Environmental Unit 9

Question 1

a device that uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity

Answer 1

fuel cell

Question 2

Which of these lists power sources from the lowest net energy to the highest net energy?

Answer 2

pv cells, nuclear, hydroelectric

Question 3

____ is still in the experimental stage.

Answer 3

ocean thermal energy

Question 4

___ is available in many areas and has no net increase in carbon dioxide emissions if forests are replanted.

Answer 4

Solid biomass

Question 5

plant materials or solid wastes that have been converted to a gaseous or liquid form

Answer 5

biofuel

Question 6

plant materials or animal wastes that can be burned for energy

Answer 6

biomass energy

Question 7

a system that uses temperature differences between the ground and the air to heat or cool houses

Answer 7

geothermal heat pump

Question 8

heat stored in soil, underground rocks, and the fluid in the earth’s mantle

Answer 8

geothermal energy

Question 9

a place within the earth’s crust that has concentrated areas of heat

Answer 9

hydrothermal reservoir

Question 10

wood, plant materials, or animal feces that are burned directly

Answer 10

solid biomass

Question 11

_____ power is a relatively safe, reliable way to generate electricity, but it produces hazardous waste and has low net energy.

Answer 11

nuclear

Question 12

____ energy has moderate to high net energy and can be used on existing farmlands, but it can be dangerous to birds and is not always reliable.

Answer 12

wind

Question 13

_____ can be burned directly, but it is expensive to extract.

Answer 13

oil shale

Question 14

___ electricity is very efficient at accessible sites but expensive at nonassessable sites and can lead to groundwater depletion.

Answer 14

geothermal

Question 15

​​​​Susie builds her new house with extra insulation and large windows in order to heat her house with ___.

Answer 15

passive solar heating

Question 16

_____ can currently be used as fuel that has no net carbon dioxide emissions but can result in increase in land used, water scarcity, and higher food prices.

Answer 16

biofuel

Question 17

electricity generated through moving water

Answer 17

hydroelectricity

Question 18

a reaction where an atom’s nucleus is split apart to form smaller nuclei

Answer 18

nuclear fission

Question 19

_____ is abundant and can be made into many products, and many countries depend on foreign imports for supply.

Answer 19

oil

Question 20

​​​​Nuclear power plants use controlled nuclear chain reactions to generate electricity. In these reactions, which atomic particle is used to break apart the atom?

Answer 20

neutron

Question 21

____ power is reliable, but there are not many places in the world that are suitable for generating this type of power.

Answer 21

tidal

Question 22

the process of using technology to collect, store, and distribute sunlight in a building

Answer 22

active solar heating

Question 23

the process of using building design to collect, store, and distribute sunlight in a building naturally

Answer 23

passive solar heating

Question 24

a device that directly converts solar energy into electricity

Answer 24

photovoltaic cell

Question 25

a process that uses different methods to collect and concentrate solar energy to boil water and produce steam to generate electricity in power plants

Answer 25

solar thermal system

Question 26

_____ power is the fastest-growing type of renewable energy that can be used to generate electricity for a power plant or for individual homes.

Answer 26

solar

Question 27

If you live in a place that gets its electricity from a wind farm, it is better to drive a(n) ___ car.

Answer 27

electric

Question 28

_____ is abundant in the United States and burns cleaner than other fossil fuels

Answer 28

natural gas

Question 29

ancient plant life in a rock form that is easily burned

Answer 29

coal

Question 30

a fossil fuel that is a mixture of methane and other gases

Answer 30

natural gas

Question 31

an energy source that is formed from ancient dead organisms

Answer 31

fossil fuel

Question 32

a chemical compound extracted from oil to make products

Answer 32

petrochemical

Question 33

a liquid, dark fossil fuel made mostly of hydrocarbons

Answer 33

petroleum

Question 34

the amount of energy a source can provide after the energy used to extract, process, and transport the source has been subtracted

Answer 34

net energy

Question 35

a measure of how much energy that is put into a system actually does useful work

Answer 35

energy efficiency

Question 36

____ is a renewable, inexpensive, reliable source of electricity that has little to no carbon dioxide emissions, but it may cause geological damage, methane emissions, and habitat loss.

Answer 36

hydroelectricity

Question 37

According to the EPA, the most efficient way to cool or heat a home is through ___.

Answer 37

a geothermal heat pump

Question 38

_____ is inexpensive, abundant in the United States, does not require a high level of processing, has a net energy ratio of 33, and emits the most pollutants and greenhouse gases of all energy sources.

Answer 38

coal

Question 39

____ is a very clean fuel that could replace gasoline but at present has a negative net energy.

Answer 39

hydrogen

Question 40

_____ is abundant in the ocean but is difficult to extract with current technology.

Answer 40

methane hydrate