Quiz 9: Conventional & Renewable Energy Alts.

Question 1

Globally, food crops are being displaced by biofuel crops. Crops that normally were grown for either human or animal consumption are instead being grown for fuel. This switch has resulted in price increases and food riots. Which of the following crops has caused the most issues when switched from a food crop to a biofuel crop?

Answer 1

corn

Question 2

What is/are predicted to generate the most oil per acre in biodiesel production?

Answer 2

algae

Question 3

Which form(s) of biomass is/are commonly burned directly for energy?

Answer 3

both dried manure and firewood

Question 4

_____________ is a term used to explain a biofuel disadvantage that reduces the contributions made from forests and grasslands to ecosystem services

Answer 4

over harvesting

Question 5

Ethanol produced from bioenergy starts with ________ produced by ________

Answer 5

starch; corn or sugar cane

Question 6

Harvesting fuelwood at unsustainably high rates often leads to ________

Answer 6

soil erosion and desertification

Question 7

The chemical product produced by a hydrogen fuel cell is ________

Answer 7

water

Question 8

What is(are) predicted to generate the most oil per acre in biodiesel production?

Answer 8

algae

Question 9

__________ are defined as solids, liquids, or gases that produce energy from biological material

Answer 9

biofuels

Question 10

Which form of biomass is the easiest to ferment into bioethanol?

Answer 10

corn

Question 11

________ strongly influences the amount of energy generated from hydropower.

Answer 11

The volume of water released from the reservoir

Question 12

Which of the following choices has the highest energy return on energy investment (EROEI) ratio?

Answer 12

hydroelectric

Question 13

How do run-of-the-river hydroelectric systems differ from large dams?

Answer 13

They do not block all of the water flow but direct some water through a turbine

Question 14

Nuclear energy is considered to be a “clean energy” and more environmentally-friendly because of all but which of the following?

Answer 14

Less hot water is produced than by other energy-generating methods

Question 15

How is a pressure water reactor different from a boiling water reactor?

Answer 15

In a pressure water reactor, the steam that turns the turbine is not exposed to radiation.

Question 16

Compared to the generation of electricity using coal, nuclear power

Answer 16

generates no sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide emissions.

Question 17

Nuclear power may prove useful as

Answer 17

an energy source to bridge the transition from fossil fuels to new renewables

Question 18

The Chernobyl nuclear accident, which occurred about 30 years ago spread

Answer 18

large amounts of deadly radiation over thousands of square kilometers

Question 19

_____________ is a term used to explain one problem arising from the use of both forests and grasslands as a source of biofuels

Answer 19

over harvesting

Question 20

What is the primary motivation for developing the new renewable energy sources?

Answer 20

It is because of the concerns over diminishing fossil fuel supplies and the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel use

Question 21

Rank the sources of electricity generation in Ontario from the highest to lowest

Answer 21

nuclear, hydropower, renewables, fossil fuels

Question 22

The largest problem with adopting the new technologies of renewable resources is that ________.

Answer 22

the startup costs may be high

Question 23

A major disadvantage of solar power is ________

Answer 23

the uneven distribution of sunshine around the world

Question 24

Although photovoltaic electricity is considered a “clean” power source, one issue with this electricity is that it ________

Answer 24

cannot be stored easily in large quantities

Question 25

A major advantage of solar power is that ________

Answer 25

solar systems provide local, decentralized control over power

Question 26

Photovoltaic technology is best described as ________

Answer 26

using sunlight to directly generate electricity

Question 27

Wind turbines are generally more productive if they are ________

Answer 27

higher, to minimize turbulence and maximize wind speed

Question 28

Using wind turbines to produce electricity avoids the production of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which are the major pollutants ________

Answer 28

in acid rain

Question 29

More and more wind farms are being located ________ because winds are stronger there

Answer 29

offshore

Question 30

The best locations to install tidal electrical generating stations are places where ________

Answer 30

differences in height between low and high tides are large