Environmental Science Chapter 14 – Flashcards
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What is electrical power?
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the amount of work done by an electric current over a given time
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What is an energy carrier?
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the electricity that transfers energy
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What is an primary energy source?
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coal or waterpower to its point of use
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What is a electric generator?
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is basically a coil of wire that rotates in a magnetic field or that remains stationary while a magnetic field is rotated around it
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What is a turbine?
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a sophisticated paddle wheel-coupled to the generator
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What is turbogenerator?
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combined turbine and generator
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What is a power grid?
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is responsible for balancing electricity supply and demand, regardless of daily or seasonal fluctuations, in New England most utility companies are linked into pools tied together with transmission lines
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What is demand cycle?
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a typical pattern of daily and weekly electrical demand in the United States represents that constant supply of power provided by the large coal burning and nuclear plants with capacities as high as 1,000 MW.
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What is a blackout?
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total power failures
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What is a smart grid?
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one that is able to monitor problems in real time, react to trouble quickly, and isolate trouble areas so that cascading failure like the one in 2003 would be impossible.
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What is a condenser?
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a device that turns turbine exhaust steam into water
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What is thermal pollution?
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water heat energy discharged into waterways
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What are undiscovered resources?
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geologists make educated guesses as to where oil or natural gas may be located and how much may be found
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What is proved reserves?
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from the information, a fairly accurate estimate can be made of how much oil can be economically obtained from that field
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What is an oil field?
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if exploratory drilling confirms the presence of oil further drilling is conducted to determine the extent and depth
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What is production?
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the final step the withdrawal of oil or gas from the field
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What is primary recovery?
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conventional pumping can only remove 25% of the oil in an oil field.
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What is a secondary recovery?
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involve manipulating pressure in oil reservoir by injecting brine or steam which forces the oil into the wells
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What is enhanced recovery?
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is obtained by injecting carbon dioxide which breaks up oil droplets and enables them to flow again
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What is the Carter Doctrine?
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stated that the US would use military force if needed to ensure our access to Persian Gulf Oil.
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What is the fracking?
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refers to hydraulic fracturing, a technique for extracting natural gas and oil involving pumping fluids into a well to open up spaces that release gas or oil to be pumped back up the well
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What is mountain top mining?
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a form of strip mining for coal that takes off whole tops of mountains to get at the seams of coal that are buried as deeply as 1,000 feet below the surface
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What is the Energy Policy Act of 2005?
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which intended to establish energy policies for the United States for years to come
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What is the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 ?
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110th congress passing to the Democratic party, a see change began in environmental policy
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What is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)?
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directed $90 billion into clean energy further administrative regulations have provided some major changes in energy policies
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What is a conversation reserve?
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saving energy through greater efficiency is equivalent of exploiting an untapped reserve
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What is oil sand?
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sedimentary material containing bitumen
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What is integrated gasification combined cycle?
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plants mix coal, water, and oxygen to produce syngas
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What happened 300 million years ago with the sinking sea floor?
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Gulf of Mexico
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What happened in the Deepwater Horizon in 2010?
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the well failed causing an explosion and killing 11 workers and after burning for 36 hours the rig sink
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What how many days did oil gush out of the well?
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87 days
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How many barrels were released?
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5 million
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President Obama created a trust fund worth how much to cover cleanup and economic losses?
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20 billion
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What much energy did coal provide the US by 1920s?
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80%
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What are some drawbacks of coal?
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smoke and fumes polluted cities, it is hazardous to mine, dirty to handle, and steam engines are bulky and hard to operate
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What was the alternative to coal in 1800s?
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oil
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What are the benefits of oill?
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it was more convenient and burned more cleanly and gasoline engine is lighter than a steam engine
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What does natural gas produce ?
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carbon dioxide and water when burned and its burns more cleanly than coal or oil
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What much has the reserve capacity declined?
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25% TO 15%
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What are conversion losses?
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an unavoidable loss of energy
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What is OPEC?
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The organization of petroleum exporting countries
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What countries does OPEC consist of?
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mostly Arab countries
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When did oil prices start rising?
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in 1998
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How much did oil prices rise to in 2008?
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$147 barrel
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US dependency on foreign oil has three problems
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cost of buying oil, risk of supply disruptions due to political instability in the middle east
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What is oil shale?
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fine sedimentary rock containing keragen
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What is BLM?
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Bureau of Land Management
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What does the Bureau of Land Management do ?
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finalized rules how oil-shale leases will be regulated
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Hydraulic fracturing was exempted from regulations in the ?
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Safe Water Drinking Act 2005
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What is Coal workers pneumoconiosis CWP?
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black lung disease
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45% of US electricity come from?
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coal power plants
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What do underground mines cause?
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land subsidence and fires
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What are two pathways that can develop a low carbon future?
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nuclear power and renewable energy
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Which energy source supplies more of the worlds energy than any other?
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oil
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In terms of pollutants given off, which of the following is best to use?
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natural gas
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Which of the following sources accounts for the most electricity generated in the United States?
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coal
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Which of the following most accurately describes the trend in oil production in the United States since 1970?
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oil production has declined
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Which of the following areas has the largest proven petroleum and natural gas resources?
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Middle East
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Who is the worlds leading coal producer?
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China
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Which of following is an advantage of using natural gas to power a car?
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it produces virtually no hydrocarbons or sulfur oxides when burned
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What is Hubbert's Peal?
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a graphic estimation of when peak oil production would occur
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CAFE standards impact efficiency standards of what?
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motor vehicles
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Where did the blowout and subsequent oil spill from the Macondo Well occur?
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Gulf of Mexico, off coast of Louisiana
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Which one of the following primary energy sources has experienced the SMALLEST total increase in energy production since 1900 and today comprises only 6.4% of worldwide energy use?
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hydroelectric power
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In terms of pollutants given off which of the following is best to use?
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natural gas
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Except for photovoltaic cells, all electricity production requires the use of which one of the following?
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a turbine
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Which of the following is an advantage of using natural gas to power a car?
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it produces virtually no hydrocarbons or sulfur oxides when burned
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Used primarily in the US for electricity generation
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coal
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Remains of ancient organisms, modified underground for long periods by temperature and pressure
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coal oil and natural gas
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The worlds most abundant fossil fuel
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coal
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A mixture of hundreds or thousands of different hydrocarbon molecules
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oil
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Primary fuel used in the United States for space and water heating
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natural gas
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Created very slowly and considered nonrenewable at current extraction rates
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coal oil and natural gas
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Used primarily in the US as a source of vehicle fuels
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oil
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Produces the least carbon dioxide per unit energy when combusted
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natural gas
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The US reserves for which fossil fuels are expected to last 200 years or more into the future?
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coal
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Which is leading to increased fracking in the US?
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new technology
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You make your home near what is believed to be the largest shale reserve in the US, where are you?
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California
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You are an environmental scientist for the agency in charge of setting fracking regulations in California, who do you work for?
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State Department of Conservation
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You are an almond farmer in California, Which of the following is true?
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You own the land but not what is found below the surface
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You are a potato farmer in California are share the same concerns with fracking as most of your colleagues, What is your main issue with fracking as it is currently done?
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potential for groundwater contamination
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You are the CEO of an oil company looking to increase fracking in California, Why are you concerned with farmers?
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Most want fracking more strongly regulated
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How do recessions affect the demand and price of oil?
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demand initially decreases, leading to a price decrease
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If the EPA wishes to decrease the amount of sulfur dioxide being released into the atmosphere it should focus on which energy source?
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coal
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Which of the following is true regarding the Energy Policy Act and Energy Independence and Security Act?
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The Energy Policy Act attempted to increase energy supplies while the Energy Independence and Security Act focused on decreasing demand
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This study suggests that approximately _____ people die prematurely each year from the burning of fossil fuels
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20,000
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Which of the following is a cause of acid rain?
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sulfur dioxide
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Most ethanol in the US comes from what?
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corn
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Which of the following bird groups faces the most danger from wind turbines?
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raptors
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According to this study, which of the following is true?
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EBS is more damaging to the environment than ordinary gasoline
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According to this study which of the following has the highest external health costs?
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burning coal
