ENSP 2010 Test 3

The majority of rain that falls onto land immediately _____. freezes into some form of ice returns to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration flows into streams and rivers percolates through soil and rock into underground aquifers

Building a dam on the Mississippi River to generate electricity is an example of _____. a nonconsumptive use of water in an open watershed a nonconsumptive use of water in a closed watershed a consumptive use of water in a closed watershed a consumptive use of water in an open watershed

What percentage of Earth's surface is covered with water? 42% 23% 56% 70% 80%

A specific example of non-consumptive use of water is ________. disposal of sewage wastewater cattle grazing operations on federal lands agriculture industrial cooling processes commercial forestry

The majority of Earth's fresh water exists ________. in groundwater in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers in the atmosphere in the oceans in the form of ice

A portion of a river that has experienced channelization will typically have ______. slower water movement and an increase in riparian vegetation faster water movement and a decrease in riparian vegetation slower water movement and a decrease in riparian vegetation faster water movement and an increase in riparian vegetation

Which of the following represents non-point-source pollution? Water in the Mississippi River contains high levels of nitrogen from fertilizers added to fields in Illinois and Iowa. Attendants at a service station dump used oil into a nearby stream. Waste from a pig farm pollutes a nearby stream. During heavy rains, untreated sewage spills from a treatment plant directly into a nearby river.

Classify each pollutant based on the category that best describes its impact on waterways.

A confined aquifer is groundwater located _____ above the water table between layers of comparatively impermeable rock or sediment above the water table beneath recharge zones below the water table and beneath recharge zones below the water table between layers of comparatively impermeable rock or sediment

Estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth because of their _____. low levels of light and low levels of nutrients abundant light and high levels of nutrients low levels of light but high levels of nutrients abundant light but low levels of nutrients

As cities have grown around estuaries, local rivers have been increasingly used as sources of freshwater, reducing the river flow into the estuary. Which of the following is the most likely consequence of this diversion of river water away from the estuary? The area of mixing of freshwater and saltwater is extended further away from the coast. Dead zones start to appear in the waters of the estuary. Damage from hurricanes and other storms have decreased in this region. The salinity levels in the estuary have increased.

Dead zones in the ocean result from _____. non-point-source pollution leading to very low oxygen environments typically located where rivers flow into the ocean point-source pollution leading to low oxygen and high nutrient upwellings of deep ocean waters point-source pollution leading to high oxygen and low nutrient environments where rivers flow into the ocean non-point-source pollution leading to very high oxygen environments typically located in the deep pelagic zones of the ocean

Classify each pollutant in the category that best describes its impact on oceans.

The most efficient irrigation system currently in use is _____. an aerial sprinkler system surge irrigation drip irrigation flooding fields

The two main methods used to desalinate water are _____. condensation and irrigation mitosis and meiosis distillation and reverse osmosis diffusion and osmosis

As cities in the United States grow, they are finding that increased water demands are best addressed by _____. drilling more wells building more reservoirs building desalination plants conservation measures

In the United States, the energy end use sector that uses the greatest amount of coal is ________. transportation electricity residential industry

In general, the 50 richest countries in the world today consume ________. most of the primary energy in the form of fossil fuels mostly renewable energy resources most of the biomass energy in the world less energy per person than in developing countries in Africa and Asia

As modern societies have developed from prehistoric conditions, we have seen a switch from ________. secondary renewable energy to primary nonrenewable energy secondary nonrenewable energy to primary renewable energy primary renewable energy to secondary nonrenewable energy primary nonrenewable energy to secondary renewable energy

Which one of the following represents the use of a nonrenewable primary energy source? using coal to generate electricity, which is used to heat a home using the energy of falling water to turn a mill, which grinds corn into corn meal using a windmill to pump water out of the ground heating a cabin in the winter using coal

Currently, which of the following primary energy sources accounts for the least global consumption? Hydropower Renewable energy Nuclear Gas Wood

For the last 100 years, our primary energy source has been ________. fossil fuels hydropower fuel wood natural gas nuclear energy

Which of the following primary energy sources is currently most consumed by humans? Wood Coal Oil Nuclear power Natural gas

20% of the global populations live in the richest countries. What percentage of primary energy is used by this global population? 30% 5% 1.2% 20% 70%

Depending on the country, primary energy sources vary in importance. In the U.S., ________ is the most important energy end-use. heating electricity residential transportation industrial

All of the following except ________ would result in improved energy use efficiency. tax credits for installing geothermal heating in your home buying more SUV motor vehicles buying high-efficiency appliances rebates for building energy-efficient buildings tax credits for insulating and putting double pane windows in existing buildings

A measure of the useful energy produced divided by the amount of energy it takes to obtain it, is known as ________. a measure of secondary energy the energy return on investment (EROI) the energy conversion efficiency a measure of intrinsic value the proven reserves

Keeping energy prices artificially low ________. encourages waste and rapid depletion of energy resources will reduce inflation has no effect on the amount of air pollution in the U.S. encourages use of renewable energy sources prevents manufacturing from wasting energy in production of good

Fossil fuels are best described as a(n) ________ energy source. environmentally friendly renewable efficient nonrenewable clean

The most abundant fossil fuel extracted in the U.S. is ________. nuclear power natural gas coal crude oil wood

Energy consumption can be reduced by all of the following except ________. using your car instead of mass transit purchasing energy efficient light bulbs purchasing only energy efficient lighting buying a more energy efficient furnace for your home turning off unused lights

Proven reserves of a non-renewable energy source are ________. refined and captured but not able to be reused quantities of fuel that can be recovered using current technology and prices measures of useful energy produced the extent of known energy reserves reserves that will be exhausted due to overuse by humans

Electric current is measured in ________. amperes and electrical potential are measured in volts volts and electrical potential are measured in amperes kilowatt hours and electrical potential are measured in volts volts and electrical potential are measured in kilowatt hours

Most electricity is generated by using ________. primary energy sources to heat water and produce pressurized steam, which turns the turbines of an electric generator primary energy sources to promote chemical reactions that generate electricity secondary energy sources to heat water and produce pressurized steam, which turns the turbines of an electric generator transformers to generate electrical current

Smart grid technologies can help to lower electrical energy costs and demands by reducing ________. base load during periods of greatest electrical demand peak loads by helping consumers identify and reduce the use of electricity during peak demand base load and allowing the voltage entering a home to fluctuate greatly peak load and allowing the voltage entering a home to fluctuate greatly

Which of the following are current environmental impacts related to the widespread generation and use of electricity in modern societies? Nitrogen gas from transformers and copper from batteries are significant sources of water and soil pollution. Copper from transformers and electrons from batteries are significant sources of water and soil pollution. Electricity from transformers and batteries are significant sources of water and soil pollution. PCBs from transformers and cadmium from batteries are significant sources of water and soil pollution.

Which of the following types of coal has the highest energy content and produces the fewest polluting chemicals? Lignite Bituminous Anthracite Peat

Most coal in the world is used to ________. generate electricity industrial end uses, such as steel production produce natural gas heat homes

Which one of the following types of coal mines is greatly altering stream habitat in West Virginia and Kentucky? Coal gasification Open pit mines Deep underground mining Mountaintop removal

Proven environmental impacts of the transmission of electricity have been associated with intermittent ________. radioactive effects of electricity electromagnetic fields air pollution surrounding coal mining use of PCBs in transformers use of heavy metals in transmission lines

Mine tailings contain ________, which harms fish and other aquatic organisms. sulfide fly ash oxygen lignite nitrogen

Most oil in the world is used to ________. heat homes and offices produce solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, and plastics fuel cars and trucks produce aviation fuel

Studies of gulls in a region of an oil spill revealed that ________. some toxic components of the oil accumulated within the bodies of gulls every detectable pollutant was removed by clams that filter the water at very high rates most gulls have the ability to consume oil as a source of nutrition with little harm anything in the oil that could harm the gulls either evaporated or dissolved in the water before it reached the gulls

Using high pressure liquids to extract oil from rocks such as oil shale is known as ________. hydraulic fracturing outflow washing scrubber technology internal combustion primary oil recovery

This graph shows the global rates of oil discovery and production since 1930. Can you interpret the graph to answer these questions? What does the y-axis show? discovery of oil between 1930 and 2010 rate of discovery or production, in billions of barrels per year rate of discovery or production, in billions of gallons per year time, in years production of oil between 1930 and 2010

Which decade had the highest rate of oil discovery? 1950-1960 1960-1970 1970-1980 1990-2000

Which decade had the highest rate of oil production? 1960-1970 1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000

When did the rate of oil production first begin to exceed the rate of oil discovery? 1930 1943 1983 1990

Which of the following factors would not lead to an increase in the rate of oil production? new technologies for extraction lower oil prices increased offshore exploration higher oil prices

Is the following statement supported or not supported by the graph? The discovery of new oil reserves is likely to decline for the next 40 years. supported not supported cannot be determined by the graph

Is the following statement supported or not supported by the graph? The world is now at the point of peak oil production. supported not supported cannot be determined from the graph

Natural gas is increasingly transported ________. in liquid form between continents in gas form over short distances because it is typically consumed where it is produced in gas form in long pipes extending across oceans, because the greatest demand is often in continents with the least supply as a solid, frozen into blocks that can be easily transported on trains and used in power plants

The use of natural gas to generate electricity is increasing because ________. natural gas is more efficient than coal and releases fewer pollutants the global supply of coal will only last about another 10 years the methane in natural gas does not contribute to global warming burning natural gas reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Interest in nuclear power plants is increasing because ________. nuclear power relies on fusion, a process that does not involve radioactivity of increasing costs of other forms of alternative energy and concerns about global warming nuclear power plants remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the air nuclear power plants are cheaper to build than those that burn coal

The problem of the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants could be addressed in part by fuel recycling. Why isn't fuel recycling of nuclear waste a widespread practice where nuclear power is used? Fuel recycling ________. is a very explosive process that is still not controlled or safely managed releases a large amount of carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming requires a large and expensive input of energy that does not make the process cost-effective produces plutonium, which can be made into nuclear bombs

A nuclear power plant produces electricity in a manner most similar to which of the following? a photovoltaic solar panel, in that both produce electricity using energy from photons of light a wind turbine, in that both use flowing air to rotate a turbine a hydroelectric dam, in that both use flowing water to rotate a turbine a coal-burning power plant, in that both use steam to rotate a turbine

The source of energy for nuclear power is ________. nuclear reaction nuclear fusion breeder reactions natural gas nuclear fission

Which of the following is a type of nonrenewable energy? geothermal nuclear energy wind the energy of falling water

Which of the following is a primary challenge of using many renewable energy resources? There is not enough energy in solar or wind to meet the needs of the global population of people. Most renewable energy resources are found only on a few of the Earth's continents. They are diffuse and intermittent. There are currently no cost-effective ways to use renewable energy supplies.

: Energy contained in firewood and other plant matter

: Energy that takes advantage of tides, waves and differences in water temperatures

: Energy from wind, biomass, solar, hydro and geothermal sources

: Heat energy that is generated and stored in the Earth itself

: The radiant energy of the sun used to heat and light homes

In order to make use of most renewable energy resources, we must ________. further explore the tropical rainforests for natural products that will aid in these new technologies convert the concentrated nature of these natural resources to more usable forms solve the negative environmental impacts of these renewable energy resources persuade government officials of their abundance capture and convert these diffuse energy flows into more concentrated forms

Which one of the following statements is TRUE? The construction and use of dams for hydropower produces no greenhouse gases. Hydropower accounts for more than half of all renewable energy use. Sediment flow increases in the warm water flowing out of a hydropower reservoir. Variations in water released from hydropower facilities generally matches the natural flow in the affected rivers.

An impoundment hydroelectric plant uses water flowing ________. from a reservoir to spin a turbine and generate electricity from a reservoir to generate friction that produces heat used to make steam that turns a generator, to make electricity down a diversion of a river to generate friction that produces heat used to make steam that turns a generator, to make electricity down a diversion of a river to compress a gas and generate heat used to make steam that turns a generator, to make electricity

The primary advantage of hydropower is that ________. it does not rely on fossil fuel to generate electricity it produces no environmental effects it is the oldest of the renewable energy resources it is widely available to all countries it is the most economically feasible of all the renewable energy resources

One disadvantage of wind farms is ________. the wildly fluctuating cost of producing electricity using wind turbines the generation of ozone and acid rain from the wind turbine generators the death of bats and birds from collisions with turbine towers and blades their cost, currently limiting the production of new wind farms in the United States

Which of the following are two of the most important factors in determining where wind farms should be located? wind direction and temperatures of the region wind consistency and wind speed wind direction and wind speed wind consistency and wind direction

Unlike an impoundment hydroelectric plant, wind power ________. is intermittent and sometimes not available produces large amounts of greenhouse gases is cost-effective and available wherever electricity is consumed uses a turbine to generate electricity

Which one of the following statements is TRUE? Solar power systems are often most productive during periods of peak energy demands. In the United States, the greatest potential for the use of solar energy is east of the Mississippi River. The manufacture of PV panels does not require the use of any fossil fuels. Solar cells or PV release methane when using light to generate electricity.

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is best described as ________. using mirrors to concentrate sunlight, in order to heat water and produce steam for electricity generation using sunlight to generate electricity passive solar technology trapping sun's heat and storing it for many varied uses using sun's energy to warm a room without mechanical devices

Passive solar technologies ________. use mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays on a tower or a series of pipes holding water use the energy of sunlight without relying on electrical or mechanical devices use photovoltaic cells to produce light energy use silicon wafers to generate light energy use mechanical devices to heat water and buildings or electrical devices to generate electricity

Which of the following represents two forms of renewable energy ultimately derived from the sun? wind and biomass nuclear and geothermal fossil fuels and hydropower geothermal and biomass

Biomass energy is ________. energy contained in the Earth's heat energy contained in water energy contained in firewood and other plant material. energy contained in the sun energy contained in wind

Why is biomass energy renewable? Once plants are harvested, they can grow again if proper conditions are provided and rate of harvest does not exceed rate of planting. There are always more plants growing somewhere on Earth. Once plants are harvested, the soil in no longer fertile for re-planting and re-growth. Once forest wood is burned, the forest is not replanted. Any living organism is considered renewable.

One of the major disadvantages of using tidal energy systems is ________. these systems generate large amounts of greenhouse gases that these systems cause habitat disruption in regions with highly productive marine estuaries that they disrupt the ecosystems of the bottoms of the lakes where tidal energy systems are installed that these forms of energy are not renewable

Which one of the following sources of renewable energy is derived from the moon and the sun? tidal wind geothermal hydropower

Tidal power ________. operates much like wind turbine electricity generation, except underwater power generated when high tides revert to low tides. is the kinetic energy of water moved by tides converts tides into the potential energy needed for electricity generation is generated using tidal turbines

Energy efficiency is ________. reducing energy wastes increasing demand but decreasing accessibility of various energy sources a measurement of overall energy use the process of using less energy to obtain goods and services the amount of energy used per dollar of economic output

Economic energy intensity is ________. the amount of energy used per dollar of economic output reducing energy wastes a measurement of overall energy use the process of using less energy to obtain goods and services increasing demand but decreasing accessibility of various energy sources

The best way to reduce our reliance upon fossil fuels and address our energy needs in the future is to ________. switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs improve mileage standards in automobiles generate most electricity using wind turbines use all of the above strategies and additional energy saving innovations

In the United States, a state government might adopt renewable portfolio standards to promote which of the following sources of energy? new methods to extract natural gas from shale deposits construction of a new coal-burning power plant that uses scrubber technology to reduce acid rain a pipeline to transport oil extracted in Canada to refineries in Texas a new field of wind turbines off the coast of North Carolina

________ is a government mandate that a certain percentage of energy use come from renewable energy resources. Economic energy intensity Cost of saved energy Renewable energy portfolio standards Economies of scale Impoundment power practice

In a typical municipal wastewater treatment system in the United States, sludge is produced during the ________. secondary stage pretreatment stage primary stage pretreatment, primary, and secondary stages

A city hopes to use wastewater sludge to help create soccer fields in a new recreational park. However tests reveal unusually high levels of inorganic toxins in the sludge. What stage of wastewater treatment could have prevented this problem if used properly? secondary treatment tertiary treatment primary treatment the pretreatment stage

Which of the following is not considered wastewater? Water used in manufacturing Storm water runoff Water from sinks Sewage Groundwater

________ is the primary source of drinking water for the vast majority of people on Earth. Surface water Ocean water Groundwater Recycled water Desalinated water

________ is/are formed during primary wastewater treatment. Inorganic nutrients Toxins Sludge Gray water Bacteria

Solids in wastewater treatment are removed in ________. sludge digestion primary treatment secondary treatment pre-treatment tertiary treatment

Secondary sewage treatment is designed primarily to ________. pre-treat wastewater on its way to tertiary treatment remove the solids remove the dissolved organic matter remove hazardous chemicals such as pesticides and heavy metals remove all bacteria and microorganisms

Compared to an open dump, sanitary landfills ________. have more scavengers, such as rats and seagulls prevent the contamination of groundwater do not produce leachates release more odors into the surrounding air

Compared to sanitary landfills, waste-to-energy facilities ________. are best in regions where areas for landfills are abundant generate electricity increase the volume of wastes emit fewer hazardous gases

Industrial solid wastes ________. are typically dumped into municipal landfills are usually collected and managed by city government typically include large volumes of cans and used plastic containers can be reused and recycled

Composting would have the greatest impact in reducing the volume of municipal solid wastes in ________. rural regions of developed countries small cities in developed countries large cities in developed countries large cities of poorly developed countries

A city using a modern sanitary landfill has detected leachate pollution in a nearby stream. The most likely cause of this pollution is ________. the material added to the top of the landfill after wastes are deposited failure of the clay lining of the landfill failure of the venting pipes methane leaking from the landfill

: Materials that are discarded from homes, small businesses, and institutions

: Incinerators that use the heat produced by burning waste to produce electricity

: Decayed organic matter that can improve the fertility and water-holding capacity of soil

: Storage areas for waste that are designed to prevent groundwater contamination, odors and aesthetic problems

: Waste produced in industrial processing before the finished product reaches the consumer

The greenhouse gas produced from most landfills is ________. nitrogen ozone water vapor carbon dioxide methane

There are a variety of ways to approach waste reduction, with the exception of ________. recycling the waste reducing the amount a consumer purchases buying individual items, not in bulk reduced packaging purchasing items that are reusable

Decomposition in a landfill will happen faster if there is more ________. methane sunlight natural gas moisture air

Household hazardous wastes are threats to the environment and public health because they ________. are frequently discarded into wastewater or municipal landfills frequently explode often contaminate food in the home are frequently used to produce illegal drugs

Which one of the following methods of addressing hazardous waste may include the use of bacteria? waste-injection wells e-waste recycling permanent retrieval storage sites bioremediation

E-waste is considered to be a form of hazardous waste because ________. contains large amounts of heavy metals they contain large amounts of methane the glass in most of these products can easily cut skin electrons inside the wires promote chemical reactions that create carcinogens

Radioactive waste from spent fuel rods used in nuclear reactors is particularly difficult to dispose of because ________. the rods release radioactive gases that can easily ignite into large fires it is highly explosive and contains large amounts of toxic heavy metals it is explosive and its radioactivity decays very slowly contains large amounts of toxic heavy metals and its radioactivity decays very slowly

Most hazardous wastes come from ________. chemical and petroleum industries pesticide production common manufacturing industrial processes pharmaceutical production

Hazardous wastes are characterized by being mainly ________. composed of hazardous heavy metals dangerously radioactive composed of non-degradable materials wastes that are not able to undergo bioremediation corrosive, flammable and explosive

The most common use of bioremediation has been to assist in the cleanup of ________. PCBs herbicide and pesticide over-application oil spills non-biodegradable chemicals heavy metal contamination sites

The Superfund, established to clean up hazardous waste sites in the U.S., is a part of the important ________ legislation. Superfund Authority Act Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Hazardous Waste Management Act Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Superfund Management and Liability Act

A computer manufacturer offers to pay for the return of your old computer when you buy a new one. This is an example of ________. design for disassembly product life-cycle assessment extended product responsibility industrial ecology