Deck 18: Mineral and Energy Resources

Question 1

How does a hydrogen fuel cell work? How does a hydrogen fuel cell compare to a normal battery?

Answer 1

A hydrogen fuel cell works by converting the chemical energy of hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. This process involves a chemical reaction between the hydrogen and oxygen, which takes place in the fuel cell stack. The hydrogen is fed into the anode of the fuel cell, while the oxygen is fed into the cathode. At the anode, the hydrogen molecules are split into protons and electrons. The protons then pass through a special membrane in the fuel cell, while the electrons are forced to flow through an external circuit, creating an electric current. The protons and electrons then combine with the oxygen at the cathode, along with the electrons that have traveled through the external circuit, to produce water and heat as byproducts.

In comparison to a normal battery, a hydrogen fuel cell has several advantages. Firstly, it has a much higher energy density, meaning it can store a larger amount of energy in the same amount of space. This allows for longer driving ranges in vehicles and longer operating times in portable devices. Additionally, hydrogen fuel cells can be refueled much more quickly than batteries can be recharged, making them more convenient for certain applications. They also produce zero emissions at the point of use, as the only byproduct is water, making them environmentally friendly. However, hydrogen fuel cells also have some drawbacks, such as the need for a constant supply of hydrogen and the high cost of producing and storing hydrogen. Overall, hydrogen fuel cells offer a promising alternative to traditional batteries for certain applications.

Question 2

Energy from biomass is proving to be a valuable alternative to gasoline. Nevertheless, the use of biomass to replace gasoline is not a perfect solution. Describe at least one major (potential) problem associated with the use of biomass as an energy resource.

Answer 2

One major potential problem associated with the use of biomass as an energy resource is the competition for land use. As demand for biomass as an energy source increases, there may be conflicts between using land for food production and using it for growing biomass crops. This competition can lead to issues such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and increased food prices. Additionally, the sustainability of biomass as an energy resource depends on responsible land management and ensuring that the production of biomass does not contribute to environmental degradation. So while biomass is a valuable alternative to gasoline, it is important to carefully consider and address these potential land use conflicts in order to maximize its benefits and minimize its drawbacks.

Question 3

___________ refers to the extraction of usable raw materials, such as metal, glass, and pulp from waste products.

Answer 3

Recycling

Question 4

__________ minerals are mined for their chemical or physical properties, not the metals they contain.

Question 5

Irregular deposits called __________ are formed when hydrothermal solutions deposit minerals in open fractures.

Question 6

The term __________ deposit is applied to any local concentration of minerals formed through processes of sedimentation.

Question 7

____________ is the set of processes whereby useful resources are withdrawn from the stock of any nonrenewable resource.

Question 8

Everywhere in the world, even in the least developed countries, nonrenewable sources supply at least ___________ of the energy used.

Question 9

Peat is the initial stage in the formation of coal, in a process called ___________.

Question 10

___________ is the liquid form of petroleum.

Question 11

___________ gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon that is gaseous at ordinary temperatures and pressures.

Question 12

One of the potential uses of hydrogen is in fuel ___________ , which are similar to huge batteries.

Question 13

__________ energy is derived from Earth's plant life.

Question 14

The energy in __________ comes from the rotation of Earth and its gravitational interaction with the Moon.

Question 15

Splitting heavy atoms into lighter atoms is called __________.

Question 16

Nuclear __________ is the joining together of two small atoms to create a single, larger atom.

Question 17

Carbon dioxide contributes to the __________ effect.

Question 18

The approximate world-use rate of barrels of oil is 30 __________ barrels a year.

Question 19

___________ is the most abundant of the fossil fuels.

Question 20

If we can manage to move beyond our dependence on __________fuels, there are a number of other sources of energy available to us from various sources in the Earth system.

Question 21

Nonmetallic minerals are mined for the metals that can be extracted from them by smelting.

Question 22

Hydrothermal deposits are the primary sources for many metals.

Question 23

Minerals may become segregated and concentrated into distinct bands or layers in response to metamorphism.

Question 24

Sedimentary deposits are formed as a result of high temperatures near Earth's surface.

Question 25

Heavy mineral grains can become concentrated as a result of the sifting action of lowing water acting on clasts of differing density.

Question 26

Chemical weathering causes insoluble materials to be picked up from regolith and rock, leaving the soluble minerals behind.

Question 27

Mining has no impact on the geosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, or the biosphere.

Question 28

Renewable energy sources include wood, coal, and petroleum.

Question 29

Coal is a solid fossil fuel that forms from organic matter in a terrestrial environment.

Question 30

Petroleum is naturally occurring gaseous, liquid, and semisolid hydrocarbons that originate in a terrestrial environment.

Question 31

Unconventional hydrocarbons or synfuels include tar sands, oil shales, and methane gas hydrates.

Question 32

New alternative energy sources are generally more damaging to the environment than fossil fuel mining and use.

Question 33

The least significant problem associated with the use of solar energy is that insolation varies spatially and temporally.

Question 34

Hydrogen fuel can be derived from the splitting of water by electrolysis.

Question 35

Biomass fuels are not widely used throughout the world, especially in developing countries

Question 36

Hydroelectric power is generated from the energy of water flowing downhill.

Question 37

In principle, geothermal energy is inexhaustible, but intensive exploitation of a particular reservoir can lead to local depletion.

Question 38

Nuclear fusion is a potential source of cheap, clean energy; room-temperature fusion was achieved nearly ten years ago.

Question 39

Fossil fuel use causes environmental impacts at every stage, from extraction, refining, and transport to combustion.

Question 40

Which of the following is not a renewable energy resource?

A) Tidal energy.
B) Solar energy.
C) Wind and waves.
D) Natural gas.

Question 41

Floating power stations in the sea are used to harness the energy of

A) Tides.
B) Wind.
C) Waves.
D) Marine life.

Question 42

The fuel used in a nuclear fission reactor is

A) Lead.
B) Thorium.
C) Uranium.
D) Hydrogen.

Question 43

What is the leading course of energy used in the United States today?

A) Oil.
B) Coal.
C) Natural gas.
D) Nuclear power.

Question 44

A permeable rock that contains hydrocarbon fluids and gases is called a(n)

A) Cap rock.
B) Reservoir rock.
C) Source rock.
D) None of these.

Question 45

An oil trap must contain which of the following?

A) A fault.
B) An anticline.
C) A cap rock.
D) An oil trap needs all of these.

Question 46

Which of the following fuels when burned produces the least amount of carbon dioxide (per unit of energy)?

A) Oil.
B) Coal.
C) Natural gas.

Question 47

What type of energy is derived from heated groundwater?

A) Geothermal energy.
B) Solar energy.
C) Nuclear energy.
D) Hydroelectric energy.

Question 48

What type of rocks are lignite and bituminous coal?

A) Igneous.
B) Metamorphic.
C) Sedimentary.

Question 49

Extracting, processing, and using mineral resources

A) Causes land disturbance and erosion.
B) Requires large amounts of energy.
C) Releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.
D) All of these.

Question 50

Which of the following words represents "profitable"?

A) Ore.
B) Gangue.
C) Native.
D) All of these.

Question 51

Acid mine drainage

A) Causes acid rain.
B) Harms or kills aquatic life.
C) Is unregulated across the world.
D) All of these.

Question 52

Through __________ , mining companies can identify areas there may be valuable mineral resources.

A) Smelting.
B) Exploration.
C) Excavation.
D) Promotion.

Question 53

Placer deposits are surface mineral deposits that have been concentrated together by

A) Cap rocks.
B) Evaporation and wind.
C) Surface mining.
D) The movement of wind and water.

Question 54

Oil and natural gas result from

A) Tidal forces.
B) The decay of plant remains that accumulated in swamps millions of years ago.
C) The fission of Uranium 235.
D) The decay of microscopic marine organisms that accumulated millions of years ago.

Question 55

Coal results from

A) Tidal forces.
B) The decay of microscopic marine organisms that accumulated millions of years ago.
C) The fission of Uranium 235.
D) The decay of plant remains that accumulated in swamps millions of years ago.

Question 56

Storage sites for nuclear waste

A) Will leak lethal amounts of radioactivity regardless of precautionary measures
B) Should be located in areas that are geologically stable (i.e., no earthquakes...).
C) Should only be located in mountain ranges.
D) All of these.

Question 57

Which of the following describes new wind turbines?

A) Large and ugly.
B) Cost-effective.
C) Takes extraordinarily long periods of time to build.
D) Is not as efficient as it was in the past.

Question 58

Hydrogen

A) Is used in fuel cells.
B) Is abundant.
C) Can be burned as fuel.
D) All of these.

Question 59

A geothermal power plant gets energy by

A) Tidal forces.
B) Creating a dam.
C) Pumping heated water or steam from rock formations.
D) Wind and wave energy.

Question 60

After ore is blasted to loosen it, and then extracted, the metal is

A) Smelted.
B) Crushed and concentrated.
C) Disposed of.
D) Sold to the highest bidder.

Question 61

Which of the following is not a major type of ore-forming environment?

A) Placer environment.
B) Igneous environment.
C) Sedimentary environment.
D) Metamorphic environment.

Question 62

What geologic structures usually form the largest petroleum traps?

A) Anticlines.
B) Faults.
C) Synclines.
D) Dikes.

Question 63

Which of the following is not a metallic mineral?

A) Aluminum.
B) Gypsum.
C) Silicon.
D) Titanium.

Question 64

The total quantity of a material discovered or undiscovered is called the

A) Reservoir.
B) Reserve.
C) Resource.

Question 65

Which of the following are viable alternative energy sources that could, in the near future, supplant coal and oil?

A) Wave power.
B) Hydroelectric power.
C) Wind power.
D) Solar Power.
E) All of these.

Question 66

How long would you expect the United States' reserve of coal to be able to last (at its present rate of consumption)?

A) A few years.
B) A few centuries.
C) A few decades.
D) A few thousand years.

Question 67

Of the following choices, how can energy (realistically) best be conserved?

A) Raising the price of oil.
B) Supplementing oil and coal with renewable alternatives.
C) Limiting the amount of gasoline sold per person.
D) Create a law to force people to ride bikes, scooters, or another form of clean transportation.

Question 68

What type of minerals is a house structure generally made out of in a modern society?

A) Iron, zinc, talc, mica.
B) Iron, steel, copper, lead, tin, plastic.
C) Sand, stone, cement, steel, tar.
D) Iron, copper, petroleum.

Question 69

What type of rock is a kimberlite pipe?

A) Igneous.
B) Metamorphic.
C) Sedimentary.

Question 70

On average, how much energy does an average American or Canadian use -- directly or indirectly -- every minute of the day, every day of the year?

A) The equivalent of one hundred and fifty 75-watt light bulbs.
B) The equivalent of one hundred 50-watt light bulbs.
C) The equivalent of fifty 75-watt light bulbs.
D) The equivalent of three hundred 100-watt light bulbs.

Question 71

In North America, what percentage of energy used is accounted for by fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal)?

A) 70%
B) 95%
C) 85%
D) 50%

Question 72

When did oil, the liquid form of petroleum, come in use?

A) 1880.
B) 1947.
C) 1910.
D) 1847.

Question 73

Where, in the United States, are huge amounts of oil shale found?

A) Along the Mississippi flood delta.
B) Along the Green River formation
C) Along the Hudson Bay.
D) Within the Appalachian Mountains.