exam 4 energy resources

Question 1

What are fossil fuels? Why are they called “fossil” fuels?

Answer 1

fuels formed from the remains of ancient life

Question 2

What is coal made from?

Answer 2

The remains of ancient plants, usually swamps

Question 3

What is petroleum (oil & natural gas) made from?

Answer 3

the remains of ancient, marine organisms, usually algae and zooplankton

Question 4

What percent of our total energy use do we get from fossil fuels?

Answer 4

80%

Question 5

What are hydrocarbons?

Answer 5

Heat and pressure transform the carbohydrates, which break down into hyrocarbons

Question 6

What is a petroleum “trap”?

Answer 6

A geological system that contains and prevents the migration of oil and natural gas

Question 7

folds (pertroleum trap)

Answer 7

rock layers that are bent upward will trap oil and natural gas in the top of that fold.

Question 8

Fault traps (pertroleum trap)

Answer 8

impermeable boundaries created by at least one fault. Fault – fold combinations are common

Question 9

Stratigraphic trap (pertroleum trap)

Answer 9

tilted rocks that are capped by impermeable layers can create traps.

Question 10

Salt “dome” traps (pertroleum trap)

Answer 10

When oil-bearing layers are warped upward, they can create traps along side of the salt domes.

Question 11

What is a “blowout”

Answer 11

inadvertent release of oil or natural gas from a well.

Question 12

What is the infamous blowout that occurred in the gulf coast in 2010?

Answer 12

Deepwater Horizon blowout

Question 13

What is the environmental concern about oil pipelines?

Answer 13

-Leaks may not be detected for days-weeks.
-Contaminate soil, groundwater, and surface water

Question 14

What are the byproducts produced from burning hydrocarbons?

Answer 14

CO2 and H2O

Question 15

Why is CO2 a big concern?
o Why is ozone a big concern (in the lower atmosphere)?

Answer 15

CO2 is a major greenhouse gas, an contributes to climate change
ozone combines with particulates in the air to form smog.

Question 16

What kinds of environments do coal layers start out as?
o How do they get transformed from plant material into coal?

Answer 16

-Developes in stagnant, oxygen poor environments like swamps, marshes and bogs.
-When these areas get buried by sediment, they get compressed and form coal.

Question 17

How is coal mined?
* What is most of the coal mined in the US used for?

Answer 17

-mined from both surface and undergrounds mines
aswell as mountain top mining
-Most US. Coal goes to producing electricity

Question 18

How does a coal-fired power plant produce electricity?

Answer 18

-coal is burned
-heat makes steam
-steam turns turbines
-turning produces energy

Question 19

What are the environmental concerns with coal?
o Specifically with the mining process?
o With burning coal?

Answer 19

-Major contributor of anthropogenic (human made) CO2 emissions in the atmosphere
-Sulfur dioxide released into the air can produce air pollution and acid rain.

Question 20

What is “biomass”?
o What are the ways it can be used to generate power?

Answer 20

-a broad term for all organic debris from plants and animals
-burned garbage, ethonal, methane/cow power

Question 21

How do geothermal energy plants produce electricity?

Answer 21

If the crust is hot enough, it can be used to generate steam, which turns turbines to produce electricity in geothermal power plants.

Question 22

How do hydroelectric plants/dams produce electricity?

Answer 22

The water is released and moves through turbines that generate electricity

Question 23

How do wind turbines generate electricity?

Answer 23

Windmills use wind power to spin turbines that generate electricity.

Question 24

How can we use solar energy to produce electricity?

Answer 24

-Photovoltaic cells
-mirrors