TEST 1 Short Answer Questions 1. Compare and contrast the formation and location of oil, coal, and natural gas reserves. Oil, coal and natural gas form from the remains of plants and animals trapped in sediment. Coal forms from large amounts of land vegetation and is trapped and enriched in place as seams. Different types of coal form according to carbon content; lignite or brown coals has the lowest carbon content; sub-­‐
bituminous and bituminous coals have higher levels. Anthracite has the highest carbon content and is considered a metamorphic rock. Coal forms in swamps where continental interiors were subsiding, at the margins of shallow inland seas, and continental margins with wide continental shelves. Oil and natural gas combined is referred as petroleum and can occur together or separately. Oil forms from ocean phytoplankton trapped in shales and transformed by heat. It migrates to porous sediments and as it is less dense than the water it is found with, it becomes separated and trapped as a pool. It also forms in association with geologic traps that prevent it from leaking away such as anticlinal or up-­‐folds. Natural gas is petroleum in gaseous form at normal temperatures. It often occurs with oil as associated gas. It can also occur separately from oil as non-­‐associated gas and likely formed under freshwater conditions. 2. Describe, with examples the source and extraction of nuclear minerals and explain how different isotopes are used to generate power. The extraction of nuclear minerals involves the mining of the mineral Uranite (U3O8) either in open cast mines such as the Anaconda Mine in New Mexico, or underground as we see at the McArthur mine in Saskatchewan. During the transformation of radioactive isotopes (or fission) heat is produced. The heat is used to generate steam to power turbines and so generate electricity. To initiate fission, 235 uranium is bombarded with neutrons that accelerates decay and releases heat. 235U releases heat and also more neutrons that induces yet more fission. However, 235U is the least abundant of the three isotopes used. 238 U and 232 Thorium do not maintain a chain reaction like 235U. Therefore either is placed in a pile with 235U that is already undergoing fission. This converts 238U to 239 Pn (Plutonium) and 232 Th to 233 U. This takes place in a breeder reactor and the new isotopes can maintain a chain reaction. Most nuclear power plants use 235U with breeder reactors being less common as they are also considered less safe. Fill-­in the blank Questions 1. As sea ice in the Arctic melts the ALBEDO of the surface decreases. PAGE 1 OF 7 2. The effect of vegetation on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is an example of a NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. 3. Quartz is an example of a MINERAL . 4. Total energy consumed by humans on Earth is measure in TERRA-­‐watts. 5. OIL is the most commonly used fossil fuel. 6. Non-­‐associated gas form under FRESHWATER conditions. 7. Kerogens are found in oil SHALE. 8. PLUTONIUM is a bi-­‐product from reactions in a breeder reactor. 9. Underground storage of nuclear waste occurs in a GEOLOGIC DEPOSITORY that may be located in a shield region. 10. The common type of wind turbine has a HORIZONTAL AXIS rotor Multiple-­choice Questions 1. A system where there is an exchange of energy but not matter is referred to as a/an: a. Dynamic system b. Stable system c. Open system d. Closed system X e. Metastable system 2. The interaction between a population of predators and a population of prey demonstrates which of the following? a. A closed system b. An isolated system c. A negative feedback X d. An open feedback e. A positive feedback 3. If a system crosses a threshold it may not return to its original state but creates a/an: _______________________. a. Noise b. Complexity c. Metastable equilibrium X d. Steady state equilibrium e. Entropy 4. Rainfall in Taiwan is indirectly responsible for which of the following? a. Floods b. Volcanic eruptions c. Earthquakes X d. Tornadoes e. Melting sea ice 5. Which of the following is a type of metamorphic rock? PAGE 2 OF 7 a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Basalt Gypsum Limestone Granite Marble X 6. The Critical Zone is the zone between the outer extent of vegetation to the ___________________. a. solid rock b. soil surface c. atmosphere d. groundwater X e. lowest extent of vegetation 7. The relative movements of the Earth’s crustal plates is referred to as: a. determinism b. metamorphism c. earthquakes d. tectonics X e. volcanism 8. The production of which material in ancient Greece led to atmospheric lead pollution? Typo in question so everyone gets a point a. Tin X b. Gold X c. Silicates X d. Lead X e. Copper X 9. Igneous rocks that cool above the Earth’s surface are referred to as _______________ rocks. a. Extrusive X b. Intrusive c. Clastic d. Metamorphic e. Carbonates 10. What mineral is the primary source for lithium? a. Carbonates b. Spodumene X c. Tantalite d. Coltan e. Quartz 11. What animal is under threat due to the illegal mining of coltan in the Democratic Republic of Congo? PAGE 3 OF 7 a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Crocodiles Rhinoceros Chimpanzees Gorillas X Elephants 12. A coarse-­‐grained, crystalline igneous rock that is the source of valuable minerals is referred to as a/an: a. Pegmatite X b. Petalite c. Columbite d. Apatite e. Tantalite 13. The watt is expressed as: a. 1 Joule per hour b. 10 Joules per minute c. 1 Joule per minute d. 1 Joule per second X e. 10 Joule per second 14. The rising level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is shown in the _______________ curve. a. Lewis b. Keeling X c. Joule d. Edison e. Hubbert 15. Which of the following is an example of a greenhouse gas? a. Neon b. Oxygen c. Water Vapour X d. Carbon Monoxide e. Argon 16. Which of the following types of fuel is referred to as non-­‐renewable? a. Nuclear X b. Solar c. Wind d. Tidal e. Bioenergy 17. The second most commonly use source of energy world-­‐wide is: a. Oil b. Coal X PAGE 4 OF 7 c. Natural gas d. Hydroelectricity e. Nuclear 18. Bioenergy is often distinctive from other sources of energy because it is the only source that is largely ___________________. a. renewable b. non-­‐renewable c. non-­‐commercial X d. passive energy e. secondary energy 19. Solar cells are examples of which of the following type of energy? a. Heat b. Electromagnetic X c. Chemical d. Kinetic e. Charged 20. Which of the following is the result if volatile substances evaporate from developing oil in loose material? a. Oil shales b. Lignite c. Tar sands X d. Unassociated gas e. Associated gas 21. Which of the following is the highest quality form of coal? a. Bituminous b. Sub-­‐bituminous c. Tar d. Anthracite X e. Lignite 22. Which of the following is an example of a reservoir for carbon sequestration? a. Deep coal seams X b. Shallow lakes c. Shield rocks d. Ice sheets e. Swimming pools 23. Which of the following factors is in part responsible for the formation of coal? PAGE 5 OF 7 a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Crustal plate movement Swampy vegetation X Marine plankton Beach deposits Formation of anticlines 24. Which of the following characterizes Hubbert’s Peak? a. It is reached once we begin to find alternative fuels b. It is immediately preceded by slow rates of extraction c. It is followed by a rise in demand accelerating extraction d. It is reached once half of the oil reserve is used X e. It is preceded fluctuating and variable levels of extraction 25. The capturing and burying of carbon emissions is referred to as: a. sequestration X b. scrubbing c. carbonate sharing d. carbon tax e. geomicrobiology 26. Which of the following is the most effective isotope used to generate electricity? a. 238Uranium b. 235Uranium X c. 233Uranium d. 232Thorium e. 239Plutonium 27. The disastrous nuclear accident in the Ukraine in 1986 occurred at: a. Kiev b. Chernobyl X c. Three Mile Island d. Chalk River e. Sellafield 28. The largest open cast uranium mine is located in: a. Alberta b. Saskatchewan c. Arizona d. Texas e. New Mexico X 29. Which of the following terms identifies the most dangerous and damaging aspect of radiation? a. Radioactive decay b. Radioactive tracer PAGE 6 OF 7 c. Gamma rays X d. Beta particles e. Isotope 30. Which of the following minerals is used to produce the most efficient photovoltaics? a. Cadmium b. Lithium c. Silicon X d. Titanium e. Copper PAGE 7 OF 7