Q&A Hero

Q: Briefly describe the different categories of waste.

Q: Briefly describe the technologies that have been developed to mitigate or eliminate incinerator emissions.

Q: Are disposable diapers a significant contributor to the volume of trash in landfills? Are there any other concerns associated with the landfilled diapers?

Q: Match the following.A) yard debrisB) organicsC) paperD) glassE) metalsF) food scrapsG) syringes, hospital gowns, and diapersH) plastic1.The largest component of Canadian municipal solid waste2.The second"‘largest component of Canadian municipal solid waste3.Often the primary contributor to solid waste in developing nations4.Waste that has taken up a substantially greater share of the waste stream since 19605.Waste component from the Islip, New York, barge that was rejected by North Carolina, Louisiana, and Mexico in 1987, so it was returned to New York6.This waste can be removed from soil or water via phytoremediation

Q: Refer to Figure 18.2. In which year was residential recycling (diversion) highest? A) 2000 B) 2002 C) 2004 D) It was the same in all years. E) There was no trend toward residential recycling at any time.

Q: Refer to Figure 18.2. Which year demonstrated the greatest volume of recycling? A) 2000 B) 2002 C) 2004 D) The volume was the same in all years. E) There was no trend toward more recycling at any time.

Q: Figure 18.2Use Figure 18.2 to answer the following questions.Refer to Figure 18.2. From 2000 to 2004, the trend has been that ________ over time.A) less waste was sent to landfillsB) more overall recycling occurredC) less waste was recovered for recyclingD) less overall waste was producedE) there have been equal ratios of land disposal, combustion, and recovery

Q: Refer to Figure 18.1. Which computer equipment has the highest lead content?A) computer CPUsB) computer monitorsC) printersD) keyboardE) laptop

Q: Refer to Figure 18.1. On average, ________ leach about ________ times more lead than ________. A) computer mice; 3 times; remote controls B) computer monitors; 10 times; flat panel monitors C) printers; 2 times; computer CPUs D) colour televisions; 2.5 times; flat panel monitors E) remote controls; 20%; smoke detectors

Q: Refer to Figure 18.1. Lead pollution is less of a problem in the case of ________. A) electronic devices containing a lower content of iron B) electronic devices containing a higher content of iron C) discarded monitors D) discarded colour televisions E) discarded smoke detectors

Q: Figure 18.1 Discarded electronic waste can leach heavy metals including lead. The light-coloured bar showsthe percentage of electronic devices leaching. The U.S. EPA's regulatory threshold for lead leachate is 5 mg/L. The graph shows the percentage of devices that exceed the threshold, as well as the average concentration of lead leachate from each waste category.Use Figure 18.1 to answer the following questions.Refer to Figure 18.1. You want to reduce lead pollution from a landfill. The recycling of which computer equipment should be your priority?A) computer miceB) computer monitorsC) laptopsD) computer CPUsE) VCRs

Q: E-85 ________. A) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict greenhouse gas emissions B) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to determine vehicle fuel efficiency standards C) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict CFC use D) is an isotope of uranium used to generate electricity E) is an ethanol"gasoline mixture used in flexible-fuel vehicles

Q: Effects attributed to Chernobyl ________. A) were contained within the Ukraine B) have not been extensively documented C) did not include fatalities D) increased the incidence of thyroid cancers E) increased the incidence of emphysema

Q: Which of the following characterizes Canadian nuclear power plants? A) largely unregulated B) highly subsidized C) widely accepted by the public D) account for nearly one-sixth of domestic energy production E) inexpensive to operate

Q: The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a ________. A) prototype nuclear fusion reactor B) solar energy collector in the California desert C) prototype cold fusion reactor D) prototype nuclear fission reactor E) project aiming to bury spent uranium in the western United States

Q: Atomic energy in power plants is created via ________. A) fusion of electrons B) ionic transformation of atoms C) extraction of energy from the nucleus of cells D) bombarding radioactive elements with electrons E) fissioning uranium atoms by bombarding them with neutrons

Q: Nuclear power plants ________. A) were first developed commercially in the early 1990s B) experienced the most growth during the 1970s and 1980s C) have not been allowed in France and Lithuania D) supply most of the United States's electricity E) produce more greenhouse gas emissions than burning fossil fuels

Q: New renewables include ________. A) biodiesel B) wind power C) nuclear D) sustainably harvested fuelwood E) "bogas" methane

Q: Which of the following represents proper ranking of the Canadian total primary energy supply from the most used to the least used? A) fossil fuels, hydroelectric, nuclear B) fossil fuels, hydroelectric, new renewables C) hydroelectric, nuclear, fossil fuels, D) hydroelectric, fossil fuels, nuclear E) hydroelectric, biomass , fossil fuels

Q: Which of the following represents the proper ranking of the world's total primary energy supply from the most used to the least used? A) fossil fuels, biomass, nuclear, hydroelectric, new renewables B) fossil fuels, biomass, hydroelectric, nuclear, new renewables C) fossil fuels, biomass, hydroelectric, new renewables, nuclear D) fossil fuels, nuclear, hydroelectric, biomass, new renewables E) biomass, fossil fuels, nuclear, hydroelectric, new renewables

Q: The run-of-river approach describes ________. A) impounding water in reservoirs behind concrete dams B) the purchase of state-run dams by major corporations C) dams that are reliable but unsustainable D) the most expensive type of dams to build and maintain E) the diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipes

Q: ________ strongly influences the amount of energy generated from hydropower. A) The temperature of reservoir water B) Latitude C) The phase of the Moon D) The volume of water released and the height of the fall E) The amount of biomass contained in reservoir water

Q: Biomass energy ________. A) can be created by microbial action or burned directly as wood or dung B) requires fossil fuel input to produce C) produces no greenhouse gases when burned D) could not supply an alternative fuel to gasoline E) is a form of fossil fuel

Q: Worldwide, the most widely used renewable energy resource is ________. A) solar B) hydroelectric C) biomass D) wind E) nuclear

Q: We can harness power from wind by using devices called ________, mechanical assemblies that convert wind's kinetic energy, or energy of motion, into electrical energy.

Q: The most commonly used approach to solar energy collection is ________, in which buildings are designed and building materials chosen to maximize their direct absorption of sunlight in winter, even as they keep the interior cool in the heat of summer.

Q: Briefly describe how a hydrogen fuel cell works to produce electricity.

Q: What are the benefits of using offshore sites for collecting wind power?

Q: What are some of the benefits of using hydrogen as a fuel?

Q: Explain the major problem with wind energy. How can we mitigate this problem?

Q: Why are we harvesting so little of the vast amount of solar energy that is available?

Q: What are the benefits of using electrolysis to produce and store energy?

Q: Compare gasification and pyrolysis.

Q: In Canada over ________% of electricity comes from hydroelectric facilities.

Q: ________ uses the kinetic energy of moving water to turn turbines and generate electricity.

Q: Briefly discuss the pros and cons of hydropower.

Q: Compare Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.

Q: What is a breeder reactor? What are its advantages and disadvantages?

Q: Explain the role of radioisotopes in generating nuclear power. What is spent fuel?

Q: Why is radioactive waste disposal less of a problem in Canada than in the United States? Include in your discussion the Canadian site in northern Manitoba and the U.S. site on Yucca Mountain.

Q: Discuss the conventional alternatives to fossil fuels.

Q: Match the following.A) Yucca MountainB) Peanut oilC) PV solarD) natural gasE) solarF) Canola oilG) Three GorgesH) geothermalI) ChernobylJ) fissionK) windL) ethanol and biodieselM) Gardinier DamN) KyotoO) fusionP) methanol and dioxinQ) photovoltaic cellsR) Three Mile IslandS) CanadaT) AustraliaU) quadrathermal cellsV) Los AlamosW) geomagneticX) Hanford1.Location of the most serious nuclear power plant accident in the United States2.Location of the most severe nuclear power plant accident in the world3.Source of biodiesel in Canada4.Location in the United States evaluated as a possible repository for radioactive waste5.Location that is the site of one-third of the world's production of uranium6.The world's largest hydroelectric dam7.Liquid biofuels in heaviest production8.The process in which a collision with a neutron splits a uranium atom into smaller atoms and releases two or three neutrons, radiation, and energy9.An inexhaustible, nonpolluting, decentralized energy source10.A form of kinetic energy that can be harnessed with turbines11.A form of energy that may not be completely renewable and can produce air pollution12.A method of converting electromagnetic to electrical energy

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Between 1970 and 2004 the share of the ________ energy in the total energy production ________. A) geothermal; increased, but increased five times less than solar B) hydropower; slightly decreased C) biomass; did not change much in industrialized countries D) biomass; increased more than the share of hydro generation E) "new" renewable sources of; increased by as much as "conventional" renewable sources

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Between 1970 and 2004, the "old" renewable energy source that increased the mostinabsolute numbers (i.e., the output of energy per year) was ________. A) solar power B) hydropower C) biomass D) biomass and hydro generation; they increased approximately the same amount E) There is not enough information to answer this question.

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Which of the following, for primary energy, is the major renewable source in the world that is growing at the fastest rate (i.e., has increased the most since its 1970 level)? A) wind B) geothermal C) solar D) biomass E) hydroelectric

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Based on this graph ________. A) developing countries use less biomass than the developed countries, reflecting the increased use of biodiesel and ethanol in the developed world B) fossil fuel use stabilized worldwide C) oil consumption surpassed consumption of biomass in industrialized nations D) until now, economic development has increased reliance on fossil fuels E) energy consumption in developing nations surpassed energy consumption in developed nations

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Which of the following can we infer for the decade 1980-1989? A) Both developing and developed nations met the majority of their energy needs with biomass. B) World consumption of coal decreased compared to the preceeding decade. C) The use of "new" renewable resources increased compared to the preceeding decade. D) Consumption of oil in industrialized countries decreased compared to the preceeding decade. E) Developing countries met most of their energy needs with renewable sources.

Q: Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Which of the following can we infer for the period between 1970 and 2004? A) Both developing and developed nations met the majority of their energy needs with biomass. B) World consumption of oil decreased. C) Both developing and developed nations met the majority of their energy needs with fossil fuels. D) World consumption of natural gas decreased. E) Developing countries met most of their energy needs with renewable sources.

Q: Figure 17.1Figure 17.2Use Figure 17.1 and/orFigure 17.2 to answer the following questions.Refer to Figure 17.1 and/or Figure 17.2. Of the power sources listed below, which has had the most stable percentage of global energy consumption since 1970?A) oilB) biomassC) coalD) natural gasE) hydropower

Q: Traditional uses of wind energy did NOT include ________. A) draining wetlands B) irrigating crops C) producing electricity D) transportation E) grinding grain

Q: Electricity production and consumption are most commonly measured in kilowatt"‘hours (kWh). A kilowatt"‘hour is one kilowatt (1000 watts) of electricity produced or consumed for one hour. A 10"‘kW wind turbine can generate about 10 000 kWh annually at a site with wind speeds averaging 19 kilometres per hour. This means that the turbine produces on average about ________% of its nominal generating potential (i.e., the energy that could be theoretically produced if the turbine worked at 100% of its capacity all the time). A) 30% B) 50% C) 90% D) 1% E) 10 %

Q: Electricity production and consumption are most commonly measured in kilowatt"‘hours (kWh). A kilowatt"‘hour is one kilowatt (1000 watts) of electricity produced or consumed for one hour. A 10"‘kW wind turbine can generate about 10 000 kWh annually at a site with wind speeds averaging 19 kilometres per hour, or about enough to power a typical household. In just such a site, the 250"‘kW turbine installed at the Canadian Tire retail store in Welland, Ontario, provides an annual average of over ________. A) 250 kW B) 250 mW C) 2 500 kW D) 25 000 kW E) 250 000 kW

Q: Environmentalists have been concerned about the effects of the wind turbines on local and migratory birds. The wind farm at Cowley Ridge Wind Plant is situated in an area of high raptor use, and some birds have died there from collisions with the turning rotors. Detailed studies show that in most areas, such deaths will be less than 1% of human"‘caused deaths on account of factors such as tall buildings and glass doors and windows. Therefore, it is probably true that ________. A) wind turbines are a serious wildlife hazard B) small"‘bird mortality will increase far more than large"‘bird mortality near wind farms C) wind turbines will be safer for wildlife than coal"‘powered electrical"‘generating plants D) the most serious hazard from wind turbines will be problems with airplanes E) wind farms will be hazardous to domestic pigeons

Q: The entire output of the Cowley Ridge Wind Plant in Southwestern Alberta was quickly sold to subscribers, and further wind energy parks were soon built in other places. Most of the distribution has gone to businesses, universities, and provincial agencies. This means that ________. A) consumers still do not trust alternative energy sources B) many groups have recognized the economic and environmental benefits of alternative energy sources C) the costs associated with renewable energy sources can be borne only by large groups D) very few large institutions are concerned about the pollution and environmental degradation associated with using wind to generate electricity E) renewable energy sources are not yet efficient enough to be used by homeowners

Q: Suppose there are two 65"‘kilowatt wind turbines predicted to generate 200 000 kilowatt"‘hours of wind energy each year, displacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise produce 140 tons of carbon dioxidethe primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 362 kg of nitrogen oxides and 861 kg of sulphur dioxide, which are the major ingredients ________. A) in acid rain and ground"‘level ozone or smog B) damaging the ozone layer C) in water pollution D) causing eutrophication E) in fertilizers

Q: Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.Southern Alberta, the lower half of Saskatchewan, and the southern part of Manitoba are the best locations for wind power (see Figure 17.27). People in these areas wonder if there is enough wind to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 14 to 20 km per hour is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight.If the wind speed averages 19 km/h on one hill and 17 km/h on another hill, then a turbine operating on the first hill could, in theory, generate about ________% more electricity than a turbine on the second hill.A) 1B) 10C) 25D) 33E) 50

Q: B5, B10, and B20 represent ________.A) new vitamins recently isolated from sugar cane bagasseB) synthetic compounds that can be mixed with fossil fuel to give more energyC) various ratios of biodiesel to petrodiesel in alternative vehicular fuelsD) bacterial strains used to ferment corn to make ethanolE) varieties of broccoli used in the production of cellulosic ethanol

Q: Biodiesel is to ________ as ethanol is to gasoline. A) vegetable oil B) petrodiesel C) gasohol D) glycerine E) petroleum

Q: A major barrier preventing more widespread use of biodiesel is ________. A) the lack of government support B) a readily available supply of domestic petroleum C) the lack of support from the public D) political and economic inertia and current lack of abundant fuelling stations E) the excessive cost

Q: As a fuel, biodiesel ________. A) is a beneficial alternative for buses and trucks B) requires moderate engine retrofitting prior to use C) can be widely used in the existing private car fleet D) is less efficient than petrodiesel because it has a low energy yield E) has been met with considerable resistance by American farmers

Q: Vegetable oil ________. A) is a necessary ingredient in biodiesel B) must be processed into biodiesel to operate engines C) is a fossil fuel D) is nonrenewable E) can be used to make glycerine as well as burned as fuel

Q: The United States ________. A) gives tax credits to restaurants that reuse vegetable oil B) aims to reduce dependence on foreign oil C) permits oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge/Vuntut National Park D) permits oil drilling in Juan de Fuca Strait E) mandates the gradual phaseout of diesel engines

Q: Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.The United States consumes 25% of the world's petroleum. To reduce this number, the United States wants to replace transportation-related petroleum with alternative fuels. Europe and Canada followed later. For diesel vehicles, biodiesel made from vegetable oil or animal fat is an economical alternative to petroleum"‘based fuels. It is safe, biodegradable, nontoxic, and has the highest energy balance of any liquid fuel. Unlike unrefined oils that can be burned directly as fuels, biodiesel can be used in conventional diesel engines without engine modification. It reduces wear without compromising performance because of its high lubricity. It is renewable and emits far less air pollution when combusted as compared to petrodiesel. The raw material used to produce biodiesel exists in billions of gallons of vegetable oil used by restaurants each year, as well as in crops. Processing biodiesel yields an added benefit; its by"‘product, glycerine, is used to make soap. Although biodiesel burns well in pure form (B100), commonly it is blended with petrodiesel in mixtures such as B20 and B5, which reduce toxic air pollution proportional to their biodiesel content. Biodiesel is currently available at more than 2000 filling stations in Germany, and is the preferred fuel in Europe. In the United States, there are more than 600 filing stations that sell biodiesel. Demand is increasing on account of tax incentives as well as the increased price and decreased availability of petrodiesel. For example, Ontario has eliminated the 14-cent-per-litre provincial tax on biodiesel. France is currently the country where biodiesel is used the most. There, it is being used in home heating as well as in vehicles. In the United States, more than 600 domestic fleets use biodiesel, including the U.S. military, NASA, Yellowstone National Park, and local governments. In Vancouver, the Biodiesel Cooperative enables its members to purchase biodiesel. Toronto Hydro uses biodiesel in its fleets, Socit de transport de Montral (STM) and Saskatoon Transit Services are testing both B20 and B5 in their city buses. Musicians Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, and Willie Nelson fuel their tour buses with biodiesel. Nelson sells his own brand, BioWillie Biodiesel, at many truck stops in the United States. Because biodiesel can be manufactured locally in Canada and the United States, fuel transportation costs are low, and dependence on foreign petroleum and the need for domestic oil exploration and development of sensitive wildlife areas, such as the North Shore of Alaska and the Yukon can be reduced when biodiesel is used as an alternative fuel.Compared to other uses of biomass, biodiesel represents one of the best environmental alternatives to fossil fuels because it ________.A) can be manufactured without the development of additional cropland agricultureB) requires less processing than other forms of biomassC) is the only form of biomass that reduces fossil fuel useD) is the only form of biomass that is renewableE) is the most available

Q: Describe some of the possible ocean energy sources.

Q: What is geothermal power? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the use of geothermal power?

Q: Compare and contrast passive solar collection and active solar collection.

Q: In general, what has spurred the use of renewable energy, and what are the benefits of its use in environmental and economic terms?

Q: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of wind power.

Q: Compare the environmental effects of coal and uranium as power sources.

Q: Explaina nuclearmeltdown.

Q: Explain nuclear fusion and its role in power generation.

Q: Is the use of biomass for power generation economically feasible and sustainable? Why or why not?

Q: Why is it urgent that we develop alternatives to fossil fuels?

Q: Offshore sites seem to hold great promise for future wind farms.

Q: The most common form of solar energy collection is passive solar collection.

Q: The most rapidly growing new renewable energy source is wind power.

Q: The new renewables, while promising, currently provide only about one"‘half of our total energy supply.

Q: Canola is the major Canadian crop that is used to produce ethanol.

Q: Cellulosic ethanol is a new and inexpensive way to convert low-grade ethanol to cellulose.

Q: Recent IAEA data clearly prove that nuclear power produces far fewer emission pollutants than fossil fuels.