Mid-Term Flashcards
1
Q
What is the human population of the Earth now?
A
7.9 billion (8 billion)
2
Q
Approximately what was the 2019 UN medium projected population for the year 2100?
A
11 billion
3
Q
Doubling time for 3% growth rate?
About 2.5 years
About 25 years
About 250 years
About 2500 years
A
About 25 years
4
Q
Time for factor of 10 increase?
About 25 years
About 75 years
About 225 years
About 675 years
A
About 75 years
5
Q
How much of the oil that has ever been burned, has been burned in Prof. Kelemen’s lifetime (65 years)?
about 10%
about 25%
about 50%
about 95%
A
about 95%
6
Q
If your children choose to continue this trend, and use more than 95% of all the oil that has ever been used by 2085, how much more will you have to find, extract and use by then?
5x more
10x more
20x more
50x more
A
20x more
approx 95% used from 1956 to 2020
(95 in 65 years + 5 before)/(5 before) = 20x
7
Q
What is an external cost?
cost of installing scrubbers on the outside of smokestacks
money paid for commodities from an external source
cost of producing a commodity that is born by “the public”
A
cost of producing a commodity that is born by “the public”
8
Q
In acid rain, the pH is
lower than normal
higher than normal
A
lower than normal
9
Q
Emissions from burning coal, smelting copper, etc, that cause acid rain include
Sulfur oxides
Nitrogen oxides
Steam
a+b
all of the above
A
a+b Sulfur oxides & Nitrogen oxides
10
Q
Which is not one of the four main layers in the solid Earth?
inner core
outer core
cortex
mantle
crust
A
cortex
11
Q
what types of evidence are used to constrain the composition of the Earth?
the composition of samples from the Earth’s mantle
the composition of carbonaceous chondrites
the fact that the moon is made of green cheese
the composition of the Earth’s crust
a,b,d
A
a,b,d
12
Q
How was seafloor spreading discovered?
marine magnetic measurements
measurements of magnetism in lake sediments
looking out the window of a submarine
GPS measurements
A
marine magnetic measurements
13
Q
Is the Earth expanding?
yes
no
A
no
14
Q
Subduction zones are also called
divergent plate boundaries
convergent plate boundaries
transform plate boundaries
A
convergent plate boundaries
15
Q
Mid-ocean ridges are also called
divergent plate boundaries
convergent plate boundaries
transform plate boundaries
A
divergent plate boundaries
16
Q
A = true, B = false
continental crust
1) is more dense than oceanic crust
2) is more SiO2 rich than oceanic crust
3) has higher Mg, Fe and Mg/(Mg+Fe) than oceanic crust
4) is thicker than oceanic crust
5) is felsic
A
1) B) False
2) A) True
3) B) False
4) A) True
5) A) True
17
Q
Where is the youngest oceanic crust?
||| ||||| | |||| ||||||| ||| ||| |||||| ||| ||
A
||| |||
18
Q
Compared to felsic rocks, mafic rocks have
more SiO2, higher Mg/(Mg+Fe)
less SiO2, lower Mg/(Mg+Fe)
more SiO2, lower Mg/(Mg+Fe)
less SiO2, higher Mg/(Mg+Fe)
A
less SiO2, higher Mg/(Mg+Fe)
19
Q
Incompatible elements are concentrated in
Magmatic crystals formed at high temperature
Evolving magma undergoing crystallization
A
Evolving magma undergoing crystallization
20
Q
The most abundant elements in continental crust are
magnesium & silicon
oxygen & magnesium
oxygen & silicon
oxygen & potassium
A
oxygen & silicon
21
Q
Where are a) compatible elements? b) incompatible?
Felsic (continental crust)
Mafic (oceanic crust)
A
Incompatible elements are in Felsic
continental crust
Compatible elements are in Mafic oceanic crust
22
Q
Which has Highest T/P?
mid-ocean ridge
volcanic arc above
subduction zone
subduction zone
A
mid-ocean ridge
23
Q
Which has Lowest T/P?
mid-ocean ridge
volcanic arc above
subduction zone
subduction zone
A
subduction zone
24
Q
Composition of the early atmosphere: (today’s) volcanic gases are rich in
- CO2, CO (carbon monoxide)
- H2S, S2, more rarely SO2
- Cl2 (chlorine gas) - N2 (nitrogen gas) - H2O, H2 (hydrogen gas)
- NH4 (ammonia gas)
- CH4 (methane gas)
What is missing, compared today?
What planets are different then earth?
A
Oxygen O2 & Ozone O3
Mars & Venus
Photosynthetic organism pull from the atmosphere carbon for their shells and bodies. Most of the carbon are in rocks , sedimentary. This changed the surface of the Earth unlike Mars & Venus.
25
Economically and legally recoverable oil in known deposits
reserve
resource
reserve
26
All of the ultimately recoverable oil on Earth
reserve
resource
resource
27
Compared to CH4 (methane) and other hydrocarbons, CO2 is
A. oxidized
B. reduced
A. oxidized
28
Coal is mainly formed by thermal maturation at depth of
A. oxidized plant material
B. reduced plant material
C. oxidized microbial material
D. reduced microbial material
B. reduced plant material
29
Oil is mainly formed by thermal maturation at depth of
A. oxidized plant material
B. reduced plant material
C. oxidized microbial material
D. reduced microbial material
D. reduced microbial material
30
Combustion AKA oxidation
for example
C + O2 =
CH4 + __O2 =
spontaneous or not?
releases energy in the form of heat?
reduction, not spontaneous,
requires input of energy
(e.g., solar energy, photosynthesis)
C + O2 = CO2 Carbon Dioxide
CH4 + _2_O2 = 2H2O + CO2
spontaneous
releases energy
31
Oil is found
A. On the seafloor near oceanic spreading ridges
B. In ancient igneous rocks of the continental interiors
C. In shallow marine sediments that have been buried below 10 km depth
D. In shallow marine sediments that have been buried at 1 to 4 km depth
D. In shallow marine sediments that have been buried at 1 to 4 km depth
32
The amount of oil that can ever be recovered on Earth is
A. the size of a resource
B. the size of a reserve
A. the size of a resource
33
Mars and Venus have atmospheres with more than 95% CO2, as did the early Earth, whereas at present Earth’s atmosphere contains only 400 ppm CO2 (0.04%). Where is most of the missing carbon?
dissolved in the ocean
in sedimentary rocks
emitted into space
in the core
in sedimentary rocks
34
The acronym EROI (or EROEI) stands for
A. Exceptionally Rash, Obstreperous (exuberant) Investors
B. Energy Returned on (energy) Invested
C. Elephants Rarely Own (extensive) Igloos
D. I don’t know but I am present today
B. Energy Returned on (energy) Invested
35
As production moves from “conventional” to “unconventional” sources of oil, EROI
A. Increases
B. Decreases
B. Decreases
36
According to the US Energy Information Administration, electricity production via conventional combined cycle gas-fired generators is more expensive than via conventional coal-fired generators.
True
False
False
37
The ratio of reserves (in tons) divided by production (in tons per year) has units of
mass
time
distance
volume
time
38
The reserves of a finite, non-renewable resources that is being produced for consumption, always decrease with time.
True
False
False
39
Which country uses more coal than all the other countries in the world combined?
A. India
B. China
C. USA
D. Russia
B. China
40
Rank the following in order of increasing energy density, in terms of Joules per cubic meter
(1) anthracite coal, (2) lignite coal, (3) oil, (4) natural gas at atmospheric pressure
A. 4, 2, 3, 1
B. 1, 2, 3, 4
C. 2, 3, 1, 4
A. 4, 2, 3, 1
(4) natural gas at atmospheric pressure
(2) lignite coal
(3) oil
(1) anthracite coal
41
EROI for tar sands production is
Higher than for conventional oil
Lower than for conventional oil
Lower than for conventional oil
42
EROI for US oil production on average is
Higher than for Saudi Arabian production
Lower than for Saudi Arabian production
Lower than for Saudi Arabian production
43
According to the textbook (2010) the second largest oil reserve country is
Saudi Arabia
USA
Canada
Nigeria
Canada
44
Global oil consumption is
increasing
decreasing
decreasing
45
Global oil reserves are
increasing
decreasing
increasing
46
Global oil formation via maturation of hydrocarbons is
faster than production
slower than production
slower than production
47
Coal is more important than natural gas in US electric power generation
True
False
False
48
If the growth rate of shale gas production in the US remained at about 33% per year, approximately how long will it take for production to double?
1 year
2 years
6 years
12 years
2 years
THE NATURAL LOG OF 2 IS ABOUT 0.7
49
How long will it take to increase by a factor of 10?
A. 2 years
B. 7 years
C. 15 years
D. 30 years
7 years
THE NATURAL LOG OF 10 IS ABOUT 2.3
50
In EIA estimates for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, the cost of electric generation in the US using conventional coal-fired power plants has been
lower than for conventional gas-fired power plants
the same as for conventional gas-fired power plants
higher than for conventional gas-fired power plants
higher than for conventional gas-fired power plants
51
Coal is more important than natural gas in global electricity generation
True
False
True
52
Gas hydrates are found in areas with
more than a few 100 meters of sediment
more than a few 100 meters of water depth
bottom water temperatures less than 10°C
all of the above
all of the above
53
In terms of stored energy, gas hydrate resources may exceed all other hydrocarbon resources
True
False
True
54
Over the past several decades, global energy consumption has been growing at
1% per year
2-4% per year
4-5% per year
about 10% per year
2-4% per year
55
Over the past several decades, the doubling time for global energy consumption has been
8-15 years
23-35 years
40-60 years
more than 100 years
23-35 years
56
Over the past century, the time to increase global energy consumption by a factor of 10 has been
a) 40-60 years
b) 76-115 years
c) 125-150 years
d) more than 200 years
76-115 years
57
The most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is
H2O
CO2
CH4
NO2
H2O
58
The frequency of the approximately 100,000-year cyclicity in global mean temperature is thought to be set by
atmospheric greenhouse gases
variations in sea level
variations in the extent of glaciation and ice caps
variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun
variations in the Earth's orbit around the sun
59
Amplifiers that increase the temperature and CO2 response to changes in the Earth’s orbit and rotation axis include
1) CO2 solubility in seawater increases with increasing temperature
2) CO2 solubility in seawater decreases with increasing temperature
3) continental glaciation and polar ice caps reflect more
incoming solar radiation back into space, compared to rock, soil and open water
4) continental glaciation and polar ice caps absorb more incoming solar radiation, compared to rock, soil and open water
1
1 & 4
2
2 & 3
1 & 3
2&3
2) CO2 solubility in seawater decreases with increasing temperature
3) continental glaciation and polar ice caps reflect more
incoming solar radiation back into space, compared to rock, soil and open water
60
Greenhouse gases like CO2, CH4, NO2, H2O are
A. nearly transparent to short wave, visible light and absorb long wave, infrared radiation
B. nearly transparent to long wave, infrared radiation,
and absorb short wave, visible light
A. nearly transparent to short wave, visible light and absorb long wave, infrared radiation
61
As seawater temperature decreases, the solubility of CO2
A. decreases
B. increases
increases
62
The temperature of deep ocean water is
A. hotter than at the surface
B. colder than at the surface
colder that at the surface
63
H2O is a greenhouse gas
a. True
b. False
True
64
The Medieval Warm Period was
a. A figment of Prof. Kelemen’s imagination
b. Due to greenhouse gas emissions during the
industrial revolution
c. Indicated by data from tree rings and
the shells of marine micro-organisms
Indicated by data from tree rings and the shells of marine micro-organisms
65
The pH of the ocean (-log10[H+], lower = more acid, higher = more basic) goes up with increasing CO2 content in the atmosphere.
a. True
b. False
False
66
3700 Gt CO2 (3700 billion tons CO2) =
A. about 100 Gt C
B. about 1 trillion tons C
C. about 3700 tons C
D. about 3.7 trillion tons C
about 1 trillion tons C
Explanation:
the atomic weight of carbon is 12 gm/mol
the molecular weight of CO2 is 12+2x16=44
mole carbon. weight of CO2
44/12=3.67
67
The IPCC and others have identified the total cumulative emissions of carbon (and other greenhouse gases in equivalent units) that can be emitted, since 1850, without causing the Earth to warm more than 2°C on average
10. This value is
around 1 billion tons of carbon
around 100 billion tons of carbon
around 1000 billion tons (1 trillion tons) of carbon
around 10,000 billion tons (10 trillion tons) of carbon
around 1000 billion tons (1 trillion tons) of carbon
68
At the current rate of increase of greenhouse gas emissions, this cumulative amount will be exceeded
in less than five years
in less than 75 years
in more than 100 years
in more than 1000 years
in less than 75 years
69
Estimating the “Social Cost of Carbon” is affected by
a. the uncertainty in the magnitude of temperature change for a given increase in atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases
b. the uncertainty in the magnitude and distribution of
weather changes for a given increase in temperature
c.the uncertainty in the nature,magnitude, and spatial distribution of economic damage resulting from a given increase in temperature, change in climate, and/or
change in ocean pH
d. all of the above
all the above
70
Suppose scientists detect a meteorite 10% of the size of the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, that may collide with Earth in about 30 years; some say the chance is 5%, others 95%; polls show that 97% of scientists agree that the chances are greater than 20%; the consequences are uncertain and unevenly distributed geographically, depending on a number of factors and particularly whether this object strikes the oceans or the continents; to deflect the meteorite would require use of 10x more nuclear missiles than currently exist; the cost would be at least 10% of global GDP per year for a decade
within this climate of uncertainty, you know several things
the longer you wait, the less certain you will be about the probability of a collision
the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to deflect the meteorite
there is a day, but you don’t know when, when it will be too late to deflect the meteorite if this is needed
a+b
b+c
b + c
71
Most renewable electricity production is via hydroelectric generation
A. True
B. False
True
72
Solar energy reaching the Earth’s surface is orders of magnitude larger than human energy consumption
True
False
True
73
Using a turbine to spin a magnet inside a coil of wire is
a generator
an electrical engine
a generator
74
Using a current in a coil of wire to spin a magnet is
a generator
an electrical engine
an electrical engine
75
Storage options to smooth out intermittent wind and solar
power generation include
```
I. batteries IV. splitting water into H2 and O2
II. huge steel fly wheels
V. molten salt
III. pumping water uphill
VI. compressed air in caves
```
a) I, III, V
b) I, II, III, IV
c) I,V
d) I, II, III, IV, V, VI (all of the above)
a) I,III,IV
batteries
pumping water uphill
molten salt
76
What has been the average spreading rate over the past 50 million years?
(a) 1 meter per year
(b) 10 cm/yr
(c) 1 cm/yr
(d) 1 mm/yr
1 cm/yr
500 kilometers = 500,000 meters
500,000 meters/ 50 million years = 0.01 m/yr = 1 cm/yr
77
continental crust
up to 4 billion years old
less than 200 million years old
up to 4 billion years old
78
oceanic crust
up to 4 billion years old
less than 200 million years old
less than 200 million years old
79
three main kinds of rocks
igneous,
a) cement and asphalt
b) metamorphic and sedimentary
c) sedimentary and limestones
d) this is not fair, I am not from New York
metamorphic & sedimentary
80
What gases are major constituents of the Earth’s atmosphere, but minor on Venus and Mars?
chlorine
oxygen
CO2
nitrogen
helium
oxygen & nitrogen
81
why does the Earth’s atmosphere have so much more O2 than
on Venus and Mars?
photosynthesis
photosynthesis
a and b
I am not from New York and therefore I don’t know
I am not paying attention at all
a & b
82
A reserve is
(a) the amount of a commodity economically and legally extractable today
(b) the amount of a commodity that might be extractable in the future
(a) the amount of a commodity that might be extractable in the today
83
The Earth’s early atmosphere, like volcanic gases today, probably did not contain abundant
(a) CO (carbon monoxide)
(b) H2S (hydrogen sulfide)
(c) NH4 (ammonia gas)
(d) H2 (hydrogen gas)
(e) O2 (oxygen gas)
O2 (oxygen gas)
84
The most abundant gas in the Martian and Venutian atmosphere (> 90%) is
(a) N2
(b) CO2
(c) O2
(d) H2O
(e) H2S
CO2
85
After the most abundant gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, which is N2, the second most abundant gas (> 20%) is
(a) CO2
(b) O2
(c) H2O
(d) H2S
b) O2
86
Three types of sedimentary deposits
lions, tigers and bears
cement, concrete and asphalt
clastic, biogenic, evaporite (also abiotic chemical, phosphorous, iron)
this is not fair, I am not from New York
clastic, biogenic, evaporite (also abiotic chemical, phosphorous, iron)
87
In the context of the terminology for ”reserve” versus “resource”, a resource is
a) the total ultimately extractable amount of a commodity
b) the unknown amount of a commodity
c) the total amount of a commodity, e.g., Uranium, on Earth
the total ultimately extractable amount of a commodity
88
OK, you are oil exploration geologists
where should we look?
a) ancient continental interiors with lots of felsic igneous rocks
b) young oceanic crust near mid-ocean ridges
c) sedimentary rocks more than 1 billion years old
d) thick, undeformed, shallow water sediments along
passive continental margins and in former shallow ocean basins on land
d) thick, undeformed, shallow water sediments along
| passive continental margins and in former shallow ocean basins on land
89
What is the SI unit for J/s?
a) calories
b) kilobars
c) Watts
d) ergs
c) Watts
90
How many seconds in a year?
a) 10^6
b) 10^7
c) 3.15 10^7
d) 31.5 10^8
c) 3.15 10^7 ~ 60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24 hours x 365.25 days
91
Oxidation of carbon and hydrocarbons
are spontaneous, releasing energy in the form of heat
not spontaneous, requiring energy input
are spontaneous, releasing energy in the form of heat
92
What is the typical temperature and depth interval for oil maturation?
a) 0 to 30°C, 150 m to 1 km
b) 50 to 170°C, 1.5 km to 3.5 km
c) 200 to 300°C, 5 km to 10 km
d) more than 300°C, 15 km to 35 km
b) 50 to 170°C, 1.5 km to 3.5 km
93
The amount of oil that can ever be recovered on Earth is
A. the size of a resource
B. the size of a reserve
A. the size of a resource
94
```
Are carbonates
e.g., calcite CaCO3,
dolomite CaMg(CO3)2,
and magnesite MgCO3,
useful energy resources?
```
a. no
b. yes
a. no
95
Which is a better fuel, coal with a molar carbon/oxygen ratio of 1, or coal with a molar carbon/oxygen ratio of 10?
A. 1 B. 10
B. 10
96
EROI for oil from Canadian tar sands is
a) greater than for Saudi Arabian oil
b) less than for Saudi Arabian oil
b) less than for Saudi Arabian oil
97
More than 50% of China’s electricity is generated using coal.
a) true (b) false
a) true
98
China produces approximately as much concrete and steel as all the other countries in the world combined
a) true (b) false
a) true
99
The reserves/production ratio for coal in China is less than 50 years
a) true (b) false
a) true
100
Chinese coal imports (small so far) come mainly from
(a) Australia
(b) Russia
(c) the USA
(d) Canada
a) Australia
101
An oil or gas reservoir is
a) a site of fluid accumulation beneath an impermeable cap
b) a site of oil and/or gas formation via thermal maturation of sedimentary organic material
a) a site of fluid accumulation beneath an impermeable cap
102
Important technological changes in oil production in the past 40 years include
deviating boreholes to yield “horizontal drilling”
hydraulic fracture to enhance permeability
tethered deep water drill platforms
enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using water, CO2, heat, …
all of the above
all the above
103
As a result of the changes in (7) the EROI for oil production has gone
a)up (b) down
b) down
104
20th century oil production in the US peaked in 1970
a. True
b. False
a) true
105
Hubbert predicted that global oil production would peak in 2000. Did it?
(a) yes
(b) no
b) no
106
Canadian oil reserves and production come mainly from
(a) shale oil
(b) conventional oil
(c) tar sands
c) tar sands
107
In EIA estimates for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 & 2023, the cost of electric generation in the US using coal-fired power plants has been
a) lower than for conventional gas-fired power plants
b) the same as for conventional gas-fired power plants
c) higher than for conventional gas-fired power plants
c) higher than for conventional gas-fired power plants
108
Human CO2 emissions are now about 40 Gt/yr. Assume CO2 emissions will continue to grow at 2% per year.
1. How long will it be before emissions double to 80 Gt/yr?
a) 15 years
b) 25 years
c) 35 years
d) 45 years
e) 55 years
c) 35 years
109
For every increase of 10 Gt in emissions, atmospheric CO2 rises by about 50 ppm. Atmospheric CO2 in 1925 was at about 300 ppmv. It’s at about 400 ppmv now. Emissions are predicted to increase from 40 Gt/yr now to 80 Gt/yr in 35 years.
When will atmospheric CO2 double compared to 1925, reaching 600 ppmv? To rephrase, when will atmospheric CO2 be 200 ppmv higher than present?
a) 2036
b) 2046
c) 2056
d) 2066
e) 2076.
c) 2056
110
If the “climate sensitivity” (increase in temperature for doubling of CO2 in air) is 2.4°C, how much warmer will it be, on average, in 2055 compared to 1925?
a) 0,5°C
b) 1°C
c) 2°C
d) 4°C
e) 8°C
c) 2°C
111
Why might the rate of growth of fossil fuel emissions have decreased over the past ten years?
a) decrease in the consumption of of fossil fuels
b) switch from coal to gas in electrical generation
c) big increase in the use of nuclear energy for electricity
d) big decrease in per capita energy consumption
b) switch from coal to gas in electrical generation
112
The atomic weight of carbon is 12 grams/mole.
The atomic weight of oxygen is 16 grams per mole.
To convert one mole of carbon to one mole of CO2,
multiply by
a) 12/44 = 0.27
b) 16/12 = 1.33
c) 32/12 = 2.67
d) 44/12 = 3.67
e) 56/12 = 4.67
d) 44/12 = 3.67
113
One wedge of added nuclear generation output corresponds to
a) tripling 2005 output
b) 10x 2005 output
c) 100x 2005 output
a) tripling 2005 output
114
Incoming solar energy is ____ times larger than current human energy consumption
a) 10
b) 100
c) 1000
d) 10,000
e) 100,000
d) 10,000
115
One wedge of added solar generation output corresponds to increasing 2005 output by a factor of 700. One wedge of added wind generation output corresponds to increasing 2005 output by a factor of 40. Globally, people are on track to accomplish both of these goals.
a) True b) False
a) True
116
Growth of renewable energy supply is limited by the intermittency of
wind and solar energy. If these technologies become an important part of
the total energy supply, energy storage will be required. Over the past decade,
Growth of energy storage is sufficient to meet this need.
a) True b) False
a) True
117
Look at Diagram for
relative proportion of hydrocarbons generated
increasing temperature and depth
Correctly match the letters to the product associated with each zone
a) A – biogenic gas, B – thermogenic gas, C – oil
b) A – thermogenic gas, B – biogenic gas, C – oil
c) A – biogenic gas, B – oil, C – thermogenic gas
d) A – oil, B – biogenic gas, C thermogenic gas
c) A – biogenic gas, B – oil, C – thermogenic gas
