Question 1

About how much of the sun's radiation would strike the Earth if the Earth did not have its atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) about 10 times more 
B) about twice as much 
C) it would be about the same 
D) about half as much 
A) about 10 times more 
B) about twice as much 
C) it would be about the same 
D) about half as much

Question 2

One of the advantages of solar generation over the use of fossil fuels is that solar power

Accepted Answer

A) can work equally well anywhere in the world. 
B) generates electricity every hour of the day. 
C) uses less expensive technology. 
D) is sustainable. 
A) can work equally well anywhere in the world. 
B) generates electricity every hour of the day. 
C) uses less expensive technology. 
D) is sustainable.

Question 3

As of 2011 in the United States,about 8% of electrical power came from

Accepted Answer

A) burning biomass. 
B) hydropower. 
C) solar energy. 
D) wind. 
A) burning biomass. 
B) hydropower. 
C) solar energy. 
D) wind.

Question 4

The production of hydrogen to power cars in the United States requires

Accepted Answer

A) nearly a million gallons of freshwater each day. 
B) a net input of energy. 
C) fusion reactions typical of nuclear power plants. 
D) fermentation using water and sugars. 
A) nearly a million gallons of freshwater each day. 
B) a net input of energy. 
C) fusion reactions typical of nuclear power plants. 
D) fermentation using water and sugars.

Question 5

Power Tower and Solar Trough systems are both capable of

Accepted Answer

A) storing and using heat when there is no sunlight for several hours. 
B) collecting sunlight even at night. 
C) using their photovoltaic cells to generate alternating or direct current. 
D) being used to generate electricity on modern passenger vehicles. 
A) storing and using heat when there is no sunlight for several hours. 
B) collecting sunlight even at night. 
C) using their photovoltaic cells to generate alternating or direct current. 
D) being used to generate electricity on modern passenger vehicles.

Question 6

In 2011,9.4 % of the energy used in the United States was renewable energy.Of that renewable energy,12.8 percent was from wind.Therefore,in 2011,how much of the energy used in the United States was from wind?

Accepted Answer

A) about 1% 
B) about 5% 
C) about 7% 
D) more than 10% 
A) about 1% 
B) about 5% 
C) about 7% 
D) more than 10%

Question 7

Although hydroelectric dams generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases,they

Accepted Answer

A) are short-lived structures that have to be rebuilt about every 20 years. 
B) are only able to contribute to about 5% of the electrical power throughout the world. 
C) alter water control in ways that make it more difficult to irrigate crops. 
D) eliminate farmland and wildlife habitats and often villages in the regions that are flooded. 
A) are short-lived structures that have to be rebuilt about every 20 years. 
B) are only able to contribute to about 5% of the electrical power throughout the world. 
C) alter water control in ways that make it more difficult to irrigate crops. 
D) eliminate farmland and wildlife habitats and often villages in the regions that are flooded.

Question 8

Hydrogen in fuel cells powers automobiles by

Accepted Answer

A) generating electricity. 
B) creating rapidly combustible hydrogen compounds. 
C) generating changes in gas pressures that move pistons in car engines. 
D) combining with equal parts of gasoline to create a fuel with extra octane. 
A) generating electricity. 
B) creating rapidly combustible hydrogen compounds. 
C) generating changes in gas pressures that move pistons in car engines. 
D) combining with equal parts of gasoline to create a fuel with extra octane.

Question 9

Using hydrogen to run a car is most like using

Accepted Answer

A) electricity stored in a battery. 
B) natural gas as a source of fuel. 
C) biogas as a source of fuel. 
D) gasoline as a source of fuel. 
A) electricity stored in a battery. 
B) natural gas as a source of fuel. 
C) biogas as a source of fuel. 
D) gasoline as a source of fuel.

Question 10

Given the problems of inconsistent winds,the best place to position new wind turbines would be

Accepted Answer

A) along railroad tracks,where there are few trees. 
B) along rivers and streams,where there is less human interference. 
C) in offshore locations where winds are more consistent. 
D) in deserts,where few man-made structures are located. 
A) along railroad tracks,where there are few trees. 
B) along rivers and streams,where there is less human interference. 
C) in offshore locations where winds are more consistent. 
D) in deserts,where few man-made structures are located.

Question 11

Current ethanol production as a fuel does not significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions because

Accepted Answer

A) of the amount of fossil fuels required to produce the corn used in the process. 
B) the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide. 
C) the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of methane. 
D) burning ethanol or gasoline contributes the same net amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 
A) of the amount of fossil fuels required to produce the corn used in the process. 
B) the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide. 
C) the process of fermentation produces a tremendous amount of methane. 
D) burning ethanol or gasoline contributes the same net amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Question 12

Around the world,photovoltaic technology is quickly being adopted to generate electricity in

Accepted Answer

A) large scale commercial power plants and on rooftop home units. 
B) large scale commercial power plants but not yet on rooftop home units. 
C) rooftop home units but not large scale commercial power plants. 
D) small electronic applications such as calculators but not yet on rooftops or in commercial power plants. 
A) large scale commercial power plants and on rooftop home units. 
B) large scale commercial power plants but not yet on rooftop home units. 
C) rooftop home units but not large scale commercial power plants. 
D) small electronic applications such as calculators but not yet on rooftops or in commercial power plants.

Question 13

Which one of the following produces the least air pollution?

Accepted Answer

A) an automobile burning hydrogen as a fuel 
B) an automobile running on a hydrogen fuel cell 
C) a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle 
D) a car running on natural gas 
A) an automobile burning hydrogen as a fuel 
B) an automobile running on a hydrogen fuel cell 
C) a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle 
D) a car running on natural gas

Question 14

Which of the following is true or accurate about the transition to renewable energies?

Accepted Answer

A) Coal can continue to be used as long as we keep atmospheric CO₂ levels below 800 ppm. 
B) Natural gas,which produces less CO₂ when burned,can serve as a "bridge energy" to the development of enough renewable energies. 
C) At present none of the U.S.states has any requirements or goals for the transition. 
D) Venture capitalists have invested very little in global renewable energy because of uncertainty about its effectiveness. 
A) Coal can continue to be used as long as we keep atmospheric CO₂ levels below 800 ppm. 
B) Natural gas,which produces less CO₂ when burned,can serve as a "bridge energy" to the development of enough renewable energies. 
C) At present none of the U.S.states has any requirements or goals for the transition. 
D) Venture capitalists have invested very little in global renewable energy because of uncertainty about its effectiveness.

Question 15

-The technology in this photograph is used to capture the renewable energy of

Accepted Answer

A) nuclear fuel. 
B) the sun. 
C) the wind. 
D) precipitation. 
A) nuclear fuel. 
B) the sun. 
C) the wind. 
D) precipitation.

Question 16

In 2012,a major driving force increasing the development and use of renewable-energy is

Accepted Answer

A) the ability to capture the energy of the wind,sun,and water. 
B) concerns about climate change and costs that are now competitive with fossil fuels. 
C) increased solar radiation and wind velocities over the past decade. 
D) the ease with which solar and wind energies can be tapped in every region of the earth. 
A) the ability to capture the energy of the wind,sun,and water. 
B) concerns about climate change and costs that are now competitive with fossil fuels. 
C) increased solar radiation and wind velocities over the past decade. 
D) the ease with which solar and wind energies can be tapped in every region of the earth.

Question 17

Solar trough technology converts

Accepted Answer

A) the ultraviolet light in sunlight directly into electricity. 
B) the heat of the sun into steam to drive a turbogenerator. 
C) sunlight into electricity which then produces steam heat. 
D) the direct current generated by photovoltaic cells into alternating current. 
A) the ultraviolet light in sunlight directly into electricity. 
B) the heat of the sun into steam to drive a turbogenerator. 
C) sunlight into electricity which then produces steam heat. 
D) the direct current generated by photovoltaic cells into alternating current.

Question 18

Many of the 1.6 billion people who lack electricity live in rural regions where

Accepted Answer

A) nuclear energy is well suited. 
B) hydroelectric energy is the best energy resource. 
C) hydrogen fuel cells are best used. 
D) solar energy is best used. 
A) nuclear energy is well suited. 
B) hydroelectric energy is the best energy resource. 
C) hydrogen fuel cells are best used. 
D) solar energy is best used.

Question 19

-This is a photo of a hardy perennial grass that can be grown just to produce ethanol to replace some of the gasoline used to fuel automobiles.Unlike using corn grains to produce ethanol,the use of this grass to produce ethanol requires

Accepted Answer

A) more fossil fuels than it currently saves. 
B) additional fertilizers and irrigation. 
C) prime soil that would otherwise be used to grow food crops. 
D) enzymes that break down cellulose to produce sugars. 
A) more fossil fuels than it currently saves. 
B) additional fertilizers and irrigation. 
C) prime soil that would otherwise be used to grow food crops. 
D) enzymes that break down cellulose to produce sugars.

Question 20

To meet the energy needs of all humans,we would need to capture

Accepted Answer

A) all of the sun's energy striking the Earth. 
B) all of the sun's energy just reaching the outer atmosphere. 
C) only about 1% of the sun's energy striking the Earth. 
D) only about 1/10,000 of the sun's energy striking the Earth. 
A) all of the sun's energy striking the Earth. 
B) all of the sun's energy just reaching the outer atmosphere. 
C) only about 1% of the sun's energy striking the Earth. 
D) only about 1/10,000 of the sun's energy striking the Earth.

Exam 16: Renewable Energy

About how much of the sun's radiation would strike the Earth if the Earth did not have its atmosphere?

One of the advantages of solar generation over the use of fossil fuels is that solar power

As of 2011 in the United States,about 8% of electrical power came from

The production of hydrogen to power cars in the United States requires

Power Tower and Solar Trough systems are both capable of

In 2011,9.4 % of the energy used in the United States was renewable energy.Of that renewable energy,12.8 percent was from wind.Therefore,in 2011,how much of the energy used in the United States was from wind?

Although hydroelectric dams generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases,they

Hydrogen in fuel cells powers automobiles by

Using hydrogen to run a car is most like using

Given the problems of inconsistent winds,the best place to position new wind turbines would be

Current ethanol production as a fuel does not significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions because

Around the world,photovoltaic technology is quickly being adopted to generate electricity in

Which one of the following produces the least air pollution?

Which of the following is true or accurate about the transition to renewable energies?

-The technology in this photograph is used to capture the renewable energy of

In 2012,a major driving force increasing the development and use of renewable-energy is

Solar trough technology converts

Many of the 1.6 billion people who lack electricity live in rural regions where

-This is a photo of a hardy perennial grass that can be grown just to produce ethanol to replace some of the gasoline used to fuel automobiles.Unlike using corn grains to produce ethanol,the use of this grass to produce ethanol requires

To meet the energy needs of all humans,we would need to capture

Science and the Environment

Economics, Politics, and Public Policy

Basic Needs of Living Things

Populations and Communities

Ecosystems: Energy, Patterns, and Disturbance

Wild Species and Biodiversity

The Use and Restoration of Ecosystems

The Human Population

Population and Development

Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use

Soil: Foundation for Land Ecosystems

The Production and Distribution of Food

Pests and Pest Control

Energy From Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Power

Environmental Hazards and Human Health

Global Climate Change

Atmospheric Pollution

Water Pollution and Its Prevention

Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery

Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention

Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles

Filters