Question 1

Which phrase describes conventional reserves?

Accepted Answer

A)  deposits of fossil fuels that are difficult to extract 
B)  fossil fuel deposits that are yet to be discovered 
C)  deposits of fossil fuels that are easily obtained 
D)  fossil fuel seams that are derived from living things 
A)  deposits of fossil fuels that are difficult to extract 
B)  fossil fuel deposits that are yet to be discovered 
C)  deposits of fossil fuels that are easily obtained 
D)  fossil fuel seams that are derived from living things C

Question 2

Choose the product that contains components that are derived from petroleum.

Accepted Answer

A)  pantyhose 
B)  crayons 
C)  toothpaste 
D)  All of these are correct. 
A)  pantyhose 
B)  crayons 
C)  toothpaste 
D)  All of these are correct. D

Question 3

The municipal coal-burning power plant for your city is concerned about the future costs associated with carbon dioxide (CO2) emission policies. Explain how carbon taxation and cap-and-trade policies are each designed to reduce CO2 emissions. To which readily available fossil fuel could this power plant switch in order to decrease CO2 emissions and their anticipated costs?

Accepted Answer

A carbon tax charges a power plant when it produces carbon dioxide by burning a fossil fuel, such as coal. The higher the carbon content of the fuel, the greater the CO₂ emissions, and the higher the tax. Another approach is a cap-and-trade program in which an overall maximum allowable emissions standard (cap) is set across all polluters; then the emissions under the cap are allotted to users, such as power plants, in the form of allowances. Allowances can be bought, sold, traded, or banked for the future in an open market. Both of these approaches create an incentive to reduce pollution. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel, and it has been used to produce electricity for many years. However, coal is more carbon dense than other fuels, and its combustion produces large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO₂), a greenhouse gas. Nationwide, many power plants are converting to natural gas, a hydrocarbon that contributes 50% less CO₂ than does coal.

Question 4

Which of the choices correctly describes tar sands?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tar sands are deposits of oil bonded with loose-grained rock. 
B)  Tar sands are the fastest-growing energy source produced and consumed 
C)  Tar sands require less energy to extract than conventional oil sources. 
D)  All of these are correct. 
A)  Tar sands are deposits of oil bonded with loose-grained rock. 
B)  Tar sands are the fastest-growing energy source produced and consumed 
C)  Tar sands require less energy to extract than conventional oil sources. 
D)  All of these are correct.

Question 5

Select the example of a biofuel.

Accepted Answer

A)  petroleum 
B)  natural gas 
C)  charcoal 
D)  None of these are correct. 
A)  petroleum 
B)  natural gas 
C)  charcoal 
D)  None of these are correct.

Question 6

Select the scenario in which the relative productivity would increase.

Accepted Answer

A)  The amount of inputs grows faster than the level of output. 
B)  The environmental impact decreases as the level of output increases. 
C)  The level of output grows faster than the amount of inputs. 
D)  The overall value of the output to society increases. 
A)  The amount of inputs grows faster than the level of output. 
B)  The environmental impact decreases as the level of output increases. 
C)  The level of output grows faster than the amount of inputs. 
D)  The overall value of the output to society increases.

Question 7

Select the example of the Jevons paradox.

Accepted Answer

A)  Countries with the largest fossil fuel reserves tend to provide fewer public goods and invest less in new energy technologies compared to countries with fewer resources. 
B)  The increased energy efficiency of hybrid vehicles does not translate into additional miles driven because consumer behavior is influenced more by daily routine than cost. 
C)  LED lighting is cheaper to operate than traditional bulbs; however, this savings leads to increased usage of LED lighting and greater overall energy consumption. 
D)  As the cost of an inferior good rises, so does the consumption of that inferior good because preferable options become even less affordable. 
A)  Countries with the largest fossil fuel reserves tend to provide fewer public goods and invest less in new energy technologies compared to countries with fewer resources. 
B)  The increased energy efficiency of hybrid vehicles does not translate into additional miles driven because consumer behavior is influenced more by daily routine than cost. 
C)  LED lighting is cheaper to operate than traditional bulbs; however, this savings leads to increased usage of LED lighting and greater overall energy consumption. 
D)  As the cost of an inferior good rises, so does the consumption of that inferior good because preferable options become even less affordable.

Question 8

Biofuels are derived from

Accepted Answer

A)  ancient organisms. 
B)  the Sun. 
C)  hydrocarbons. 
D)  living things. 
A)  ancient organisms. 
B)  the Sun. 
C)  hydrocarbons. 
D)  living things.

Question 9

Select the statement that correctly describes an outcome associated with extraction.

Accepted Answer

A)  Underground coal mining has been made safer for workers compared to mountaintop removal. 
B)  Land subsidence from mountaintop removal alters the landscape dramatically. 
C)  Coal mines contribute 10% of methane emissions in the United States. 
D)  Surface mines are now less common than underground mines for coal extraction. 
A)  Underground coal mining has been made safer for workers compared to mountaintop removal. 
B)  Land subsidence from mountaintop removal alters the landscape dramatically. 
C)  Coal mines contribute 10% of methane emissions in the United States. 
D)  Surface mines are now less common than underground mines for coal extraction.

Question 10

Select the example that best matches the definition of an inferior good.

Accepted Answer

A)  organic bananas 
B)  name-brand clothing 
C)  instant noodles 
D)  street lighting 
A)  organic bananas 
B)  name-brand clothing 
C)  instant noodles 
D)  street lighting

Question 11

At current levels of global production and consumption, world oil reserves are predicted to last approximately how many years?

Accepted Answer

A)  5 
B)  50 
C)  500 
D)  5,000 
A)  5 
B)  50 
C)  500 
D)  5,000

Question 12

Select the fossil fuel that formed when the energy stored in the dead bodies of aquatic microscopic organisms transformed into a liquid deposit.

Accepted Answer

A)  oil 
B)  coal 
C)  natural gas 
D)  None of these are correct. 
A)  oil 
B)  coal 
C)  natural gas 
D)  None of these are correct.

Question 13

Describe some of the economic forces and government actions in England that facilitated the energy transition from wood to coal as the dominant energy source.

Accepted Answer

In England in the 1500s, scarcity of woo

Question 14

Which of the choices correctly describes a cap-and-trade policy, but not a carbon tax policy?

Accepted Answer

A)  The policy is designed to phase out fossil fuels and develop alternative energy resources. 
B)  The policy may result in displacement of people that are dependent on fossil fuel industries. 
C)  The policy is a market mechanism that creates an incentive for firms to reduce pollution. 
D)  The policy requires power plants and vehicles to use emissions-reduction technologies. 
A)  The policy is designed to phase out fossil fuels and develop alternative energy resources. 
B)  The policy may result in displacement of people that are dependent on fossil fuel industries. 
C)  The policy is a market mechanism that creates an incentive for firms to reduce pollution. 
D)  The policy requires power plants and vehicles to use emissions-reduction technologies.

Question 15

Which of these statements correctly describes carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology?

Accepted Answer

A)  CCS is a process that diverts CO2 from exhaust and injects it underground. 
B)  CCS is currently in high demand in the United States because of carbon taxes and other policies. 
C)  CCS is an attractive alternative to the more expensive hydraulic fracturing technology. 
D)  All of these are correct. 
A)  CCS is a process that diverts CO2 from exhaust and injects it underground. 
B)  CCS is currently in high demand in the United States because of carbon taxes and other policies. 
C)  CCS is an attractive alternative to the more expensive hydraulic fracturing technology. 
D)  All of these are correct.

Question 16

Describe how oil, natural gas, and coal form. Why are these fossil fuels considered to be nonrenewable resources?

Accepted Answer

More than 100 million years ago, microsc

Question 17

What is an inferior good?

Accepted Answer

A)  a thing that can't be profitably produced because it's difficult to exclude nonpaying customers from receiving the benefits 
B)  a source of energy that is technically difficult to harness and therefore less profitable 
C)  an item that is manufactured using a technology with relative low productivity 
D)  something that is consumed because people cannot afford what they prefer 
A)  a thing that can't be profitably produced because it's difficult to exclude nonpaying customers from receiving the benefits 
B)  a source of energy that is technically difficult to harness and therefore less profitable 
C)  an item that is manufactured using a technology with relative low productivity 
D)  something that is consumed because people cannot afford what they prefer

Question 18

In the United States, the federal government has encouraged the development of carbon capture and storage technology through hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to private companies. This is an example of a(n)

Accepted Answer

A)  inferior good. 
B)  stranded asset. 
C)  public good. 
D)  carbon tax. 
A)  inferior good. 
B)  stranded asset. 
C)  public good. 
D)  carbon tax.

Question 19

What are the major advantages and disadvantages of using each type of fossil fuel: coal, oil, and natural gas?

Accepted Answer

Coal is the most abundant of the fossil

Question 20

Which statement correctly describes hydrocarbons?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hydrocarbons consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen molecules. 
B)  Hydrocarbons form naturally when bacteria decomposes dead matter. 
C)  Hydrocarbons can be liquids or solids, such as oil and coal, but not gases. 
D)  All of these are correct. 
A)  Hydrocarbons consist entirely of carbon and hydrogen molecules. 
B)  Hydrocarbons form naturally when bacteria decomposes dead matter. 
C)  Hydrocarbons can be liquids or solids, such as oil and coal, but not gases. 
D)  All of these are correct.

Which phrase describes conventional reserves?

Choose the product that contains components that are derived from petroleum.

Which of the choices correctly describes tar sands?

Select the example of a biofuel.

Select the scenario in which the relative productivity would increase.

Select the example of the Jevons paradox.

Biofuels are derived from

Select the statement that correctly describes an outcome associated with extraction.

Select the example that best matches the definition of an inferior good.

At current levels of global production and consumption, world oil reserves are predicted to last approximately how many years?

Select the fossil fuel that formed when the energy stored in the dead bodies of aquatic microscopic organisms transformed into a liquid deposit.

Describe some of the economic forces and government actions in England that facilitated the energy transition from wood to coal as the dominant energy source.

Which of the choices correctly describes a cap-and-trade policy, but not a carbon tax policy?

Which of these statements correctly describes carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology?

Describe how oil, natural gas, and coal form. Why are these fossil fuels considered to be nonrenewable resources?

What is an inferior good?

In the United States, the federal government has encouraged the development of carbon capture and storage technology through hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to private companies. This is an example of a(n)

What are the major advantages and disadvantages of using each type of fossil fuel: coal, oil, and natural gas?

Which statement correctly describes hydrocarbons?

Environmental Science and Sustainability: Whats the Big Idea

Ethics, Economics, and Policy: Who or What Do We Value

Matter and Energy: What Are the Building Blocks of Sustainability

Life: What Shapes Biodiversity

Conservation: Why Is It Important to Protect Biodiversity

Human Population: Can We Have Too Many People

Water: How Do We Use It and Affect Its Quality

Air: What Are We Breathing

Land: How Does It Shape Us

Systems and Cycles: Are We Changing Earths Life Support System

Climate: How Does Global Climate Change

Food: How Do We Feed Ourselves

Energy Alternatives: How Are Our Energy Decisions Changing

Waste: What Happens to All the Stuff We Use

Urbanization: Why Are Cities Growing

Environmental Health and Justice: How Does Our Environment Affect Our Health

Decision Making: Why Do Our Choices Matter

Groups and Organizations: How Do We Work Together for Sustainability

Government: How Can Policy Influence Sustainability

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Exam 13: Fossil Fuels: Energy of the Industrial Age

Which phrase describes conventional reserves?

Choose the product that contains components that are derived from petroleum.

Which of the choices correctly describes tar sands?

Select the example of a biofuel.

Select the scenario in which the relative productivity would increase.

Select the example of the Jevons paradox.

Biofuels are derived from

Select the statement that correctly describes an outcome associated with extraction.

Select the example that best matches the definition of an inferior good.

At current levels of global production and consumption, world oil reserves are predicted to last approximately how many years?

Select the fossil fuel that formed when the energy stored in the dead bodies of aquatic microscopic organisms transformed into a liquid deposit.

Describe some of the economic forces and government actions in England that facilitated the energy transition from wood to coal as the dominant energy source.

Which of the choices correctly describes a cap-and-trade policy, but not a carbon tax policy?

Which of these statements correctly describes carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology?

Describe how oil, natural gas, and coal form. Why are these fossil fuels considered to be nonrenewable resources?

What is an inferior good?

In the United States, the federal government has encouraged the development of carbon capture and storage technology through hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to private companies. This is an example of a(n)

What are the major advantages and disadvantages of using each type of fossil fuel: coal, oil, and natural gas?

Which statement correctly describes hydrocarbons?

Environmental Science and Sustainability: Whats the Big Idea

Ethics, Economics, and Policy: Who or What Do We Value

Matter and Energy: What Are the Building Blocks of Sustainability

Life: What Shapes Biodiversity

Conservation: Why Is It Important to Protect Biodiversity

Human Population: Can We Have Too Many People

Water: How Do We Use It and Affect Its Quality

Air: What Are We Breathing

Land: How Does It Shape Us

Systems and Cycles: Are We Changing Earths Life Support System

Climate: How Does Global Climate Change

Food: How Do We Feed Ourselves

Energy Alternatives: How Are Our Energy Decisions Changing

Waste: What Happens to All the Stuff We Use

Urbanization: Why Are Cities Growing

Environmental Health and Justice: How Does Our Environment Affect Our Health

Decision Making: Why Do Our Choices Matter

Groups and Organizations: How Do We Work Together for Sustainability

Government: How Can Policy Influence Sustainability

Filters