Deck 14: Energy Alternatives: How Are Our Energy Decisions Changing

Question 1

Which statement correctly describes the current alternatives to fossil fuel energy?

A) Alternatives to fossil fuels supply less than one-fifth of global energy demand.
B) The most rapidly growing alternatives to fossil fuels are hydroelectric and nuclear power.
C) Wind and solar power together provide the majority of non-fossil fuel energy.
D) All of these are correct.

Answer 1

Alternatives to fossil fuels supply less than one-fifth of global energy demand.

Question 2

Select the technology that creates electricity from flowing air.

A) photovoltaic panel
B) wind turbine
C) fuel cell
D) heliostat

Answer 2

wind turbine

Question 3

In wind power, the capacity for electricity production changes according to the time of day, weather conditions, and other factors. This challenge of wind power is called

A) wind farming.
B) cogenerating.
C) variable generation.
D) turbine inefficiency.

Answer 3

variable generation.

Question 4

Select the example of a drawback of wind power.

A) Turbines must always run at maximum capacity regardless of wind speed.
B) The reliance on steam requires a supply of water for cooling the turbines.
C) Even sites with strong, steady winds cannot produce electricity efficiently.
D) The large, spinning blades of wind turbines kill wildlife, such as birds.

Question 5

Which technology produces electricity directly with exposure to sunlight?

A) concentrated solar thermal plant
B) photovoltaic solar panel
C) rooftop solar collector
D) All of these are correct.

Question 6

A concentrated solar thermal plant

A) uses mirrors to focus sunlight on a receiver containing a fluid that is used to generate steam.
B) contains an array of photovoltaic cells that produces an electric current with sun exposure.
C) stores energy that is generated by solar panels for use after the Sun becomes unavailable.
D) generates hot water by circulating fluid through tubes that connect a roof and a water heater.

Question 7

Which of these features is true of both solar and wind power?

A) intermittent power source that requires a backup energy source
B) produces no greenhouse gas emissions during normal operation
C) supplies a small fraction of global energy demand, but is increasing rapidly
D) All of these are correct.

Question 8

Which energy source is correctly paired with its environmental impact?

A) photovoltaic solar panel; mining of rare earth minerals for semiconductors
B) wind turbine; large blades of turbines are responsible for bird and bat kills
C) concentrated solar thermal plant; habitat disruption from the installation of a large array of mirrors
D) All of these are correct.

Question 9

Select the example of passive solar.

A) Home insulation materials slowly collect heat during the day and release it at night.
B) Liquids in a "power tower" heated by the Sun are used to generate steam and electricity.
C) The photovoltaic cell of a solar calculator uses sunlight to directly produce electricity.
D) None of these are correct.

Question 10

Wide-open, windswept states of the Midwest, such as Iowa, are the highest-quality wind resource areas in the United States. What is MOST likely to be a drawback of wind power in Iowa?

A) Land dedicated to agricultural production is unavailable for construction of wind farms.
B) New transmission lines must be constructed to connect windy rural areas with larger grids.
C) The large, spinning blades of wind turbines alter the microclimate on farms, affecting crops.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 11

Select the drawback of a run-of-the-river hydropower system.

A) It requires a sufficient minimum flow to provide a reliable source of power.
B) Flooding large areas to create reservoirs displaces local ecosystems.
C) The concrete barriers trap water sediments and impede fish spawning.
D) It presents a greater risk of a catastrophic failure from collapsing dams.

Question 12

Which energy source accounts for nearly 7% of global energy consumption, making it the leading fossil fuel alternative?

A) nuclear power
B) wind
C) solar
D) hydropower

Question 13

Nuclear reactions harness the power of , a process where the nuclei of atoms are split to release energy.

A) cogeneration
B) fission
C) combustion
D) fusion

Question 14

How are nuclear power plants similar to coal power plants?

A) Both types of power plants release energy by splitting the nuclei of atoms.
B) Both types of power plants generate significant carbon dioxide emissions.
C) Both types of power plants use steam to turn turbines that generate electricity.
D) Both types of power plants create a similar volume of overall waste.

Question 15

Select the correct statement regarding nuclear power.

A) In the United States, the radioactive waste from all nuclear power plants is stored at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
B) Cooling towers at nuclear power plants emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, ash, and particulates.
C) For nuclear power, neutrons split the nuclei of uranium atoms to release the energy needed to heat water and create steam.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 16

Pound for pound, which fuel source produces the MOST energy?

A) uranium
B) oil
C) coal
D) natural gas

Question 17

Geothermal power is generated by

A) fission of uranium atoms.
B) water moving through a dam.
C) heat from the Sun using mirrors.
D) heat from below Earth's surface.

Question 18

Geothermal power includes which of these applications?

A) Heat pump systems circulate air underground where the temperature is constant.
B) The steam from deep wells is piped throughout buildings to provide heat.
C) Deep wells bring hot water to the surface to turn a steam turbine and generate electricity.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 19

Which statement characterizes nuclear power, hydropower, and geothermal power?

A) All three of these energy sources can provide a constant, reliable supply of electricity.
B) All three of these energy sources are growing faster than wind and solar.
C) All three of these energy sources are nondepletable, nonpolluting sources of electricity.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 20

A is a fuel source that uses recently living matter or by-products of their decomposition as an energy source.

A) fossil fuel
B) biofuel
C) fuel cell
D) heat pump

Question 21

How does a fuel cell create an electric charge?

A) by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules
B) by splitting the nucleus of an atom with a neutron
C) by stripping electrons from hydrogen molecules
D) by stripping electrons from specially treated silicon

Question 22

Select the correct statement regarding electric vehicles.

A) Electric vehicles are powered by an electric motor using a magnetic field to generate motion.
B) Electric vehicles use about 80% of the energy that they create.
C) Electric vehicles make up less than 1%of passenger cars in the United States.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 23

Fuel-cell vehicles emit

A) water.
B) oxygen.
C) hydrogen.
D) carbon dioxide.

Question 24

Which statement correctly describes ethanol?

A) Ethanol is a type of biofuel made of alcohol produced by fermenting plant sugars.
B) Most gasoline in the United States now contains a blend of at least 85%ethanol.
C) Less than 10%of the corn grown in the United States is used for ethanol production.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 25

Select an advantage of running electric vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells instead of rechargeable batteries.

A) Refueling a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle is much quicker than recharging vehicle batteries.
B) A distribution network already exists for hydrogen refueling, but not for recharging stations.
C) Hydrogen fuel cells only emit water, whereas battery operation produces greenhouse gases.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 26

Which scenario presents a possible environmental impact due to hydrogen fuel cells?

A) The fuel cells are used to power internal combustion engines rather than electric motors.
B) The electricity used to supply the fuel cells with hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels.
C) The combined exhaust emissions from fleets of buses equipped with fuel cells generates smog.
D) None of these are correct.

Question 27

Cogeneration systems

A) combust municipal waste along with coal or natural gas in order to produce electricity.
B) use the wasted thermal energy from electricity production as a source of heating or cooling.
C) produce hydrogen fuel cells using electricity that is generated by renewable sources.
D) couple traditional fossil fuels with intermittent power sources such as wind.

Question 28

Which action helps to conserve energy?

A) switching to higher-voltage transmission systems for electricity distribution
B) unplugging home electronics when the devices are not in use
C) reducing the rolling resistance of tires by properly inflating them
D) All of these are correct.

Question 29

Select the MOST likely negative environmental impact of self-driving cars.

A) Driverless vehicles may require heavier-weight materials to withstand accidents.
B) Self-driving vehicles may become a substitute for public transportation.
C) The operation of autonomous vehicles may decrease the demand for ethanol.
D) Self-driving vehicles in a sharing service may increase the number of miles traveled.

Question 30

The waste heat generated by a car's engine as it burns gasoline warms the surrounding air, which in turn provides heat for the car's interior. This is an example of

A) fission.
B) variable generation.
C) cogeneration.
D) geothermal power.

Question 31

Which technology is currently the MOST common for large-scale energy storage?

A) pumping water uphill to a reservoir when energy is plentiful, then allowing water to run downhill through hydropower turbines to generate electricity when energy is scarce
B) pumping compressed air into underground caverns when energy is plentiful, then releasing air to turn a turbine to generate electricity when energy is needed
C) heating salt to temperatures in excess of 1,000 $\degree$ F when energy is plentiful, then using this hot salt to heat water for a steam turbine to make electricity when energy is scarce
D) charging batteries with electricity that is produced from wind turbines and rooftop solar panels, then consuming the battery power when the Sun sets and the wind stops blowing

Question 32

What is the limitation associated with electricity as a form of energy?

A) Approximately 35% of the electricity produced at power plants is lost through its transmission over long transmission lines.
B) Once electricity is produced, it is moved around on the grid to meet demand, but for the most part it cannot be saved for later use.
C) The current microgrid technology cannot deliver electricity to essential facilities during blackouts, storms, and other disasters.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 33

Which action is the United States government taking to promote alternative energy?

A) funding the development of higher-voltage smart-grid transmission lines
B) undertaking research directly and in partnership with various institutions
C) offering assistance to alternative energy companies through stimulus grants
D) All of these are correct.

Question 34

Globally, supplies the largest share of energy consumption, and most of this is used for transportation.

A) natural gas
B) biofuel
C) petroleum
D) electricity

Question 35

Describe the opportunities and challenges associated with wind power.

Question 36

Explain why solar power is considered to be a variable energy resource. Describe how this factor could be addressed differently by a user who is connected to an electrical grid as compared to a user in a remote location without access to an electrical grid.

Question 37

Most gasoline in the United States now contains 10% ethanol. Describe two reasons why ethanol is an attractive alternative energy used for transportation, as well as two limitations to using ethanol as a fuel source.

Question 38

The transition to renewable energy will take considerable time. Energy conservation measures play a role in this transition by helping to maximize our remaining resources. Consider the largest sources of energy consumption in your personal lifestyle. List at least five specific actions that you are willing to take in order to reduce your energy consumption. Do any of these actions offer additional advantages or disadvantages on a personal level, such as saving money or a longer commute?

Question 39

Outline the various ways that government actions in the United States are encouraging the development, production, and consumption of alternative energy.