Energy Study Guide
Name___________________________
Geology & Mineral Resources – Chap 8
1. Earth formed __________________years ago. Elements & minerals present when Earth formed are all we
have and they are distributed ______________________ around the globe.
2. Describe the earth’s zones:
a. Core
b. Mantle
c. Asthenosphere
d. Crust
e. Lithosphere
3. Explain Tectonic Plate Theory
4. How were Hawaiian Islands formed?
5. Describe the THREE types of plate movement (what forms: earthquakes, trenches, mountains, etc)
a. Divergent & seafloor spreading
b. Convergent & subduction
c. Transform
6. Earthquakes are a direct result of __________________________________________________________________
a. Fault __________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Richter scale: increases by a factor of _________
c. What is the Ring of Fire
7. Volcanoes: _____________% occur along plate boundaries, often with earthquakes
a. Damage
b. Benefits
8. The Rock Cycle is the _______________________of Earth's cycles, but important in recycling useful minerals
9. Describe how formed and identify ONE example of the THREE different types of rock:
a. Igneous
b. Metamorphic
c. Sedimentary
10. Draw a basic picture of the rock cycle:
Label Convergent & Divergent Plates. Indentify hotspots
11. External processes tend to wear down earth’s surface. Describe:
a. Weathering
b. Erosion
c. Deposition
12. In contrast, Interior processes generally ___________________ the earth’s surfaces
13. Define
a. Ore
b. Reserves
14. Are minerals considered renewable or nonrenewable? ______________________
15. What are the most abundant element/mineral in Earth’s:
a. Crust __________________ b. Atmosphere_____________________ c. Core ___________________
16. Describe THREE types of surface mining
a. Strip mining
b. Open pit
c. Mountain top removal
17. Define:
a. Overburden
b. Spoils
c. Reclamation
18. Compared to surface mining, list 2 benefits and 2 disadvantages of subsurface or underground mining.
19. Describe the environmental effects of mining, processing, & using our mineral/energy resources
20. What is Surface Mining Control & Reclamation Act of 1977? Why is it not always successful?
NonRenewable Energy – Chap 12
21. Define non-renewable energy: Identify 2 categories:
22. World’s total energy consumption; 81% comes from fossil fuels (give %):
Oil _________, Coal ___________, Gas ____________, Renewable ____________, Nuclear ____________
23. Describe patterns of Energy use in US: What energy source imported ___________ exported _____________
24. United States total energy consumption; 84% comes from fossil fuels (give %):
Oil _________, Coal ___________, Gas ____________, Renewable ____________, Nuclear ____________
25. Quantifying energy efficiency: convert coal to electricity __________% most lost to _________
a. Embodied energy
b. EROEI
c. Transportation: CAFE standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)
26. Put the following steps of electricity production in order:
a. ______ the electrical grid distribute the electricity to homes and businesses
b. ______ the electricity is transported to the electrical grid
c. ______ the fuel is burned
d. ______ the generator creates electricity
e. ______ the heat is used to boil water
f. ______ the steam is used to turn a turbine
g. ______ the turbine turns the generator
27. Define cogeneration
28. Fuels used for electricity generation (give %):
a. Coal ________ Natural gas _________ Nuclear ________ Hydro ________ other renewable ________
29. Coal: What is main use___________________________________
30. Coal is formed primarily from: _____________________________________________________________________
31. Which 3 countries have the most coal? List in order of most to least
1. _______________________
2. ______________________________ 3.________________________
32. List major advantages & disadvantages of coal including specific pollution emissions
Advantages
Disadvantages
33. Identify and describe the FOUR types of coal:
Increasing Moisture Content
a.
b.
34.
35.
36.
37.
Increasing Heat and Carbon Content
c.
d.
Oil (Petroleum) : Mainly used for ___________________________________________________________
Oil is formed from _____________________________________________________________________________________
Oil is refined or separated into its components by a process based on their boiling points called ___________
What is OPEC? How much of the world's oil do they have? Controls 80% of oil reserves
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries: 12 countries: : Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait,
Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
38. Which countries have the largest oil reserves (in order)
Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait
39. Which countries are producing the most oil?
40. List the major advantages and disadvantages of using conventional oil
Advantages
Disadvantages
41. Natural Gas: Mainly used for _________________________________________________________________
42. Natural gas is 80% to 95% _____________. Where is it most often found?___________________________
43. Which 2 countries have the largest Natural gas reserves
Russia & Iran (although the US is currently the biggest producer)
44. What are major advantages & disadvantages of Natural Gas
Advantages
Disadvantages
45. Describe Fracking. What are some potential problems
46. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of nonconventional oil: Oil (tar) sand & shale oil
Advantages
Disadvantages
47. Describe issues: Future of fossil fuel Use - include Hubbert curve & peak oil
48. Nuclear Power: Mainly used for _________________________________________________________________
49. Describe how a nuclear power plant creates electricity: Fission or fusion?
50. What is the purpose of the control rods
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
It can take up to ____________________ lbs of uranium ore to produce _______________ lbs of fuel
What 3 countries have large uranium mining operations __________________, ________________, __________
what 2 elements are used? _________________________ and ___________________________
Electricity generated from nuclear: France _______________%
US __________________%
Where do we store nuclear waste and for how long? Do we have a long term storage facility in US
56. Identify major advantages & disadvantages of using nuclear power
Advantages
Disadvantages
57. What is thermal pollution?
58. Describe:
a. Yucca Mountain
b. Three Mile Island
c. Chernobyl
59. Describe Fusion power. Are we using it? Why or why not
Renewable Energy - Chap 13
60. Describe tidal power? Is it feasible?
61. Wasting Energy. What % is wasted (lost usually as heat):___80%______
a. Unavoidably lost due to 2nd law of thermodynamics ____40%___
b. Unnecessarily____40%__poor gas mileage, inefficient appliances, not insulating houses___
62. How much energy is lost (wasted) in:
a. incandescent light bulb _____95%____only 5% produces light the rest lost as heat_________
b. internal combustion engine ___94%___________
c. nuclear power plant ________86%____________
d. coal burning power plant _____66%____________
e. photosynthesis _______99%_____ - only 1% efficient________
63. What is the difference between potentially renewable resources and nondepletable
64. Renewable energy use in the US is __________%
a. Biomass __________%, Hydroelectric __________%, Wind __________% Geothermal ________% , Solar ____%
65. Renewable energy sources are more sustainable than fossil fuels, but using any form of energy has impact
on environment: give examples
66. Energy conservation means ______________________________________________________
Give examples:
67. Sustainable design
Give examples
68. All energy comes directly or indirectly from the ___________. Except for ____________________,
_____________________, _____________________, & ________________________
69. Biofuels, biomass that has been processed into a liquid, include _________________________________________
70. Describe solid biomass:
71. Who uses biomass as a major source of domestic energy
72. What is net removal and what does it lead to
73. Identify advantages and disadvantages of solid biomass energy: including pollutants
Advantages
Disadvantages
74. Describe Liquid Biomass: Biofuels
a. Ethanol
b. Boidiesel
75. Identify advantages & disadvantages biofuels: including pollutants
76. Describe the process of hydroelectric power generation:
77. Identify advantages & disadvantages of hydroelectric energy including environmental impacts
78. What is the name and location for the largest dam
a. in world _______________________________________
b. in the US ________________________________________
79. Describe the following renewable energy: Tidal Energy - including advantages & disadvantages
80. What are the advantages & disadvantages of passive solar systems
81. Describe the following types of Direct solar power:
a. Solar water heating systems
b. Photovoltaic systems
c. Concentrating solar thermal
82. Describe the advantages & disadvantages of active solar power
83. Describe the process of geothermal power generation:
Ground source heat pump
84. Identify advantages & disadvantages of geothermal energy
85. What countries are generating the most wind power
Denmark obtains ____________% of its electricity from wind
86. Why is wind power generation so promising. wind is the fastest growing source of energy worldwide. Capturing only
___20%__ of the wind energy could meet all the world energy demand.
87. Identify advantages & disadvantages of wind energy:
88. Describe advantages & disadvantages of Hydrogen fuel cells
89. Explain how we can plan our energy future
a. Improving Electrical Grid
b. Addressing Energy Cost & Storage
90. List some government strategies for energy solutions
Provide research & development subsidies & tax breaks, enact regulations to stimulate energy alternatives
Raise taxes, eliminate existing subsidies to discourage wasteful uses of energy
Educate the public & offer incentives for energy efficiency - Develop long term policy
91. Describe Iceland’s energy use