Non-Renewable Pre-Test

How does hydraullic fracturing contribute directly to climate change?

• Not all methane released from this method is captured; some escapes into the atmosphere, where it is a powerful greenhouse gas.

• Fracking contributes to earthquakes, which can release deep pocklets of carbon dioxide as a result of the techtonic shifts.

• Fracking operations release extensive amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes further to climate change.

• Fracking can contaminate groundwater through leaking pipes that are not monitored properly.

• Fracking causes people to burn more methane, which adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Which of the following is an environmental benefit of using nuclear power?

• Radioactive waste can be stored in dry casks for 20 to 100 years.

• Spent fuel rods can be reprocessed to create weapons-grade plutonium.

• The nuclear fuel cycle produces climate-changing carbon dioxide, but it produces less than using fossil fuels.

• Spent fuel rods can provide a carbon-neutral heating source for homes.

• Nuclear power is cheaper than wind power.

Which of the following is a true statement about nuclear energy?

• It is created through a fission chain reaction in which neutrons split, releasing high amounts of heat.

• It is formed through nuclear fusion reactions, which create energy currents.

• It is formed from the breakdown of uranium into high- pressure steam.

• It is created from the oxidation reaction of the water.

• It requires the use of other fossil fuels to super heat the plutonium fuel and separate out the necessary neutrons for the reactions.

Nuclear power was predicted to supply 21% of the world's commercial energy. Which of the following is the most signifigant reason why this goal has not been met?

• Thermal pollution, which becomes a problem when nuclear power plants break down or must be dismantled.

• Approximately 75% of the available high quality energy is lost as waste heat.

• The small supply of enriched uranium- 235

• The lack of long-term storage facilities for high level radioactive wastes such as spent fuel rods.

• The high risk of accidents such as Fukushima in Japan in 2011, Chernobyl in the U.S.S.R. in 1986, and Three Mile Island in the United States in 1979.

Which of the following negative impacts is NOT associated with coal mining and burning?

• Fracking used during extraction contaminates water and is associated with earthquakes.

• Carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide gases are emitted.

• Toxic heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, are released into the enviornment.

• Coal ash, which contains hevay metals and radium, is toxic and must be stored safely forever.

• Open- pit mining and mountaintop removal may be used to aquire reserves.

Coal has a huge environmental impact because of;

• The threat to human health due to air pollutants released when coal burns.

• The release of carbon, which contributes to global climate change.

• The fact that it is the most abundant fossil fuel.

• Its high cost, mostly to cover the transportation of coal to electric power plants.

• The use of new technology that makes coal safer and cleaner to remove from the earth and to transport to homes and industry.

The three largest users of coal are;

• China, The United States, and India.

• China, The United States, and Mexico.

• Russia, The United States, and Mexico.

• Russia, China and India.

• Saudi Arabia, Japan, and China.

Which of the following is a benefit of using natural gas?

• It is four times as energy efficient as coal.

• It is cleaner-burning than coal.

• Coal power plants are cheaper to build and maintain than natural gas.

• Getting natural gas from Canada is inexpensive.

• CO2 is not released when burning natural gas.

Oil as an energy source has all of the following disadvantages EXCEPT;

• OPEC controls much of the word's crude oil and is therefore able to control the price of oil.

• The posibility of oil tanker leaks and spills such as what occured with the Exxon Valdez.

• The loss or degradation of habitat if a leak develops in the pipelines used to transport oil.

• Depending on consumation, proven and unproven oil reserves could last more than 100 years.

• The possibility of accidents on offshore platforms, which could pollute water from oil spills and pollute air from fires.

Which of the following best describes net energy?

• Waste heat energy from a coal-burning power plant used to heat greenhouses.

• Total energy available, minus the energy needed to find, extract, process, and deliver the energy.

• Total energy produced from refined petroleum products.

• Energy used to move control rods in a light water nuclear reactor.

• Total energy collected in the filters of emissions towers in coal-fired power plants.