel is burned to boil water.
Which of the following is an example of the process of cogeneration?
Using wastewater from electricity production for heating homes
Which of the following is the approximate projected rate of change in renewable energy consumption from 2010-2040 ?
2.33 quadrillion BTUs per year
Which of the following statements best explains why there is continued widespread use of nonrenewable fossil fuels in energy production in the United States?
Established technology and transportation infrastructure for fossil fuels allows these resources to be converted into energy to meet consumer demand.
Which of the following correctly depicts the nuclear chain reaction that occurs in a nuclear power plant?
In nuclear power production, Uranium-235 is used as fuel. In this image, a neutron interacts with an atom of Uranium-235, releasing two additional neutrons. These neutrons can then interact with additional atoms of Uranium-235, causing a chain reaction.
Which of the following geologic profiles would most likely be found at the circled region in the figure?
Peat Peat Sedimentary Rock Igneous Rock
Which of the following best describes the total consumption of all fossil fuels in 2040 compared to the consumption of nuclear energy in 2040?
Predicted consumption of fossil fuels (liquid, natural gas, and coal) is approximately 645 quadrillion BTUs in 2040, and predicted nuclear consumption is approximately 5050 quadrillion BTUs . (248BTUs from liquid fuels+215BTUs from natural gas+180BTUs from coal)48BTUs=12.86(248BTUs from liquid fuels+215BTUs from natural gas+180BTUs from coal)48BTUs=12.86 , so almost 1313 times greater.
Which of the following best describes an environmental problem that is often linked to the process of fracking?
Wastewater from fracking operations is injected into porous rock formations, which can induce seismic activity.
Which of the following best identifies a benefit of using renewable energy sources rather than nonrenewable energy sources?
Renewable energy sources are replenishable and are virtually inexhaustible by human consumption, whereas nonrenewable sources do not form in a short period of time.
Which of the following statements best describes a difference between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources?
Renewable energy sources can be replaced naturally at current consumption rates, whereas nonrenewable energy sources cannot be replaced easily.
Which of the following statements about the global distribution and use of fossil fuels is best supported by the data on the map?
Saudi Arabia and Australia produce large volumes of fossil fuels with relatively low energy demand.
If a country possesses large oil and gas reserves within its borders, which of the labeled rock types must be present in the underlying geology of the country?
Sedimentary Rock
Based on the data above, approximately how much greater is the average cost of electricity produced in the United States from offshore wind than from hydroelectric power?
The average cost of energy produced from offshore wind farms is $197/MWh. The average cost of energy produced from hydroelectric power is $84/MWh . Therefore, wind energy is 2.32.3 times more expensive 19784/=2.319784=2.3 .
In the diagram above, which letter correctly identifies the step where kinetic energy is converted to mechanical energy?
The kinetic energy of the water molecules causes the turbine blades to spin, converting kinetic energy to mechanical energy.
At which of the following locations in the nuclear power plant would an accident most likely result in the release of fission products?
The reactor vessel holds the uranium fuel that is undergoing fission reactions that result in heat production.