CHAPTER 13—ENERGY
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that wind farms at favorable sites in North Dakota, South
Dakota, Kansas and Texas
a.
could meet the electricity needs of the western half of the United States, minus Alaska and
Hawaii
b.
could meet the electricity needs of these four states, thereby reducing draw of electrical
power from hydroelectric dams
c.
could meet the electrical needs of the northern plains states during the summers, but not
the winters
d.
could more than meet the electricity needs of the lower 48 states
e.
could meet the electricity needs of the 48 states during the summers if air conditioning use
in private homes was reduced
2. Which of the following statements best describes a projected side benefit to human health from
increased use of wind power?
a.
Predatory birds usually leave an area where wind farms are established
b.
The reduction in use of coal to generate electricity will lower the amount of air pollutants
from coal that kill up to 24,000 Americans per year and add climate-changing chemicals to
the air
c.
Building of the turbine systems will help put Americans back to work.
d.
Less use of hydroelectric dams will allow us to consider more dam removals.
e.
More than one of the above answers is correct.
3. Which of the following methods of producing electricity have the lowest net energy ratios?
a.
nuclear power and photovoltaics
b.
nuclear and wind power
c.
wind power and coal
d.
coal and hydroelectric
e.
nuclear and coal
4. The statement that it takes high quality energy to get high quality energy refers to
a.
energy resources with low or negative net energy
b.
hydroelectric power
c.
the economic side of energy production
d.
the processes and fuel required to extract and refine some energy sources
e.
coal and hydroelectric power
5. Which of the following statements about net energy is false?
a.
Some forms of energy have a higher net energy ratio than others.
b.
The useable amount of high-quality, useful energy available from a given quantity of
energy resource is called its net energy yield.
c.
All forms of energy supply the same amount of net energy yield.
d.
Both the first and second laws of thermodynamics govern the use of fossil fuels and other
energy resources.
e.
Only the first law of thermodynamics governs the use of fossil fuels and other energy
resources.
6. The energy source with the highest net energy ratio for space heating is
a.
Oil
b.
active solar
c.
passive solar
d.
electric resistance heating
e.
Wind
7. Net energy is
a.
the usable amount of low-quality energy from a given quantity of energy resource
b.
the total useful energy available from an energy resource
c.
analogous to total income
d.
the total useful energy from an energy resource minus the amount of energy used and
wasted in producing it
e.
the amount of energy used and wasted to produce useful energy
8. The energy source with the highest net energy ratio for transportation is
a.
gasoline
b.
coal liquefaction
c.
natural gas
d.
oil shale
e.
ethanol from sugar cane residue
9. World oil supplies and prices are expected to be controlled long-term by
a.
OPEC
b.
the United States
c.
Mexico
d.
Russia
e.
Saudi Arabia
10. At present consumption rates, projected world crude oil reserves will be 80% depleted
a.
some time between 2011 and 2061
b.
at the beginning of the next millennium
c.
between 2050 and 2100
d.
by 2050, unless the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is opened to oil drilling
e.
by 2025, unless the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is opened to oil drilling
11. Tar sands
a.
are principal sources of conventional crude oil
b.
contain large supplies of heavy oils
c.
constitute a small but cheap supply of crude oil
d.
are usable only for aviation fuel
e.
are predominantly located in Canada
12. Tar sand processing requires large amounts of ________and also requires preliminary forest
_______________.
a.
water, thinning
b.
electricity, clear cutting
c.
fossil fuels, thinning
d.
fossil fuels, controlled burning
e.
water, clear cutting
13. Bitumen is
a.
a type of coal
b.
a deep shale-oil deposit
c.
high-sulfur heavy oil
d.
an octane-raising gasoline additive
e.
a type of natural gas
14. Which of the following countries has the greatest tar sand deposits?
a.
Saudi Arabia
b.
Canada
c.
Venezuela
d.
Kuwait
e.
United States
15. Liquefied petroleum gas consists of
a.
Methane
b.
butane and propane
c.
Ammonia
d.
nitrogen oxides
e.
Ethanol
16. A process for extracting natural gas that is causing a growing environmental problem involves
hydraulic fracturing of rocks and is called
a.
deep well mining
b.
strip mining
c.
offshore drilling
d.
deep water drilling
e.
fracking
17. The main problem with use of conventional natural gas as a transportation fuel is
a.
the expensive engine modifications required to convert an automobile for use of natural
gas
b.
the fact that it has higher CO2 emissions than gasoline produced from conventional oil
c.
the very low reserves, which could supply U.S. needs for less than 25 years
d.
the fact that not many fueling stations exist at present
e.
it can only be obtained by fracking
18. The countries with the largest reserves of natural gas are
a.
Canada and the United States
b.
Russia, Iran, and Qatar
c.
Nigeria and Algeria
d.
India, Venezuela, and the United States
e.
Russia, Venezuela, and Canada
19. Coal supplies ____ of the electricity generated in the United States.
a.
54%
b.
34%
c.
44%
d.
24%
e.
84%
20. The world’s most abundant conventional fossil fuel is
a.
crude oil
b.
natural gas
c.
biomass
d.
tar sand
e.
coal
21. The world’s identified and unidentified coal reserves should last at least ____ years at current usage
rates.
a.
10
b.
50
c.
100
d.
150
e.
200
22. Which form of producing electrical energy produces the highest amount of CO2 per unit of energy,
when expressed as a percentage of emissions released by burning coal directly?
a.
natural gas
b.
coal-fired electricity
c.
Coal
d.
oil sand
e.
synthetic oil and gas produced from coal
23. The majority of commercial energy comes from
a.
Hydropower
b.
wind
c.
biomass
d.
renewable energy resources from the earth’s crust
e.
nonrenewable energy resources from the earth’s crust
24. In 2009, the President of the United States
a.
requested that the Congress proceed with funding for the Yucca Mountain radioactive
waste storage facility
b.
requested the Congress fund another radioactive waste storage facility in New Mexico
c.
requested that the current nuclear waste sitting in dry casks around the country
immediately be moved to Yucca Mountain
d.
requested that the Congress cut off funding for the Yucca Mountain radioactive waste
storage facility while other shorter-term alternative are evaluated
e.
requested that Congress pass a bill enacting the storage of radioactive waste on the site
where it was produced
25. Light-water reactors generate about ____ of the world’s nuclear-generated electricity.
a.
95%
b.
85%
c.
75%
d.
65%
e.
55%
26. The useful operating life of today’s nuclear power plants is supposed to be ____ years.
a.
10–25
b.
20–50
c.
15–60
d.
35–80
e.
100–150
27. The explosions at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in northeast Japan following damage by an
offshore earthquake blew the roofs off of three of the reactor buildings. The explosions were caused
a.
presumably by a meltdown of the reactor cores.
b.
presumably by steam from the heat exchangers inside the reactor cores
c.
presumably by a buildup of hydrogen gas when the backup generators were disabled
d.
terrorists taking advantage of the chaos of the situation
e.
spent fuel rods that were exposed when the storage water tanks cracked and stopped
cooling the rods
28. The purpose of generating steam within a nuclear power plant reactor core is, like other energy
producing systems, to
a.
generate heat to heat buildings
b.
turn a turbine which generates electricity
c.
use the radioactivity to drive industrial processes
d.
create light that is transferred to factories and local industries
e.
Turbines are not part of nuclear reactor cores
29. All of the following statements accurately describe the office-home building of the Rocky Mountain
Institute except:
a.
Solar energy provides 90% of the household electricity.
b.
The Institute’s heating bill is just less than $50 per year.
c.
A central greenhouse in the building humidifies the building and helps to heat it and purify
the air.
d.
Except for office equipment power, the building draws a little more electricity than a
single 100-watt light bulb would draw.
e.
Solar energy provides about 99% of the hot water used in the building.
30. The home of the Rocky Mountain Institute demonstrates that
a.
homes in sun-intense areas can do without central heating systems
b.
solar energy alone can heat a home
c.
little natural gas is needed to heat a home compared to coal burning furnaces
d.
energy efficient design and renewable energy alternatives can work in cold climates
e.
using energy efficient design is very expensive
31. Below are listed some widely-used devices and the amount of energy they waste. Which pair of
choices is not correct?
a.
incandescent light bulb — up to 95%
b.
internal combustion engine — 80%
c.
nuclear power plant — 50%
d.
coal-fired power plant — 65%
e.
combined heat and power system (CHP) 10-15%
32. What percentage of the commercial energy used in the United States is wasted?
a.
14%
b.
24%
c.
44%
d.
64%
e.
84%
33. What percentage of the commercial energy used in the United States is wasted unnecessarily?
a.
13%
b.
23%
c.
33%
d.
43%
e.
53%
34. If the hidden health and environmental costs of using gasoline were included in the price of gas as a
tax, the actual cost in the United States would be
a.
$4.00 per gallon
b.
$4.00 per liter
c.
$12.00 per liter
d.
$12.00 per gallon
e.
less than a liter of water
35. Current models of the gasoline-electric car
a.
may get up to 30 miles per gallon on the freeway
b.
get up to 51 miles per gallon
c.
cannot be used in wet weather
d.
do not have the ability to climb steep hills
e.
get up to 35 miles per gallon
36. Superefficient and ultralight cars
a.
may eventually get up to 300 mpg
b.
are not yet close to reality
c.
have been developed in Europe, but not the United States
d.
could get up to 50 miles per gallon in the future
e.
are fuel efficient, but not safe for human transport
37. Widespread replacement of the U.S. vehicle fleet with highly efficient plug-in hybrids over a couple of
decades would
a.
cut U.S. oil consumption by 70% to 90%
b.
eliminate the need for oil imports
c.
reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 27%
d.
reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 27% and eliminate the need for oil imports
e.
cut U.S. oil consumption by up to 90%, eliminate the need for oil imports and reduce
carbon dioxide emissions by 27%
38. The National Building Competition which started in 2010 is an opportunity for
a.
students to design energy efficient buildings
b.
architects to compete in designing the most energy efficient buildings
c.
power companies to come up with better systems to heat homes
d.
solar energy companies to demonstrate their newest technologies
e.
commercial buildings, including those of major corporations, to compete in cutting energy
use over a 12 month period
39. The energy efficiency of buildings can be improved by all of the following strategies except
a.
building big windows into the northern side of new housing
b.
replacing standard windows with energy efficient windows
c.
plugging leaks
d.
using energy-efficient lighting
e.
using energy-efficient appliances
40. We continue to waste energy rather than convert to more energy efficient behaviors because:
a.
There is a lack of substantial tax breaks for doing so.
b.
There is a glut of artificially low-cost fossil fuels.
c.
There is no clear and substantial benefit to the environment from avoiding waste.
d.
Most people do not care about the adverse environmental effects of wasting energy.
e.
There is a lack of substantial tax breaks for doing so and there is a glut of artificially low
costing fossil fuels are correct.
41. The energy in the sunlight striking the earth for just 1 hour is enough to run the world’s economy for
a.
one hour
b.
one day
c.
one week
d.
one month
e.
one year
42. It is risky for companies to invest in renewable energy because:
a.
Pricing for renewable energy resources are artificially low.
b.
None of the known renewable energy resources are reliable.
c.
It is expected that renewable energy will fall out of favor with the American public in the
next decade.
d.
Subsidies and tax breaks have to be renewed by the government every few years.
e.
More than one of these choices is correct.
43. Advantages of solar heating include all of the following except:
a.
Cost is moderate
b.
Access to the sun can be blocked by other structures.
c.
Disturbance to land is very minimal or low
d.
Carbon dioxide emissions are very low
e.
Net energy is moderate to high
44. All of the following can be used for cooling a house in warm weather except
a.
foil sheets under the floor
b.
breezes from open windows
c.
window overhangs or awnings
d.
superinsulation and high-efficiency windows
e.
a light colored reflective roof
45. Which of the following is not an advantage of solar cells?
a.
durable for 20 to 25 years
b.
moderate net energy yield
c.
easy expansion as needed
d.
little or no carbon dioxide emissions
e.
works the same in all areas of the planet
46. Cells that convert solar energy directly into electricity are called
a.
electrosolar chips
b.
photovoltaic cells
c.
helioelectric units
d.
photoelectric cells
e.
solarelectric cells
47. Which of the following statements about PV cells is false?
a.
Not only Google, but more than 75 schools and colleges in California have parking lots
covered with canopies of PV cells
b.
Solar cells have no moving parts and are safe and quiet
c.
The U.S. government is the current global leader in photovoltaic production.
d.
Generating electricity with such solar cells could be nearly as efficient as using coal–
burning power plants
e.
Over the next one to two decades production of such cells is expected to increase sharply
48. The leading renewable energy source that is used to produce electricity today is
a.
solar energy
b.
Hydropower
c.
wind power
d.
Biomass
e.
Geothermal