Coal
What is the Rankine Cycle
What is the largest energy generation source in the US?
What is natural gas
How does nuclear fission work?
What is nuclei are split
How does solar work?
What is converting sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic (PV) cells within solar panels
What is the most common misconception about wind farms and birds?
What is wind farms are the top killer of birds
BONUS: Cats kill more birds than wind farms
Diesel and gas turbines use what cycle to make energy?
What is Otto and Brayton Cycle
What is the process used to obtain natural gas?
What is fracking
How does nuclear work?
What is DC
How does wind work?
What is the wind spins the blades which drives the shaft to turn a generator
What are the environmental cons of coal generation (name the largest 3)?
What are the 3 environmental consequences associated with natural gas?
What is GHG emissions/air pollution, water contamination, seismic activity
What percentage of electricity in the US is produced through nuclear energy (to the nearest 5%)
Why is solar growing in the US (name the top 2 reasons)
What is cost is declining and panels are becoming more efficient
Where are the ideal places to site wind in the US?
What is Coasts, plains, and mountainous regions
What is heats water to create steam that moves a turbine
Why is natural gas considered a "bridge" fuel?
What is natural gas is considered a bridge fuel because it emits less CO₂ than coal and provides reliable energy for balancing renewables.
However, methane leaks and continued fossil fuel dependence make it a short-term solution rather than a long-term fix.
Why did nuclear decline in the 1970s-2000s?
What state has the largest wind farm?
What is California
Explain how coal is turned into electricity in 7 steps
What is 1) fuel loading, 2) fuel input, 3) steam output, 4) steam feeds turbine 5) turbine creates electricity 6)condenser and 7)boiler feed pump
Explain how natural gas creates electricity in 7 steps
What is 1) fuel loading, 2) fuel input, 3) steam output, 4) steam feeds turbine 5) turbine creates electricity 6)condenser and 7)boiler feed pump
Why is nuclear becoming popular amongst environmentalists?
What is it is carbon neutral
BONUS: and it provides base load
What can help solar penetrate the energy market?
What is batteries
What are the largest challenges from wind farms penetrating the market (name 3)?
What is: a) intermittency b) cost c) local opposition
BONUS: wind is still one of the cheapest energy sourcs