Environmental Resources Exam 2 part 1

Describe clean coal technologies (p.538)

Refers to an array of techniques, equipment, and approaches that aim to remove chemical contaminants during the generation of electricity from coal

What do the "losses" in Fig 19.4 represent? Are internal combustion engines (transportation) and electrical generation efficient processes?

Represents amount of energy lost (waste heat) no???

Ch 20 Case Study: Explain what oil sands are and where the major deposits in N. America are located. How are they mined? What are the benefits & concerns related to them?

Sand saturated with bitumen Located at the Keystone XL Pipeline Mined from strip mining or drilling and stream extraction Good way to get oil, but is very energy intensive

Ch 8 Case Study: Describe the history of China's one-child policy. Did it work? What were the adverse effects of this policy? Why did China abandon this policy in recent years?

- It kind of worked...(fertility rate dropped to 1.7) - It led to sex discrimination. People would get selective abortions and infanticide if they didnt get the gender baby that they wanted - China abandoned it bc of the rapidly growing older population, too few woman, and shrinking workforce

Briefly describe the process of oil refining. How does a distillation column work?

Refining breaks crude oil down into its various components, which are then selectively reconfigured into new products The distillation column is made up of a series of stacked plates. A liquid feed containing the mixture of two or more liquids enters the column at one or more points. The liquid flows over the plates, and vapor bubbles up through the liquid via holes in the plates

Why have actual U.S. oil production values remained above Hubbert's predictions? (& currently we are setting new record highs for oil & gas production in the US)

New extraction technologies Primary vs secondary extraction hydraulic fracturing: recovers shale oil and gas

Summarize four or five of the risks and impacts of using fossil fuels. (p. 532-535)

Non renewable, pollute the environment, if used irresponsible it is dangerous

What geopolitical role is natural gas playing in the current war in Ukraine?

Nord Stream pipelines go through Ukraine

Describe oil shale and methane hydrate. Why are these considered unconventional FFs?

Oil shale is sedimentary rock filled with organic matter that can be processed into a liquid form of petroleum called shale oil. Methane hydrate is methane topped in an ice lattice Unconventional bc they burn like coal and aren't necessarily good for the environment

What are the three main fossil fuels we use today? What do we use fossil fuels for? Why are fossil fuels the primary energy source used in the modern world?

Oil, natural gas, and coal Use them for energy They are the primary source because they are efficient, convenient, and well-established

In what decade did the US birth rate first drop below the replacement level?

Past 50 years

Explain the concept of peak oil. Given recent developments in extraction technology, does it seem like we are in risk of running out of fossil fuels any time soon? (see p.529-532)

Peak oil refers to the hypothetical point at which global crude oil production will hit its maximum rate, after which production will start to decline Finding new ways to get fossil fuels so it is hard to say

When do populations grow exponentially? Why can't they do this forever? (think ducks...) What happens to exponential growth of a population as it approaches carrying capacity?

People grow exponentially when there is no resource limitation (exponential growth) They cant do this forever bc all exponential growth ends up being logistic (resource limitation)

Has world fossil fuel consumption leveled off, or is it still increasing?

Still rising

What are some challenges that countries with decreasing populations face?

Stuff with the economy Population projections

What are the two ways that oil sands can be extracted?

Surface mining and ...

Describe trends in world population, growth rate, birth rate, and death rate.

The world's population is still growing But - the growth rates have been decreasing since the 1960s World-wide, birth rates are dropping faster than death rates

Who were Thomas Malthus & Paul Erlich? What did their most influential works predict, and when were they published?

Thomas: (1798) says society must limit births or else war and starvation looms Paul: (1968) says the world is heading towards mass starvation within 10 years ***Both argued that population growth would surpass food supply and lead to disaster

How do coal and petroleum differ in their origins?

coal is found at its site of deposition as a solid and relatively pure massive organic substance, whereas petroleum is liquid and migrates readily from its place of origin into porous reservoir rocks

What were the five closing thoughts that we ended our lecture on human population with? Can you describe the importance of each?

1. Resources are not shared equally worldwide 2. Malnutrition and starvation are a result of bad government 3. 4. Income, literacy 5. Rest of the world is small compared to asia and africa

What is the replacement fertility rate for developed countries?

2.1

What is the world's current population? (in billions, with one decimal place). What is the world's most populated country today? What will it be in a few years?

7.9 billion Today it is China, but it will soon be India

How does the energy consumption (metric tons of oil equivalent) of an average U.S. citizen compare to the world average? (Fig 19.3)

Average US citizen uses 7.2 tons a year. A lot more than the rest of the world

If the U.S. birth rate has been basically at or below replacement level for 50 years, how did we sustain a 1% annual growth rate until recently?

Bc of demographic momentum- when populations continue to grow for a time even after birth rates drop

Why is it hard to pin down a carrying capacity for humans on earth? What is the medium-fertility estimate for world population in the year 2100?

Bc we don't know what the future holds 10.5 billion in 2100

What do we use fossil fuels for? What are some examples of petroleum-based products?

Coal and natural gas fired power plants Transportation Plastic anything

What are the top two producing and consuming countries for coal? Oil? Natural gas? (see Table 19.3)

Coal: China and india Oil: United states and china saudi arabiaNatural gas: United states and russia

In the last 10 years, has the US fertility rate increased or decreased?

Decreased

Explain how EROI values are calculated and what they can tell us. Why were EROI values for oil so favorable in the early 1900s? What is the EROI for oil sands today?

Energy returned divided by energy invested EROI of oil sands are 4:1

What happens if a population overshoots its carrying capacity?

It can result in population crash

Explain what "proven recoverable reserves" refers to. What factors influence these values?

It is the amount of a fossil fuel that is technologically and economically feasible to remove under current conditions Increase when extraction technology improves or as market prices of the fuel rise Decrease as fuel deposits are depleted by extraction or as market prices fall

How has hydraulic fracturing been a game-changer for fossil fuel extraction in the US?

It unlocked formerly inaccessible deposits of shale gas and tight oil and allows us to gather more fossil fuels

Explain how the process of demographic transition works, describing what is happening during each of the four stages. Why does a population increase during the transitional and industrial stages?

Uses birth rate and death rate to suggest that a country's total population growth rate cycles through stages as a country develops economically Pre industrial stage- Conditions that have defined most of human history. Both birth and death rates are high Transitional stage- Characterized by declining death rates due to increased food production and improved medical care. Birth rates are high. Population growth surges. Industrial stage- Industrialization increases opportunities for employment outside the home. Birth rates fall, closing the gap with death rates and reducing population growth Post-industrial stage- Both birth and death rates have fallen to low and stable levels

What is the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline extension? Why is (was) it a controversial topic?

revised proposal in 2012 consists of a new 36-inch pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, through Montana and South Dakota to Steele City, Nebraska, to "transport of up to 300,000 barrels per day Would be bad for wildlife, global warming

Explain the concept of carbon capture and describe a couple of methods that are used.

the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) before it is released into the atmosphere Being attempted at various places, including coal fired plant in germany

Explain how demographic momentum works

when populations continue to grow for a time even after birth rates drop