Deck 14: Alternative Energy Resources

Question 1

What describes the difference between passive and active solar energy designs?

A) active involves some type of mechanical system
B) active involves glass windows and trees
C) active makes use of gravity heating
D) active works on cloudy days
E) active works only during the daytime

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following describes the basic way in which electricity is generated using the ocean thermal energy conversion technique, or OTEC?

A) temperature difference between the surface and deep ocean waters
B) temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing tides
C) the ocean's geothermal energy
D) convection cells within the ocean
E) heat energy obtained from surface winds blowing across warm ocean waters

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Light crude oil contains a higher proportion of shorter chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms compared to heavy crude oil.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The original method of processing oil shale involved crushing the rock and then heating it. What environmental problem did this create that the new method (heating the rock in place) seeks to avoid?

A) disposing of large volumes of waste rock
B) water pollution
C) carbon dioxide emissions
D) acid rain
E) landslides

Question 5

With respect to the U.S. transportation system, what best explains why electric motors are considered as the most sustainable means of running cars and trains in the future?

A) fuels for internal combustion engines all produce greenhouse gases
B) conventional crude oil will soon be in short supply
C) internal combustion engines are too inefficient for the expected growth in population
D) reserves of non-conventional fossil fuel are relatively small
E) electricity generated by nuclear power is expected to become significantly less expensive

Question 6

In comparison to light crude oil, which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to heavy crude oil?

A) oil companies prefer heavy crude oil because it is more profitable.
B) heavy crude oil is more difficult to extract.
C) refining heavy crude oil is more expensive.
D) heavy crude oil is more viscous.
E) most of the remaining oil reserves consist of heavier crudes.

Question 7

Synthetic crude oil can be made through a process of liquefying coal. What is the primary problem with using coal to help meet the growing demand for oil?

A) higher carbon dioxide emissions
B) coal reserves are limited
C) cannot produce gasoline from coal
D) additional technology is required
E) new technology is required

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the major advantages of generating electricity with nuclear power plants?

A) generates electricity on a large scale and does not emit carbon dioxide.
B) there is an infinite supply of uranium and does not emit carbon dioxide.
C) generates electricity on a large scale and is easier to connect to the electrical grid.
D) there is an infinite supply of uranium and is easier to connect to the electrical grid.
E) easier to connect to the electrical grid and does not emit carbon dioxide.

Question 9

Which of the following describes the advantages of wind power over solar?

A) wind turbines can generate power at night and on cloudy days.
B) wind turbines are easier to install than solar panels.
C) wind generated electricity is carbon-free.
D) wind works better in high-density coastal developments.
E) less public resistance to wind turbines than solar panels.

Question 10

What best describes the difference between solar thermal and photovoltaic systems?

A) photovoltaic generates electricity only
B) solar thermal operates only during the daytime
C) photovoltaic generates both heat and electricity
D) photovoltaic use electricity and can operate at night
E) solar thermal works better in warm climates

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the production of corn-based ethanol as an alternative to gasoline in the United States?

A) provides a long-term solution to our energy needs
B) production likely results in a net energy loss
C) production requires a significant amount of farmland
D) it is less energy efficient than gasoline
E) it is helping to drive up food prices

Question 12

Gas hydrates represent a potential source of natural gas. Which of the following is the primary reason commercial production is not yet taking place?

A) high potential for the uncontrolled release of gas
B) thick, economical deposits have yet to be found
C) price of natural gas is presently too high
D) produces many undesirable by-products
E) unable to reach deposits on ocean floor

Question 13

Which of the following best explains why carbon dioxide emissions are so much higher using tar sands compared to conventional crude oil?

A) tar sands require additional energy to produce.
B) tar sands contain carbon dioxide trapped within the sand.
C) tar sands are found at higher latitude and naturally contain more carbon dioxide.
D) oxygen within tar sands readily combines with the carbon.
E) tar sands naturally contain water.

Question 14

With respect to geothermal energy, Earth's internal heat escapes evenly though the crust.

Question 15

What best describes the major disadvantages of nuclear power?

A) high production costs and lack of long-term waste storage
B) high accident rate and public fear
C) non-renewable and high production costs
D) high accident rate and high production costs
E) public fear and non-renewable

Question 16

What best explains why producing electricity via geothermal energy is restricted geographically?

A) areas where shallow crustal rocks are sufficiently hot are relatively rare.
B) most geothermal areas are far from the electrical grid.
C) most geothermal areas are far from the nearest population center.
D) due to high infrastructure costs, geothermal areas are restricted to developed nations.
E) due to the need for water, geothermal areas must be near a body of water.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes oil shale deposits?

A) organic-rich source rock that has never been buried deep enough to produce oil.
B) crude oil deposit in which the lighter molecules have migrated away.
C) shale that is saturated with crude oil, but requires fracturing to extract.
D) shale found at higher elevations in the Rocky Mountains.
E) the primary source of oil in the Western U.S. for the past 100 years.

Question 18

What energy transformation takes place when sunlight strikes an ordinary solid object?

A) electromagnetic to thermal (heat)
B) electromagnetic to electrical
C) nuclear to electrical
D) thermal (heat) to nuclear
E) electrical to thermal (heat)

Question 19

A pumped-storage system is where water is pumped up into an elevated reservoir, and then allowed to fall to produce electricity. What is the basic reason this system is economical?

A) surplus electricity at night is being used to pump water into reservoir.
B) more electricity is generated than is used in pumping water into the reservoir.
C) it is more efficient to generate electricity when it is generated with gravity.
D) the electricity is being generated with a renewable energy resource.
E) the electricity is being generated with a non-carbon based energy source.

Question 20

A likely future model for the electrical grid is a decentralized system where power is generated from numerous sources distributed across the grid. What would the primary role of nuclear power be in this model?

A) provide steady amounts of power to meet baseload demand
B) provide power to run large numbers of wind turbines
C) provide electricity to make hydrogen
D) provide steady power to transportation systems
E) provide the only source of carbon-free electricity