EVR HW 15 (Exam 5)
The red line represents annual human consumption of paleoproduction by fossil fuel combustion. The dashed line indicates current annual net primary production (NPP) for the entire planet. Estimate in what year the annual consumption of paleoproduction surpassed Earth's current annual NPP. Estimate in what year our consumption of paleoproduction reached 100 times Earth's current annual net primary production. If on average it takes 7,000 units of paleoproduction to produce 1 unit of fossil fuel, estimate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 2000 (assume 50,000 trillion kg C consumption in 2000). Now calculate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 1750 (assume 0.03 trillion kg C). How many times greater was the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in 2000 than in 1750? If the paleoproduction consumption line reached a peak in 2000 and began to decline at the same rate it increased, in what year would we be at global net primary productivity again?
1890 1960 3.5 x 108 trillion kg C 1.7 x 106 2110
All of the following are advantages of nuclear power except ________.
?
What occurs when coal mining exposes rock surfaces to weathering?
?
How does the burning of coal contribute to acid rain?
Burning coal releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
Which of the following countries exports the most oil to the United States?
Canada
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is most likely to get support from farmers in which of the following states that will be directly impacted by the pipeline? Which of the following is true? When it comes to the pipeline, the same method used to cross the Missouri River is going to be used to cross the Mississippi River. What method is this? If this pipeline is finished, what will happen once the oil makes it to Illinois? What is the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration most likely to say about the Dakota Access Pipeline?
Iowa State and federal agencies approve of the Dakota Access Pipeline. going under it It will be distributed to other pipelines and sent throughout the United States. it will be safe
Of the five countries shown, ________ have essentially no domestic oil production.
Japan and Germany
Where does the United States keep an emergency stockpile of oil?
Louisiana?
You are working to improve carbon capture technology. Which of the following would be most helpful at Boundary Dam? If this form of carbon capture works, which of the following would be most reduced in the atmosphere? If successful, this type of carbon capture will be most beneficial to which of the following? Which of the following is true regarding carbon capture the way it is being done at Boundary Dam? Which of the following industries would most like to see an increase in carbon capture, as it uses the waste product captured at Boundary Dam?
Preventing contamination of the amine? carbon dioxide electrical power plants? It requires a lot of energy? oil industry?
Karl Grossman suggests that a return to building nuclear power plants will have disastrous impacts. Which of the following impacts does he discuss in his essay? John Ritch suggests that nuclear power is the only option for clean energy on a massive scale. Which of the following statements represents one of his pro-nuclear arguments? Compare and contrast the two essays. Which of the following topics represents a clear example of disagreement between the two authors? Both authors present their arguments for or against nuclear power as factual. Which of the following quotes is referenced to a specific source? You are a state senator on an energy task force. Your task force will recommend whether or not to pursue nuclear power for your state's growing energy needs. Based on the information in both essays, which of the following priorities would favor nuclear power?
The potential for terrorist attacks on nuclear plants? We have several centuries' supply of uranium available for use as nuclear fuel. The safety of nuclear power A nuclear accident at the Indian Point 3 plant would cause an estimated 50,000 "peak fatalities." Fuel sustainability?
What is bitumen?
a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand
What disabled the emergency power generators at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan and led to the reactor meltdowns?
a tsunami
Why are we so eager to find clean coal technologies?
because coal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels in the United States
Energy conservation in the United States ________.
can be improved as individuals make conscious choices to reduce personal consumption
Plant-based organic matter that is compressed under high pressure to form solid carbon structures is known as __________.
coal
The world's most abundant fossil fuel is ________.
coal
Energy can be conserved by ________.
cogeneration in power plants, fuel efficient transportation, reengineered appliances
When assessing energy resources, it is helpful to use a measure called EROI, which is ________.
energy returned divided by energy invested
U.S. oil production ________.
falls far short of U.S. oil consumption
China's main source of energy contributes most to what global environmental problem? One of China's cement factories has become more energy efficient by __________. What have Chinese companies started producing to reduce the use of gasoline (petrol)? China's government is encouraging companies to __________.
global climate change using the extra gas and heat from the kilns to generate electricity hybrid cars take the lead in all green technologies
Which of the following characterizes U.S. nuclear power plants?
highly subsidized
Organizations like OPEC have formed ________.
in order to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil
The heavy levels of soot from the electrical plant upwind of Soweto, along with dust from gigantic mine dumps from gold and coal mines, created particulate pollution more than three times the recommended level. This resulted in ________.
increased incidence of lung disease
Carbon sequestration ________.
is an unproven technology only begun in 2008
You are a toxicologist and discover that 2BE has the same effects in humans as in rodents. What does it do to humans? Chevron decides to frack near your home. Which of the following are they interested in obtaining? Which of the following is true regarding 2BE? Which of the following is most likely to support stricter federal regulations on fracking? Which of the following currently appears to be the best option for protecting groundwater in areas where fracking is taking place?
it causes tumors natural gas? it is found in many household products environmental defense fund Increase the use of intermediate casings.
Scientists currently assessing the environmental impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico report that ________.
it may take years or decades before the full impacts are known
The average miles per gallon rating of U.S. vehicles has ________.
made no improvement the past two decades
Which fossil fuel is produced as a by-product that occurs when bacteria decompose organic material under anaerobic conditions?
methane
Natural gas is ________.
often associated with coal and petroleum deposits
For the United States, the primary fuel that we use for our energy is ________.
oil
The energy bill passed by the U.S. Congress in 2007 ________.
raised the CAFE standard to 35mpg for vehicles by the year 2020
The process of __________ turns crude oil into the type of gases that can be used for cooking, in cars, and for other human purposes.
refining
Coal continues to be the main fuel used to generate electricity in the United States. This is partially because ________.
the country has such large reserves of coal
What is energy intensity?
the energy use per dollar of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The country with the greatest differential between domestic production and total consumption is ________.
the united states
When did the use of coal for cooking, heating, and other purposes begin?
thousands of years ago, by Native Americans (and other ancient cultures)
The United States and other industrialized nations devote the greatest proportion of their oil use to __________.
transportation
All of the following are fossil fuels except ________.
uranium
Which of the following elements is the starting material for nuclear fission reactions?
uranium
Secondary extraction of petroleum ________.
uses solvents, water, or steam?
Of the available policy options regarding eventual conversion to renewable energy sources, environmentalists would probably prefer that ________.
we encourage, with subsidies, tax rebates, and grants, the rapid development and widespread use of renewable alternative energy resources
Along with many other governmental reforms that began in 1994, the electrical plant just outside Soweto was closed in 2000 and other plants were brought into use. Some parts of Soweto were then wired for electricity. It is estimated, however, that only about 30% of the more than 1 million black inhabitants have electricity in their homes; the remainder cannot afford the costs involved or live in areas that have no electrical access. So, they probably use ________ for fuel.
wood and coal
