Deck 18: Coal- Bringing Down the Mountain: in the Rubble, the True Costs of Coal

Question 1

The Hobet 21 mine is best known as ___________.

A) the mine with the least environmental impact
B) the mine that the Environmental Protection Agency recently rejected the permit for
C) the largest mining operation in the Appalachian region
D) a surface mine in Wyoming
E) none of these answers

Answer 1

the largest mining operation in the Appalachian region

Question 2

The use of coal creates all of the following impacts except ____________________.

A) reduced water temperatures in water bodies
B) emissions of mercury
C) emissions of sulfur
D) respiratory disease
E) none of these answers

Answer 2

reduced water temperatures in water bodies

Question 3

The key to generating electricity from coal is the generation of_________.

A) heat
B) smoke
C) sulfur
D) cold water
E) none of these answers

Answer 3

heat

Question 4

Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed when plant material is buried in _______________ conditions and subjected to _________________ over a long time.

A) oxygen-rich; high heat and pressure
B) oxygen-poor; high heat and pressure
C) oxygen-poor; low heat and pressure
D) oxygen-rich; low heat and pressure
E) none of these answers

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a problem associated with mountaintop removal mining?

A) This type of surface mining causes permanent, irreversible changes to the landscape.
B) Runoff from the mined area can deliver sulfur and other toxic compounds to streams downstream.
C) The reduction in forested areas can lead to increased frequency and severity of flooding.
D) While having environmental impacts, it leads to greater employment for residents.
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 6

The form of coal with the highest energy content is _______________.

A) lignite
B) bituminous
C) peat
D) anthracite
E) vegetation

Question 7

In Ireland, peat is often burned as a source of fuel. Peat is known to turn into which of the following fossil fuels?

A) oil
B) coal
C) wood
D) shale
E) uranium

Question 8

Which of the following resources is used the LEAST in the United States for generating electricity?

A) coal
B) renewables
C) nuclear energy
D) natural gas
E) oil

Question 9

Which of the following has coal deposits that rival North America?

A) Norway and Finland
B) South America
C) Russia
D) India
E) Western Europe

Question 10

What is the purpose of the transformer in the electrical grid?

A) to cool the water used in steam production
B) to reduce the voltage of the generated electricity
C) to increase the voltage of the generated electricity
D) to transmit electricity
E) none of these answers

Question 11

If we do not change our current rates of coal usage, how long would the proven coal reserves last?

A) 10 years
B) 20 years
C) 120 years
D) 1,200 years
E) none of these answers

Question 12

Which of the following choices is NOT typical for converting coal to electricity?

A) creating steam
B) burning the coal
C) converting the coal to a liquid form
D) spinning a turbine
E) none of these answers

Question 13

What are the different types of pollution created in burning coal to generate electricity?

Question 14

Peat, the precursor to coal formation, is typically formed in areas _________________.

A) of rapid decomposition
B) with little vegetation
C) with low rates of decomposition
D) with highly oxygenated sediments
E) none of these answers

Question 15

Coal burning produces more electricity than ___________.

A) all other sources combined
B) nuclear energy and natural gas combined
C) nuclear energy, natural gas, and renewables combined
D) nuclear energy, natural gas, and petroleum combined
E) none of these answers

Question 16

The hardest form of coal is _________________.

A) lignite
B) bituminous
C) peat
D) anthracite
E) none of these answers

Question 17

The greatest amount of electricity in the United States is generated using ____________.

A) coal
B) wind turbines
C) hydroelectric power
D) natural gas
E) nuclear power

Question 18

Burning coal to generate electricity creates all of the following types of pollution except ____________________.

A) water pollution
B) particulates
C) thermal pollution
D) mercury
E) none of these answers

Question 19

The first form of coal that is created from submerged vegetation, pressure, and heat is ____________________.

A) peat
B) anthracite
C) lignite
D) bituminous
E) none of these answers

Question 20

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

A) coal
B) oil
C) nuclear energy
D) natural gas
E) wind

Question 21

Overburden is associated with what type of coal mining?

A) subsurface mining
B) surface mining
C) fracking
D) deep mining
E) hydraulic mining

Question 22

Which of the following regions once held the United States' largest coal reserves?

A) Appalachian Mountains
B) Wyoming
C) Alaska
D) Great Plains
E) Rocky Mountains

Question 23

Acid mine drainage is formed when water flows past exposed rocks that leach out _________________ that react with water and oxygen to form ________________.

A) carbonates; bases
B) sulfates; acids
C) arsenic; bases
D) nitrates; acids
E) methane; acid

Question 24

Which of the following is the biggest advantage to the United States' use of coal?

A) It burns cleaner than most fossil fuels.
B) The United States has a lot of coal.
C) The mining of coal is relatively safe and environmentally friendly.
D) It is the most efficient way to produce electricity.
E) There are no advantages to using coal.

Question 25

Which type of mining, surface or subsurface, has a greater impact on the environment, and why?

Question 26

Benefits of using coal as an energy source include ____________________.

A) low-cost electricity
B) an established distribution system
C) ease of isolation
D) simple processing
E) all of these answers

Question 27

Which area of the world has the least amount of coal reserves?

A) North America
B) Africa
C) Europe
D) Australia
E) Asia

Question 28

Environmentalists are especially concerned about the amount of carbon dioxide released from burning coal because it _________________.

A) is a significant contributor to acid rain
B) depletes the ozone layer
C) is a significant greenhouse gas
D) clogs lungs and aggravates asthma
E) blocks the uptake of oxygen by the hemoglobin

Question 29

How is acid mine drainage formed, and what are its effects on the environment?

Question 30

Discuss how mountaintop removal can affect stream quality.

Question 31

__________________ consists of digging tunnels or shafts into the Earth to reach buried ore deposits.

A) Subsurface mining
B) Surface mining
C) Fracking
D) Deep mining
E) Hydraulic mining

Question 32

__________________ is removing dirt and rock that overlays a mineral deposit close to the surface in order to access that deposit.

A) Subsurface mining
B) Surface mining
C) Fracking
D) Deep mining
E) Hydraulic mining

Question 33

Which of the following is a characteristic of subsurface mining?

A) creates more of a disturbance in the landscape and its contours
B) safer and easier
C) does more damage to the ecosystem
D) very dangerous conditions can include tunnel collapses, released gases, particulates in the air, low oxygen, and heat
E) all of these answers

Question 34

Even though coal is produced by natural processes of the Earth, why is it classified as a "nonrenewable resource'?

Question 35

What are the steps in the long process of coal formation over time?

Question 36

How does the use of coal cause acid precipitation?

A) The acid drainage from mining evaporates, which puts the acids into the air.
B) The burning of coal puts out gases like sulfur dioxide, which can combine with water to form acids.
C) Acids, which leach into the soil from the mining process, are transpired by plants that have taken them up.
D) The equipment used for mining releases sulfur and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
E) The transporting of the coal mining releases sulfur and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 37

All of the following are environmental drawbacks to the mining of coal EXCEPT ____________________.

A) the damage to forests caused by mountaintop removal
B) the burial and damage to streams caused by the dumping of overburden
C) soil compaction causing increased storm water runoff and flooding
D) increased risk of cancer for some miners
E) the water and soil contamination by acid drainage

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT associated with surface mining?

A) safer
B) greater damage to ecosystem
C) more alteration to landscape
D) greater expense
E) easier and simpler

Question 39

Which of the following choices is NOT true about coal?

A) It has a high energy content.
B) It is a renewable resource.
C) Mining coal causes environmental damage.
D) Burning coal creates pollution.
E) It is formed over time by the compression and heating of peat.

Question 40

Coal mining production is up in the United States but coal mining jobs are on the decline. Why are there fewer coal mining jobs today than 50 years ago?

Question 41

The negatives involved in removing contaminants from coal before using it are ____________________.

A) the hazardous waste created and the fact that the product is a liquid or gaseous fuel
B) the fact that the product is a liquid or gaseous fuel and the energy needed to complete the process lowers the EROEI
C) the hazardous waste created and the energy needed to complete the process lowers the EROEI
D) the fact that the product is a liquid or gaseous fuel and the inefficiency of the process
E) the amount of water needed and the energy needed to complete the process lower the EROEI

Question 42

Infographic 18.7.

Refer to Infographic 18.7. Explain how carbon dioxide can be captured.

Question 43

Home water wells close to reclaimed mines exceed the EPA's allowances for which of the following?

A) arsenic
B) lead
C) iron
D) sulfate
E) all of these answers

Question 44

How is grass planted in mine reclamation?

A) Woven mats that include embedded grass seed are laid over the landscape.
B) Aerial drops of grass seed mixtures are laid over previously mined sites.
C) An aqueous mixture of seed and chemicals are sprayed on the thin soil.
D) It is not planted, rather the land will go through natural senescence.
E) It is not planted; grass will not grow on reclaimed mines.

Question 45

Infographic 18.7.

Refer to Infographic 18.7. Explain what can be done with captured carbon dioxide.

Question 46

Currently, the biggest drawbacks to using the new clean coal technologies are ____________________.

A) the energy required and costs involved in using them
B) the negativity of the public and their reluctance to pay more for electricity
C) the technologies do not exist and too much energy is needed to develop them
D) the facts that it has not been proven that coal is toxic and that there are no alternatives
E) government incentives and the public apathy

Question 47

We currently have technologies to capture all but which of the following?

A) mercury
B) particulates
C) sulfur
D) carbon dioxide
E) all of these answers

Question 48

What is a common criticism of mountaintop removal mine reclamation?

A) The evidence suggests that the original native species will never recolonize the reclaimed site.
B) The artificial channels do not host the same amount of biodiversity as the natural streams.
C) The Appalachian Mountains are a region of extremely high biodiversity and the reclaimed sites will not recover similar levels of diversity.
D) A, B, and C
E) none of these answers

Question 49

Clean coal technologies are being developed to _________________.

A) reduce CO₂ emissions
B) store emitted CO₂
C) remove toxins from coal prior to combustion
D) A, B, and C
E) none of these answers

Question 50

Pollution from U.S. coal power plants include all of the following except?

A) ash
B) particulates
C) nitrogen oxides
D) ozone
E) mercury

Question 51

If a mining company came to you with a plan to plant the same species of pine trees, and only pine trees, on their reclaimed mine in order to comply with the laws, what would you tell them? Would you advise them to go ahead with their plan, or would you suggest a different one?

Question 52

The Environmental Protection Agency's new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are projected to reduce emissions of these toxic substances by how much?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 90%
E) none of these answers

Question 53

One of the advantages of coal is that it started the Industrial Revolution in ______________ and then ______________, and more recently in ______________.

A) Great Britain; China; the United States
B) Great Britain; Canada; Japan
C) Great Britain; the United States; China
D) Japan; Great Britain; Western Europe
E) United States; Great Britain; Korea

Question 54

Fly ash can be taken to a landfill that is expensive and not environmentally friendly, or it can be used to make _____________, which benefits both the power plant and the environment.

A) tar paper
B) shingles
C) sandpaper
D) concrete
E) glass

Question 55

How are mountaintop removal mines typically "reclaimed"?

Question 56

Infographic 18.6.

Refer to Infographic 18.6. Discuss some of the health affects of mining and using coal to generate electricity.

Question 57

What is a major drawback of clean coal technologies?

A) They produce their own toxic byproducts.
B) They increase coal's EROEI.
C) They decrease coal's EROEI.
D) both A and B
E) both A and C

Question 58

What are the benefits of using coal as an energy source?