Energy Quiz Prep

What is a renewable fuel?

One that replaces itself quickly, such as firewood and water power

What is a non-renewabble fuel?

One that cannot be renewed or that takes millions of years to renew

What is an inexhaustible fuel?

A fuel that will replace itself as quickly as we can possibly use it

Crude Oil Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Non-renewable

Conventional nuclear fission Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Non renewable unless we make plutonium in breeder reactors

Geothermal Energy Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable

Solar Energy Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Inexhaustible, so it is renewable, at least for a few billion years

Wind Energy Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable

Conventional Natural Gas Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Non-renewable

Wind Energy Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable

Coal Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Non Renewable

Biomass Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable

Hydropower Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable

What is the definition of a fossil fuel?

A fuel that was once living millions of years ago

What are the 3 fossil fuels?

Coal Oil Natural gas

How is coal extracted from the ground?

Either strip mining or underground mining

What is the environmental effect of mining coal?

It leaves mines or pits that fill up with acidic waste water that may have to be treated forever It leaves huge piles of loose waste rock

Who uses the most coal?

Power plants

What are the environmental problems with burning coal?

Coal gives off more carbon dioxide than any other fossil fuel Coal contains sulfur that when burned produces acid rain Some coal contains mercury and heavy metals.

How much coal supply do we have?

Hundreds of years

How are oil and gas extracted?

Deep wells are drilled

What is the environmental problem with drilling for oil and gas?

Oil Spills Uses a LOT of water Weak wells require HOT water Can cause land to subside

What is good about oil and natural gas?

They are convenient to store and ship Oil is readily converted into gasoline Gasoline is portable for cars

What is the down side to using oil and N gas?

Carbon dioxide Acid Rain Smog We need it for other purposes. We have to import a lot of it

How much oil and N gas is available?

Only a few decades of proven reserves exist

Hydrogen Fuel Is it renewable or non-renewable?

Renewable from sea water

What is good about hydrogen?

It is portable, and it’s only emission is water

What is bad about Hydrogen?

It takes more energy in the form of electricity to make it than it gives off when you use it as a fuel

What is good about biomass?

The net amount of carbon dioxide produced is zero The net amount of carbon dioxide produced is zero. Co2 is used by the plant, and when it is burned, the next crop uses it all up It can be made into portable car fuel

What is bad about biomass fuel?

It uses land that we need for food crops

What is good about hydropower?

It produces a lot of electricity without polluting the air or water

What is bad about hydropower?

Dams harm fish reproduction Dam lakes fill up with silt Power has to be used near the dam

What is good about wind energy?

Totally non polluting

What is bad about wind power?

You never know when the wind will blow The best winds are often not where there are people to use the power

How can we capture solar energy?

Photo cells Reflectors and boilers Passive heating

What is the problem with photocells?

They’re still pretty expensive They don’t work when the sun isn’t shining

What is the problem with reflector boilers?

They take a LOT of room They don’t work when the sun isn’t shining

What is the problem with passive solar?

It is fairly limited to heating They don’t work when the sun isn’t shining

What is good about home Geothermal Heat pump energy?

Low temp set with a heat pump are very efficient to run Uses stored sun’s energy Save a LOT on heating and cooling Inexpensive to install

What is bad about geothermal?

Low temperature sets are only good for heating. Hot sets can only be used in a few areas because the hot rock is too deep

What is good about Nuclear Fission

No air or water pollution Relatively inexpensive to run once the plant is online Can build them close to cities (or can we?X)

What is bad about Nuclear Fission

Waste must be stored for thousands of years Mining for fuel pollutes Boom!