EVRN 148 ch 13 renewable energy questions
which of the following is not an environmental effect of hydropower? a. changes in water temp b. air pollution c. loss of wildlife habitat d. production of methane from decomposing matter
air pollution
how could batteries help address some limitations of renewable energy? a. by decreasing the costs of renewable resources b. by making the energy more usable c. by allowing for the production of better electric cars d. by storing energy
by storing energy
what is the main drawback to geothermal heating and cooling of buildings? a. metals pollution b. endangerment of wildlife c. greenhouse gas emissions d. cost of installation
cost of installation
in what ways do the government policies inhibit widespread use of solar and other renewable energy sources? a. presidential candidates do not find solar to be marketable in campaigns b. some states refuse to allow solar panels to be installed c. current policies are built around a fossil fuel energy system d. policies allow for only a limited number of solar panels to be purchased by a single individual or business
current policies are built around a fossil fuel energy system
how much CO2 emissions could be reduced or increased by using biofuel instead of gasoline? a. no change in emissions b. increased emission of 12.75kg CO2 c. decreased emission of 1.5kg CO2 d. increased emission of 1.5kg CO2
decreased emission of 1.5kg CO2
which policy would cause the greatest increase in the United States' installed solar capacity? a. tax credits for building larger homes that could support massive solar arrays b. government investments in infrastructure and technology improvements c. requiring all states and countries to comply with daylight savings time, maximizing the number of hours of productive sunlight d. reduction in the environmental protections for desert species
government investments in infrastructure and technology improvements
developed countries have little potential for new large-scale hydropower projects. why is this the case? a. electricity from hydropower is heavily taxed in most developed countries b. many of the large rivers have already been dammed in developed countries c. there would be great potential for further hydropower development in developed countries if the public were willing to build dams on large rivers d. existing hydropower facilities would need to be rebuilt to increase their efficiency
many of the large rivers have already been dammed in developed countries
Which of the following statements best explains why the widespread use of solar is limited at present? a. efficiency is improving b. countries that have the metals needed to produce solar panels will not sell these metals to other countries c. solar panels are expensive to install, and sunlight is only available part of the day d. climate change is increasing cloud production thereby reducing available sunlight
solar panels are expensive to install, and sunlight is only available part of the day
For geothermal heat pump to work, the ground has to be ________ than the air in the winter and _________ than the air in the summer. a. cooler, cooler b. warmer, cooler c. cooler, warmer d. warmer, warmer
warmer, cooler
which of the following is emitted as a result of the electricity generation in a hydrogen fuel cell? a. CO2 b. O2 c. H2O d. CO
H2O
What is the difference between first and second generation biomass fuels? a. first generation biomass fuels are burned directly (like wood), whereas second generation fuels have to be chemically extracted from plants b. first generation biomass fuels are made from plant materials that can also be used as food, whereas second generation fuels are made from non food plant materials c. first generation biomass fuels are better for the environment than second generation fuels d. first generation biomass fuels are made from corn, whereas second generation fuels are made from sugar cane
first generation biomass fuels are made from plant materials that can also be used as food, whereas second generation fuels are made from non food plant materials
which of the statements is true about geothermal energy uses? a. geothermal designs cannot be used to cool buildings b. energy from deep inside the earth is too dangerous to be used in space heating, but can generate large amounts of electricity c. geothermal energy can be used for both electricity generation and temperature regulation of buildings d. geothermal systems are only available in regions with underground pools of hot water close to the earth's surface
geothermal energy can be used for both electricity generation and temperature regulation of buildings
which of the following types of renewable energy would be best able to provide base demand for electricity? (base demand refers to the demand that is always present for power) a. hydroelectric power b. solar power c. geothermal direct use d. wind power
hydroelectric power
Which of the following is NOT a major environmental benefit of wind energy? a. protection of wildlife and aesthetics b. reduction of greenhouse gas emissions c. prevention of water pollution d. prevention of air pollution
protection of wildlife and aesthetics
what statement is an accurate characterization of a potential benefit of second generation biomass fuels as an energy source? a. second gen biomass fuels do not release CO2 when they are combusted b. second gen biomass fuels would not require the use of food crops like corn and sugar cane c. biomass fuels do not require the use of any fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides for their production d. the production of current biomass fuels does not require any fossil fuel energy use for chemical processing or fermentation processes
second gen biomass fuels would not require the use of food crops like corn and sugar cane
how does concentrated solar thermal power differ from solar photovoltaic systems? a. solar photovoltaic power uses heat to turn a turbine. concentrated solar thermal power converts solar energy directly into electricity b. these are regional terms; there really isn't much of a difference c. solar photovoltaic power converts solar energy directly into electricity. concentrated solar thermal power uses heat to turn a turbine. d. concentrated solar thermal requires many solar photovoltaic cells in one place
solar photovoltaic power converts solar energy directly into electricity. concentrated solar thermal power uses heat to turn a turbine.
hydrogen power can be a renewable source of energy for transportation, but in some cases, it may not be much better than the use of fossil fuels. why is this the case? a. the use of hydrogen power increases the amount of hydrogen gas in the atmosphere, which is a serious pollutant b. even small environmental impacts add up bc much larger amounts of hydrogen are required c. some methods of acquiring hydrogen gas rely heavily on fossil fuels d. mining hydrogen from the earth's crust is environmentally destructive
some methods of acquiring hydrogen gas rely heavily on fossil fuels
Which of the following describes an example of the use of passive solar? a. the use of sunlight to heat a fluid that passes through a dark panel on a rooftop b. south-facing windows that allow sunlight in during the winter c. a large concentrated solar thermal power plant used for producing electricity d. PV panels used for producing electricity
south-facing windows that allow sunlight in during the winter
Why is there concern about the impact of biomass fuel production of food prices? a. access to biofuel for cooking will increase food demand b. the diversion of food crops to energy production decreases the amount of food available for human consumption c. increased fuel is needed for transportation of crops d. this is an argument used to discourage crop subsidies
the diversion of food crops to energy production decreases the amount of food available for human consumption
one day you are chatting with a friend about the environmental benefits of integrating large-scale renewable energy into the current power generation system. your friend is skeptical; he argues that wind farms kill birds, solar facilities interrupt animal migrations and habitats, and hydropower ruins river habitats-how could all of that possibly be environmentally friendly? what argument could you respond with to demonstrate some of the positive benefits you were thinking of and that might balance the points that your friend mentioned? a. your friend is completely right. these large scale renewable technologies do not provide any environmental benefits, so you don't argue back b. the arguments that your friend made are all rumors, and it is important to embrace renewable energy without investigation into potential negative impacts that may come along with the positive impacts c. energy generated from these renewable sources will be significantly cheaper than energy currently generated from fossil fuels, and the leftover profits that energy companies make will be invested directly in conservation funds; in the end, this will help more organisms than the use of renewable energy hurts d. the integration of renewable energy on a large scale could drastically reduce CO2 and other pollutants in the air, which are currently damaging the environment for humans, plants, and animals alike at an alarming rate by causing climate change and widespread contamination
the integration of renewable energy on a large scale could drastically reduce CO2 and other pollutants in the air, which are currently damaging the environment for humans, plants, and animals alike at an alarming rate by causing climate change and widespread contamination
what of the following is not a barrier to incorporating renewable energy technologies at a large scale in the united states? a. society in general has not made implementing renewable energy options a priority b. the united states has few sources of renewable energy c. energy infrastructure needs to be upgraded to match where energy is produced to where it is needed d. it is difficult to store energy produced by renewable technologies, specifically solar and wind
the united states has few sources of renewable energy
some people argue that replacing gasoline with biofuels is an important step in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy that must be completed right away, especially because we have the technology and products to do it. while this argument may hold so validity, what drawbacks may these people be overlooking when making this argument? a. mass production of some biofuels could potentially limit food supplies b. it requires a lot of energy to convert biomass into biofuel c. regular gasoline engines cannot use pure biofuels without being converted (and biodiesel can only be used in diesel engines) d. all of the above
all of the above
why is hydrogen hard to store? a. it needs to be kept very warm to remain in a gaseous state b. the process of storing hydrogen involves toxic chemicals that no one wants to live near c. as a liquid, it needs to be stored at very cold temperatures, and as a gas, the molecules tend to escape through tiny cracks in the containers d. hydrogen atoms are very small and difficult to identify
as a liquid, it needs to be stored at very cold temperatures, and as a gas, the molecules tend to escape through tiny cracks in the containers
batteries could play an important role in helping renewable energy sources such as wind and solar contribute more to energy use. what is this role and why is it important? a. batteries concentrate energy, taking the very low energy levels from wind and solar and increasing them to a more usable level b. batteries are needed to produce electricity from wind and solar energy c. batteries store energy and in doing so help distribute energy from periodic renewable sources like wind and solar over a continuous period of time d. batteries are the only way to stop using gas-powered cars and so represent the only way that wind and solar can help power our transportation
batteries store energy and in doing so help distribute energy from periodic renewable sources like wind and solar over a continuous period of time
which of the following is true about atmospheric CO2 concentrations and biomass fuels? a. bc of their inefficiency when burned, traditional biomass fuels contribute to CO2 emissions more than liquid biofuels b. compared to gasoline, the use of ethanol results in only small reductions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 c. none of the types of biomass fuels has an effect on atmospheric CO2 concentrations d. second generation biomass fuels, such as cellulosic ethanol, remove more CO2 than they produce
compared to gasoline, the use of ethanol results in only small reductions of greenhouse gases such as CO2
even if the production of renewable energy sources increases quickly, these technologies are not likely to overtake fossil fuels as the major source of global energy over the next decade. why? a. renewable resources are always more expensive than fossil fuels b. renewable energy requires technology that is not always domestic, and this conflicts with most nations' goals to reduce reliance on "foreign" technology and energy c. energy demand is growing fast, and renewable energy sources are not increasing fast enough to keep up with demand d. people are uncomfortable using new, renewable technologies
energy demand is growing fast, and renewable energy sources are not increasing fast enough to keep up with demand
you know that the US power generation system is fragmented; in fact, it is actually separated into three major grids with few connections between sections. however, you are wondering why these three grids don't just become separate grid systems that remain centralized but run completely on the renewable resources that are available in each respective section. what major issue still stands in the way of this plan to implement renewable power on a large, centralized scale in the future? a. energy from many renewable sources, such as solar and wind, are only available at certain times and are difficult to store for use during "off" times, regardless of the size or interconnectivity of the grid b. renewable resources only exist in certain areas of the country, so it is likely that at least one of these separate grids will be left completely without any renewable sources to put it in place c. there are no major foreseeable problems with this separate grid idea d. the us government is not in favor of taking this separate grid approach bc they don't want one area to have a major competitive advantage over another area, so they plan to continue work and research on a more connected structure
energy from many renewable sources, such as solar and wind, are only available at certain times and are difficult to store for use during "off" times, regardless of the size or interconnectivity of the grid
the paris agreement commits countries, including the united states, to a reduction in CO2 emissions. which of the following actions would be the most likely to reduce CO2 emissions from the US? a. increased use of solar photovoltaic systems b. increased use of natural gas c. increased use of electric vehicles d. increased use of bio fuels
increased use of solar photovoltaic systems
how does geothermal heat pump (residential) technology work? a. it pumps warm ground water out of the surface of the earth and runs it through pipes in the floor to warm the house in the winter b. it brings warmth from hot zones deep in the earth into homes for heating c. it captures the cool temps of rocks that are miles deep in the earth and transports it into homes for cooling d. it takes advantage of the relatively constant temp of the surface of the earth to cool the house in the summer and warm it in the winter
it takes advantage of the relatively constant temp of the surface of the earth to cool the house in the summer and warm it in the winter
Which of the following is an environmental impact resulting from the large arrays of reflectors in concentrated solar power plants? a. habitat destruction caused by the mining of fossil fuels used to produce electricity b. increasing land surface temps, which kill important soil microbes c. land disturbances, which impact wildlife d. greenhouse gas emissions
land disturbances, which impact wildlife
while most of the major rivers in the united states could not support additional hydropower dams, what statement describes a viable decentralized alternative that would still harness hydropower? a. the only new decentralized methods of energy generation using water are related to tidal and wave power, and the technology to make these methods usable has not been developed yet b. decentralized hydropower is not currently seen as a viable method of producing additional energy in the united states, so we should forget about it c. micro-hydropower facilities could be installed that generate a lesser amount of electricity with low environmental impacts d. existing dams could be removed and replaces with dams that generate electricity more efficiently
micro-hydropower facilities could be installed that generate a lesser amount of electricity with low environmental impacts
what is the difference between renewable energy and sustainable energy? a. renewable and sustainable are terms that can be used interchangeably b. renewable energy resources cannot be used up, whereas sustainable energy can meet current and future needs without impacting future generations c. renewable energy includes wind and solar, and sustainable energy is fossil fuels d. sustainable energy is any form of energy that can be used forever. renewable refers to where the energy comes from
renewable energy resources cannot be used up, whereas sustainable energy can meet current and future needs without impacting future generations
how are large hydropower dam projects and tidal energy facilities similar? a. the energy of moving water is converted into the mechanical energy of a spinning turbine, generating electricity b. neither is cost-effective at this time c. there are few opportunities for these projects in developed countries d. efficient electricity generation only occurs during part of the day
the energy of moving water is converted into the mechanical energy of a spinning turbine, generating electricity
What is the main reason that wind cannot be used to provide all of the energy needed to meet electricity needs? a. many people refuse to live near wind farms bc they are aesthetically unpleasing b. the grid cannot store electricity, and wind is an intermittent source of energy c. it is too expensive d. too many birds and bats will be killed if we install as many wind turbines as needed for all the energy
the grid cannot store electricity, and wind is an intermittent source of energy
What energy transformations are involved in the generation of electricity from wind energy? a. the kinetic energy of wind is transformed into the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine shaft, which is converted to electrical energy b. the mechanical energy of wind is transformed into the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine shaft, which is converted to electrical energy c. the potential energy of wind is transformed into electrical energy, which is transformed into the energy in transmission lines d. the kinetic energy of wind is boosted into high voltage potential energy for transmission
the kinetic energy of wind is transformed into the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine shaft, which is converted to electrical energy
What generates the heat produced deep inside earth? a. the decay of organic materials b. the radioactive decay of some elements in rocks c. the production of fossil fuels such as coal d. increased pressure
the radioactive decay of some elements in rocks
which of the following is a major barrier to the increased use of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in homes? a. solar PV doesn't work in most locations b. there are large up front costs to solar PV installation c. solar pv cells generate 220 volt electricity, which is incompatible with many US appliances d. there are no state or federal incentives that support the installation of solar panels
there are large up front costs to solar PV installation
what best characterizes the size and current status of geothermal resources in the united states? a. the technology to harness geothermal energy has yet to be developed, and we don't know how much is available b. there is great potential for geothermal energy in the eastern united states c. there is no potential for geothermal energy in the united states d. there is great resource potential in the country, but geothermal only accounts for a small portion of renewable energy used
there is great resource potential in the country, but geothermal only accounts for a small portion of renewable energy used
What is the difference between traditional biomass fuels and liquid biomass fuels? a. liquid biomass fuels are traditional biomass fuels that have been blended and liquified b. traditional biomass fuels are burned directly while liquid biomass fuels are synthesized from plants and algae c. traditional biomass fuels are easier to transport than liquid biomass fuels d. liquid biomass fuels create indoor air pollution while traditional biomass fuels burn cleanly
traditional biomass fuels are burned directly while liquid biomass fuels are synthesized from plants and algae
How is electricity produced from moving water in hydropower dam? a. removing the hydrogen atoms as the water turns a turbine creates electricity b. water is stored as potential energy and turned into kinetic energy as it moves downhill through the dam and turns a turbine, creating electricity c. water is stored as kinetic energy and turned into potential energy as it moves downhill through the dam and turns a turbine, creating electricity d. water comes into contact with copper wires, producing a flow of electrons from the negative wire to the positive wire
water is stored as potential energy and turned into kinetic energy as it moves downhill through the dam and turns a turbine, creating electricity
