Exam 4 Flashcards
What produces dioxins?
Incineration of medical waste
What are two types of hazardous waste?
Dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls)
Where do dioxins bioaccumulate?
Body fat
PCBs are generated from what and are likely what?
Industrial chemicals; carcinogenic
Where is hazardous waste stored long term?
Landfills
When is the average computer replaced?
18-24 months
What % of high tech devices go to landfills?
80%
How many pounds of toxic compounds are in the average computer?
3-8lbs
What % of computers are recycled?
20%
Energy use in developed nations is mostly for
Transportation
Energy use in developing countries is mostly for
Agriculture/residential
What % of people live in highly developed countries?
20%
People in developed countries use __ times the amount of people in developing countries
8x
The US has __% of the world’s population, but uses __% of its energy
5%, 25%
What % of the US energy budget is from fossil fuels?
93%
How much of the USA’s energy comes from renewable sources?
7%
What is the compound fossil fuels are made from?
Kerogen
This is produced by heating wood in the absence of oxygen
Charcoal
What continents have the majority of the world’s coal reserves?
Asia and Oceania, Eastern Europe and Russia, North America
What are the two ways to mine coal?
Subsurface mining and strip mining
What is the most abundant fossil fuel we have?
Coal
Coal reserves in the US could last us how many years?
200 years
What fossil fuel produces the most CO2?
Coal
Coal mining causes environmental _____
Degradation
What isotope of uranium is used for nuclear fission fuel in nuclear reactors?
Uranium-235
Uranium enrichment involves removal of
U-238
After mining, uranium is encased in small
solid ceramic pellets
Each pellet produces the same amount of energy as __ gallons of oil
150 gallons
Pellets are stacked to form
Fuel rods
Fuel rods are grouped to form
Fuel assemblies
The reactor vessel includes thick walls of
Concrete
The containment building includes a ____ lining and _____ shielding
Steel lining; concrete shielding
What causes the Three Mile Island accident?
Loss of cooling water
Nuclear waste is stored at 125 sites in __ states
39 states
Spent nuclear fuel is stored in
Casks
Casks are designed to last __ years
40 years
What is the proposed long term storage site for nuclear waste in the US?
Yucca Mountain, Nevada
Renewable sources generate _% of energy globally
6%
Which region is the best for solar power in the US?
Southwest
What is the process used to convert water into diatomic hydrogen?
Electrolysis
The flex fuel engine runs on what type of fuel?
E85 –> 85% EtOH
Which three countries are the top investors in wind power?
- Germany 2. USA 3. Spain
What are the best places in the US for wind energy?
Texas, California, Great Plains
What renewable energy generates 20% of the world’s energy?
Hydropower
Heat within earth is caused by:
Tectonic friction, radioactive decay, the core
