Lecture Exam 3 Study Guide | Trammell ENVR 1402 LSC

The greatest amount of energy in the United States is used for

transportation

The Marcellus and Devonian Shales

could result in the drilling of thousands of wells in populated places.

The largest source of oil for the United States is currently

Canada.

Coal and petroleum are derived from organic molecules created by living organisms millions of years ago.

True

Black lung disease results from

coal dust causing inflammation and fibrosis in lungs.

Which of the following is NOT a drawback of burning coal for electricity?

Coal reserves in the United States are plentiful.

Under normal operating conditions, ________ power plants release radioactivity as well as toxic metals.

coal-fired

Currently the most common way to extract natural gas is by ________.

hydraulic fracturing

What is the biggest drawback for developing oil shales, tar sands, and coal gasoline?

cost

What is the name of the shale basin that is located under much of the northern Appalachian Mountains?

Marcellus Shale Basin

Hydraulic fracturing breaks what kind of rock layer to release methane?

shale

Pressurized fluid and chemicals injected into a well are used in a mining process called ________.

hydraulic fracturing

One ________ of natural gas is that it is ________ than either coal or oil.

disadvantage; harder to ship and store

Methane produced from animal waste or by digesting garbage is an example of a(n)

unconventional gas resource and a by-product of human activities.

Improved insulation, energy-efficient windows and curtains, and caulking and sealing cracks could reduce commercial building and household energy loss by up to ________ percent.

50

Photovoltaic systems are characterized by all of the following except

they are difficult to use where conventional electricity is unavailable.

Many of the places with the greatest potential for solar and wind development are far from the urban centers where the power is needed.

True

Cogeneration refers to

production of both electricity and usable steam or hot water by the same facility.

Home appliances in standby mode can account for up to 25 percent of a monthly electric bill.

True

Wood and charcoal burning is still the main energy source for about 30 percent of the world's population.

True

In favorable locations, wind power is cheaper than other new energy sources.

True

Biomass is a relatively recently discovered energy source.

False

Automobiles and light trucks account for ________ of U.S. oil consumption.

40 percent

Passive heat absorption refers to

using natural materials to gather and hold heat.

A glass greenhouse on the south side of a building is an example of

passive heat absorption.

Which of the following solar energy uses has been used by people for thousands of years?

passive heat absorption

A system of pipes painted black that have water circulating on the wall in a glass greenhouse on the south side of a building is an example of

an active solar heating system.

The most effective technology developed so far to produce solar energy concentrated enough to run an industrial furnace or turbine is to use

parabolic mirrors.

Active solar energy systems involve

pumps and moving fluids.

Where are the largest proven natural gas reserves?

Middle East

A group of lawmakers wants to write a bill to support energy conservation and reduce rejected energy. Which of the following would have the greatest impact?

increase fuel efficiency in vehicles

Why is electricity conservation in homes not going to increase overall efficiency of electricity?

Most rejected energy from electricity generation occurs before it reaches a residential home.

What is an advantage of using nuclear energy compared to fossil fuels?

Nuclear energy produces less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels.

Which of the following are fossil fuels? (Select all that apply.)

Coal, oil, natural gas

Earth's largest mountains are found

under the sea.

The most common element in the earth's crust is

oxygen

Rocks formed from solidified magma are known as ________ rocks.

igneous

Forces of weathering are most directly responsible for ________ rocks.

sedimentary

A lesson from the Ducktown, Tennessee mining experience is that mineral exploitation can

produce great wealth but at great social and environmental cost.

Converting raw ore into products such as aluminum, steel, and copper requires ________ energy than/as producing these materials from scrap.

much more

The continents are the lightest part of Earth's crust.

True

Mechanical weathering changes both the physical and chemical composition of rocks.

False

Existing U.S. mining law is based on legislation passed in 1872.

True

Using recycled materials utilizes about as much energy as required to process virgin ore.

False

Volcanoes move material from earth's mantle to Earth's crust.

True

Iron and aluminum are examples of minerals based on their unique crystal structure.

False

Underground coal mines have a high risk of fires, which can burn for many years.

True

Smelting is a major source of air pollution which involves

heating ores to release metals.

Recycling aluminum beverage cans

consumes 1/20 of the energy required to make new aluminum.

Which of the following statements is false?

Tsunamis are generally caused by volcanic eruptions