Deck 15: Nonrenewable Energy

Question 1

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In order to get high-quality energy you must use high-quality energy.This rule is the result of which of the following?

A) the law of diminishing returns
B) the law of gravity
C) the universal law of energy
D) the first law of thermodynamics
E) the second law of thermodynamics

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Any energy resource with a low or negative net energy yield cannot compete in the open marketplace with other energy alternatives with high net energy yields unless it is ____.

A) the only source of energy
B) valued by long-term customers
C) advertised through the appropriate channels
D) stamped for approval under federal regulations
E) subsidized by the government or some other funding source

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following countries is a member of OPEC?

A) Russia
B) Canada
C) The United States
D) Ukraine
E) Iraq

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The Arctic Circle holds enough technically recoverable crude oil to meet global oil demand for how long at high production costs?

A) 5 months
B) 3 years
C) 5 years
D) 10 years
E) 20 years

Question 5

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which country is projected to be the world's largest producer of oil by 2017?

A) Russia
B) Canada
C) The United States
D) Ukraine
E) Iraq

Question 6

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Using a mixture of water,sand,and chemicals under high pressure to free tightly held oil and natural gas is known as ____.

A) mud drilling
B) rotary drilling
C) high density pumping
D) hacking
E) fracking

Question 7

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The Earth Policy Institute estimates that by 2025,China will use how much more oil than the United States?

A) 2 times
B) 3 times
C) 4 times
D) 5 times
E) 10 times

Question 8

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
What percentage of the U.S.oil consumption was imported in 2012?

A) 85%
B) 60%
C) 39%
D) 35%
E) 24%

Question 9

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
What do scientists use to show the locations and sizes of various rock formations that may contain oil?

A) geologic maps
B) topographic maps
C) tables of drilling information
D) 3-D seismic maps
E) satellite maps

Question 10

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Nuclear energy is only available to consumers throughout the world at an affordable cost because ____.

A) competition keeps the prices low
B) competition is nonexistent in this area
C) nuclear energy has a high net energy yield
D) uranium is widely available
E) governments provide subsidies

Question 11

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Approximately 75% of the world's tar sand resources are located in which country?

A) The United States
B) Russia
C) Canada
D) Iraq
E) Ukraine

Question 12

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The point at which pressure in a well begins to drop and production begins to decline is called the ____.

A) decline point
B) end point
C) reduction point
D) peak production
E) dropping point

Question 13

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which country has the largest portion of the world's light oil reserves?

A) China
B) United States
C) Russia
D) Ukraine
E) Venezuela

Question 14

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Currently,oil has a high net energy ratio because it ____.

A) is found in small deposits
B) is found in stable countries
C) comes from cheap-to-extract deposits
D) comes from inaccessible places
E) does not take much money to get it

Question 15

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Oil sand is made up of all of the following except ____.

A) bitumen
B) water
C) clay
D) natural gas
E) sand

Question 16

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
What is the total amount of high-quality energy available after the energy needed to make it available is subtracted?

A) net energy
B) total energy
C) useful energy
D) gross energy
E) entropy

Question 17

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following is true if the rate of global consumption continues to grow exponentially at 2% per year?

A) Saudi Arabian proven reserves would meet world demand for seven years.
B) Proven reserves under Alaska's North Slope would meet U.S.demand for 18 years.
C) Alaska's ANWR unproven reserves would meet world demand for 24 months.
D) The Bakken oil formation in the U.S.would last 10 years.
E) We would need reserves equal to 27 more Saudi Arabias.

Question 18

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Almost 72% of the world's reserves of oil shale are found in ____.

A) the United States
B) Russia
C) Canada
D) Iraq
E) Ukraine

Question 19

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
If natural gas prices remain affordable,increased production would ____.

A) make nuclear plants more affordable
B) reduce the use of coal-burning plants
C) accelerate the use of solar power
D) accelerate the use of wind power
E) result in the U.S.importing natural gas

Question 20

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The second law of thermodynamics dictates that ____.

A) low-quality energy becomes static
B) some high-quality energy is always degraded
C) the amount of energy in the universe is constantly changing
D) high-quality energy does not degrade
E) low-quality energy is required to get high-quality energy

Question 21

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Waste from the production of nuclear weapons must be stored for how long before it is safe?

A) 25 years
B) 100 years
C) 1,000 years
D) 150,000 years
E) 240,000 years

Question 22

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
When compared to burning coal directly,producing synfuels has several disadvantages.What is not one of these?

A) Producing synfuels requires mining 50% more coal.
B) Production and burning of synfuels could release 50% more carbon dioxide.
C) Synfuels have lower net energy yield than conventional coal.
D) Synfuels require greatly increased use of water.
E) Supplies are quite low.

Question 23

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In China air pollution causes as many as ____ deaths per year.

A) 1,000
B) 35,000
C) 200,000
D) 650,000
E) 1,000,000

Question 24

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In the United States,fine-particle pollution,mostly from older coal-burning power plants,kills how many people each year?

A) 5,000
B) 7,000
C) 13,000
D) 18,000
E) 24,000

Question 25

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following statements does not apply to burning coal?

A) Burning coal is the dirtiest of all fossil fuels
B) Burning coal releases large amounts of black carbon particulates
C) Burning coal emits trace amounts of radioactive materials
D) Burning coal produces a highly toxic ash
E) Burning coal has led to very limited reserves.

Question 26

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following countries has the largest proven reserves of coal?

A) Russia
B) China
C) U.S.
D) Australia
E) India

Question 27

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following countries has the largest proven reserves of natural gas?

A) Iran
B) Qatar
C) United States
D) Russia
E) Saudi Arabia

Question 28

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
U.S.coal companies and coal-burning utilities have suggested that there is something called clean coal.Which statement is false about this product?

A) Stricter pollution controls will not stop the release of some carbon dioxide.
B) Burning coal will always result in production of hazardous ash.
C) One type of coal is significantly cleaner than other types.
D) Climate scientist James Hansen calls coal the single greatest threat to civilization.
E) Air pollutants will always be released by burning coal.

Question 29

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
How is coal formed?

A) from hydrothermal deposits
B) from igneous intrusions
C) from 300 to 400 million year old plant remains
D) from one million year old marine deposits
E) from oil deposits that have solidified

Question 30

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In the U.S. ,coal-burning power plants produce what percentage of the electricity?

A) 2%
B) 21%
C) 37%
D) 19%
E) 9%

Question 31

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
According to the U.S.Energy Administration and the Worldwatch Institute,when the harmful costs of using coal are included in the cost of coal,it becomes the ____.

A) most expensive way to produce electricity
B) second most expensive way to produce electricity
C) third most expensive way to produce electricity
D) fourth most expensive way to produce electricity
E) least expensive way to produce electricity

Question 32

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Between 2010 and 2050,the demand for natural gas in the United States is expected to ____.

A) double
B) triple
C) stay the same
D) decrease by 10%
E) decrease by 50%

Question 33

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In what location would you most expect to find methane hydrate gas?

A) Arctic ice sheet
B) Greenland ice sheet
C) high mountain glaciers
D) permanent snow pack
E) Tundra permafrost

Question 34

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following is true of nuclear powered electricity generation?

A) reduced supplies of uranium
B) low CO₂ emissions
C) higher land disruption than coal
D) low net energy yield
E) requires no subsidies

Question 35

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Conventional natural gas is often found in deposits above what other resource?

A) oil
B) water
C) coal
D) peat
E) uranium

Question 36

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following is true of natural gas?

A) It is easy to transport.
B) It has a high net energy ratio.
C) It emits less carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels.
D) It is pumped into pressurized tanks at deep sea oil rigs.
E) It is found more in the U.S.than in Russia.

Question 37

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Coal can be converted to liquid fuels such as methanol and synthetic gasoline through a process called ____.

A) coal fusion
B) synfuel hydrolysis
C) coal synthesis
D) coal gasification
E) coal liquefaction

Question 38

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The slowest growing form of commercial energy in the world is

A) nuclear
B) coal
C) oil
D) natural gas
E) solar

Question 39

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following is the primary gas in natural gas?

A) ethane
B) methane
C) propane
D) butane
E) hydrogen sulfide

Question 40

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Burning coal,along with removing pollutants from the emissions,results in the accumulation of several substances.What is not one of these?

A) radioactive radon
B) uranium
C) arsenic
D) lead
E) mercury

Question 41

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
To keep using conventional oil at the estimated increasing rate of consumption,we must discover proven reserves of oil equivalent to the current Saudi Arabia supply every seven years.

Question 42

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Oil shale and tar sand as energy sources have some disadvantages.What is not one of these?

A) low net energy yield
B) severe land disruption
C) low potential supplies
D) releases carbon dioxide and other air pollutants when produced and burned
E) high water use

Question 43

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
China and the United States are the two largest consumers of crude oil,and have about 20% of the world's proven crude oil reserves.

Question 44

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Which of the following is not an advantage of using conventional crude oil as an energy source?

A) high net energy yield
B) efficient distribution system
C) environmental costs included in market price
D) ample supply for several decades
E) low land disruption

Question 45

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Kerogen is the name given to a solid combustible mixture of hydrocarbons found in oil shales.

Question 46

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Methane makes up the majority of natural gas.

Question 47

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The United States uses what percentage of oil to meet its energy needs?

A) 6%
B) 8%
C) 11%
D) 26%
E) 37%

Question 48

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Nuclear power has a low net energy yield.

Question 49

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The major accident at the nuclear power plant in 2011 in Japan was caused by ___.

A) a cyclone
B) a hurricane
C) coastal erosion
D) a tsunami
E) human error

Question 50

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
If oil prices remain high,which country is projected to become the largest producer of oil?

A) China
B) Saudi Arabia
C) Canada
D) United States
E) Iraq

Question 51

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Extracting heavy oil releases less greenhouse gases per barrel than conventional oil.

Question 52

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Who assumes most of the financial burden for finding ways to store nuclear waste?

A) state governments
B) private companies
C) the U.S.federal government
D) investors
E) local governments

Question 53

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Nuclear power advocates contend that increased use of nuclear power decreases what type of emission that contributes to climate change?

A) water vapor
B) carbon dioxide
C) carbon monoxide
D) sulfur dioxide
E) nitrous oxides

Question 54

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The 12 countries that make up OPEC have about 72% of the world's proven crude oil reserves.

Question 55

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Net energy is the amount of useful energy available from a source minus the energy necessary to get it to the consumer.

Question 56

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Any energy resource with a low or negative net energy yield cannot compete in the open marketplace with other energy alternatives with higher net energy yields unless it is subsidized by the government.

Question 57

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Oil shale and tar sand as energy sources have some advantages.What is not one of these?

A) large potential supplies
B) easily transported within countries
C) efficient distribution system in place
D) easily transported between countries
E) high net energy yield

Question 58

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Digging up and processing shale oil releases more carbon dioxide and has a higher environmental impact than does producing crude oil.

Question 59

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The worst nuclear power accident in the United States occurred in 1979 in what state?

A) New York
B) Connecticut
C) Pennsylvania
D) California
E) Washington

Question 60

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
By 2011,the growing supply of natural gas led to ____ in the United States.

A) less development of alternative fuels
B) increased demand
C) lower natural gas prices
D) a decrease in oil demand
E) higher oil prices

Question 61

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The most serious nuclear accident occurred in 1986 in ____________________,Ukraine.

Question 62

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Solid coal can be converted into synthetic natural gas by a process called coal ____________________.

Question 63

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The two most widely used energy resources in the United States are ____________________ and ____________________.

Question 64

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The fuel for a nuclear reactor is ____________________,which is mined from the earth's crust.

Question 65

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Available deposits from which the oil can be extracted profitably at current prices with current technology are called ____________________.

Question 66

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Coal is the world's most abundant fossil fuel.

Question 67

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
A black gooey liquid consisting mostly of a mix of combustible hydrocarbons along with small amounts of sulfur,oxygen,and nitrogen impurities is called ____________________.

Question 68

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Coal is,by far,the dirtiest of all fossil fuels.

Question 69

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Seventy two percent of the world's estimated ____________________ reserves are in the western part of the United States.

Question 70

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The United States has more proven natural gas reserves than does Russia.

Question 71

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Burning any carbon-containing fossil fuel releases ____________________ into the atmosphere.

Question 72

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Natural gas,when burned completely,emits 50% less ____________________ than oil.

Question 73

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The biggest drawback to using tar sands is that developing this resource has major harmful impacts on the land,air,water,wildlife,and climate compared to developing conventional light oil and oil from ____________________.

Question 74

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The total amount of high-quality energy available from an energy resource minus the high-energy needed to make the energy available is referred to as ____________________.

Question 75

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
In 2012,Ohio shut down a fracking operation after thirteen ___________________ occurred in the vicinity of the well.

Question 76

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The energy obtained per unit of energy used to obtain it is the ____________________.

Question 77

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Trapped in icy,cage-like structures of water molecules,____________________ is buried in some areas of tundra and found on the ocean floor.

Question 78

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The U.S.government has provided huge subsidies,tax breaks,loan guarantees,and accident insurance guarantees to the nuclear power industry.

Question 79

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
The long-term global outlook for conventional natural gas supplies is better than that for crude oil.

Question 80

Use the hypothetical dose-response curve above to answer the question(s)below.
Tar sand or oil sand,is a mixture of clay,sand,water,and a combustible organic material called ____________________ .