EVR ch 16

Globally, more than 80% of all primary energy for today's economies comes from ________. hydropower installations fossil fuels biofuels solar, wind and ocean tides and waves nuclear power

Which of these is a major reason that we have used fossil fuels rather than their alternatives? Fossil fuels add carbon dioxide to the global carbon cycle, increasing greenhouse gases and contributing to global climate change. Our supplies of fossil fuels are limited, and in most cases we may have only a few decades' supply remaining. Market costs are generally lower for fossil fuels than for their alternatives. Fossil fuels produce more air pollution.

In the United States, which renewable energy source makes the largest contribution to electrical production? nuclear energy hydropower biomass wind

Why is renewable energy use growing? There is increasing concern over the environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion. Recent inventions have caused huge gains in the total amounts of energy generated. It is the trendy thing to do in larger cities. There is increasing U.S. governmental concern over environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion.

The United States consumes more ________ energy than any other renewable energy source. wind geothermal bioenergy solar hydropower

The smallest amount of electricity generation is from ________. solar geothermal wind bioenergy hydropower

New renewables include ________. ethanol wind power sustainably harvested fuelwood "biogas" methane biodiesel

Passive solar energy collection includes which of the following technologies? heating of water using solar panels panels installed on roofs of houses buildings designed and building materials chosen to maximize their direct absorption of sunlight solar ovens

What is the reason that solar power provides for so little of our energy needs? By the time the sun's energy reaches Earth, it is not strong enough to provide for our energy needs. There is not enough surface area on Earth to harness significant power for our use. Fusion products of the sun do not release energy. Not enough money has been invested in the science and technology behind solar power.

Solar power generating facilities that generate electricity at large centralized facilities and transmit that power to homes and businesses through the electric grid are called ________. passive solar energy collection systems concentrated solar power (CSP) facilities diffuse solar energy collection systems dispersed solar collection facilities photovoltaic systems

Photovoltaic cells ________. are the major form of renewable energy produced in the United States rely on the electrical current produced when silicon is struck by sunlight are increasingly costly produce which precludes major commercial application have small rotational generators built into every cell require an outside source of electricity to generate electricity on their own

All the following are true of using solar photocells, except ________. they are great for decentralized power production, away from power plants and grids they have a very low carbon footprint with continued production, manufacturing costs of solar photocells are dropping they are strongly encouraged in the United States by tax incentives and large development investment many new "green collar" jobs being created by their increasing use

Wind turbines convert the wind's __________ energy into electricity. kinetic solar potential chemical

How is wind energy related to solar energy? Wind energy is the result of the sun's producing wind. Solar energy heats windmills and allows them to conduct electricity. Wind energy produces solar energy. Windmills turn to produce electricity that then increases the sun's power.

Which of the following states has the greatest wind power capacity in megawatts? Texas Nevada Ohio Georgia

As of 2011, the nation leading in generating wind-power is ________. the United States India Germany China Canada

The rotational energy of the blades of a wind turbine ________. will not occur unless electricity is provided to generate the motion generates as much greenhouse gases as burning natural gas is so expensive to produce that no commercial development has been possible is used to generate hydrogen from water drives a generator inside the nacelle compartment to produce electricity

Why does geothermal energy produce the most pollution of all of the renewable energy resources? Some carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxide emissions occur with the production of geothermal energy, because these gases are present in magma and hydrothermal fluids. Methane occurs with the production of geothermal energy. Acid drainage occurs when the hydrothermal fluids are piped out of the ground. The magma burns industrial components to turn turbines in the production of geothermal energy, the combustion of which causes air pollution.

What sort of process converts the mechanized energy in the ocean into electricity? ocean thermal energy conversion fuel cells wave energy geothermal energy

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is NOT being used for energy generation anywhere right now. Why not? The cost of generating energy is much too high for OTEC to make economic sense. The basic idea--that the ocean's surface is warmer than the deep water--is wrong. It is too polluting. It is not sustainable.

The best locations to install tidal electrical generating stations are places where ________. The best locations to install tidal electrical generating stations are places where ________. differences in height between low and high tides are large the water is frozen for half of the year there is very little wind there forests along the coast differences in height between low and high tides are small

Hydroelectric power accounts for approximately how much of the world's electricity production? Hydroelectric power accounts for approximately how much of the world's electricity production? 0% 16% 75% 90%

The run-of-river approach to hydropower describes ________. The run-of-river approach to hydropower describes ________. diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipes the purchase of state-run dams by major corporations dams that are reliable but unsustainable impounding water in reservoirs behind concrete dams the most expensive type of dams to build and maintain

Of the following, ________ are documented negative impacts of dams. Of the following, ________ are documented negative impacts of dams. acid deposition increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and CFCs increased carbon monoxide emissions, decreased rainfall alteration of river salinity flooding, habitat destruction, alteration of river sediment deposition

What is the ultimate energy source for biomass (also known as biomass energy)? What is the ultimate energy source for biomass (also known as biomass energy)? the movement of organisms, which generates an enormous amount of kinetic energy burning combustible plant matter sunlight through the process of photosynthesis, in which the chemical potential energy of biomass originates the mass portion of biomass, which is placed upon scales that utilize the gravitational potential energy

In the United States, approximately how much did the production of ethanol increase between 2000 and 2010? In the United States, approximately how much did the production of ethanol increase between 2000 and 2010? by 10 gallons by 10 billion gallons by 12 billion gallons by 18 billion gallons

Biofuels ________. Biofuels ________. could not supply an alternative fuel to gasoline can be created by microbial action or burned directly as wood or dung requires fossil fuel input to produce is a form of fossil fuel produces no greenhouse gases when burned

When hydrogen is burned as a fuel, the primary waste product produced is ________. When hydrogen is burned as a fuel, the primary waste product produced is ________. CO2 CO2 and H2O carbon monoxide hydrocarbons and CO2 H2O

E-85 ________. E-85 ________. was an international summit of 85 nations that met to determine vehicle fuel efficiency standards was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict CFC use is an ethanol-gasoline mixture used in flexible-fuel vehicles is an isotope of uranium used to generate electricity was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict greenhouse gas emissions

Biodiesel ________. Biodiesel ________. is produced from sugarcane can be used in vehicles with diesel engines without engine modification produces more pollution than petrodiesel is widely used in the United States is twice as expensive as petrodiesel

Harvesting fuelwood at unsustainably high rates often leads to ________. Harvesting fuelwood at unsustainably high rates often leads to ________. increases in soil fertility more land being available for corn fields removal of pest insect species soil erosion and desertification higher levels of plant biodiversity

Ultimately, all biofuels are ________, because they are the result of ________. Ultimately, all biofuels are ________, because they are the result of ________. polymers; biological metabolic processes synthetic; chemical manipulation of hydrocarbons inefficient; decomposition by microorganisms geological; sedimentation solar; photosynthesis

Whether using a food crop as a source of biofuels is environmentally sustainable would have to consider all of the following, except ________. Whether using a food crop as a source of biofuels is environmentally sustainable would have to consider all of the following, except ________. the amount of fertilizers used and their impact on aquatic ecosystems the amount of pesticides used and their impact on biodiversity and groundwater the corporate profits that would be made the amount of water and land necessary for the crops the impact on food supplies and prices

Pyrolysis is a way of producing ________ from ________. Pyrolysis is a way of producing ________ from ________. coal; bioenergy a liquid fuel; bioenergy hydroelectric fuel; coal pesticides and fertilizers; bioenergy biodiesel; limestone

Compared to other uses of bioenergy, biodiesel from restaurant waste represents one of the best environmental alternatives to fossil fuels because they ________. are the most available are the only form of bioenergy that reduces fossil fuel use require less processing than other forms of bioenergy can be manufactured without the development of additional cropland agriculture are the only form of bioenergy that is renewable

As a fuel, biodiesel ________. is less efficient than petrodiesel because it has a low energy yield is a beneficial alternative for buses and trucks has been met with considerable resistance by American farmers has low lubricity requires moderate engine retrofitting prior to use

Biodiesel is to ________ as ethanol is to gasoline. petrodiesel glycerine petroleum vegetable oil gasohol

While hydrogen energy holds promise, the fact is that hydrogen is an energy __________, not a primary energy __________. While hydrogen energy holds promise, the fact is that hydrogen is an energy __________, not a primary energy __________. element; atom carrier; source source; carrier ion; atom

What two major economic or global problems could be alleviated if we based our energy on hydrogen? What two major economic or global problems could be alleviated if we based our energy on hydrogen? oil spills and environmental degradation from mining air pollution and nuclear accidents dependence on fossil fuels and climate change oil spills and nuclear accidents

For what reason would we apply the precautionary principle to switching to a hydrogen economy? There are concerns that hydrogen gas could deplete the ozone layer. While hydrogen can be burned, we have no way of converting it to electricity efficiently. Like fossil fuels, below-ground hydrogen deposits are a limited resource. There are few ways to generate hydrogen, so it may be limited in availability.