Renewable Energy Sources Test Bank Docx Chapter 10

Environmental Science, 15e (Enger)

Chapter 10 Renewable Energy Sources

1) The burning of fossil fuels and ________ from nuclear power provide about 86% of the energy used in the world.

A) oil

B) natural gas

C) coal

D) electricity

2) The process of photosynthesis converts sunlight energy into ________.

A) plant biomass and water.

B) water and oxygen.

C) oxygen and plant biomass.

D) None of the options is correct.

3) Since fossil fuels are ________, as they become ________ the price ________.

A) abundant; available; falls

B) renewable; scarce; rises

C) nonrenewable; available; fluctuates

D) renewable; abundant; rises

E) nonrenewable; scarce; rises

4) A hybrid vehicle

A) contains only an internal combustion engine.

B) contains an internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

C) contains only an electric motor.

D) None of these are correct.

5) What type of currently available vehicle produces zero emissions?

A) gasoline powered

B) methanol powered

C) hybrid

D) electric

6) The primary source of energy in much of the developing world is

A) natural gas.

B) coal.

C) peat.

D) biomass.

7) Ethanol as a fuel is produced through the fermentation of

A) sugarcane.

B) sugar beets.

C) corn.

D) All of these are correct.

8) Hydroelectric power plants are most commonly located near

A) coal-powered plants.

B) nuclear-power plants.

C) artificial reservoirs.

D) estuaries.

9) One of the major causes of desertification is

A) demand for fuelwood.

B) drought.

C) loss of fertile soil.

D) flooding.

10) Which of the following is NOT a type of biomass?

A) animal waste

B) agricultural crops

C) fuel wood

D) solid waste

11) Anaerobic digestion

A) produces ethanol.

B) produces biodiesel.

C) produces methane.

D) requires oxygen for the reaction to occur.

12) The use of biomass for cooking and heating is an important source of energy in many less developed countries. Which of the following is an issue related to this use of biomass?

A) It uses up oxygen.

B) It contributes to climate change.

C) It contributes to air pollution.

D) All of the statements are correct.

13) Which one of the following is NOT a negative impact of building hydroelectric dams?

A) change in the temperature of the water

B) silt is trapped behind the dam

C) flooding vast areas of land

D) The electricity produced is more expensive than nuclear or coal power plants.

14) Environmental problems associated with large hydroelectric dams include

A) air and water pollution and higher crime.

B) global warming, ozone destruction, and private land rights.

C) warming of water, reduced evaporation, and reduced recreational opportunities.

D) loss of fertile farmland, destruction of aquatic communities, and relocation of people.

15) The best sites for tidal electric plants are

A) fast flowing rivers near the coast.

B) near small islands in the Pacific Ocean.

C) bays with narrow openings.

D) adjacent to wide beaches near the equator.

16) Geothermal and tidal generation of electricity are similar in that

A) although they are effective at generating electricity, the sites where the technology can be used are very limited.

B) both are simple technologies that can be used with little initial investment.

C) both have the potential to produce large amounts of electricity in many places in the world.

D) None of the statements is correct.

17) Which one of the following is the most efficient method of using solar energy to produce electricity?

A) passive solar systems like sunspaces or trombe walls

B) parabolic trough

C) solar power tower

D) photovoltaic devices

18) Which one of the following energy technologies can be used by any country?

A) tidal energy

B) hydroelectric dams

C) energy conservation technologies

D) parabolic troughs

19) Iceland and Norway are similar in that they both

A) have abundant hydroelectric capacity.

B) have abundant geothermal capacity.

C) have abundant oil reserves.

D) All of the statements are correct.

E) None of the statements are correct.

20) Environmental problems associated with geothermal energy include

A) water and noise pollution and devastation of caribou herds.

B) air pollution, corrosion of pipes, and may be toxic to fish.

C) killing of birds, noise pollution, and is very expensive.

D) being non-renewable, smells, and has large volumes of waste water.

21) Environmental problems associated with wind power are:

A) vibrations causing earthquakes.

B) transportation required of electricity over long distances is required.

C) hazardous to birds, and some people consider them to be a form of visual pollution.

D) only produce electricity when the wind blows.

Which of the following best matches the description?

22) System that traps sunlight energy as heat energy and uses machines to move it.

A) underground mining

B) resources

C) active solar system

D) photovoltaic cell

E) surface mining

F) acid mine drainage

G) geothermal energy

H) secondary recovery

J) liquefied natural gas

K) black lung disease

L) nonrenewable energy sources

M) reserves

N) renewable energy sources

O) passive solar system

P) overburden

23) Heat energy from the earth's core.

A) underground mining

B) resources

C) active solar system

D) photovoltaic cell

E) surface mining

F) acid mine drainage

G) geothermal energy

H) secondary recovery

J) liquefied natural gas

K) black lung disease

L) nonrenewable energy sources

M) reserves

N) renewable energy sources

O) passive solar system

P) overburden

24) Converts light energy directly into electricity.

A) underground mining

B) resources

C) active solar system

D) photovoltaic cell

E) surface mining

F) acid mine drainage

G) geothermal energy

H) secondary recovery

J) liquefied natural gas

K) black lung disease

L) nonrenewable energy sources

M) reserves

N) renewable energy sources

O) passive solar system

P) overburden

25) Entrapment and transfer of heat from the sun to a building without use of machinery.

A) underground mining

B) resources

C) active solar system

D) photovoltaic cell

E) surface mining

F) acid mine drainage

G) geothermal energy

H) secondary recovery

J) liquefied natural gas

K) black lung disease

L) nonrenewable energy sources

M) reserves

N) renewable energy sources

O) passive solar system

P) overburden

26) Fuelwood is a major source of wood in many less-developed nations.

27) Energy conservation can reduce energy demands but will require a change in the standard of living.

28) The primary limitation of solar energy is the lack of money needed to fund such projects.

29) Wind generators do not have any negative environmental impact.

30) In some areas of the world, streams have a steep gradient and constant flow of water so hydroelectricity may be generated without a reservoir.

31) The potential for developing hydroelectric power potential is best in mountainous regions and large river valleys.

32) Over the past ten years, the energy furnished by hydroelectricity worldwide decreased by about 18 percent.

33) Currently, the most successful method of harnessing and using solar energy to produce electricity is the photovoltaic devices.

34) Construction of a reservoir for a hydroelectric plant causes very few environmental and social problems.

35) Construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China resulted in the displacement of over 1 million people.

36) Tidal energy development requires that areas be flooded and people be displaced from their homes.

37) The burning of solid waste is a major source of energy in industrialized countries.

38) Name two incentives to invest in renewable sources of energy.

39) Energy return on investment (EROI) is a method for evaluating the feasibility of developing an energy source. (The amount of energy produced by the source must be larger than the amount of energy used to obtain and use the source.) Which one of the following is typical for the EROI for a source?

A) New fossil fuel sources generally have a lower EROI than older ones.

B) Most renewable sources have a higher EROI than fossil fuel sources.

C) Ethanol from corn or sugar cane has a high EROI.

D) Hydroelectricity has a low EROI.

40) On a worldwide basis ________ provides the largest percentage of renewable energy.

A) hydroelectricity

B) wind

C) biomass

D) solar

41) The renewable fuel mandate passed by the U.S. Congress

A) requires that ethanol be made from corn.

B) requires that ethanol be made from cellulose.

C) requires gasoline producers include higher quantities of ethanol in fuel each year or pay a fine.

D) All of the statements are requirements.

42) Which of the following has been an effective governmental action that caused a reduction in certain energy usages?

A) phasing out of incandescent light bulbs

B) requiring ethanol to be included in gasoline

C) requiring people to trade in their old appliances for new more efficient ones

D) All of the statements are correct.

E) None of the statements is correct.