Quiz: Fossil Fuels
1. What is the world’s largest source of energy today?
a. hydrogen b. solar energy
c. nuclear energy
d. fossil fuels
2. Energy-rich substances formed from the remains of once-living organisms are called
a. gases.
b. fossil fuels.
c. reserves.
d. pores.
3. What type of rock are fossil fuels usually found in?
a. sedimentary
b. metamorphic
c. igneous
d. magma
4. Which of the following is NOT a type of fossil fuel?
a. petroleum
b. water
c. natural gas
d. coal
5. The process of burning a fossil fuel to release energy is called
a. fission.
b. fusion.
c. combustion.
d. polarization.
6. Known fossil fuel deposits that can be obtained with current technology are called
a. pores.
b. reserves.
c. refineries.
d. sedimentary rocks.
7. The process of searching for deposits of a natural resource is called
a. prospecting.
b. reserving.
c. refining.
d. poring.
8. A factory that turns a raw resource into a more pure or usable form is called a(n)
a. prospect.
b. refinery.
c. well.
d. rig.
9. A resource that is not replaced as quickly as it is used is considered
a. renewable.
b. non-renewable.
c. infinite.
d. plentiful.
10. Energy-rich compounds composed of hydrogen and carbon molecules are called
a. hydrocarbons.
b. water.
c. polar.
d. non-polar.
11. True or False: Coal, petroleum, and natural gas may run out some day.
a. True
b. False
12. What gas is most commonly released when fossil fuels are burned?
a. oxygen
b. nitrogen
c. water vapor
d. carbon dioxide
13. Which fossil fuel is a solid?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. water
14. Which fossil fuel is a liquid?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. water
15. Which fossil fuel is a gas?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. water
16. What is the most plentiful fossil fuel in the United States?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. water
17. Coal forms from
a. plant remains.
b. dinosaur bones.
d. petroleum.
c. fossilized insects.
18. Approximately what fraction of the United States’ energy is produced from coal?
a. 7%
b. 23%
c. 55%
d. 78 %
19. Approximately how many years does it take for a petroleum deposit to form?
a. hundreds
b. thousands
c. tens of thousands
d. hundreds of millions
20. Petroleum forms from
a. tree remains.
b. dinosaur bones.
c. fossilized insects.
d. marine microorganisms.
21. Petroleum that has just been extracted from the ground and has not yet been refined is often called
a. natural gas.
b. crude oil.
c. plant oil.
d. refined oil.
22. Petroleum is found in
a. the atmosphere.
b. fossils in igneous rocks.
c. pores in sedimentary rocks.
d. rivers.
23. Which of the following types of rock are most likely to contain natural gas deposits?
a. shale
b. granite
c. slate
d. sandstone
24. Small holes or spaces in rocks are called
a. pores.
b. cracks.
c. layers.
d. grains.
25. Approximately what fraction of the world’s energy is generated from petroleum?
a. 1/10
b. 1/3
c. 3/4
d. 9/10
26. The U.S.A. produces about ____ of the world’s petroleum and uses about ____ of the world’s petroleum.
a. 1/3, 3%
b. 3%, 1/3
c. 1/2, 1/2
d. 75%, 50%
27. All of Earth’s known petroleum reserves took about _________________ years to form.
a. 400
b. 10,000
c. 500 million
d. 9 billion
28. Which of the following is a use of petroleum?
a. making plastics
b. powering vehicles
c. generating electricity
29. True or False: The U.S.A. has one of the three largest petroleum reserves in the world.
a. True
b. False
30. True or False: Saudi Arabia has more petroleum reserves than any other nation.
a. True
b. False
31. What does pure natural gas smell like?
a. rotten eggs
b. sulfur
c. burnt wood
d. nothing
32. What color is pure natural gas?
a. white
b. yellow
c. grey
d. no color
33. Of what compound is natural gas mostly composed?
a. methane (CH4)
b. carbon dioxide (CO2)
c. helium (He)
34. Natural gas forms from
a. tree remains.
b. dinosaur bones.
c. fossilized insects.
d. nitrogen (N)
d. marine microorganisms.
d. all of these
35. What is the most common method for transporting natural gas throughout the United States?
a. trucks
b. boats
c. pipelines
d. airplanes
36. Which type of fossil fuel releases the least amount of pollution when burned?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. oil
d. natural gas
37. Which type of fossil fuel releases NO pollution when burned?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. none of them
38. Which type of fossil fuel is renewable?
a. coal
b. petroleum
c. natural gas
d. none of them
39. Over the last 50 years, the U.S.A.’s use of fossil fuels has
a. increased
b. decreased
c. stayed the same
d. gone up and then down
40. What does ANWR stand for?
a. Alaska Natural Wildlife Reserve
c. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
b. Alaska Natural Wildflower Resource
d. American Natural Wonderland Reserve
41. Where is ANWR?
a. Washington
b. Oregon
c. Alaska
d. California
42. True or False: According to polls, most Alaskan citizens support petroleum development in ANWR.
a. True
b. False
43. True of False: All native Alaskans are against petroleum development in ANWR.
a. True
b. False
44. True or False: Today it is legal for companies to go to ANWR and drill for oil to sell to customers.
a. True
b. False
45. In 2003, there was a large oil spill near what part of Massachusetts?
a. Boston Harbor
b. Buzzards Bay
c. Quabbin Reservoir
d. Nantasket Beach
46. True or False: Polar substances mix well with nonpolar substances.
a. True
b. False
47. True or False: Water molecules are considered polar because they are composed of 3 atoms.
a. True
b. False
48. True or False: Oil always floats on water because it always has less mass than water.
a. True
b. False
49. True or False: Soap molecules break down oil molecules by splitting them apart.
a. True
b. False
50. Approximately how many gallons leaked in the oil spill mentioned above?
a. 14
b. 147
c. 14,700
d. 147,000,000