Energy and Natural Resources

Which is a problem with using wind turbines to produce energy?

• Wind turbines are efficient only in certain areas.
• Wind turbines occupy a small area of land.
• Wind turbines produce a large amount of energy
• Wind turbines create a large amount of pollution.

If an ash pond from a coal-fired power plant leaks ash into a local creek,which is an environmental consequence?

• Plants and organisms in the creek will be unaffected.
• Plants and organisms in the creek may die out.
• Plants and organisms in the creek may increase.

The use of which energy source causes the most damage to the environment?

• fossil fuels
• biomass
• wind

Which is the greatest disadvantage of using solar panels as a primary source of energy?

• Resource is limited to daylight hours only.
• Solar energy is difficult to store for long-term use.
• Solar panels use too much land area to capture the needed energy.

Which best describes how hydroelectric power plants can be harmful to the environment?

• air pollution
• habitat destruction
• increased carbon dioxide levels

Greenhouse gases are often produced as a result of obtaining and using fossil fuels. Which greenhouse gas most likely has the greatest impact on global warming?

• carbon monoxide
• carbon dioxide
• methane

Which could most likely release a high dose of radiation to the environment?

• a nuclear energy power plant
• a coal-burning power plant
• a hydroelectric power plant

Why is solar energy seldom used as an environmentally safe energy source in households to provide electricity?

• Solar energy can only be used with gasoline.
• Solar power facilities destroy animal habitats.
• Solar energy is difficult to capture and store for later use.

Which method of energy production is most likely to have a negative impact upon the environment?

• hydroelectric power plant
• coal-burning power plant
• wind turbine
• solar panel

Offshore drilling is a common practice for obtaining supplies of oil. Which best describes a concern with using offshore drilling to obtain oil?

• Offshore drilling is not cost effective, requiring specialized equipment.
• Offshore drilling is not very efficient, requiring a large amount of energy input to obtain a small amount of oil.
• Offshore drilling produces oil that cannot be used directly; it must be further refined through several expensive processes.
• Offshore drilling can lead to oil spills and contamination of marine ecosystems, threatening the organisms living in these ecosystems.