Chapter #14- Energy: Some Basics
1: How does the energy crisis in Ancient Greece and Rome compare to the oil crisis today? Explain. During the Ancient Greece and Rome times, they were very dependent on wood as there energy source for anything. And they soon eventually ran out of wood and thus they needed to find an alternative for there energy source. Which is similar to what is happening here in the United States with the whole issues of the use of oil.
Energy Basics
2: What is “work”? Definition and mathematical equation. Is the product of a force times a distance.
Define the following:
* Chemical Energy: Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds.
* Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion
* Heat Energy: Energy from random motions of atoms and molecules.
* Potential Energy: Contains stored energy
3: What is the “first law of thermodynamics”? The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed but it is always conserved.
4: What does it mean to have a “higher quality of energy”? It means it's more easier it can be to converted into work.
5: What is the “second law of thermodynamics”? Is when you use energy it lowers the quality.
Energy Efficiency
6: Define: First-Law Efficiency: The amount of energy without any consideration of the quality or availability of the energy.
7: Define: Second-Law Efficiency: How well matched the energy use is with the quality of the energy source.
Energy Units
8: What is the fundamental energy unit in the Metric System? How is it defined? The Joule; defined as a force of 1 newton.
9: What is POWER? How is it expressed?The rate of energy use, it may be expressed in joule per second, or watts.
10: What is thermal efficiency? The maximum possible efficiency of a heat engine
11: What is electrical resistivity? What does it cause? Wires that transport electricity have a natural
resistance to electrical flow. It converts some of the electric energy in the transmission lines to heat energy which is then radiated into the environment surrounding the lines.
Energy Sources and Consumption
12: What percentage of the energy in the United States is derived from fossil fuels? 90 percent
13: What percentage of the energy use in the United States is used efficiently? 50 percent
Energy Conservation, Increased Efficiency and Cogeneration
Define the following:
14: Conservation: Using less energy and adjusting our energy needs and uses to minimize the amount of high-quality energy necessary for a given task.
15: Cogeneration (define and give an example): A number processes designed to capture and use water, heat, rather than simply releasing it into the atmosphere in the environment as thermal pollutant. An example is the natural gas combined cycle power plant that produces electricity in 2 ways.
16: In the United States, space heating and cooling of homes and offices, water heating, industrial processes and automobiles account for nearly 60% of the total energy use
Building Design
17: What is a passive solar energy system? Give examples. They collect solar heat without using moving parts, some examples are windows, overhanging structures.
18: What are some ways that older homes can be modified to be more energy efficient? Through insulation, caulking, weather stripping and regular maintenance.
Industrial Energy
19: U.S. Industry consumes about 1/3rd of the energy produced.
Values, Choices and Energy Conservation
20: Name 3 ways that people could modify their behavior to help save energy.
Micropower
22: What is the concept of micropower? Micropower is a smaller and distributed systems for production of electricity.
Critical Thinking Issue:
Use of Energy Today and in 203023: How much energy in exajoules, did the world use in 2010 and what would you project global energy use to be in 2030? The world used 46 billion joules per person and by the year 2030 people will use up to 55 billion joules per person
24: The average person emits as heat 100 watts of power. If we assume that 25% of it is emitted by the brain, how much energy does your brain emit as heat in a year?
25: Can the world supply one-third more energy by 2030 without unacceptable environmental damage? How? I don't think the world cannot supply more energy by 2030. How? Because of the things that is going on in our economy plus the natural disaster that we still haven't got a solution to fix it.
26: In what specific ways could energy be used more efficiently in the United States? We should have laws that has an amount of energy that we can used.
1: How does the energy crisis in Ancient Greece and Rome compare to the oil crisis today? Explain. During the Ancient Greece and Rome times, they were very dependent on wood as there energy source for anything. And they soon eventually ran out of wood and thus they needed to find an alternative for there energy source. Which is similar to what is happening here in the United States with the whole issues of the use of oil.
Energy Basics
2: What is “work”? Definition and mathematical equation. Is the product of a force times a distance.
Define the following:
* Chemical Energy: Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds.
* Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion
* Heat Energy: Energy from random motions of atoms and molecules.
* Potential Energy: Contains stored energy
3: What is the “first law of thermodynamics”? The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed but it is always conserved.
4: What does it mean to have a “higher quality of energy”? It means it's more easier it can be to converted into work.
5: What is the “second law of thermodynamics”? Is when you use energy it lowers the quality.
Energy Efficiency
6: Define: First-Law Efficiency: The amount of energy without any consideration of the quality or availability of the energy.
7: Define: Second-Law Efficiency: How well matched the energy use is with the quality of the energy source.
Energy Units
8: What is the fundamental energy unit in the Metric System? How is it defined? The Joule; defined as a force of 1 newton.
9: What is POWER? How is it expressed?The rate of energy use, it may be expressed in joule per second, or watts.
10: What is thermal efficiency? The maximum possible efficiency of a heat engine
11: What is electrical resistivity? What does it cause? Wires that transport electricity have a natural
resistance to electrical flow. It converts some of the electric energy in the transmission lines to heat energy which is then radiated into the environment surrounding the lines.
Energy Sources and Consumption
12: What percentage of the energy in the United States is derived from fossil fuels? 90 percent
13: What percentage of the energy use in the United States is used efficiently? 50 percent
Energy Conservation, Increased Efficiency and Cogeneration
Define the following:
14: Conservation: Using less energy and adjusting our energy needs and uses to minimize the amount of high-quality energy necessary for a given task.
15: Cogeneration (define and give an example): A number processes designed to capture and use water, heat, rather than simply releasing it into the atmosphere in the environment as thermal pollutant. An example is the natural gas combined cycle power plant that produces electricity in 2 ways.
16: In the United States, space heating and cooling of homes and offices, water heating, industrial processes and automobiles account for nearly 60% of the total energy use
Building Design
17: What is a passive solar energy system? Give examples. They collect solar heat without using moving parts, some examples are windows, overhanging structures.
18: What are some ways that older homes can be modified to be more energy efficient? Through insulation, caulking, weather stripping and regular maintenance.
Industrial Energy
19: U.S. Industry consumes about 1/3rd of the energy produced.
Values, Choices and Energy Conservation
20: Name 3 ways that people could modify their behavior to help save energy.
- Carpooling to travel from work or school
- Taking shorter showers
- Turning off lights when leaving the room
Micropower
22: What is the concept of micropower? Micropower is a smaller and distributed systems for production of electricity.
Critical Thinking Issue:
Use of Energy Today and in 203023: How much energy in exajoules, did the world use in 2010 and what would you project global energy use to be in 2030? The world used 46 billion joules per person and by the year 2030 people will use up to 55 billion joules per person
24: The average person emits as heat 100 watts of power. If we assume that 25% of it is emitted by the brain, how much energy does your brain emit as heat in a year?
25: Can the world supply one-third more energy by 2030 without unacceptable environmental damage? How? I don't think the world cannot supply more energy by 2030. How? Because of the things that is going on in our economy plus the natural disaster that we still haven't got a solution to fix it.
26: In what specific ways could energy be used more efficiently in the United States? We should have laws that has an amount of energy that we can used.
Chapter #15: Fossil Fuels and the Environment
1: What is Peak Oil? What is predicted to happen when we reach peak oil? Peak oil is the time when one-half of Earth's oil has been exploited.
Fossil Fuels
2: How were fossil fuels created? Deposits of organic matter that is formed from decaying plants and animals that have been converted into crude oil, natural gas and coal.
3: The major fossil fuels- crude oil, natural gas and coal- are our primary energy sources; they provide approximately of90 percent the energy consumed worldwide.
Crude Oil and Natural Gas
4: Where were crude oil and natural gas deposits created? They are derived from organic materials that were buried with marine or lake sediments in what are known as despositional basins.
5: Why do we not find oil and gas in geologically old rocks? Since oil and gas are light and if the upward mobility is not blocked thus escaping to the atmosphere.
6: What the favorable rock structure to trap oil and gas deposits? It is an anticline or a fault which is necessary to form traps.
Petroleum Production
7: How much oil can be recovered from wells by primary production? About 25 percent
8: What are enhanced recovery techniques of oil and gas deposits? Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas are injected into the oil reservoir to push the oil towards the wells.
9: Where are 60% of the total known reserves found? They are in the Middle East
10: When will world oil production likely to peak? In the next few decades
Natural Gas
11: How is natural gas primarily transported? Through pipelines
12: Why is natural gas considered to be a clean fuel? Due to the fact that when it is burned it produces fewer pollutants than burning coal or oil
Coal-Bed Methane
13: What is coal-bed methane and how much is estimated to exist? (How many years does this represent?) It is a process that releases a lot of methane that is stored within the coal, more 20 trillion cubic meters
14: What are the PROS and CONS of drilling for and using coal-bed methane? It is a promising energy source that comes at a time if the United States is importing vast amounts of energy, but the migration of methane in urban areas creates a foul smell
Black Shale Natural Gas
15: What are some of the concerns of hydrologic fracturing for black shale natural gas? Since it could result in water pollution
Methane Hydrates
16: What are methane hydrates composed of? How were they formed? Made up of molecule of methane gas (CH4), it was formed as a result of microbial digestion of organic matter in the sediments of the seafloor.
17: Where do methane hydrates form? In the oceans
The Environmental Effects of Oil and Natural Gas
18: What are some of the environmental effects of recovery of oil and gas? Pollution of surface waters and groundwater from leaks of broken pipes, release of air pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide, land subsidence as oil and gas are withdrawn.
19: What are some of the environmental effects of refining of oil and gas? It releases "drilling mud", that contains heavy metals such as barium. The use of refining, causing accidental spills and leaks.
20: What are some of the environmental effects of delivery and use of oil and gas? Causes oil spills (causes loss of tourists and spoiled beaches)
21: What are some arguments FOR and AGAINST drilling in the ANWR (Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge)? FOR: New oil facilities will give Alaska a boost in their economy, with new drilling practices it will cause less harm to the environment.
AGAINST: Accidents many occur, damages the native people's land, and it will disrupt wildlife.
Coal
22: What is COAL? How is it created? Decomposed vegetation that is buried in the sediment environment and is slowly transformed into the solid, bridle rock.
23: Which type of coal has the greatest energy content? Which type has the lowest? Anthractice coal and lignite coal.
Coal Mining and the Environment
24: What is strip mining? A surface mining process in which the overlaying layer of the soil and rock is stripped off to reach the coal.
25: What are some of the environmental impacts of strip mining? Acid mine drainage, the drainage of acidic water from mine sites, potential to pollute or damage water, land and biological resources.
Mountaintop Removal
26: What are some of the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal? Valleys are filled with waste rock and other mine waste, flood hazard increases as toxic wastewater is stored behind coal-waste sludge dams.
27: What does the “Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977” require? The government requires that mined land be restored to support its premining use. It also states prohibits mining on agricultural land.
Underground Mining
28: Underground Mining accounts for approximately 40% of the coal mined in the United States
29: What are the dangers to miners in underground mining? Mine shaft collapse, explosions, fires and respiratory illnesses.
30: What are the environmental impacts of underground mining? Acid mine drainage, land subsidence and coal fires
Transporting Coal
31: How is most of the coal transported in the United States? Through freight trains and coal-slurry pipelines.
The Future of Coal
32: The burning of coal produces nearly 50% of the electricity used and about 25% of the total energy consumed in the United States today.
33: How much air emissions are created using coal to create electricity in the U.S.? 70 percent of sulfur dioxide, 30 percent of the nitrogen oxide and 35 percent of the carbon dioxide.
34: What did the Clean Air Amendment of 1990 mandate? That sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants be cut up to 70-90%
35: What is allowance trading? Grants utility companies tradable allowances for polluting
Oil Shale and Tar Sands
36: What is oil shale? How is it created and where is it found? Is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that contains organic matter. It is created when it is heated in a process called destructive distillation, the oil shale yields up to nearly 60 liters of oil per ton. The best location for oil shale in the United States is Green River.
37: What are the environmental impacts of developing oil shale? Waste disposal
Tar Sands
38: Why can’t petroleum be recovered from tar sands from conventional methods? Since the oil is too thick to flow easily
39: How are tar sands processed? To the mining and then washing out all of the oil with hot water.
1: What is Peak Oil? What is predicted to happen when we reach peak oil? Peak oil is the time when one-half of Earth's oil has been exploited.
Fossil Fuels
2: How were fossil fuels created? Deposits of organic matter that is formed from decaying plants and animals that have been converted into crude oil, natural gas and coal.
3: The major fossil fuels- crude oil, natural gas and coal- are our primary energy sources; they provide approximately of90 percent the energy consumed worldwide.
Crude Oil and Natural Gas
4: Where were crude oil and natural gas deposits created? They are derived from organic materials that were buried with marine or lake sediments in what are known as despositional basins.
5: Why do we not find oil and gas in geologically old rocks? Since oil and gas are light and if the upward mobility is not blocked thus escaping to the atmosphere.
6: What the favorable rock structure to trap oil and gas deposits? It is an anticline or a fault which is necessary to form traps.
Petroleum Production
7: How much oil can be recovered from wells by primary production? About 25 percent
8: What are enhanced recovery techniques of oil and gas deposits? Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas are injected into the oil reservoir to push the oil towards the wells.
9: Where are 60% of the total known reserves found? They are in the Middle East
10: When will world oil production likely to peak? In the next few decades
Natural Gas
11: How is natural gas primarily transported? Through pipelines
12: Why is natural gas considered to be a clean fuel? Due to the fact that when it is burned it produces fewer pollutants than burning coal or oil
Coal-Bed Methane
13: What is coal-bed methane and how much is estimated to exist? (How many years does this represent?) It is a process that releases a lot of methane that is stored within the coal, more 20 trillion cubic meters
14: What are the PROS and CONS of drilling for and using coal-bed methane? It is a promising energy source that comes at a time if the United States is importing vast amounts of energy, but the migration of methane in urban areas creates a foul smell
Black Shale Natural Gas
15: What are some of the concerns of hydrologic fracturing for black shale natural gas? Since it could result in water pollution
Methane Hydrates
16: What are methane hydrates composed of? How were they formed? Made up of molecule of methane gas (CH4), it was formed as a result of microbial digestion of organic matter in the sediments of the seafloor.
17: Where do methane hydrates form? In the oceans
The Environmental Effects of Oil and Natural Gas
18: What are some of the environmental effects of recovery of oil and gas? Pollution of surface waters and groundwater from leaks of broken pipes, release of air pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide, land subsidence as oil and gas are withdrawn.
19: What are some of the environmental effects of refining of oil and gas? It releases "drilling mud", that contains heavy metals such as barium. The use of refining, causing accidental spills and leaks.
20: What are some of the environmental effects of delivery and use of oil and gas? Causes oil spills (causes loss of tourists and spoiled beaches)
21: What are some arguments FOR and AGAINST drilling in the ANWR (Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge)? FOR: New oil facilities will give Alaska a boost in their economy, with new drilling practices it will cause less harm to the environment.
AGAINST: Accidents many occur, damages the native people's land, and it will disrupt wildlife.
Coal
22: What is COAL? How is it created? Decomposed vegetation that is buried in the sediment environment and is slowly transformed into the solid, bridle rock.
23: Which type of coal has the greatest energy content? Which type has the lowest? Anthractice coal and lignite coal.
Coal Mining and the Environment
24: What is strip mining? A surface mining process in which the overlaying layer of the soil and rock is stripped off to reach the coal.
25: What are some of the environmental impacts of strip mining? Acid mine drainage, the drainage of acidic water from mine sites, potential to pollute or damage water, land and biological resources.
Mountaintop Removal
26: What are some of the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal? Valleys are filled with waste rock and other mine waste, flood hazard increases as toxic wastewater is stored behind coal-waste sludge dams.
27: What does the “Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977” require? The government requires that mined land be restored to support its premining use. It also states prohibits mining on agricultural land.
Underground Mining
28: Underground Mining accounts for approximately 40% of the coal mined in the United States
29: What are the dangers to miners in underground mining? Mine shaft collapse, explosions, fires and respiratory illnesses.
30: What are the environmental impacts of underground mining? Acid mine drainage, land subsidence and coal fires
Transporting Coal
31: How is most of the coal transported in the United States? Through freight trains and coal-slurry pipelines.
The Future of Coal
32: The burning of coal produces nearly 50% of the electricity used and about 25% of the total energy consumed in the United States today.
33: How much air emissions are created using coal to create electricity in the U.S.? 70 percent of sulfur dioxide, 30 percent of the nitrogen oxide and 35 percent of the carbon dioxide.
34: What did the Clean Air Amendment of 1990 mandate? That sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants be cut up to 70-90%
35: What is allowance trading? Grants utility companies tradable allowances for polluting
Oil Shale and Tar Sands
36: What is oil shale? How is it created and where is it found? Is a fine-grained sedimentary rock that contains organic matter. It is created when it is heated in a process called destructive distillation, the oil shale yields up to nearly 60 liters of oil per ton. The best location for oil shale in the United States is Green River.
37: What are the environmental impacts of developing oil shale? Waste disposal
Tar Sands
38: Why can’t petroleum be recovered from tar sands from conventional methods? Since the oil is too thick to flow easily
39: How are tar sands processed? To the mining and then washing out all of the oil with hot water.