Energy Resources and Consumption
Describe the three stages of coal formation in order.
lignite --> bituminous --> anthracite
What are tar sands made up of? Where is shale oil found?
Tar sands are made up of a combination of clay, sand, water, and bitumen.
Shale oil is found in sedimentary rock.
Non-point source vs. Point source pollution
Point source refers to a specific location from which pollution is released, while non-point sources don't have a specific point of release.
A college literature class starts off with 30 students. One week later, the class has 34 students. What was the percent change?
34-30/30 = 0.133 or 13%
In the majority of less developed countries, the major source of energy for domestic use is which of the following?
Biomass
What is a hydrogen fuel cell?
It is a device that converts the chemical energy of hydrogen fuel directly into electricity and heat.
What is the difference between primary and secondary pollution? Give an example of each.
A country increased its use of renewable energy from 10% to 15% of total energy consumption, what was the percent change in renewable energy use?
(15-10)/10 --> 5/10 --> 0.5 x 100 --> 50%
What is a benefit of increasing the number of offshore wind farms rather than onshore wind farms?
Offshore winds farms will produce up to three times as much electricity as wind farms on land because of increased wind speeds offshore.
What are subsistence fuels?
Biomass fuel sources that are easily accessible and are often used in developing countries as a home heating or cooking fuel.
What is the difference between industrial smog and photochemical smog.
Industrial smog is formed from pollutants associated with the burning of oil and coal. Photochemical smog is produced when ultraviolet light from the sun reacts with nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere.
A country experiences a crude birth rate of 17 and a crude death rate of 4, as well as 20 immigrations per 1000 and 13 emigrations per 1000. What was its population growth rate?
(17-4)+(20-13) = 20
The population growth rate of the country is 20 per 1000.
What is fracking? Explain the consequences.
Fracking is used to extract natural gas from sedimentary rock.
Consequences include:
-Possibility of well leaking & contaminating groundwater
-Depletion of ground or surface waters nearby
Describe natural gas.
Natural gas is decaying remains of plants & animals that are buried under layers of rock & converted by pressure into oil and natural gas over time.
Describe the eutrophication process.
Excessive amounts of nutrients enter a body of water, causing excessive amounts of algae (algal blooms). Bacteria then absorb available dissolved oxygen, creating a hypoxic zone/dead zone.
A 1200 W microwave is used 30 minutes per day. How much electric energy does it use in a year?
1.2 kW × 0.5 h = 0.6
0.6 x 365 days/ 1 year = 219 kWh per year
What are the three nuclear meltdowns and where are they located?
1. Three Mile Island (US)
2. Fukushima (Japan)
3. Chernobyl (Ukraine)
What is the difference between active and passive solar energy?
Active solar energy collection uses devices such as solar panels to collect, store, or transport solar energy. Passive solar energy collection uses building designs and materials to collect solar energy that can be used to keep a building warm or cool.
Describe bioaccumulation and biomagnification.
Bioaccumulation refers to the buildup of a substance in an organism's body over time. Biomagnification occurs when the concentration of a substance increases at higher trophic levels in a food chain or food web.
The half-life of the medical radioisotope actinium-225 is 10 days. If a patient is given a dose of 2.4 kg, how long will it take for the amount of radioactive material to become less than 0.15 kg?
2.4/2 = 1.2 -> 1.2/2 = 0.6 -> 0.6/2 = 0.3 -> 0.3/2 = 0.15
4 x 10 days = 40 days