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Environmental Science > Test5_Nonrenewable energy > Flashcards

Test5_Nonrenewable energy Flashcards

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1
Q

When did the Chernobyl accident occur?

A

1986

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2
Q

How much land in the Ukraine and surrounding areas still remains contaminated?

A

Area about the size of Florida

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3
Q

How many people were killed by the Chernobyl incident?

A

8000 — 125,000 400,000 evacuated

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4
Q

The typical person in a developed country uses in 6 months more energy than a typical person in a developing country use in ????

A

Their entire life

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5
Q

The sun produces ___% of the energy used to heat buildings and the earth?

A

99%

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6
Q

The rest of energy used is called ________________energy because it is sold.

A

Commercial

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7
Q

What are the indirect solar energy sources?

A

All except nuclear. Wind, water, biomass, fossil fuels.

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8
Q

What % of the world’s commercial energy use is nonrenewable?

A

82%

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9
Q

% of nonrenewable used in the US?

A

93%

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10
Q

What % of nonrenewable resources are fossil fuels (world)?

A

76%

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11
Q

What % of nonrenewable resources are nuclear?

A

6%

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12
Q

With ____ % of the world’s population the US uses ____% of the world’s commercial energy.

A

4-6%; 26%

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13
Q

As a whole the other developed countries use ____ % of the energy/per person as used in the US.

A

50%

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14
Q

What environmental problems are caused by the use of nonrenewable energy sources?

A

What env. problem is not?

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15
Q

How long does it take to phase in a new energy source?

A

@ 50 years

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16
Q

What is net energy?

A

Usable amount left after costs to obtain it are subtracted.

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17
Q

What has the highest net energy ratio for space heating?

A

Passive solar.

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18
Q

What has the lowest net energy ratio for space heating?

A

Electrical resistance heat from nuclear generated electricity

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19
Q

What has the highest net energy ratio for high temperature industrial heat?

A

Surface mined coal.

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20
Q

What has the lowest net energy ratio for high temperature industrial heat?

A

Direct concentrated solar

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21
Q

What has the highest net energy ratio for transportation?

A

Natural gas

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22
Q

What has the lowest net energy ratio for transportation?

A

Oil shale

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23
Q

What was the primary energy source prior to the 1800’s?

A

Wood

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24
Q

What stimulated the switch from wood to coal?

A

Industrialization

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25
Q

What stimulated the switch from coal to oil/natural gas?

A

Discovery of oil/natural gas and how to pump it out.
Development of pipelines
Fuel for trains/autos.
Coal use cumbersome & dirty.

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26
Q

When did the switch from coal to oil/natural gas start?

A

After WWI

27
Q

Why did the switch from coal to oil/natural gas start?

A

Development of autos and pipelines

28
Q

What is OPEC?

A

Organization of Oil Exporting Countries.

29
Q

Which sub-Sahara African nation is a member of OPEC?

A

Nigeria

30
Q

What South American country is a member of OPEC?

A

Venezuela

31
Q

What % of the world’s oil reserves does OPEC have?

A

78%

32
Q

What country has the largest proportion of the world’s oil reserves?

A

Saudi Arabia 25% Iraq 2nd with 11%

33
Q

What % of the world’s extracted oil is used by the US each year?

A

26%

34
Q

What % of US oil is imported?

A

55% (2002)

35
Q

What repercussions would there be if OPEC decided to embargo some of that oil – as they did in 1973 when we were importing only 36%?

A

-

36
Q

How long is known and projected oil reserves projected to last until it is 80% depleted?

A

53 years, 42 -93years with potential undiscovered

37
Q

(Why is the 80% figure important?)

A

After 80% depleted, too expensive.

38
Q

If Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is open for oil tapping how long would it last if it were only used by the US?

A

7-24 months (19% chance)

39
Q

What are the advantages of using oil as an energy source?

A 
Advantages:
Ample supply 42-93 years
Low costs (with huge supsidies)
Easily transported
Low land use
40
Q

What are the disadvantages of using oil as an energy source?

A

Disadvantages
Need to find substitute within 50 years
Artificially low price encourages waste and discourages search for alternatives.
Air pollution when burned including carbon dioxide the major greenhouse gas.
Moderate water pollution – especially with tankers oil spills, runofff of land and well blowouts.

41
Q

What are petrochemicals?

A

Products of oil distillation – organic chemicals, pesticides, plastics, synthetic fibers, paints, medicines , naptha, grease, asphalt

42
Q

What are some advantages and disadvantages of using tar sands and oil shale as energy sources?

A

Advantages: moderate existing supplies and large potential supplies
Disadvantages: high costs, low net energy, large amounts of water needed to process, severe land disruption, air and water pollution.

43
Q

Where do you find natural gas?

A

usually above oil

44
Q

What 2 countries have 46% of known natural gas reserves?

A

Russia 31%, Iran 15%

45
Q

What is LPG? LNG?

A

LPG: Liquified petroleum gas (propane & butane)
LNG: Liquified natural gas (mostly methane) -300F

46
Q

How long will conventional reserves of natural gas last at current consumption rates?

A

125 years, unconventional sources such as fracturing shale doubles that.

47
Q

What are the advantages of using natural gas as a fuel?

A 
Advantages:
Ample supply
High net energy yield
Less air pollution than other fossil fuels
Moderate environmental impact
Easily transported by pipeline
Low land use
48
Q

What are the disadvantages of using natural gas as a fuel?

A

Disadvantages;
Releases carbon dioxide when burned
Methane can leak from pipes (methane is more effective as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide)
Shipped across ocean as highly explosive LNG
Sometimes burn off and wasted at wells because of relatively low price.

49
Q

What are the three basic types of coal?

A

Lignite, bituminous, anthracite

50
Q

Which of the three basic types of coal has the highest heat content and lowest sulfur content ?

A

Anthracite

51
Q

What % of coal reserves is found in the US?

A

25%

52
Q

How long will identified coal reserves last if used at current rates? Potential unidentified?

A

225 Years; 900 (149 yrs @2%/year)

53
Q

What are the pros of using coal?

A 
Ample supplies 225-900 years
High net energy yield
Low cost  ( with huge subsidies)
54
Q

What are the cons of using coal?

A

Very high environmental impact
Severe land disturbance
Air and water pollution
High land use
Severe threat to human health of miners
High carbon dioxide and sulfur oxides when burned
Radioactive particles and mercury released into air

55
Q

What three reason contributed to the development of nuclear fission as a power source in the US.

A
  1. The AEC (Atomic Energy Commission) said it would produce electricity cheaper than coal. Pres. Eisenhower even said it would be “too cheap to meter”.
  2. ¼ of cost of building paid by government
  3. Congress passed Price-Anderson Act that relieved utilities of liability to public in case of an accident
56
Q

How many nuclear power plants are there?

A

436 in 32 countries

57
Q

What countries are phasing out their nuclear power plants?

A

Germany, Sweden, Belgium (60% now), Netherlands, Spain

58
Q

How many new nuclear power plants have been ordered in the US?

A

Since 1978 – none

59
Q

What % of US electricity is of nuclear origin?

A

21%

60
Q

What did Bush and Obama propose re nuclear power?

A

Pushing to build many new nuclear power plants in US in next 20 years.

61
Q

What country was bucking the trend to reduce reliance on nuclear power beside the US?

A

China had a moratorium on any new nuclear facilities but has recently started new construction.

62
Q

What are the pros of nuclear energy?

A

Large fuel supply
Low environmental impact ( without accidents)
Moderate land disruption and water pollution
Low risk of accidents on newer facilities because of multiple redundant fail-safe mechanisms

63
Q

What are the cons of nuclear energy?

A

High cost even with subsidies
low net energy yield
High environmental impact when there is an accident i.e. Chernobyl and Japan
Catastrophic accidents have happened.
No acceptable solution for long-term storage of radioactive wastes and decommissioning worn-out plants. (Half-lives of thousands of years)NIMBY
Spreads knowledge and technology for building nuclear weapons.

Environmental Science (5 decks)

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