Chapter 1

Question 1

“Smart rocks” are considered for

A. Geologic dating
B. Ballistic missile defense
C. Nuclear Power
D. Solar Power

Answer 1

B. Ballistic missile defense

Question 2

One watt is equivalent to:

a. one joule / second
b. one coulomb / second
c. one calorie / second
d. one horsepower

Answer 2

a. one joule / second

Question 3

The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs exploded because

a. it was made of explosive material
b. it was made out of U-235
c. it got very hot from the impact
d. It didn’t explode, it knocked the earth out of its normal orbit.

Answer 3

c. it got very hot from the impact

Question 4

Kinetic energy can be measured in:

a. watts
b. calories
c. grams
d. amperes

Answer 4

b. calories

Question 5

For each of these mark whether it is a unit of energy (E) or power (p):

a. horsepower
b. kilowatt-hour
c. watt
d. calorie

Answer 5

P a. horsepower
E b. kilowatt-hour
P c. watt
E d. calorie

Question 6

Hybrid vehicles run on:

a. electric and solar power
b. solar power and gasoline
c. electric power and gasoline
d. nuclear power and gasoline

Answer 6

c. electric power and gasoline

Question 7

What is the main reason that hydrogen-driven automobiles have not replaced gasoline ones?

a. Hydrogen is too expensive
b. hydrogen is too difficult to store in an automobile.
c. hydrogen is radioactive, and the public fears it
d. hydrogen mixed with air is explosive.

Answer 7

b. hydrogen is too difficult to store in an automobile.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true?

a. energy is measured in joules, and power is measured in calories.
b. power is energy divided by time.
c batteries release energy, but tnt releases power.
d. power signifies a very large value of energy
e. all of the above

Answer 8

b. power is energy divided by time.

Question 9

Compared to an equal weight of gasoline, U-235 can deliver energy that is greater by a factor of (Closet value)

a. 2200
b. 25,000
c. one million
d. one billion

Answer 9

c. one million

Question 10

Which of the following contains the most energy per gram?

a. tnt
b. chocolate chip cookies
c. battery
d. uranium

Answer 10

d. uranium

Question 11

Compare the energy in a kilogram of gasoline to that in kilogram of flashlight batteries:

a. gasoline has about 400 times as much energy
b. gasoline has about 10 times as much energy
c. gasoline has about 70 times more energy
d. they cannot be honestly compared, since one stores power and the other stores energy.

Answer 11

c. gasoline has about 70 times more energy

Question 12

Which is least expensive- for the same energy delivered?

a. coal
b. gasoline
c. natural gas
d. AAA batteris

Answer 12

a. coal

Question 13

The kinetic energy of a typical 1 gram meteor is approximately equal to the energy of

a. 10 grams of tnt
b. 150 grams of tnt
c. 1/100 grams of tnt
d. 10 grams of gasoline

Answer 13

b. 150 grams of tnt

d. 10 grams of gasoline

Question 14

Coal reserves in the US are expected to last for?

a. hundreds of years
b. three of four decades
c. 72 years
d. less than a decade

Answer 14

a. hundreds of years

Question 15

A limitation for all electric automobiles is:

a. low energy density per batter
b. batteries explode more readily than gasoline
c. electric energy is not useful for autos
d. electric motors are less efficient than gasoline motors

Answer 15

a. low energy density per batter

Question 16

Solar power is about (choose all correct)

a. 1 watt per square meter
b. 1 kW per square meter
c. 1 megawatt per square km
d. 1 gigawatt per square km

Answer 16

b. 1 kW per square meter

d. 1 gigawatt per square km

Question 17

The efficiency of inexpensive solar cells is closet to

a. 1 %
b. 12 %
c. 65 %
d. 100 %

Answer 17

b. 12 %

Question 18

A human running up stairs can briefly use power of approximately

a. 0.01 horsepower
b. 0.1 horsepower
c. 0.2 horsepower
d. 1 horsepower

Answer 18

d. 1 horsepower

Question 19

A 12 oz can of soft drink contains about

a. 10 Calories
b. 50 Calories
c. 150 Calories
d. 2000 Calories

Answer 19

c. 150 Calories

Question 20

A large nuclear power plant delivers energy of about

a. 1 megawatt
b. 1 gigawatt
c. 100 gigawatts
d. 1000 gigawatts

Answer 20

b. 1 gigawatt

Question 21

Electricity from AAA battery costs the consumer about:

a. 1 cent per kilowatt-hour
b. 10 cents per kilowatt-hour
c. $1 per kilowatt-hour
d. $1000 per kilowatt-hour

Answer 21

d. $1000 per kilowatt-hour

Question 22

Electricity from a wall plug costs the consumer about:

a. 1 cent per kilowatt-hour
b. 10 cents per kilowatt-hour
c. $1 per kilowatt-hour
d. $1000 per kilowatt-hour

Answer 22

b. 10 cents per kilowatt-hour

Question 23

The energy per gallon (not per pound) of liquid hydrogen, compared to gasoline, is about

a. 3x less
b. about the same
c. 3x more
d. 12x more

Answer 23

a. 3x less

Question 24

Most of the hydrogen we use in the US comes from

a. pockets of hydrogen gas found underground
b. hydrogen gas extracted from the atmosphere
c. hydrogen produced in nuclear reactors
d. it is manufactured from fossil fuels and /or water

Answer 24

d. it is manufactured from fossil fuels and /or water

Question 25

You have 10 tungsten bulbs, and each uses 100 watts. You leave them all on for an hour, the energy used is

a. 10 kilowatt-hours
b. 1 kilowatt-hour
c. 10 kilowatts
d. 1000 watts

Answer 25

b. 1 kilowatt-hour

Question 26

The kinetic energy of a bullet, per gram, is (within a factor of 2)

a. about the same as the energy released from 1 gram of tnt
b. about the same as the kinetic energy in a typical 1 gram meteor
c. about the same as the energy released by 1 gram of chocolate chip cookies
d. none of the above

Answer 26

d. none of the above