Question 1 of 20
Among the sources of renewable energy, percentage wise, __________ tops the list.
A. wind
B. solar
C. hydroelectric
D. biomass
Question 2 of 20
Which of the following byproducts of coal is vital to steel production?
A. Nitric acid
B. Activated charcoal
C. Coke
D. Carbon fiber
Question 3 of 20
What is the major downside of geothermal energy?
A. The heat generated by Earth's mantle is neither consistent nor reliable.
B. It is site-specific.
C. It may produce earthquakes.
D. Energy outputs from geothermal plants are hard to predict.
Question 4 of 20
Which of the following carbon-rich compounds comes out of the Earth as a liquid?
A. Propane
B. Crude oil
C. Butane
D. Ethane
Question 5 of 20
Which of these "rare earth" minerals is crucial to the construction of cheap and effective solar panels?
A. Platinum
B. Tellurium
C. Coltan
D. Lithium
Question 6 of 20
In basic terms, a joule is a unit of work relative to time and a watt is the equivalent of one __________ per second.
A. unit of work
B. unit of energy
C. joule
D. unit of dissipation
Question 7 of 20
In scientific terms, when you drink a diet cola that contains 1.5 calories, you've actually consumed __________ kilocalories.
A. 15
B. 150
C. 0.0015
D. 1,500,000
Question 8 of 20
Regarding solar power, the fact that sunlight is not directly available at night or when the sky is cloudy is referred to as the __________ problem.
A. intermittency
B. distributive
C. interference
D. variability
Question 9 of 20
Gordon and Gloria are discussing the negative side effects of biomass utilization. Gordon maintains that the worst problem occurs when there is insufficient heat generated by biomass burning to fully neutralize toxins, which adds to air pollution. Gloria maintains that the worst side effect comes from growing row crops like corn and soy for biofuel production because farmers are deprived of arable land needed for growing food. According to your reading, who is correct?
A. Neither Gordon nor Gloria is correct.
B. Both Gordon and Gloria are partly correct.
C. Gloria is correct.
D. Gordon is correct.
Question 10 of 20
There are three stages in the combustion of gas in an internal combustion engine. They are (1) combustion, (2) thermal energy and (3) __________ energy.
A. kinetic
B. potential
C. provisional
D. mechanical
Question 11 of 20
Respecting energy efficiency, the number of steps required to go from an energy source, like gasoline, to the amount of work performed, as in driving a car, is __________ reduced.
A. greatly
B. somewhat
C. proportionally
D. quantifiably
Question 12 of 20
The burning of biomass emits CO2 but does not add to the total carbon dioxide in the biosphere. That fact is expressed in the concept of:
A. carbon exchange.
B. biotic carbon balancing.
C. carbon neutrality.
D. biotic carbon replacement.
Question 13 of 20
Which of these kinds of energy is a fundamental requisite for life on Earth?
A. Electrical energy
B. Solar energy
C. Chemical energy
D. Potential energy
Question 14 of 20
Regarding nuclear power, which statement is correct?
A. The cost of building a nuclear power plant is relatively modest.
B. Fatality rates for nuclear power plant workers are low by comparison with oil, coal, and natural gas power plants.
C. Barring accidents, nuclear power plants do not emit atmospheric pollutants.
D. On average, nuclear power plants produce only modest amounts of toxic waste.
Question 15 of 20
The amount of energy required to raise one pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit equals one:
A. British thermal unit.
B. THERM.
C. QUAD.
D. joule.
Question 16 of 20
All of the following are secondary problems related to wind power EXCEPT:
A. people may be offended by the sound generated by wind farms.
B. improperly located windfarms can negatively impact local wildlife habitats.
C. people may complain that windfarms spoil the beauty of natural landscapes.
D. windy areas are many miles distant from cities where demand for power is high.
Question 17 of 20
Peat is the least carbon-rich substance burned for fuel. The coal with the richest carbon content is:
A. lignite.
B. sub-bituminous coal.
C. bituminous coal.
D. anthracite.
Question 18 of 20
Which vital rare earth mineral is only easily extracted from briny pools located in the Andes?
A. Tellurium
B. Platinum
C. Celestite
D. Lithium
Question 19 of 20
Respecting the EIAs four energy-consumption sectors, Gene argues that the commercial sector includes rented condos and churches. Gina agrees with Gene except that she includes strip malls in her list of commercial entities. Who is correct?
A. Both are correct.
B. Both are incorrect.
C. Gene is correct.
D. Gina is correct.
Question 20 of 20
Under the third law of thermodynamics, energy ceases to exist at a temperature called absolute zero. The concept of absolute zero is, in fact, a/an __________ limit.
A. provisional
B. experimental
C. theoretical
D. estimated
