Deck 16: Renewable Energy

Question 1

To be a widely used energy source for humans,some collected solar radiation must be

A)used to produce electricity.
B)converted and stored.
C)recycled into fossil fuels.
D)used to heat water.

Answer 1

converted and stored.

Question 2

Which of the following is true or accurate about the transition to renewable energies?

A)Coal can continue to be used as long as we keep atmospheric CO₂ levels below 800 ppm.
B)Natural gas,which produces less CO₂ when burned,can serve as a "bridge energy" to the development of enough renewable energies.
C)At present none of the U.S.states has any requirements or goals for the transition.
D)Venture capitalists have invested very little in global renewable energy because of uncertainty about its effectiveness.

Answer 2

Natural gas,which produces less CO₂ when burned,can serve as a "bridge energy" to the development of enough renewable energies.

Question 3

Solar collecting panels would be most effective if they were positioned

A)nearest the equator.
B)at mid-latitudes on Earth,about the level of Ohio.
C)at higher-latitudes on Earth,about the level of Montreal,Canada.
D)near the poles of the Earth.

Answer 3

nearest the equator.

Question 4

Unlike fossil fuels,solar energy is considered nonpolluting because the chemical and radioactive products of fusion

A)stay near the sun.
B)are destroyed in Earth's atmosphere.
C)would be produced on Earth anyway.
D)quickly break down when they strike the Earth's soil.

Question 5

Compared to the use of fossil fuels,wind energy

A)is more consistent.
B)requires no investment.
C)produces no exhaust pollutants and contributes little to global climate change.
D)is not renewable.

Question 6

The technology in this photograph is used to capture the renewable energy of

A)nuclear fuel.
B)the sun.
C)the wind.
D)precipitation.

Question 7

With all of the sun's energy striking the Earth every second of every day,why doesn't the Earth overheat and kill us all?

A)The Earth is so large and dense that it absorbs all of this heat.
B)The Earth is overheating regionally,melting rocks into the lava of volcanoes.
C)The Earth maintains a balance by radiating this heat back into space.
D)The atmosphere of the Earth prevents the solar radiation from reaching the Earth's surface.

Question 8

About how much of the sun's radiation would strike the Earth if the Earth did not have its atmosphere?

A)about 10 times more
B)about twice as much
C)it would be about the same
D)about half as much

Question 9

The U.N.and many international agencies feel a sense of urgency to make the transition to renewable energies soon because

A)of political pressure from China and the United States.
B)projected levels of carbon dioxide levels may reach 1000 ppm by 2100 with catastrophic effects of global sea levels and climate.
C)developing nations can afford renewable energy but not fossil fuels whose price is rising.
D)it will take some pressure off global fossil fuel reserves and keep electricity prices low.

Question 10

As of 2011 in the United States,about 8% of electrical power came from

A)burning biomass.
B)hydropower.
C)solar energy.
D)wind.

Question 11

In passive solar units that heat water,the water moves because

A)flat-plate collectors are facing the sun.
B)heated water rises up from low-positioned flat-plate collectors to the water tank.
C)wind-powered pumps move the water through the system.
D)an electric water pump moves the water through the system.

Question 12

In 2011,9.4 % of the energy used in the United States was renewable energy.Of that renewable energy,12.8 percent was from wind.Therefore,in 2011,how much of the energy used in the United States was from wind?

A)about 1%
B)about 5%
C)about 7%
D)more than 10%

Question 13

Renewable energy resources

A)currently supply 20% of the earth's electricity
B)contribute only 70% as much greenhouse gases as fossil fuels
C)have been largely ignored by the Obama administration
D)are unsuitable for the economies of developing nations.

Question 14

The NIMBY objectors to the Cape Cod wind project felt that

A)the project would not produce the power needed
B)the wind turbines were not big enough
C)the tall wild turbines were "visual pollution" marring the scenic beauty of the Cape.
D)New England has no current need for more energy.

Question 15

To meet the energy needs of all humans,we would need to capture

A)all of the sun's energy striking the Earth.
B)all of the sun's energy just reaching the outer atmosphere.
C)only about 1% of the sun's energy striking the Earth.
D)only about 1/10,000 of the sun's energy striking the Earth.

Question 16

As sun shines on its leaves,a bean plant uses the light in photosynthesis to make beans.This entire process represents,in this sequence,the

A)generation,collection,and conversion of energy.
B)storage of energy,collection,and conversion.
C)conversion,collection,and storage of energy.
D)collection,conversion,and storage of energy.

Question 17

In order to make a rapid transition to renewable energies,countries like the United States will have to

A)reduce subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.
B)reduce subsidies to renewable energy development to create economic parity.
C)manufacture smaller,more fuel efficient cars and trucks.
D)strengthen its ties and involvement with the Middle East.

Question 18

In 2012,a major driving force increasing the development and use of renewable-energy is

A)the ability to capture the energy of the wind,sun,and water.
B)concerns about climate change and costs that are now competitive with fossil fuels.
C)increased solar radiation and wind velocities over the past decade.
D)the ease with which solar and wind energies can be tapped in every region of the earth.

Question 19

Which of the following are involved in energy collection and conversion in a tree?

A)leaves collect and chlorophyll converts
B)leaves convert and chlorophyll collects
C)roots collect and leaves convert
D)seeds collect and leaves convert

Question 20

You are out camping in a remote region away from all civilization.The next day,you plan to hike around and return to camp before dusk.Your friends suggest that after hiking,you might want to enjoy a warm shower.They suggest that before you head out in the morning,you should suspend a strong,black cloth bag full of about 5 gallons of water,so that it sits in sunshine all day.When you return,the water should be warm,and you can enjoy a luxury because of good planning.It works and you are delighted and refreshed! The process that you used to get a warm shower illustrates

A)passive solar heating.
B)active solar heating.
C)solar space heating.
D)flat-plate collection.

Question 21

Current photovoltaic technology uses sunlight to generate electricity

A)with a single structure in a single step.
B)by heating up water and using microscopic hydroturbines.
C)in the process of microfusion.
D)while generating small amounts of methane for use as a fuel in other applications.

Question 22

Solar trough technology converts

A)the ultraviolet light in sunlight directly into electricity.
B)the heat of the sun into steam to drive a turbogenerator.
C)sunlight into electricity which then produces steam heat.
D)the direct current generated by photovoltaic cells into alternating current.

Question 23

Every winter morning when the sun is shining bright,a man pulls back the drapes on a large south facing window.Here in Montana,he knows that he can help heat his home this way using

A)conductive solar heating.
B)active solar heating.
C)radioactive solar heating.
D)passive solar heating.

Question 24

Around the world,photovoltaic technology is quickly being adopted to generate electricity in

A)large scale commercial power plants and on rooftop home units.
B)large scale commercial power plants but not yet on rooftop home units.
C)rooftop home units but not large scale commercial power plants.
D)small electronic applications such as calculators but not yet on rooftops or in commercial power plants.

Question 25

A home is buried in soil such that only the south facing side of the home,with many large windows,is exposed to the outside.Such construction of a home in Oklahoma is benefiting from

A)biomass heating and geothermal cooling.
B)active geothermal heating and cooling.
C)solar heating and geothermal cooling.
D)passive solar and active biomass energy.

Question 26

The building in this photograph represents the use of

A)active solar heating in the winter and active shading in the summer.
B)passive solar heating in the winter and passive shading in the summer.
C)passive solar heating in the summer and active shading in the winter.
D)active solar heating in the summer and passive shading in the winter.

Question 27

Solar thermal systems would be least expensive to build and most effective to heat

A)a cabin in Alaska in the winter.
B)a swimming pool in Arizona in the winter.
C)a home in South Dakota in the fall.
D)water in a home in Oregon in the spring.

Question 28

The fastest-growing energy technology in the world is illustrated by

A)a fuel cell.
B)a hydroelectric dam.
C)a pellet stove heating a home.
D)solar collecting panels on rooftops.

Question 29

Technology illustrated in this figure represents

A)a flat-plate solar collector that may be used in active or passive solar heating.
B)a flat-plate solar collector used only in active solar heating.
C)a flat-plate solar collector used only in passive solar heating.
D)a solar space heater used to heat the air in a building.

Question 30

A power tower concentrates solar energy by

A)heating water in pipes that run along rows of mirrors.
B)using one very large glass lens to focus sunlight.
C)using a large field of mirrors to direct sunlight to a specific location.
D)collecting light in a series of fiber optic cables directed to underground steam rooms.

Question 31

In the winter in Wisconsin,a person going to work at 8 AM parks her car so that it is in bright sunlight in the afternoon.When she gets in her car about 5 PM,the inside is warm because of

A)conductive solar heating.
B)active solar heating.
C)radioactive solar heating.
D)passive solar heating.

Question 32

Solar space heating units tend to be less expensive than solar water heating units because

A)solar heating units can be passive and water heating units must be active.
B)it takes longer to heat up air than water.
C)because of its low density,it is usually cheaper to move air than water.
D)solar space heating units can only be used near the equator.

Question 33

Solar trough power generating plants are currently best suited for a place like

A)England
B)Phoenix,Arizona.
C)a montane tropical cloud forest.
D)Seattle,Washington.

Question 34

Which one of the following is one of the most important components of concentrated solar power?

A)photovoltaic cells
B)inertia
C)wind turbines
D)mirrors or reflectors

Question 35

New buildings that receive the energy star rating are recognized for

A)using solar or geothermal for at least 30% of the building's energy needs.
B)using solar power for at least 50% of the building's energy needs.
C)using wind power for at least 20% of the building's energy needs.
D)using 40% less energy than other buildings in their class.

Question 36

The most costly aspect of photovoltaic technology is being addressed by

A)inventing a way to convert alternating current to direct current.
B)inventing a way to convert direct current to alternating current.
C)finding a way to reduce the damaging effects of the sun on solar panels.
D)new technologies that reduce the cost of manufacturing solar cells.

Question 37

Which one of the following would provide the greatest energy benefit to a home in the United States with cold winters and hot summers? A homeowner has large glass windows facing south.In front of these windows the homeowner should plant

A)nothing
B)tall oak trees.
C)bushes that only grow up to the bottom of the windows.
D)a flower bed below the windows,but no trees.

Question 38

In a photovoltaic system,an inverter is required to

A)directly convert surplus electricity into heat.
B)generate electricity from solar energy.
C)connect the DC current of the solar panel to the AC current of an electrical grid.
D)convert AC from the solar panel into DC of the grid.

Question 39

Photovoltaic cells are commonly used to power

A)lawn mowers.
B)lighthouses.
C)calculators.
D)industrial manufacturing.

Question 40

Power Tower and Solar Trough systems are both capable of

A)storing and using heat when there is no sunlight for several hours.
B)collecting sunlight even at night.
C)using their photovoltaic cells to generate alternating or direct current.
D)being used to generate electricity on modern passenger vehicles.

Question 41

The economics of solar electricity are

A)bleak because there is a large gap between the price of energy from coal and from PV cells.
B)excellent for CSP technology but discouraging for PV cells.
C)growing at phenomenal rate as prices for PV cells continue to drop by 5% per year.
D)less promising because the costs of ecosystem damage and pollution are not counted.

Question 42

Which one of the following illustrates a consumptive use of biomass energy of a forest?

A)Indigenous peoples harvest tagua nuts from trees in a rain forest,carve them into animal sculptures,and sell them in the local market to tourists.
B)Hiking through a forest in the Appalachian mountains,some college students gather dead branches from the ground to make a fire to cook dinner.
C)Native people living in a Brazilian rain forest earn money by collecting exotic fruits and nuts and selling them in the local city markets.
D)In downstate Illinois,a farmer cuts up dead standing trees from a forest on his property and delivers the firewood to people living in the suburbs of St.Louis.

Question 43

Coal,natural gas,and oil are not considered renewable sources of biomass energy because they

A)were ultimately produced by photosynthesis.
B)release carbon dioxide when burned.
C)contribute to ozone destruction.
D)were formed millions of years ago.

Question 44

Many of the 1.6 billion people who lack electricity live in rural regions where

A)nuclear energy is well suited.
B)hydroelectric energy is the best energy resource.
C)hydrogen fuel cells are best used.
D)solar energy is best used.

Question 45

Over the past two decades the consumptive use of fuelwood has

A)increased and is causing a worsening problem of deforestation and erosion.
B)declined as developing nations use charcoal and fossil fuels and has become less of a threat to ecosystem sustainability.
C)become a major industry in the United States especially in urban areas,replacing fossil fuels in many regions.
D)shifted from productive to consumptive use.

Question 46

Which one of the following represents a consumptive use of a forest product? A sawmill

A)collects its sawdust to create wood pellets,used to heat its buildings.
B)sells its lumber to regional home improvement stores.
C)collects its sawdust to create wood pellets,which it sells to people with pellet stoves.
D)uses the lumber it creates to build cabinets,which are then sold to local home improvement stores.

Question 47

Although they have tremendous advantages,wind turbines

A)cause thousands of bird deaths each year.
B)are known to dry out the soil in the surrounding region.
C)make the surrounding region unsuitable for farming or ranching.
D)generate greenhouse gases when producing electricity.

Question 48

Although hydroelectric dams generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases,they

A)are short-lived structures that have to be rebuilt about every 20 years.
B)are only able to contribute to about 5% of the electrical power throughout the world.
C)alter water control in ways that make it more difficult to irrigate crops.
D)eliminate farmland and wildlife habitats and often villages in the regions that are flooded.

Question 49

Which of the following are used by individual farmers to generate biogas for their own use?

A)sugar,water,and anaerobic bacteria
B)cornstalks,ethanol,and aerobic bacteria
C)manure,water,and anaerobic bacteria
D)manure,water,and aerobic bacteria

Question 50

Given the problems of inconsistent winds,the best place to position new wind turbines would be

A)along railroad tracks,where there are few trees.
B)along rivers and streams,where there is less human interference.
C)in offshore locations where winds are more consistent.
D)in deserts,where few man-made structures are located.

Question 51

In the United States,the electricity generated by hydropower is about

A)equal to that generated using solar technologies.
B)equal to that generated using wind technologies.
C)twice that generated by solar and geothermal.
D)twice as much as that generated by wind,solar,and geothermal.

Question 52

In the United States,the use of hydropower

A)is likely to double in the next 20 years.
B)is likely to increase by about 40% by 2025.
C)will likely stay the same or decrease slightly in the next few decades.
D)will decline considerably,by as much as 50%,by the year 2030.

Question 53

Which one of the following does not represent indirect solar energy?

A)nuclear fission
B)biomass
C)hydroelectric
D)windmills

Question 54

The use of biomass energy is illustrated by burning

A)coal to produce electricity.
B)natural gas for heat.
C)logs in a fireplace to heat a cabin.
D)oil in a kerosene lantern.

Question 55

Unlike solar and wind facilities,coal-burning and nuclear power plants

A)can be constructed more quickly.
B)can be added gradually as demand grows.
C)can consistently generate electricity at night.
D)do not pose as great a security risk.

Question 56

The best way to describe the growth of global wind energy over the past 15 years is

A)static.
B)declining.
C)exponential.
D)linear.

Question 57

Much of the increasing global need for electricity can be met by solar sources because

A)about 70% of electrical demand occurs when the sun is shining.
B)modern battery technology now makes electrical storage cheap and efficient.
C)only about one square meter of photovoltaic cells are needed to heat a home.
D)even at night most solar power systems run at about 50% of normal capacity.

Question 58

Unlike large solar collection fields and dams,wind farms

A)keep the surrounding land available for farming.
B)can continue to generate electricity every hour of the day.
C)do not generate greenhouse gases.
D)are very inexpensive to build.

Question 59

Compared to solar generated electricity,hydroelectric systems

A)are advantageous because they produce significantly less greenhouse gas.
B)are advantageous because they run as well at night as during the day.
C)do not last as long as most solar technologies.
D)cannot produce as much electricity as solar technologies.

Question 60

One of the advantages of solar generation over the use of fossil fuels is that solar power

A)can work equally well anywhere in the world.
B)generates electricity every hour of the day.
C)uses less expensive technology.
D)is sustainable.

Question 61

Hydrogen in fuel cells powers automobiles by

A)generating electricity.
B)creating rapidly combustible hydrogen compounds.
C)generating changes in gas pressures that move pistons in car engines.
D)combining with equal parts of gasoline to create a fuel with extra octane.

Question 62

The generation of alternate fuels from manure and sawdust

A)increases our consumption of fossil fuels.
B)reduces costs to a company by using waste products.
C)increases the production of commercial waste products.
D)eliminates the production and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 63

Biodiesel is often produced using

A)any type of cellulosic feedstock.
B)corn-based ethanol.
C)recycled vegetable oil used in cooking food.
D)solar and wind turbine sources of energy.

Question 64

Current ethanol production in Brazil is different from ethanol production in the United States.In Brazil,they primarily use

A)special enzymes that break down cellulose into sugars.
B)ethanol to heat homes and generate electricity.
C)sugar cane instead of corn.
D)natural gas to generate ethanol.

Question 65

Current ethanol production as a fuel does not significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions because

A)of the amount of fossil fuels required to produce the corn used in the process.
B)the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide.
C)the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of methane.
D)burning ethanol or gasoline contributes the same net amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Question 66

Which of the following would inhibit the production of biogas in a fermentation chamber commonly used by small farmers?

A)double the overall size of the fermentation chamber
B)add equal parts of manure and water into the chamber and reseal the top
C)leave the lid off of the top of the fermentation chamber
D)collect biogas from an enclosed fermentation chamber

Question 67

The two large tanks in this photo

A)use manure,water,and anaerobic bacteria to produce biogas.
B)use manure,water,and aerobic bacteria to produce biogas.
C)burn unused parts of crop plants to generate heat for homes.
D)collect and stores carbon dioxide in underground wells.

Question 68

Buses and cars using fuel cells are

A)not yet possible because the technology to safely store hydrogen is still not resolved.
B)not yet available because the fuel cell generates unsafe levels of heat.
C)still inefficient,largely because the fuel cells are large and heavy.
D)already in use and ready for commercial production.

Question 69

A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell uses

A)hydrogen and water and generates electricity and oxygen.
B)hydrogen and oxygen and generates electricity and water.
C)carbon dioxide and water and generates electricity and hydrogen.
D)hydrogen and water and generates electricity,oxygen,and carbon dioxide.

Question 70

The current generation of ethanol as a biofuel requires

A)sugars and the process of fermentation.
B)any plant material and the process of fermentation.
C)manure,water,and aerobic bacteria.
D)bioengineered bacteria and any form of cellulose.

Question 71

Automobiles with fuel cells can be more flexibly designed because they

A)do not have wheels.
B)have to be so large that there is extra room for passengers and accessories.
C)do not have an engine fuel combustion compartment.
D)do not have to be aerodynamically constructed to get better fuel mileage.

Question 72

Which one of the following produces the least air pollution?

A)an automobile burning hydrogen as a fuel
B)an automobile running on a hydrogen fuel cell
C)a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle
D)a car running on natural gas

Question 73

Using hydrogen to run a car is most like using

A)electricity stored in a battery.
B)natural gas as a source of fuel.
C)biogas as a source of fuel.
D)gasoline as a source of fuel.

Question 74

When corn is used to produce ethanol for fuel,the process also generates

A)proteins and cellulose.
B)biodiesel and natural gas.
C)livestock feed and corn oil.
D)methane used to heat thousands of homes.

Question 75

The production of hydrogen to power cars in the United States requires

A)nearly a million gallons of freshwater each day.
B)a net input of energy.
C)fusion reactions typical of nuclear power plants.
D)fermentation using water and sugars.

Question 76

In our natural atmosphere,

A)there is very little hydrogen in any form.
B)hydrogen is most abundant combined with oxygen as water vapor and other compounds.
C)hydrogen is most abundant combined with carbon.
D)hydrogen gas is more abundant than carbon dioxide.

Question 77

If ethanol production in the United States more than doubles between 2015 and 2022,it will need to rely on

A)even more corn that will not be available to feed the hungry people of the world.
B)second-generation biofuel using enzymes that convert cellulose to fermentable sugar.
C)manure and other animal wastes to generate methane,which in turn is used to produce alcohol.
D)any plant material and enzymes that convert sugars into cellulose,methane,and oxygen.

Question 78

Currently,the main benefit of using corn-based ethanol in the United States is

A)a significant reduction in the generation of carbon dioxide.
B)reduced reliance on imported oil.
C)the improved mileage of ethanol versus gasoline.
D)the generation of biogas.

Question 79

This is a photo of a hardy perennial grass that can be grown just to produce ethanol to replace some of the gasoline used to fuel automobiles.Unlike using corn grains to produce ethanol,the use of this grass to produce ethanol requires

A)more fossil fuels than it currently saves.
B)additional fertilizers and irrigation.
C)prime soil that would otherwise be used to grow food crops.
D)enzymes that break down cellulose to produce sugars.

Question 80

The most promising immediate alternative to gasoline fueled vehicles in a time of global climate change and increasing oil imports is powering vehicles using

A)solar power.
B)hydrogen as a fuel source.
C)fuel cells using hydrogen.
D)plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.