Question 1

Which of the following countries is the world's most energy-efficient country?

Accepted Answer

A) China 
B) United States 
C) France 
D) Germany 
E) Denmark 
A) China 
B) United States 
C) France 
D) Germany 
E) Denmark

Question 2

Molten salt systems allow solar thermal power plants to produce electricity around the clock.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Which of the following is a disadvantage of hydroelectric plants?

Accepted Answer

A) low net energy 
B) large land disturbance 
C) little untapped potential 
D) high-cost electricity 
E) high emissions of carbon dioxide 
A) low net energy 
B) large land disturbance 
C) little untapped potential 
D) high-cost electricity 
E) high emissions of carbon dioxide

Question 4

Hydrogen gas can be produced in all of the following ways, except

Accepted Answer

A) passing electricity through water 
B) stripping it from methane 
C) a chemical reaction involving coal, oxygen, and steam 
D) removing it from the atmosphere 
E) taking off the gasoline molecule 
A) passing electricity through water 
B) stripping it from methane 
C) a chemical reaction involving coal, oxygen, and steam 
D) removing it from the atmosphere 
E) taking off the gasoline molecule

Question 5

Anela Belcher, materials scientist at MIT, is working on a novel new type of battery based on which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A) water 
B) salt 
C) seaweed 
D) alcohol 
E) viruses 
A) water 
B) salt 
C) seaweed 
D) alcohol 
E) viruses

Question 6

The United States government heavily subsidizes ethanol production from corn, because

Accepted Answer

A) farmers demand it 
B) a very low net energy yield 
C) lower carbon dioxide emissions 
D) higher gas mileage 
E) there is too much corn in the U.S. 
A) farmers demand it 
B) a very low net energy yield 
C) lower carbon dioxide emissions 
D) higher gas mileage 
E) there is too much corn in the U.S.

Question 7

The advantages of solar cells include all of the following, except

Accepted Answer

A) moderate net energy yield 
B) little or no direct emissions of carbon dioxide 
C) electricity storage systems readily available 
D) easy to install and expand as needed 
E) competitive costs for newer cells 
A) moderate net energy yield 
B) little or no direct emissions of carbon dioxide 
C) electricity storage systems readily available 
D) easy to install and expand as needed 
E) competitive costs for newer cells

Question 8

What percentage of the commercial energy used in the United States is wasted unnecessarily?

Accepted Answer

A) 11% 
B) 23% 
C) 33% 
D) 43% 
E) 51% 
A) 11% 
B) 23% 
C) 33% 
D) 43% 
E) 51%

Question 9

A 2009 environmental and industry group study estimated solar thermal power plants could meet what percentage of the world's projected electricity needs by 2050?

Accepted Answer

A) 25% 
B) 36% 
C) 47% 
D) 58% 
E) 69% 
A) 25% 
B) 36% 
C) 47% 
D) 58% 
E) 69%

Question 10

If all costs are included for all sources, wind power is the cheapest way to produce electricity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

In Europe, more than half of all cars run on diesel, primarily because

Accepted Answer

A) it produces less smoke 
B) it burns more slowly 
C) diesel engines are 40% more efficient 
D) diesel engines are less heavy 
E) diesel is less expensive 
A) it produces less smoke 
B) it burns more slowly 
C) diesel engines are 40% more efficient 
D) diesel engines are less heavy 
E) diesel is less expensive

Question 12

A 2009 Harvard University student estimates that wind power has the potential to produce _____ times the world's current use of electricity.

Accepted Answer

A) 20 
B) 30 
C) 40 
D) 50 
E) 60 
A) 20 
B) 30 
C) 40 
D) 50 
E) 60

Question 13

The world's second-fastest-growing energy resource is

Accepted Answer

A) hydroelectric dams 
B) wind power 
C) nuclear power 
D) coal-fired power plants 
E) tidal energy 
A) hydroelectric dams 
B) wind power 
C) nuclear power 
D) coal-fired power plants 
E) tidal energy

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Reducing unnecessary energy waste does all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) prolongs fossil fuels 
B) increases the cost 
C) creates local jobs 
D) reduces pollution and environmental degradation 
E) has a very high net energy yield 
A) prolongs fossil fuels 
B) increases the cost 
C) creates local jobs 
D) reduces pollution and environmental degradation 
E) has a very high net energy yield

Question 16

Which of the following is not one of the challenges in using algae to produce biofuels similar to gasoline and biodiesel?

Accepted Answer

A) cutting the cost of production 
B) discovering which algae would be best to use 
C) learning where is best to grow the algae 
D) finding a way to economically get the oil from the algae 
E) scaling up to large scale production systems 
A) cutting the cost of production 
B) discovering which algae would be best to use 
C) learning where is best to grow the algae 
D) finding a way to economically get the oil from the algae 
E) scaling up to large scale production systems

Question 17

The Rocky Mountain Institute building in Snowmass, Colorado, pays less than $50 per year for heating.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The following are numbers of birds killed each year by various hazards. Which is the number of birds killed by wind turbines?

Accepted Answer

A) 440 thousand 
B) 67 million 
C) 80 million 
D) 100 million 
E) 100+ million 
A) 440 thousand 
B) 67 million 
C) 80 million 
D) 100 million 
E) 100+ million

Question 19

By the end of this century solar cells will be the world's number one source of electricity according to the chief engineer for General Electric.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

In 2006, construction began on six underwater turbines to tap the tidal flow of the East River in New York City.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 16: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Which of the following countries is the world's most energy-efficient country?

Molten salt systems allow solar thermal power plants to produce electricity around the clock.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of hydroelectric plants?

Hydrogen gas can be produced in all of the following ways, except

Anela Belcher, materials scientist at MIT, is working on a novel new type of battery based on which of the following?

The United States government heavily subsidizes ethanol production from corn, because

The advantages of solar cells include all of the following, except

What percentage of the commercial energy used in the United States is wasted unnecessarily?

A 2009 environmental and industry group study estimated solar thermal power plants could meet what percentage of the world's projected electricity needs by 2050?

If all costs are included for all sources, wind power is the cheapest way to produce electricity.

In Europe, more than half of all cars run on diesel, primarily because

A 2009 Harvard University student estimates that wind power has the potential to produce _____ times the world's current use of electricity.

The world's second-fastest-growing energy resource is

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

Reducing unnecessary energy waste does all of the following except

Which of the following is not one of the challenges in using algae to produce biofuels similar to gasoline and biodiesel?

The Rocky Mountain Institute building in Snowmass, Colorado, pays less than $50 per year for heating.

The following are numbers of birds killed each year by various hazards. Which is the number of birds killed by wind turbines?

By the end of this century solar cells will be the world's number one source of electricity according to the chief engineer for General Electric.

In 2006, construction began on six underwater turbines to tap the tidal flow of the East River in New York City.

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Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work

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Sustaining Biodiversity: the Species Approach

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Food, Soil, and Pest Management

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Nonrenewable Energy

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