Energy Study Guide
Name___________________________
Geology & Mineral Resources – Chap 15
1. Describe the earth’s zones:
a. Core
b. Mantle
c. Asthenosphere
d. Crust
e. Lithosphere
2. Explain Tectonic Plate Theory
3. Describe the THREE types of plate movement (what forms: earthquakes, trenches, mountains, etc)
a. Divergent
b. Convergent
c. Transform
4. External processes tend to wear down earth’s surface. Describe:
a. Weathering
i. Physical
ii. Chemical
iii. biological
b. Erosion
c. Mass wasting
5. In contrast, Interior processes generally ___________________ the earth’s surfaces
6. Describe and identify ONE example of the THREE different types of rock:
a. Igneous
b. Metamorphic
c. Sedimentary
7. Draw a basic picture of the rock cycle:
Label Convergent & Divergent Plates. Indentify hotspots
8. List some minerals that are mined
9. Are minerals considered renewable or nonrenewable? ______________________
10. Where are strategic minerals, Manganese, Cobalt, Chromium, & Platinum located? _____________
11. What are the most abundant element/mineral in Earth’s:
a. Crust ______________
b. Atmosphere___________________
c. Core _________________
12. Describe the environmental effects of mining, processing, & using our mineral/energy resources
13. Describe THREE types of surface mining
a. Contour
b. Area (strip) mining
c. Mountain top removal
14. Explain the Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act of 1977? Why is it not always successful?
15. Compared to surface mining, list 2 benefits and 2 disadvantages of subsurface or underground mining.
16. Define:
a. Overburden
b. Spoils
c. Reclamation
17. Discuss Depletion Time
18. After depletion point, what are our 5 choices:
19. What are some solutions for sustainable use of our mineral resources
NonRenewable Energy – Chap 16
20. Define non-renewable energy: Identify FOUR non-renewable energy sources:
21. Known & projected global oil supplies will be 80% depleted (Depletion Time) between _______________
22. How long will these oil supplies last
a. Saudi Arabia: world supply ________________
b. Alaska’s North Slope: world supply _________________
US supply ________________
c. Alaska’ Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): World supply ________________ US supply __________
23. All energy comes directly or indirectly from the __________________. Except for ________________________
24. 76% of world’s energy comes from 3 fossil fuels (give %): ____________, ________________, & _______________
25. Explain Net energy:
26. Oil : Mainly used for ___________________________________________________________________________
27. Oil is refined or separated into its components by a process based on their boiling points called ___________
28. What is OPEC? How much of the world's oil do they have?
29. When did US oil production peak?
30. List the major advantages and disadvantages of using conventional oil
31. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of nonconventional oil: Oil (tar) sand & shale oil
32. Natural Gas: Mainly used for _____________________________________
33. Natural gas consists mostly of _____________. Where is it most often found?_______________________
34. Which 2 countries have the largest Natural gas reserves
35. What are major advantages & disadvantages of Natural Gas
36. Describe Fracking. What are some potential problems
37. Coal: What are main uses___________________________________
38. Which 3 countries have the most coal? List in order of most to least
1.
2.
3.
39. How many years will coal reserves last? ____________________
40. List major advantages & disadvantages of coal including specific pollution emissions
41. Identify the basic steps of electricity generation:
42. Identify and describe the FOUR types of coal:
Increasing Heat and Carbon Content
Increasing Moisture Content
a.
b.
c.
43. Identify advantages & disadvantages of using fossil fuels:
44. Identify describe 4 pollutants/gases emitted from fossil fuel use (particularly coal):
a.
b.
c.
d.
d.
45. Nuclear Power: Mainly used for ________________________
46. Describe how a nuclear power plant creates electricity: what 2 elements are used? Fission or fusion?
47. What is thermal pollution?
48. Where do we store nuclear waste and for how long? Do we have a long term storage facility in US
49. Identify major advantages & disadvantages of using nuclear power:
50. Describe:
a. Yucca Mountain
b. Three Mile Island
c. Chernobyl
Renewable Energy - Chap 17
51. Wasting Energy. What % is wasted:
a. Unavoidably due to 2nd law of thermo _______
b. Unnecessarily_________
52. How much energy is wasted in:
a. incandescent light bulb __________________
b. internal combustion engine ______________
c. nuclear power plant ____________________
d. coal burning power plant _________________
53. Reducing energy waste is the easiest, quickest, cleanest, cheapest way to:
54. Define cogeneration:
55. How can we improve energy efficiency in existing buildings
56. How can we design more energy efficient buildings
57. Describe Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards: Have they increased?
58. Describe advantages of: (do they pollute?)
a. Hybrid vehicles
b. Hydrogen fuel cells
59. Identify the SIX types of renewable energy:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
60. Explain difference between active and passive solar systems
61. Describe the following types of Indirect solar power:
a. Central receiver system
b. Distributed receiver system
62. Describe the following types of Direct solar power:
a. Photovoltaic systems
c. Parabolic dishes
b. Passive solar
63. Describe the advantages & disadvantages of solar power
64. Describe the process of hydroelectric power generation:
65. Identify advantages & disadvantages of hydroelectric energy:
66. Where is largest dam in world ____________________________ in the US _____________________
67. Describe the following types of renewable energy from watersheds:
a. Wave Power
b. Ocean Thermal Power
c. Solar Ponds
68. Where in the world is the most wind power being generated? _______________________
69. Describe why wind power generation is so promising:
70. Capturing only _____________ % of the wind energy could meet all the world energy demand
71. Identify advantages & disadvantages of wind energy:
72. Describe the process of geothermal power generation: does this energy come from sun?
73. Identify advantages & disadvantages of geothermal energy
74. Describe biomass:
75. Who uses biomass as a major source of domestic energy
76. Identify advantages and disadvantages of solid biomass energy:
77. Describe biogas
78. List some biofuels
79. Identify advantages & disadvantages of biogas & biofuels
80. List some future energy solutions
81. List some government strategies for energy solutions