Deck 10: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Question 1

Which of the following is not a technology that can power energy efficient vehicles?

A) gas-electric hybrids
B) diesel engines run on biofuels
C) plug-in electric hybrids
D) electric fuel cell
E) jet-air compulsion

Answer 1

E

Question 2

The most effective water heater

A) is a gas water heater.
B) is an electric water tank.
C) is a tankless instant water heater.
D) is an oil water heater.
E) is a propane water heater.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Improvements in energy efficiency could be encouraged by all of the following except

A) incentives for buying high-efficiency appliances.
B) rebates for purchasing energy-efficient vehicles.
C) buying gas-guzzling motor vehicles.
D) tax credits for insulating and putting R-10 windows in existing buildings.
E) recycling programs.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following best illustrates an example of a life cycle cost?

A) The economic and environmental costs to produce, use and dispose of a refrigerator
B) The costs to water systems of making a watch
C) The retail and disposal price of a new car
D) The net cost to build a bicycle
E) The cost of component parts charged to clients by industry to make a computer

Question 5

The price U.S.consumers pay at the pump for gasoline includes the cost of

A) subsides and tax breaks oil companies and car manufacturers.
B) pollution control.
C) military protection of oil supplies in unstable countries.
D) all of these answers.
E) none of these answers.

Question 6

Energy efficiency could be improved by all of the following except

A) buying cars with good fuel mileage.
B) buying energy efficient appliances.
C) keeping car engines tuned.
D) removing insulation from attics.
E) decreasing packaging.

Question 7

All of the following building designs save energy and money except

A) superinsulation.
B) compact fluorescent lighting or LEDs focused on work areas instead of lighting the entire room.
C) utilize natural lighting as much as possible.
D) set thermostats high in the winter and low in the summer.
E) have a roof-top garden.

Question 8

Which of the following reasons is not an explanation for the lack of U.S.interest in energy efficiency?

A) Currently, fossil fuels are cheap.
B) Other industrialized countries are not pursuing strong energy-efficiency policies.
C) Environmental pollution and human health costs are not reflected in the price of fossil fuels.
D) There are few tax breaks and rebates that encourage consumers to invest in energy-efficient technologies.
E) Politics are involved in the decision-making process.

Question 9

Reducing energy use and waste does all of the following except

A) extend the length of time that fossil fuels will last.
B) ease international tensions.
C) improve global military security.
D) cause an economic recession.
E) protect the environment.

Question 10

Energy consumption can be reduced by all of the following except

A) using mass transit instead of individual automobiles.
B) turning the thermostat up in wintertime.
C) turning off unused lights.
D) purchasing only needed products.
E) reducing packaging.

Question 11

Reducing energy waste results in all but

A) providing more energy availability.
B) reducing pollution.
C) initial higher costs.
D) slowing global warming.
E) increasing national and economic security.

Question 12

An example of a widely used device that wastes over 65% of energy from its fuel is

A) a coal-fired power plant.
B) an internal combustion engine.
C) a nuclear power plant.
D) an incandescent light bulb.
E) all of these devices.

Question 13

The flow of waste heat into the environment can be slowed by all but

A) eliminating air leaks in windows and doors.
B) cogeneration.
C) superinsulation.
D) electrogeneration.
E) green roofs.

Question 14

Cogeneration units

A) produce both heating and cooling.
B) provide high-temperature heat and electricity.
C) involve a battery, in case the main system fails.
D) recover some of the wasted energy from conventional boilers to produce heat and electricity.
E) use heat form the Earth to produce electricity.

Question 15

Electric cars

A) are noisy.
B) have been totally ignored by American car companies.
C) have batteries guaranteed to last the life of the car.
D) require little maintenance.
E) are not energy efficient.

Question 16

To reduce energy waste,we must

A) increase energy consumption.
B) improve energy efficiency.
C) switch from fossil fuels.
D) use only solar technologies.
E) lower energy efficiency.

Question 17

____ of the commercial energy used in the United States is wasted.

A) None
B) Very little
C) Some
D) Most
E) All

Question 18

Smart electric grids

A) involve a two-way flow of energy and information between consumers and producers of commercial energy.
B) are not energy-efficient.
C) are not commonly used because they are large investments with minimal returns.
D) involve a one-way transmission of energy between consumers and producers of commercial energy
E) are an energy-efficient substitute for major household appliances..

Question 19

Industry can reduce its energy consumption by all but

A) laying off some employees.
B) switching to high-efficiency lighting.
C) recovering and reusing waste heat.
D) increasing recycling and reuse of materials.
E) using cogeneration systems.

Question 20

The easiest,cleanest,most environmentally sound,and least expensive way to make energy more available is to

A) buy incandescent light bulbs.
B) reduce energy waste.
C) install solar panels.
D) drive a hybrid vehicle.
E) switch to a natural gas furnace.

Question 21

Cells that convert solar energy directly into electricity are called

A) electrosolar chips.
B) photovoltaic cells.
C) helioelectric units.
D) photoelectric cells.
E) solarelectric cells.

Question 22

A sustainable energy future would have all of the following components except

A) greatly increased use of perpetual and renewable resources.
B) phasing out of government subsidies for nonrenewable resources.
C) no government influence on personal choices of energy-consuming goods.
D) taxing of fossil fuels with energy assistance to the poor.
E) none of these answers

Question 23

Which of the following receives most of the U.S.government's energy subsidies?

A) fossil fuels and nuclear power
B) solar energy
C) wind power
D) hydropower
E) hybrid cars

Question 24

Disadvantages of solar space and water heating systems include all of the following except that

A) they have low initial costs.
B) solar collectors are not aesthetically pleasing to some people.
C) they use a lot of land area.
D) some regions lack adequate sunshine.
E) they have low initial costs and solar collectors are not aesthetically pleasing to some people.

Question 25

In the U.S.,windows designed to capture solar energy face

A) north.
B) east.
C) south.
D) west.
E) northeast.

Question 26

All of the following are solar energy technologies except

A) solar tower.
B) solar cooker.
C) passive solar thermal system.
D) reactive electrosolar system.
E) active solar thermal system.

Question 27

All of the following can be used for cooling a house in warm weather except

A) cooling vents in the roof.
B) geothermal earth tubes and tanks buried underground.
C) deciduous trees.
D) foil sheets under the floor.
E) opening windows.

Question 28

Solar thermal systems can

A) produce high-temperature heat for industrial processes.
B) focus sunlight on a central heat-collection point.
C) produce temperatures high enough for making high-pressure steam to run turbines.
D) provide free energy after initial installation and maintenance costs.
E) all of these answers

Question 29

All of the following are advantages of using solar cells for electricity except

A) they are safe, quite and do not produce any greenhouse gases during operation.
B) they can be made from rigid or flexible materials.
C) they can be easily expanded to form solar cell banks to meet increasing energy demands.
D) they can last as long as a typical nuclear power plant.
E) they need a storage or backup system for electricity.

Question 30

The country that produced the most solar cell electricity in 2009 is

A) Japan.
B) United States of America.
C) Australia.
D) Mexico.
E) Jamaica.

Question 31

The least expensive renewable resource is

A) improving energy efficiency.
B) hydroelectricity.
C) tidal energy.
D) photovoltaics.
E) oil furnaces.

Question 32

Renewable energy resources include all of the following except

A) the sun.
B) the wind.
C) petroleum.
D) the Earth's internal heat.
E) water.

Question 33

If energy prices were kept artificially high,

A) energy efficiency would be encouraged.
B) dependence on imported energy sources would be reduced.
C) the use of non-renewable energy resources in the future would decline.
D) all of these answers
E) none of the answers

Question 34

Governments use ____ to influence the energy playing field.

A) tax breaks
B) payment for long-term research and development
C) subsidies
D) payment for long-term research and development and subsidies
E) all of these answers

Question 35

Nuclear power has higher electricity generating costs than all of the following except

A) hydroelectric power.
B) solar photovoltaics.
C) wind.
D) solar thermal power with gas backup.
E) fossil fuel.

Question 36

Photovoltaic cells

A) produce more carbon dioxide than burning fossil fuels.
B) operate only on clear days.
C) have high air and water pollution during operation.
D) have fairly high net energy yield.
E) all of these answers

Question 37

If you were to make home renovations with the intention of reducing energy loss,you would do all of the following except

A) install a blue roof.
B) landscape the yard to maximize heat trapping and cooling.
C) upgrade to energy efficient appliances.
D) install a tankless hot water heater and compost toilet.
E) install superinsulation in walls and the attic.

Question 38

Keeping energy prices artificially low

A) encourages waste and rapid depletion of energy resources getting favorable treatment.
B) protects consumers from sharp price increases.
C) can help reduce inflation.
D) encourages waste and rapid depletion of energy resources getting favorable treatment and protects consumers from sharp price increases.
E) all of these answers

Question 39

Development of renewable energy resources would

A) increase international tensions.
B) increase the need for oil imports.
C) decrease national security.
D) cause long-term economic hardship.
E) reduce harm to the environment.

Question 40

All of the following are features of passive solar design except

A) adobe walls and flagstone floor used for heat storage.
B) coniferous trees blocking the sun all year.
C) windows on the south side of the house.
D) summer cooling vents in the roof.
E) superinsulation.

Question 41

Large dams may do all of the following except

A) reduce downstream flooding.
B) produce cheap electricity.
C) provide water for year-round irrigation.
D) make it easier for fish to migrate upstream.
E) form recreation areas.

Question 42

A solar-hydrogen age is likely to be free of all but which of the following?

A) oil spills
B) dangers of explosions
C) other energy sources
D) nuclear energy
E) dependence upon fossil fuels

Question 43

Ecologists say that it makes the least sense to use crop residues as

A) fuel for energy.
B) food for animals.
C) a way to retard erosion.
D) a fertilizer.
E) food for people.

Question 44

The benefits of liquid biofuels include all but which of the following?

A) The ability of countries to improve upon their economic security via reductions in oil imports.
B) It provides incentives to lower food prices grown by local farmers.
C) They can readily replace gasoline.
D) CO₂ emissions equal CO₂ absorption.
E) They are readily available at a low cost.

Question 45

Wind power offers all of the following except

A) unlimited energy source at favorable sites.
B) quick construction time.
C) moderate to high net useful energy yield.
D) no CO₂ emissions.
E) no plastic parts made from fossil fuels.

Question 46

Geothermal energy can be used for all of the following except

A) heating space.
B) producing electricity.
C) transportation fuel.
D) producing high-temperature heat for industry.
E) heating space and transportation fuel.

Question 47

The largest producer of liquid biofuels is

A) Brazil
B) Mexico
C) China
D) Uruguay
E) Costa Rica

Question 48

Potential energy exists in water systems through all but which source?

A) hydroelectric dams
B) white caps
C) microhydro generators
D) tidal flows
E) coastal waves

Question 49

Biomass includes all but which of the following?

A) wood and wood products
B) manure
C) gaseous biofuels
D) petroleum
E) agricultural plant waste

Question 50

Which of the following does not describe a wind farm?

A) They are limited to land areas.
B) They may be noisy.
C) They may interfere with migratory birds and bats.
D) They require backup energy if the wind is not steady.
E) They require a lot of space.

Question 51

Fermenting and distilling plant sugars creates which biofuel?

A) ethanol
B) methane
C) propane
D) gasahol
E) butane

Question 52

The leading source of renewable energy worldwide is

A) hydropower.
B) geothermal energy.
C) solar-cells.
D) biomass.
E) biodiesel.

Question 53

Geothermal energy is stored in the form of

A) dry steam.
B) wet steam.
C) hot water.
D) wet steam and hot water
E) all of these answers

Question 54

Ethanol production has resulted in all but which of the following?

A) decreased water usage
B) increased production of heavily subsidized corn in the U.S.
C) increased water use
D) increased land clearing
E) increased prices for corn-based food products

Question 55

Biomass fuels may be

A) solid.
B) liquid.
C) gaseous.
D) all of these answers
E) none of these answers

Question 56

Hydropower

A) provides about 99% of the electricity in Norway.
B) can be generated without changing a stream's course.
C) can generate methane gas as submerged vegetation decays.
D) all of these answers.
E) none of these answers.

Question 57

The best alternative to gasoline and the best way to move forward in technology for powering vehicles is

A) diesel.
B) ethanol.
C) increasing mileage efficiency.
D) electric hybrids.
E) biodiesel.

Question 58

Advantages of burning solid biomass as a fuel include all but which of the following?

A) Plantations may be placed on areas suited for growing food crops.
B) It recycles agricultural, forest product and urban wastes.
C) It can be used to replace lost soil nutrients in degraded areas.
D) There is a plentiful supply if used in moderation.
E) It is not very expensive.

Question 59

Which of the following statements is false?

A) When burned, hydrogen produces virtually no air pollutants.
B) Hydrogen could be a viable substitute for gasoline to power vehicles.
C) Fuel tanks of metal-hydrogen compounds tend to explode in accidents.
D) Experimental cars have been running on hydrogen for years.
E) Hydrogen is a secondary energy source reliant upon solar energy.

Question 60

Which of the following statements about geothermal power is false?

A) It is more environmentally sustainable than other electricity production processes.
B) Easily accessible geothermal sites are rare for large industrial uses.
C) There are no carbon dioxide emissions.
D) Forest ecosystems degradation is minimal.
E) It is very efficient at accessible sites.

Question 61

The advantages of shifting from large,centralized macropower systems to decentralized micropower systems include all of the following except

A) increased use of fossil fuels
B) improved economic security
C) improved national security
D) increased reliance on renewable energy sources
E) increased energy efficiency

Question 62

All of the following strategies would encourage energy efficiency except

A) requiring utilities to produce electricity on a least-cost basis.
B) taxing energy use.
C) increasing energy-efficiency standards for buildings and appliances.
D) offering free rebates for gas-powered motor vehicles.
E) promoting ecocars.

Question 63

Large-scale funding of hydrogen research is least likely to be opposed by

A) electric utilities.
B) sustainable developers.
C) fossil-fuel companies.
D) automobile manufacturers.
E) heating and air-conditioning manufacturers.

Question 64

Almost half of the commercial energy available for use in the U.S.is wasted due to inefficiencies in devices and processes used.

Question 65

Photovoltaic cells do not produce any of the greenhouse or acid gas emissions associated with electricity generated by the combustion of fossil fuels.

Question 66

The best way to encourage the general public's use of renewable energy resources is

A) advertising.
B) full-cost pricing.
C) least-cost management.
D) reduced energy consumption.
E) subsidies for nonrenewable sources.

Question 67

Biofuels are not efficient energy sources because of the high land use and high cost (with huge subsidies).

Question 68

The renewable and perpetual resource(s)with the best availability in the short term and the long term is (are)

A) large- and small-scale dams.
B) low temperature solar heating and improved energy efficiency.
C) photovoltaics and high-temperature solar heating.
D) wind energy.
E) geothermal energy.

Question 69

Hydrogen may be a future energy source to power vehicles.

Question 70

Hydropower can only be generated in large scale facilities that alter a stream's course.

Question 71

Geothermal energy can be used to provide heat and cooling,and to generate electricity.

Question 72

Which of the following statements is false?

A) At present there is not enough financial capital to develop all energy alternatives.
B) We should not depend upon nonrenewable energy sources.
C) Energy production should be centralized as much as possible to increase efficiency.
D) Future renewable energy alternatives will probably replace nonrenewable energy use.
E) We should depend on multiple sources of renewable energy.

Question 73

Cars can be more fuel efficient by utilizing ultralight and ultrastrong materials in their design.

Question 74

Energy efficiencies are being applied to new construction projects as it is too costly to apply energy efficiencies to existing structures.

Question 75

Converting one form of energy to another is always accompanied by loss of useful energy according to the second law of thermodynamics.

Question 76

Keeping energy prices artificially low has resulted in harmful environmental affects and wasteful energy use.

Question 77

The CO₂ emissions from biofuels are unsustainable because growth of plants cannot absorb CO₂ as fast as burning releases it.

Question 78

Geothermal heat pumps and geothermal exchange may be used to tap the geothermal energy stored in the Earth's mantle.

Question 79

Green roofs are being used in office buildings to conserve heat and cooling.

Question 80

Major goals for a sustainable energy future for the United States would include all but which one?

A) An emphasis on energy efficiency.
B) More reliance on renewable energy resources.
C) Reductions in pollution and health effects of energy consumption.
D) Reductions in subsidies for nonrenewable energy sources.
E) Centralized, macropower systems.