Deck 10: Energy Consumption

Question 1

Which of the following is a true statement regarding sustainable building design?
1) Construction costs are usually less than traditional building practices.
2) There are currently no agreed-upon standards, making it difficult to learn what works and what does not.
3) Some benefits, such as reduced pollution from fossil fuel burning, are difficult to quantify.

A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) 3 only
D) 2 and 3 are true
E) 1 and 3 are true

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following correctly lists solar, nuclear and crude oil energy sources from most to least versatile?

A) crude oil > solar > nuclear
B) crude oil > nuclear > solar
C) solar > crude oil > nuclear
D) solar > nuclear > crude oil
E) nuclear > solar > crude oil

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Installation of energy-saving technologies in buildings can lag behind that of cars because:

A) Buildings are much more expensive.
B) Buildings have a much longer lifespan.
C) Technology is changing faster for cars.
D) There is more "inertia" in public sentiment regarding building technology than car technology.
E) All of these answer choices are correct

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Compared to energy use practices hundreds of years ago, modern societies:

A) rely less on fossil fuels
B) rely more on biomass
C) rely more on local sources
D) rely more on highly concentrated sources
E) rely more on biomass and rely more on local sources

Question 5

Which of the following practices will increase energy efficiency?

A) turning off lights when not in use
B) changing incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs
C) lighting fewer rooms in the house
D) turning off lights when not in use and lighting fewer rooms in the house

Question 6

Which of the following is a completely clean energy source?

A) coal
B) nuclear
C) solar
D) none of these choices is correct

Question 7

Which term below is defined as "The amount of available energy in a source that is transmitted into useful work"?

A) energy waste
B) energy production
C) energy use
D) energy conservation
E) energy efficiency

Question 8

Which of the following are ways that public utility companies have helped electricity consumers conserve energy?

A) paying customers to buy more efficient refrigerators
B) paying customers to plant trees to shade their houses
C) giving consumers energy-efficient light bulbs
D) paying customers to buy more efficient refrigerators and planting trees to shade their houses
E) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 9

What are some of the potential drawbacks to switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs?

A) compact fluorescents cost more
B) potential difference in light quality
C) incandescent bulbs last longer
D) all of these choices are correct
E) compact fluorescents cost more and potential difference in light quality

Question 10

A burning candle gives off more heat than a lit lightbulb. What can we conclude from this?

A) The candle provides more light than the lightbulb.
B) The lightbulb coverts energy to light more efficiently than the candle.
C) Using the candle conserves energy.
D) The candle will burn out before the lightbulb.
E) Electricity is the best way to transmit energy.

Question 11

Fill in the blank. Although _____ of the world's population lived in highly developed countries in 2014, they consumed _____ of the commercial energy produced worldwide.

A) 15%, 65%
B) 20%, 60%
C) 30%, 50%
D) 30%, 60%
E) 40%, 70%

Question 12

Which of the following is a true statement regarding the global increase in energy use since 1982?

A) China now consumes more energy than the United States.
B) Energy use in the United States and Japan has increased dramatically in the last five years.
C) Recent increases in global energy use are on the order of 4.5%.
D) Increases in energy use are distributed relatively equally across the globe.

Question 13

Electric power plants do not operate efficiently because:

A) A large amount of energy is lost as heat during generation.
B) Electricity is lost during transmission.
C) Energy often must be converted to supercooled hydrogen.
D) A large amount of energy is lost as heat during generation and electricity is lost during transmission

Question 14

A "zero-net energy" building:

A) is built using only natural raw materials
B) can last longer than a traditional building
C) produces as much as or more energy than it uses
D) produces less than half the solid waste of a traditional building
E) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 15

Energy intensity is defined as:

A) energy use per unit area
B) energy use per person
C) energy use per dollar of GDP
D) energy use per dollar invested in research

Question 16

Which country has the highest rate of per capita energy use?

A) United States
B) China
C) Japan
D) Germany

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of "demand-side management" by electric utility companies to help consumers save energy?

A) reducing rates charged to consumers
B) building new power plants
C) purchasing power from new sources
D) giving away energy-efficient light bulbs to consumers
E) reducing advertising costs

Question 18

Due to standards enacted by the National Appliance Energy Conservation:

A) Annual electricity savings equivalent to the output of 32 nuclear power plants has been realized.
B) Annual consumer savings based on energy conservation average $135/year.
C) Modern refrigerators use much less energy than earlier models.
D) all of these choices are correct

Question 19

Which of the following correctly ranks lightbulb types from most to least efficient?

A) incandescent > compact fluorescent > LED
B) compact fluorescent > LED > incandescent
C) LED > compact fluorescent > incandescent
D) LED > incandescent > compact fluorescent
E) compact fluorescent > incandescent > LED

Question 20

Compared to development of new energy sources, energy efficiency and energy conservation:

A) cost less
B) improve the economy's productivity
C) save energy for future use
D) all of these choices are correct
E) cost less and improve the economy's productivity

Question 21

Which method (s) of energy storage takes advantage of the fact that certain materials can contain an electrical current almost indefinitely under extremely cold conditions?

A) compressed air energy storage
B) pumped hydroelectric storage
C) superconducting magnetic energy storage
D) all of these choices are correct
E) compressed air energy storage and pumped hydroelectric storage

Question 22

Smart Grids were developed to help solve what problem?

A) low efficiency associated with long distance electricity transmission
B) variation in electricity demand
C) overconsumption of electricity
D) difficulty in trasmitting electricity to rural areas
E) irregular patterns of electricity generation

Question 23

All of the following are disadvantages of using hydrogen as an energy source except:

A) high volatility
B) relatively low energy density
C) hydrolysis is relatively inefficient
D) electricity must be used to produce it

Question 24

According to the new standards of fuel efficiency adopted by the United States, average fuel efficiency for all passenger vehicles must be increase to _________ by the year 2020.

A) 30 mpg
B) 35 mpg
C) 40 mpg
D) 45 mpg

Question 25

Which method(s) of energy storage utilize(s) potential energy?

A) compressed air energy storage
B) pumped hydroelectric storage
C) superconducting magnetic energy storage
D) all of these choices are correct
E) compressed air energy storage and superconducting magnetic energy storage

Question 26

Production of two useful forms of energy from the same fuel is known as:

A) cogeneration
B) sustainability
C) biproduction
D) renewable production

Question 27

Approximately what percentage of global oil consumption is used for transportation?

A) 50%
B) 60%
C) 70%
D) 80%

Question 28

All of the following are advantages of using hydrogen as an energy source except:

A) high energy density
B) safer transportation than fossil fuels
C) ease of production from almost any energy source
D) hardly any waste produced when burning
E) high natural abundance

Question 29

Which of the following gives the correct sequence of energy transfer during electricity generation?

A) electrons » generator » turbines
B) electrons » turbines » generator
C) generator » electrons » turbines
D) turbines » generator » electrons
E) generator » turbines » electrons

Question 30

Even though the electricity that powers them is generated primarily from burning fossil fuels, electric cars are still more efficient than gas-powered vehicles because:

A) they are much lighter
B) energy is produced more efficiently at power plants than inside vehicles
C) their batteries are much more efficient
D) they can transport more people per vehicle

Question 31

All of the following home energy-saving improvements are simple to make after a home is built except:

A) installing thicker attic insulation
B) caulking cracks around windows and doors
C) installing storm windows and doors
D) installing thicker wall insulation
E) adding heat pumps

Question 32

Which of the following fuels could not be used in flexible fuel vehicles (FFV's)

A) gasoline
B) ethanol
C) compressed natural gas
D) hydrogen
E) none of these answer choices is correct

Question 33

Hydrogen and electricity are considered secondary forms of energy because:

A) they are used less than fossil fuels
B) they are not found in nature in usable amounts
C) they can be generated from any energy source
D) all of these answer choices are correct
E) they are used less than fossil fuels and can be generated from any energy source

Question 34

Some of the factors that decrease efficiency of automobiles include:

A) friction between tires and the road
B) Energy lost as heat during combustion inside the engine
C) their heavy weight relative to the weight of passengers
D) friction and energy lost as heat during combustion inside the engine
E) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 35

Which of the following are possible methods of decreasing the amount of energy required to transport people to and from work?

A) satellite offices
B) working from home
C) working fewer, but longer, workdays
D) use of early or late start times for the workday
E) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 36

Which of the following is an example of cogeneration?

A) A power plant uses water to cool electricity-generating turbines, then lets the hot water cool in large cooling ponds.
B) A power plant burns coal to produce electricity, and uses "scrubbers" to reduce pollution.
C) A power plant takes steam left over after electricity production and uses it to heat buildings.
D) A power plant uses water to cool electricity-generating turbines, then releases the hot water into a nearby lake.

Question 37

Use of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (HFCV's) in the United States is currently limited by:

A) the relatively short distances HFCV's can travel
B) the scarcity of hydrogen fueling stations
C) the relative inefficiency of HFCV engines
D) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 38

An example of an intermittent energy source is:

A) wind
B) gasoline
C) hydroelectric
D) natural gas

Question 39

As a result of energy subsidies:

A) consumer fuel costs have increased
B) cars have become more fuel efficient
C) there is less incentive to conserve energy
D) externalities are included in the cost of fuel
E) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 40

A fuel cell differs from a battery because:

A) A battery is an electrochemical cell, while a fuel cell is not.
B) Fuel cell reactants are contained within the fuel cell.
C) Fuel cells produce power as long as they are supplied with fuel.
D) Fuel cells provide a fixed amount of energy.

Question 41

Imagine that you are a scientist studying a mineral that occurs on a foreign planet. Preliminary analyses indicate that this mineral is combustible, and you have been asked to characterize this mineral's potential as an energy source for people on earth. What information would you need before you could characterize the potential advantages and disadvantages of the mineral as an energy source?

Question 42

Why is investment in energy conservation and efficiency a necessary component of any governmental energy policy?

A) it will result in an immediate increase in energy efficiency
B) the market will naturally favor products that are energy efficient in the long term, given enough time
C) it is often difficult for individuals or corporations to make purchases that save money in the long run if they are more expensive over the short term
D) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 43

Commercial production of which of the following energy sources became practical only after large amounts of investment by the United States and other countries over the past half century?

A) coal
B) nuclear
C) solar
D) wind

Question 44

Describe the issues that lead to energy inefficiencies in automobiles. What can be done to reduce these inefficiencies?

Question 45

Define energy efficiency and energy conservation. How do they differ, and why should they both be included in the effort to solve our energy needs?

Question 46

A major disadvantage of storing energy using electrochemical batteries is that:

A) friction eventually dissipates kinetic energy into wasted heat
B) they can be expensive to build and maintain
C) a great deal of energy must be spent to maintain the conditions under which energy can be stored
D) all of these answer choices are correct

Question 47

What concerns exist about development of domestic fossil fuels as part of a comprehensive national energy strategy?

Question 48

Users of which energy source have benefitted recently from a change in policy in the United States that allows consumers to sell energy back to the grid?

A) coal
B) nuclear
C) solar
D) wind

Question 49

How do the types of energy used by people today differ from those used a few hundred years ago, and what are the immediate environmental consequences of this?

Question 50

Carbon sequestration is much easier at a large power plant than in thousands of small engines. Because of this, mitigation of climate change while still using fossil fuels for energy can be achieved by a switch to which type of technology?

A) electric cars
B) solar panels
C) wind energy
D) superconducting magnetic energy storage

Question 51

What are the recent trends in global energy use? How do these trends vary from place to place across the globe?

Question 52

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of hydrogen as an energy source. What processes are used to produce hydrogen for this purpose?

Question 53

Compare and contrast two methods of energy storage. (Choose any two from bold terms below)
1. Pumped hydroelectric storage
2. Compressed air energy storage
3. Thermal energy
4. Kinetic energy storage
5. Superconducting magnetic energy storage
6. Electrochemical batteries

Question 54

What is electricity? How is it generated, and how is it used to do work?

Question 55

What are government subsidies, and how do they contribute to high levels of energy use?