Energy and Human History Quiz

What is the main source of energy to do work for more than 99% of human history?

• Coal

• Electricity

• Muscle

• Oil

What was the first great energy technology that enabled humans to cook and work with metal?

• Fire

• Solar power

• Water power

• Wind power

Which of the following is not a form of fossil fuel mentioned in the text?

• Nuclear power

• Natural gas

• Oil

• Coal

What was the first machine to provide significantly large amounts of power not derived from muscle, water, or wind?

• Steam engine

• Nuclear power

• Solar power

• Electricity

Which country relied heavily on nuclear energy, according to the text?

• France

• China

• Russia

• United States

What was the disaster at the Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl in 1986 known for?

• Releasing radiation greater than Hiroshima and Nagasaki

• Causing immediate casualties

• Being a minor incident

• Releasing harmless radiation

What has led to increased calls for humanity to find cleaner, more renewable forms of energy in recent years?

• Abundance of fossil fuels

• Decrease in energy consumption

• Rising concerns over climate change

• Historical step backward

According to Crosby, what tempts people to believe that having energy flow down lines from far away and illuminate our rooms when we flip the switch is normal rather than miraculous?

• Historical growth

• Sustainability of energy

• Lack of technology

• Abundance of energy