EVS Study Guide

What happened in the 1970’s in the US?

Ethanol and gasoline were mixed to make biomass fuels.

What does OPEC stand for?

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

What did this lead to?

The 1973 Oil Embargo against the U.S. and Western Europe

What is the conservation revolution?

A book by Caroline Fraser

What is bad about the US being dependent on foreign oil?

The U.S. does not own the foreign oil and must negotiate for it.

What are solutions to reducing our dependence and does everyone agree on them?
Creating environmental friendly fuels; not everyone agrees because not all have the same affects

Nonrenewable vs Renewable vs Perpetual

Nonrenewable (limited), renewable (not limited if not used in over excess), constant (sun,
wind, etc)

What are types of fossil fuels we discussed?

Coal, petroleum, natural gas, oil, tar sands

Is energy efficiency 100 %?

No

What are fossil fuels (how are they made)?

Combustible deposits in the Earth’s crust (composed of the remnants of prehistoric organisms
that existed millions of years ago).

What is the difference between a proven/economic reserve and a subeconomic reserve?

Proven/economic reserve: Deposits that have been located, measured and inventoried.
Subeconomic reserve: Deposits that have been discovered but can’t be extracted at a profit.

Is all coal the same?

No, it occurs in different grades.

T/F Most coal deposits have not been found.

False, most if not all global coal deposits have been identified.
Impacts of coal
Releases large quantities of C)2 into atmosphere, releases other pollutants into atmosphere
(mercury, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides), can cause acid precipitation

Petroleum aka ?
Crude Oil

Where are more than half of oil reserves located?

The Middle East

Where are more than half of natural gas reserves located?

Russia & Iran

Environmental impacts of oil/ natural gas?

Natural Gas is cleaner than oil and coal, but is not entirely clean. Combustion releases some
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide

2 non conventional oil resources and where are a lot of each found?
Oil Sands (Tar Sands): Mixture of clay, sand, water and Bitumen (thick, high sulfur, tar-like
liquid)
Oil Shale: Fine-grained sedimentary rock containing Kerogen (waxy, combustible organic
matter)

Vast reserves in the U.S.

T/F 80% of world’s population consumes 30 % of energy.

True

Timeline of fossil fuel use in U.S.

Late 1800’s: Coal
20th Century: Oil; natural gas use also increased
1946: Oil and natural gas – chief source of U.S. energy
1950: Oil alone chief source
1960-Present: Coal, oil, and natural gas play dominant role in energy consumption

What is currently the chief source of US energy?

Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power

4 objectives of US energy strategy

1: Increase energy efficiency and conservation
2: Secure future fossil fuel energy supplies
3: Develop alternative energy
4: Meet the first 3 objectives without damage to the environment
Things individuals and industry can do to increase energy efficiency?
Individuals
-Install energy efficient windows and doors
-Recycle
-Ride bikes/walk when possible
-Compact fluorescent light bulb
Industry
-Energy efficient transformers
-Raising CAFÉ standards
-Raising gasoline tax
-Mass transit in urban areas
What are the alternative energy sources we talked about last time?
Nuclear, solar, wind power, hydropower, geothermal, ocean power, biomass energy, solid waste

Explain Trash Conversion

Sort out noncombustible materials such as glass and metal and then shred screen and pelletize
the combustible refuse into usable fuel

What can be installed in landfills to siphon out methane gas?

Biogas digesters installed in landfills and siphon methane gas into storage tanks

Name some pros/ cons of solid waste as an energy source

Pros:
Reduces amount of material going into landfills,
Methane gas from landfills could save 20,000 to 85,000 barrels of oil per day,
Landfill becomes smaller as methane gas is siphoned out
Cons:
Methane recovery facilities can only go where there is a lot of refuse,
Might change recycling patterns,
Emissions (ex: mercury, lead)

What is Biomass Energy?

Harnessed from organic matter (ex: wood, crop residues, animal waste products, crops such as
switch grass, seaweed and kelp); one of the oldest and most versatile sources of power

What is primary source of biomass energy?

Wood is generally principle fuel

What is a growing source of biomass energy?

Crop residues

Important biomass fuel? Is it cleaner than gasoline?

Ethanol; it is cleaner than gasoline (90% less carbon dioxide than gasoline, 70% less sulfure
dioxide)
What is a con of using biomass energy?
In some areas, biomass fuels have been exploited. Supply of resource and land’s fertility are
threatened.

Is ocean power renewable, nonrenewable or perpetual?

Perpetual

3 ways to tap ocean power?

-Flow and ebb of tides in and out of restricted areas,
-Turbines can be powered by movement of waves,
-Turbines can be powered by temperature difference between sun-heated surface waters and
cold waters below

Only 2 ways currently used?

Tidal energy & wave energy

Cons of using ocean power?

-Reduced tidal range,
-Reduced tidal current flow,
-Altered sea levels,
-Death of migratory fish and other aquatic animals

Explain Geothermal energy? How do you get to it?

Heat generated by natural processes occurring beneath Earth’s surface. It is obtained by drilling.

What countries geothermal resources provide 85% of residential heat?

Iceland

Is use of geothermal energy decreasing?

It is increasing, the U.S. increased geothermal energy use by 40% in the 1990s and is expected to
rise

Explain Hydropower
It is the energy of falling water

Highest generating capacity of any hydropower plant in world?

Brazils Itaipu Dam (1991)

Is hydropower only large scale plants?

No, many other developing nations are installing generators that are thousands of times smaller
on remote rivers and streams

What energy source has the greatest proportion of electric-generating capacity of all
renewable energy sources?
Hydropower
Pros and Cons of hydropower?
Pros:
-Clean electricity (no air pollution)
-Dams are multipurpose (provide water for recreation, municipal water supplies, irrigation and
flood control
Cons:
-Radically alters ecosystem
-Affects fishing
-Dams collect silt (normally would provide nutrients downstream)
-Displaces people and wildlife (30 to 60 million people have lost their homes and fields)

Explain wind power

Flowing air turns turbines and is harnessed to provide energy

What is DOEs goal for wind power by 2020?

Generate 5% of U.S. electricity by wind

Wind farms require average speed of what?

13 mph

Where is world’s largest wind farm?

Altamont Pass in California (>7,000 turbines)

Cons of wind?
-Unrealiable and intermittent
-Varies with climate, weather, etc
-Visual

2 things solar energy can be used for?

Active & Passive Systems

T/F- Passive solar system = uses fans or pumps driven by electricity to enhance collection
and distribution of suns heat
False, relies only on natural forces of conduction, convection and radiation

What are types of solar energy (4 things)?

-Passive Solar Energy
-Active Solar Energy
-Thermal Solar Energy
-Photovaltaic Solar Power
-Concentrating Solar Power
In nuclear- two processes that release energy
Nuclear Fission: Splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller fragments, accompanied by the
release of a large amount of energy
Nuclear Fusion: Joined of two lightweight atomic nuclei into a single, heavier nucleus,
accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy

What do nuclear power plants use?

Nuclear Fission

What element is used?

Uranium 235

How is water cooled in nuclear process?

Water is circulated through heat exchangers (absorbing the heat) then released into the
environment where the heat is rejected into the atmosphere

What country gets the most electricity from nuclear?

France (78% of electricity)

Cons of nuclear
-Safety,
-Expensive,
-Weapons,
-Nowhere to dispose of waste (spent fuel and decommissioned plants)
-Ponds, cooling towers or spray systems to release waste heat – Warmed waters harm ecosystem
-If cooling water pumped from lakes, rivers, oceans the organisms are trapped and killed

What are the 5 layers of the atmosphere in order?

Troposphere: 0-10km
Stratosphere: 10-45km
Mesophere: 45-80km
Thermosphere: 80-500km
Exosphere: >500km

What layer is ozone in?

Stratosphere: 10-45km

About how much of solar radiation is absorbed by atmosphere and earth?

69%

What happens to the rest of it?

Remainder is reflected back into space

What is that called?

Albedo
Explain Greenhouse Effect
Some outgoing heat is trapped by greenhouse gases in atmosphere – keeps Earth’s temperature
moderate. As greenhouse gases build up in atmosphere, more heat is trapped.

What are the two categories of air pollutants and describe each.
Primary Pollutants:
-Enter directly into the tropospherre
-Ex: soot, carbon monoxide
Secondary Pollutants:
-Form when primary pollutants interact with one another or with the air to form new pollutants

What are the major classes of air pollutants?

Particulate Material
Nitrogen Oxides
Sulfur Oxides
Carbon Oxides
Hydrocarbons
Ozone

2 types of smog
Photochemical smog: Is formed by the reaction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile
hydrocarbons (VOCs) under the influence of sunlight (heat +UV)
Industrial smog: A mixture of sulfure dioxide, droplets of sulfuric acid, and a variety of
suspended solid particles emitted by burning coal and heavy oil

Is indoor air pollution more or less concentrated that outdoor?

More concentrated; indoor pollutants can be 5-100x greater than outdoors

2 types of indoor air pollution

Radon, cigarette smoke, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde pesticides, lead,
cleaning solvents, ozone, and asbestos

What Act controls air pollutants?

The Clean Air Act

Was Carbon dioxide always controlled by this act?

No, it is a new addition

What is causing climate change?

-Enhanced greenhouse effect,
-Carbon Dioxide,
-Methane,
-Nitrous oxide,
-Chlorofluorocarbon- 11 & 12
What are some effects of climate change?
Melting ice, melting permafrost & rising sea levels

How are organisms and crops affected by climate change?

Range in which organisms may live is reduced. Location of crops may change.

Where is ozone located?

The stratosphere

What is main cause of ozone depletion?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

What are two ways to attempt to manage climate change?

Mitigation & Adaptation

What are some ways to mitigate climate change?

-Locate/invent alternative fuels to fossil fuels,
-Increase efficiency of cars & trucks,
-Sequester carbon before it is emitted,
-Plant and maintain trees to naturally sequester carbon,
-Behavioral change

What are some ways to adapt to climate change?

-Move inland,
-Construct dikes and levees
-Adapt to shifting agricultural zones
-Engineer crops to tolerate changing climate

What is the UN-chartered, international scientific body to examine research on global

climate change?
General findings of Fourth Report (2007)
-Warming of climate is happening
-95% probability is due to anthropogenic sources
-Will continue even if greenhouse gas emissions are stabilized
-Will have profound impacts on environmental civilization