Deck 4: Energy and the Future

Question 1

The world's largest importer of oil is

A)the United States.
B)China.
C)India.
D)Russia.

Answer 1

the United States.

Question 2

Methane is the chief constituent of

A)natural gas.
B)gasoline.
C)diesel fuel.
D)ethanol.

Answer 2

natural gas.

Question 3

The proportion of world energy supplied by sources other than fossil fuels is about

A)15 percent.
B)25 percent.
C)50 percent.
D)85 percent.

Answer 3

15 percent.

Question 4

If present trends in population and greenhouse gas emissions continue, the earth's surface temperature will increase by a catastrophic 4 ^$\circ$ C by the year

A)2020.
B)2050.
C)2100.
D)2500.

Question 5

In the past century the world's population has increased by about

A)10 percent.
B)50 percent.
C)100 percent.
D)300 percent.

Question 6

Of the following greenhouse gases, the most and least important are respectively

A)carbon dioxide.
B)CFC and HCFC refrigeration gases.
C)nitrous oxide.
D)methane.
E)Both A and C

Question 7

Which of these statements is not true for oil from tar sands?

A)Tar sands worldwide contain as much oil as in reserves of ordinary crude oil.
B)Oil from tar sands costs much more per barrel than ordinary crude oil.
C)Producing oil from tar sands involves the emission of less carbon dioxide than extracting crude oil does.
D)The amount of oil produced from tar sands is expected to triple by 2015.

Question 8

The earth's atmosphere is mainly heated by

A)visible light radiated by the sun.
B)infrared light radiated by the sun.
C)infrared light radiated by the earth.
D)hot exhaust gases from burning fossil fuels.

Question 9

World energy use in 2030 is expected to be

A)less than today.
B)about the same as today.
C)about one and a half times what it is today.
D)about four times what it is today.

Question 10

Arrange these fuels in increasing order of energy given off per gram when they are burned. 1.gasoline
2)hydrogen
3)coal
4)ethanol

A) 4, 3, 1, 2
B) 2, 1, 3, 4
C) 1, 2, 3, 4
D) 3, 1, 2, 4

Question 11

If the Antarctic and Greenland icecaps melt completely, sea level will rise

A)mainly in the tropical regions.
B)mainly in the polar regions.
C)everywhere by about 1 m.
D)everywhere by about 10 m.

Question 12

Of the following energy sources, the one most likely to run out of reserves first is

A)coal.
B)oil.
C)natural gas.
D)nuclear.

Question 13

The two countries that together are responsible for about half the world's carbon dioxide emissions are

A)the United States.
B)China.
C)India.
D)Russia.
E)Both A and B

Question 14

Energy use per person in the United States today occurs at a rate of about

A)1.1 kW.
B)11 kW.
C)110 kW.
D)1.1 MW.

Question 15

Energy not ultimately derived from solar radiation is found in

A)tides.
B)waves.
C)falling water.
D)wind.

Question 16

The fossil fuels that are the least and most polluting to burn are respectively

A)natural gas.
B)gasoline
C)diesel fuel.
D)coal.
E)Both A and D

Question 17

An optimistic projection for 2050 suggests that 9 billion might then be the population of

A)the United States.
B)India.
C)China.
D)the world.

Question 18

Arrange these sources in increasing order of the amount of energy they supply to the world today. 1.coal
2)oil
3)natural gas
4)nuclear

A)4, 3, 1, 2
B)1, 3, 2, 4
C)2, 1, 3, 4
D)3, 4, 1, 2

Question 19

Most oil today is used for

A)transportation.
B)electricity.
C)heat.
D)chemical products.

Question 20

Energy use per person in the United States today is

A)about the same as the world average.
B)about 10 percent more than the world average.
C)about one and a half times the world average.
D)about four times the world average.

Question 21

The proportion of the world's electricity that comes from nuclear energy is about

A)1/20.
B)1/6.
C)1/3.
D)1/2.

Question 22

Of the following problems associated with various energy sources, the least significant for nuclear fission is

A)waste disposal.
B)fuel reserves.
C)diversion to weapons manufacture.
D)construction expense.

Question 23

Despite the harm their burning does to the environment, fossil fuels will remain widely used for which of the following reason(s)?

A)The prices of fossil fuels do not include the cost of the damage their burning does to the environment.
B)The technologies of producing and using fossil fuels are well developed after many years of experience.
C)Fossil fuel production and use are on large enough scales to be relatively economical.
D)The continuing use of fossil fuels avoids the new investment needed for other energy sources.
E)All of the above

Question 24

One or more factors that today prevent the widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel is/are

A)the need to first separate hydrogen from its chemical compounds, such as water.
B)the carbon dioxide produced when it combines with oxygen.
C)the amount of energy liberated when it combines with oxygen.
D)the difficulty of storing and shipping it.
E)Both A and D

Question 25

Which of the following statements is not true?

A)Coal-fired power plants in the United States produce over half of its electricity.
B)About 150 new coal-fired power plants are newly built or under construction in the United States.
C)The United States has less than 5 percent of the world's coal reserves.
D)Coal is cheaper per unit of energy released when it is burned than any other fossil fuel.

Question 26

Eventually, if bioethanol remains in use, it will probably be made from

A)corn.
B)sugar cane.
C)cellulose.
D)natural gas.

Question 27

In a good wind, a modern large wind turbine might have a power output of

A)2 kW.
B)20 kW.
C)200 kW.
D)2000 kW.

Question 28

The renewable energy source that seems to have the most worldwide potential is

A)wind.
B)geothermal.
C)hydropower.
D)solar.

Question 29

The energy the world uses in a year is comparable with the energy that arrives from the sun every

A)hour.
B)day.
C)week.
D)month.

Question 30

Mercury absorbed in the body damages the nervous system and is especially harmful to unborn children.Pollution by mercury is one result of burning

A)natural gas.
B)gasoline.
C)diesel fuel.
D)coal.

Question 31

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs

A)but do not last as long.
B)and last about as long.
C)and last longer.
D)any of these depending on the bulb's power.

Question 32

Environmental concerns are the most important factor in limiting the expansion of which of the following energy sources?

A)wind
B)geothermal
C)hydropower
D)solar

Question 33

The world's fastest-growing source of clean energy is

A)wind.
B)geothermal.
C)hydropower.
D)solar.

Question 34

Which statement(s) apply(ies) to nuclear fusion?

A)It is the energy source of the sun and stars.
B)On the earth, its fuel supply is limited.
C)It should produce relatively little radioactive waste.
D)It has not yet produced energy in the laboratory.
E)Both A and C

Question 35

Fuel cells

A)store energy.
B)need regular recharging with electric current.
C)need continuous supplies of fuel.
D)produce hydrogen from water.

Question 36

Which of the following sources is/are responsible for 1 percent or more of the energy the world uses today?

A)wind
B)geothermal
C)hydropower
D)solar
E)Both A and C

Question 37

A promising method of preventing the escape into the atmosphere of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel power plants is to

A)pump it into underground reservoirs.
B)pump it into lakes and rivers.
C)make syngas from it.
D)convert it to carbon monoxide in special furnaces.

Question 38

In the United States, bioethanol from corn is added to gasoline for vehicle fuel because

A)it is cheap to produce.
B)its production uses little energy.
C)its production releases little carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
D)government subsidies and tariffs favor its production and use.

Question 39

Which of the following are the chief acids in acid rain?

A)sulfuric acid
B)hydrochloric acid
C)nitric acid
D)citric acid
E)Both A and C

Question 40

Algae are able to make diesel fuel through photosynthesis using as a raw material

A)hydrogen.
B)carbon dioxide.
C)gasoline.
D)coal.

Question 41

It seems possible that a serious effort to improve the efficiency of electricity use in the United States could reduce its consumption of electric energy by

A)5 percent.
B)10 percent.
C)25 percent.
D)50 percent.