Sci 1121 Environmental Science, Section Three Exam, Spring 2012 (Watch for negatives like the word “not.”)
1. Perhaps the single most important labor-saving invention of the industrial revolution in the early 1700’s were:
A. Ox/mule yokes for plows
B. Water wheel mills
C. Steam engines
D. Slaves
2. Throughout the 1800’s and in the early 1900’s the primary energy source used for industry, heating, and cooking was:
A. Petroleum (oil) derived
B. Nuclear energy
C. Natural gas
D. Coal
3. By the mid 1900’s up to the present day, especially in industrialized nations, the primary energy source was, and is:
A. Petroleum (oil) derived
B. Nuclear energy
C. Natural gas
D. Coal
4. By far, the greatest use of coal in the United States is:
A. To manufacture industrial chemicals
B. To generate electricity
C. For space heating
D. For cooking
5. Electricity is nonpolluting at its point of use. However, currently its generation is quite polluting, because:
A. Electricity is most often generated using fossil fuels
B. Electricity is most often generated using hydropower
C. Electricity is most often generated using solar energy
D. Electricity is most often generated using nuclear energy
6. Which of the following gases/pollutants does a large coal burning, electricity generating power plant not produce?
A. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
B. Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
C. Particulate ash
D. Methane (CH4)
7. We recoup about a third of the energy in fossil fuel when generating electricity; which of the following is a reason
why?
A. All of the heat energy is transferred from the steam to the turbines
B. Transmission of electricity through cables and wires is 100% efficient
C. Much of the potential energy is lost as heat going up and out the chimney
D. According to the laws of thermodynamics, all energy conversions are 100% efficient
8. Currently, transportation, including cars, small and large trucks, trains, and planes, all mainly depend on what fuel?
A. Petroleum (oil) derived
B. Nuclear energy
C. Natural gas
D. Coal
9. Of all the energy sources used in the U.S.A., currently:
A. Electricity power generation uses the most
B. Residences and commerce use the most
C. Transportation uses the most
D. Industry uses the most
10. Most of the crude oil refined in the U.S.A. is:
A. Imported
B. Exported
C. Extracted from the ocean
D. Extracted from U.S.A. landforms
11. All fossil fuels (petroleum [oil] derived, natural gas, and coal) were originally created by the
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A.
B.
C.
D.
Burial and high pressure anaerobic decomposition of organisms from 100’s of billions of years ago
Burial and high pressure anaerobic decomposition of organisms from 100’s of millions of years ago
Burial and high pressure anaerobic decomposition of organisms from a few thousand years ago
Burial and high pressure anaerobic decomposition of organisms from a few hundred years ago
12. Production of oil in the U.S.A. has _____, and consumption of oil in the U.S.A. has _______, over the last century.
A. Been constant, been constant
B. Stopped, stopped
C. Fallen, risen
D. Risen, fallen
13. At present usage levels, the Earth has enough reserve oil to last for:
A. Millions more years
B. Thousands more years
C. Hundreds more years
D. Probably less than a hundred years
14. Besides CO2 and other emissions from burning oil, and limited oil reserves, oil spills are a huge problem; the biggest
oil spill to yet occur near or within the U.S.A. was:
A. The Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska in 1989
B. During the Gulf War in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf
C. The trans-Alaska pipeline sabotage by explosives in 1978
D. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010
15. Which of the following statements in not true regarding the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)?
A. ANWR is a vast wasteland of little ecological value with few life forms
B. Enormous caribou herds migrate through ANWR annually
C. ANWR has been the topic on a huge political controversy
D. There is an uncertain amount of oil in ANWR
16. Which of the following statements is not true regarding natural gas?
A. Natural gas is often found in association with oil reserves and is captured, processed, and distributed in pipes
B. Natural gas consists mainly of methane (CH 4), which produces carbon dioxide and water when burned
C. Natural gas presently satisfies about one fourth of the U.S.A.’s total energy demand
D. Natural gas produces far more pollutants than coal or oil derived fuels when burned
17. Which of the following statements is true regarding coal?
A. About half of the U.S.A.’s electricity comes from coal-fired electricity generating plants
B. Coal mining is quite safe and environmentally nondestructive
C. Coal is the cleanest burning fossil fuel available
D. There’s enough coal to last for millions of years
18. Nuclear energy was once seen as the solution to the world’s electricity demands, but this didn’t really happen:
A. In part, due to the absolutely perfect safety record of all nuclear power plants worldwide
B. In part, due to the fact that production costs of the plants have steadily decreased over the years
C. In part, due to the fact that the power plants have much shorter lifetimes than originally envisioned
D. In part, due to fact that radioactive spent fuel rod waste is so easy to deal with and permanently discard
19. Presently in the U.S.A. about what percentage of our electricity is generated using nuclear energy?
A. Less than 1%
B. Slightly more than 20%
C. Around three fourths of our electricity
D. All of our electricity is generated using nuclear energy
20. Presently worldwide there are about how many operating nuclear energy powered electricity generating plants?
A. Less than ten
B. Around one hundred
C. Between 400 and 500
D. Over one thousand
21. Which of the following countries in the world produces most of its electricity using nuclear energy?
A. The United States of America
B. France
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C. China
D. India
22. Electricity is generated using nuclear energy by:
A. Directly converting nuclear energy to electricity with semiconductors
B. Burning uranium to produce heat for making steam to turn a turbogenerator
C. The fusion of uranium to produce heat for making steam to turn a turbogenerator
D. The fission of uranium to produce heat for making steam to turn a turbogenerator
23. The difference between a fusion reaction and a fission reaction is:
A. In fission smaller atoms are combined to make larger atoms; fusion splits larger one to make smaller ones
B. In fusion smaller atoms are combined to make larger atoms; fission splits larger one to make smaller ones
C. In fission oxygen is combined with other molecules; in fusion oxygen is liberated from other molecules
D. There is no difference between the two
24. Uranium is the standard fuel of nuclear energy; which of the following statements is true regarding uranium?
A. Only one of the forms (isotopes) of uranium readily undergo the reactions necessary for nuclear energy
B. All forms (isotopes) of uranium readily undergo the reactions necessary for nuclear energy
C. There are a dozen different naturally occurring forms (isotopes) of uranium on the Earth
D. The uranium that is mined from the earth requires no processing to be used in reactors
25. The moderator and coolant for most nuclear reactors used to produce electricity consists of:
A. Control rods
B. Concrete
C. Uranium
D. Water
26. Which of the following statements is not true regarding the biological effects of radiation exposure?
A. Any level of radiation exposure will cause the symptoms of radiation sickness
B. Radiation exposure can damage DNA in sperm and egg leading to birth defects
C. Radiation exposure increases the risk of developing many different types of cancer
D. Radiation exposure can prevent cell division such that blood, skin and other tissues do not get replaced/repaired
27. Radioactivity half-life refers to:
A. The amount of time in which half of some amount of radioactive isotope has decayed
B. An equal amount of time in which all radioactive isotopes to decay by half
C. Half of a person’s lifetime after they have been exposed to radioactivity
D. Half of a century
28. Which of the following statements is true regarding radioactive waste disposal?
A. The world has completely buried, far underground all of the radioactive wastes produced by nuclear energy plants
B. Short-term containment involves storing radioactive waste in large swimming pool like tanks
C. Short-term containment involves burying radioactive waste far underground
D. Most radioactive waste becomes completely harmless in one year
29. Yucca Mountain, Nevada is:
A. A fancy, carnival style thrill ride in Las Vegas
B. The place where all of Agave to make tequila comes from
C. The site where all of the U.S.A.’s nuclear waste has been buried
D. A highly controversial, remote site designated, and then undesignated as the U.S.A.’s nuclear waste site
30. Three Mile Island is:
A. A nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania that underwent a partial meltdown in 1979
B. A nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania renown for its perfect safety record
C. The site where all of the U.S.A.’s nuclear waste has been buried
D. A fancy, carnival style thrill ride in Las Vegas
31. A little over a year ago one of the worst nuclear power plant accidents ever occurred; this was at:
A. Three Mile Island
B. Yucca Mountain
C. Fukushima
D. Chernobyl
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32. The ____________ nuclear power plant accident was caused by a huge earthquake and tsunami wave.
A. Three Mile Island
B. Yucca Mountain
C. Fukushima
D. Chernobyl
33. In the mid-80’s, a terrible nuclear power plant accident occurred in Russia (actually the Ukraine); this was at:
A. Three Mile Island
B. Yucca Mountain
C. Fukushima
D. Chernobyl
34. In the U.S.A. renewable sources of energy accounts for about what percentage of all energy use?
A. Less than 1%
B. Between 5 to 10%
C. More than 50%
D. All of the energy use in the U.S.A. is from renewable resources
35. Of that percentage of renewable energy sources in the U.S.A., the largest segment comes from:
A. Solar
B. Wind
C. Geothermal
D. Hydropower
36. Of all the potential sources of renewable energy, the one that has the most available power to be tapped is:
A. Solar
B. Wind
C. Geothermal
D. Hydropower
37. The solar energy spectrum does not include which of the following?
A. Gamma rays
B. Ultraviolet
C. Infrared
D. Visible
38. Solar energy can be used many different ways; which of the following is not a way that solar energy can be used?
A. To heat water
B. To produce methane
C. To heat the air of a building
D. To directly produce electricity
39. The difference between an active solar energy collection system and a passive one is:
A. Active systems use pumps; passive systems rely on gravity and/or convection
B. Passive systems use pumps; active systems rely on gravity and/or convection
C. Active systems track the sun as it moves through the sky; passive ones do not
D. Passive systems track the sun as it moves through the sky; active ones do not
40. For maximum solar heat gain and retention a building’s design should not include which of the following features?
A. Well sealed, thermal pained windows and doors
B. Large expanses of north-facing, thermal pained windows
C. Large expanses of south-facing, thermal pained windows
D. Adequate insulation in all walls, roofs, and floors (if not on slab)
41. Photovoltaic refers to:
A. Using solar energy to directly produce electricity
B. Using electricity to produce photographs
C. Using electricity to produce light
D. Using solar energy for heat
42. Concentrated solar power (CSP) refers to:
A. A technology used by some utility companies that uses solar thermal energy to indirectly produce electricity
B. A technology that uses solar energy to clean up industrial sites contaminated with hazardous materials
C. A technology that uses solar energy for producing beer, wine, and liquor
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D. A technology that uses solar energy to concentrate industrial solvents
43. Hydropower uses the energy of water to drive turbogenerators; which of the following statements is true about this?
A. Large hydropower dams are always worthwhile, as they eliminate the environmental impact of fossil fuel use
B. Large hydropower dams destroy wildlife habitat both upstream and downstream
C. Large hydropower dams do not affect fish migration
D. Large hydropower dams seldom displace humans
44. Wind powered electricity generating has become much __________ and is being used much _________ widely.
A. Cheaper, less
B. Cheaper, more
C. More expensive, less
D. More expensive, more
45. Large wind farm projects can generate immense amounts of pollution free electricity; which of the following is true?
A. The most practical and efficient wind turbine design uses large paddles wheel connected to remote generators
B. A large wind farm located offshore in Nantucket Sound (Cape Cod) provides most of the area’s electricity
C. Many more birds are killed by wind farms, than by vehicles and buildings combined
D. Farmers are often subsidized substantially to put wind turbines on their land
46. Which of the following statements is true regarding biomass energy electricity generating stations?
A. Biomass facilities can burn agricultural, municipal, and industrial wastes and byproducts
B. Biomass facilities produce no pollutants, nor do they emit any carbon dioxide
C. Biomass facilities could provide all of the electricity needed for a large city
D. Biomass facilities use fossil fuels
47. Geothermal energy can be used for all of the following things, except:
A. Geothermal energy can be used to heat homes
B. Geothermal energy can be used to cool homes
C. Geothermal energy can be used to produce electricity
D. Geothermal energy can be used to synthesize gasoline
48. Biofuels may be able to help alleviate our reliance on fossil fuels; which of the following statements is true about this?
A. Ethanol made from corn, sugarcane, and sugar beets has helped to keep food prices low
B. Most of the corn grown in the U.S.A. is used to produce ethanol
C. Biodiesel can be made from any plant or animal fat or oil
D. Biodiesel has recently surpassed regular diesel in use
49. Hydrogen gas may become the energy source for future transportation needs; hydrogen gas:
A. Currently has a worldwide storage, distribution, and refueling infrastructure already built
B. Is readily available as a natural constituent of our atmosphere
C. Requires energy to be produced by electrolysis
D. Produces carbon dioxide when burned
50. Fuel cells:
A. Chemically combine hydrogen and oxygen to directly produce electricity
B. Have never been used successfully in any type of vehicle
C. Burn hydrogen as a fuel for internal combustion motors
D. Emit carbon dioxide
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