AP Environmental Final Exam

Secondary extraction of petroleum ________.

Uses solvents, water, or steam

The world's most abundant fossil fuel is ________.

Coal

A gaseous by-product of anaerobic microbial decomposition.

Natural gas

______ has more natural gas reserves than any other country.

Russia

Carbon sequestration ________.

Is converting CO2 gas to liquid form for storage underground

When assessing energy resources, it is helpful to use a measure called EROI, which is ________.

Energy returned divided by energy invested

Energy can be conserved by ________.

Using cogeneration in power plants and fuel efficient vehicles

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) ________.

functions to take maximum advantage of developed nations dependence on imported oil

Between 1960 and 1970, world oil consumption approximately doubled. Which of the following explanations is consistent with this increase?

The number of cars on the road increased.

The following data table shows the percentage of United States energy consumption by energy source for 2010 and 2017.

Energy Resource: 2010 (%) - 2017 (%)

Petroleum: 37 - 37

Coal: 21 - 14

Nuclear energy: 9 - 9

Natural gas: 25 - 29

Renewable resources: 8 - 11

Based on the provided data, which of the following best explains the change in energy resource use?

Renewable sources replaced nonrenewable sources for electricity generation but not for transportation.

An environment that has little or no oxygen

Anaerobic

In 1997 the World Resources Institute estimated the world’s proven oil reserves to be 1,000 billion barrels and the ultimately recoverable reserves to be 2,000 billion barrels. The table below shows the world consumption of oil from 1986 to 1997.

The figure shows a table with 2 columns and 13 rows. The top row contains the column labels, from left to right: column 1, Year; column 2, Consumption (million barrels per day). From top to bottom, the data is as follows: Row 2; Year, 1986, Consumption, 62. Row 3; Year, 1987, Consumption, 63. Row 4; Year, 1988, Consumption, 65. Row 5; Year, 1989, Consumption, 66. Row 6; Year, 1990, Consumption, 66. Row 7; Year, 1991, Consumption, 67. Row 8; Year, 1992, Consumption, 67. Row 9; Year, 1993, Consumption, 67. Row 10; Year, 1994, Consumption, 68. Row 11; Year, 1995, Consumption, 70. Row 12; Year, 1996, Consumption, 72. Row 13; Year, 1997, Consumption, 74.

At the 1997 rate of consumption, about how long will the estimated 2,000 billion barrels of oil last?

75 years

The primary energy source that is most used in the United States for production of electricity is ________.

natural gas

The Keystone XL pipeline ________.

is a hotly debated pipeline that would carry petroleum from Canada to the southern United States

Purity is a major factor in determining the type of coal used for energy. Which of the following types of coal are correctly paired with a description of its purity and common use?

Anthracite is considered the highest grade coal because it is almost pure carbon, and it is often used for domestic heating.

Many developed nations have their economies closely tied to imported fossil fuels. One important consideration for those nations is that ________.

their economy can be disrupted by the events and decisions made in fuel exporting nations

Which of the following best describes the conditions under which peat is formed?

Partially decayed vegetation is placed under high-pressure, anaerobic, acidic conditions.

When assessing energy resources, it is helpful to use a measure called EROI, which is ________.

energy returned divided by energy invested

Natural gas ________.

produces less carbon dioxide per energy unit than coal or oil

________ has more coal reserves than any other country.

The United States

Crude oil is ________.

refined to separate the chemicals used for gasoline, lubricants, plastics, and other products

Instead of only generating more electricity, rising energy demands may also be met by

increasing the efficiency of energy consumption

All of the following substances are derived from petroleum EXCEPT

cellulose

which statement best describes the approximate global distribution of coal supplies?

The United States, Russia, and China together contain 50% of reserves.

the of crude oil in refineries is accomplished primarily by taking advantage of differences in which of

the boiling points of the components

the source of energy for nuclear power

fission

nuclear power plants

experienced the most growth in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s

in a nuclear power plant, the amount of electricity that is generated is regulated by

moving control rods out of or into spaces between the fuel rods

Location in the United States evaluated then rejected as a possible repository for radioactive waste

Yucca Mountain

which of the following is a benefit of using nuclear power?

few greenhouse gases are emitted.

Natural gas is primarily composed of ________.

methane

The separation of the various components of crude oil in refineries is accomplished primarily by taking advantage of differences in which of the following?

The boiling points of the components

Which of the following is the most valid inference regarding electricity production, based on the graph below?

Electricity production from coal began to decrease in 2008 because of the increasing use of natural gas and renewable energy.

Nuclear power plants in use today rely on

fission reactions to generate heat to boil water

Location of the most severe nuclear power plant accident in the United States

Three Mile Island

Conventional alternative fuels

are intermediate sources of fuel that can help us on our path toward sustainability.

The oil spill resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster ________.

is the largest accidental marine oil spill in world history, causing damage to marine and coastal ecosystems

The majority of atmospheric mercury is produced by

coal-burning power plants

Although nuclear energy is considered a cleaner energy source than fossil fuels, some scientists argue this does not support the claim that nuclear energy is renewable. Which of the following claims best supports the argument that nuclear energy is a nonrenewable energy source?

The uranium deposits on Earth are finite.

Most high-level radioactive waste is currently

stored at reactor sites

The diagram shows a power plant designed to generate electricity for a nearby city.

Spent fuel rods are radioactive and must be disposed of properly.

Burning one gallon of gasoline in a car releases approximately 20 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere.

One person drives 60,000 miles in a car that averages 30 miles per gallon (mpg), while another person drives 60,000 miles in a car that averages 20 mpg. Over the course of the 60,000 miles, how many fewer pounds of CO2 are released by the 30 mpg car than by the 20 mpg car?

20,000

Currently proven global reserves are expected to be largely exhausted within the next 50-60 years.

oil

Which of the following countries has the highest percentage of electricity generated from nuclear power plants?

France

Which of the following best describes an environmental problem associated with hydrologic fracturing, or fracking?

Fracking fluids can escape from the drill hole and contaminate surface water and groundwater.

Of the following sources, which supplies the most energy in the world today?

oil

Which of the following describes an environmental problem that can result from the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity?

Carbon dioxide is a product of the combustion fossil fuels, and it can lead to global climate change when released into the atmosphere.

If the half-life of the radioactive element “X” is 500 million years, how much of an 800 g sample would remain radioactive after 1.5 billion years?

100 g

A self-amplifying reaction and a nuclear explosion in a nuclear power plant are prevented in large part by

control rods that absorb extra neutrons

his region has the largest proven reserves of petroleum.  

E

During the Cretaceous period of Earth’s geological history, eastern Montana was covered with lowland swamps rich in plant life. These plants were buried and slowly decomposed.

Which of the following resources would most likely be mined from the plant remains buried in eastern Montana during the Cretaceous?

Fossil fuels such as coal

The half-life of radon gas is approximately four days. Four weeks after the introduction of radon into a sealed room, the fraction of the original amount remaining is closest to

1/128

There are various stages in the formation of coal as heat and pressure are increased and moisture content is decreased. These stages, in order, are

peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite

Which of the following is the best example of cogeneration?

A coal-fired power plant captures waste heat and uses it to heat adjacent buildings.

Which of the following would be most likely to be used as a fuel source for electricity generation in the plant displayed in the diagram?

Uranium-235

which of the following is a drawback to using biofuels, such as ethanol, as a fuel source?

there is high energy investment in producing the crops needed for ethanol

which of the following best describes a disadvantage of geothermal energy production?

high upfront cost, and electricity is needed to operate pumps.

drawbacks include noise and the release of corrosive chemicals

geothermal

which describes an advantage of burning biomass rather than burning fossil fuels?

biomass production is cheaper than fossil fuel extraction

which of the following is adocumented negative impact of dams?

alteration of river sediment deposition

which of the following best describes how electricity is generated using photovoltaic cells?

photons of light excite electrons that result in a flow of current.

The chemical product of burning H or using H fuel cells as an energy source is ________.

H2O

U.S. geothermal energy is most available in ________.

West

wind turbines kill more birds than which of the other major causes of bird mortality?

all of these kill more birds than wind turbines.

which of the following best describes the method of vehicle transport that is the most environmentally sustainable?

the use of a vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells

Which of the following best describes how the use of hydrogen fuel negatively impacts the environment?

The energy needed to produce the hydrogen fuel may come from fossil fuels, whose use contributes to ocean acidification and global climate change.

Which of the following is a negative consequence associated with photovoltaic solar cells?

The manufacture of photovoltaic solar cells involves toxic metals that can be released into the environment.

Biofuel that does not require the growing of food crops to produce

cellulosic ethanol

This is the location of the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, with a generating capacity of 22,500 MW

C

Every winter morning when the sun is shining bright, a man living in Montana pulls back the drapes on a large, south-facing window. In this way, he helps heat his home using ________.

passive solar heating

The current practice of geothermal power generation may not always provide a practical renewable energy source because ________.

in some cases, the heated groundwater is used much faster than it is recharged

Which of the following negative consequences is most often associated with using biomass for energy production?

Using biomass for energy production can result in local deforestation.

Ground source heat pumps take advantage of_________.

Consistent soil temperatures year round

Some solar energy systems produce high-temperature water for industrial applications and produce steam to run turbines that generate electricity. What type of solar energy system is needed for these kinds of applications?

A solar collector system using mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight

A major obstacle to the establishment of wind farms near populated and scenic areas is ________.

not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndrome

The run-of-river approach to hydropower often involves ________.

diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipes

Which of the following is an environmental benefit associated with substituting ethanol for gasoline?

Burning ethanol produces fewer air pollutants than burning gasoline alone.

More commonly used in the least developed countries than in highly developed countries

biomass

Which of the following would be the best location for a wind farm with ten industrial turbines?

Arranged uniformly on a local farm that has fields and pastureland for dairy and grain production

A potential energy source from oceans is ________.

ocean thermal energy

Which of the following best explains the process of electricity generation in a hydrogen fuel cell?

At the anode, hydrogen is oxidized and electrons flow in a circuit to the cathode. At the cathode, oxygen reacts with the hydrogen to produce water. Water and heat are by-products of the reaction.

Converts solar energy directly into electrical energy

Photovoltaics

Although photovoltaic electricity as a power source is cleaner than burning fossil fuels, the problem with this electricity is that it ________.

cannot be stored easily in large quantities for use when and where it is needed

The largest problem with adopting the new technology of renewable resources is ________.

that the startup costs may be high

Scientists are looking for new locations to generate electricity using geothermal energy. Which of the following locations would be the best choice for a geothermal energy generating plant?

Near tectonic plate boundaries

The primary motivation to develop the new renewable energy sources comes from ________.

concerns over diminishing fossil fuel supplies and negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel use

Which of the following best describes a benefit of increasing the number of offshore wind farms rather than onshore wind farms?

Offshore winds farms will produce up to three times as much electricity as wind farms on land because of increased wind speeds offshore.

Wind will not be a major U.S. energy resource in ________.

the Southeast

Biodiesel ________.

can be used in vehicles with diesel engines without engine modification

Although hydroelectric dams generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases, they ________.

eliminate farmland, wildlife habitats, and sometimes even villages in regions that are flooded

Over half of all U.S. MSW consists of ________.

paper, food waste, and yard waste

to safeguard against groundwater contamination, sanitary landfills are ________.

lined with plastic

why are more contaminants are leached when solid waste is crushed into small particles?

smaller particles have a larger surface area/volume

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is a U.S. law enacted in the 1970s that ________.

regulates how hazardous waste is managed

heavy metals ________.

bioaccumulate in animal tissues

The Superfund is a part of what legislation?

CERCLA

What material would be least suitable for incineration?

cathode ray televisions

excavating a giant hole in the landscape to remove widely spread mineral deposits

open pit mining

sifting through sand and silt in riverbeds for minerals using flowing water

placer mining

smelting of iron ore involves ________.

heating beyond iron's melting point and combining the material with carbon