Chapter 16 and 17
1: How was the voyage of the Beluga SkySails different than traditional industrial ship voyages?
Used a set of fixed masts
3: What are the two types of non-renewable alternative energy sources? Why are they considered to be non-renewable?
Two types of non-renewable energy sources would be nuclear and deep-earth geothermal.
4: What is low-density, near-surface geothermal energy?
Low-density, near-surface geothermal energy is a type of renewable energy.
5: What are biofuels made from?
Biofuels are made from biomass (crops, wood, etc.)
6: What is the definition of “renewable” energy?
Renewable energy is energy that can be regenerated by the sun within a time period useful to people
7: How much solar energy is equal to the energy stored in a all known reserves of coal, oil and natural gas on Earth?
Ten weeks of solar energy is equal to energy stored in all known reserves of coal, oil and natural gas.
8: What are passive solar energy systems? Give an example.
Passive solar energy systems are systems that do not use mechanical pumps or other active technologies to move air or water. An example is architectural designs that enhance absorption of solar energy.
9: What are active solar energy systems? Give an example.
Active solar energy systems require mechanical power to circulate air, water or other fluids. Examples are electric pumps.
10: What are solar collectors? What are they used for? How do they work?
Solar collectors provide space heating and are glass-covered plates that is circulated through tubes. The radiation enters the glass and is absorbed by the black background. Heat is emitted, heating fluid.
11: What are photovoltaics? What are they made out of? Explain how they work.
Photovoltaics convert sunlight directly into electricity. They are made of photovoltaic cells. When sunlight hits the cells, thin layers of a semiconductor produce an electric current.
12: What are solar thermal generators? How do they work?
Solar thermal generators focus sunlight onto water-holding containers. The water boils and is used to run machines.
13: What are some of the environmental concerns of solar energy?
Environmental concerns include the manufacturing of metals, glass, plastics and fluid. The substances may cause environmental problems through production and accidental release.
14: What are fuel cells? How are they created?
Fuel cells are highly efficient power-generating systems that produce electricity by combining fuel and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction. They are created by electrodes, platinum membranes and with addition of H2, H2O and O2.
15: Water power has been around since when?
Water power has been around since the Roman Empire.
16: How much power in the United States is currently powered by hydroelectricity?
80,000 MW currently powers the United States by hydroelectricity.
17: What is microhydropower? Where is this helpful?
Microhydropower is small scale hydropower systems, designed for homes.
18: What are the environmental benefits of hydroelectricity?
Benefits of hydroelectricity are reducing high cost of importing electricity and can help small operations become independent.
19: What are the environmental consequences of hydroelectricity?
Consequences include interference of freshwater ecosystems, take away landscape beauty and changes downstream flow.
20: Explain how we can harness tidal power.
We can harness tidal power by building dams that entrance to a bay or estuary. As tides rises, water is prevented from entering the bay. When there is sufficient water to run turbines, the dam is opened and water flows to run turbines.
21: What are some of the environmental impacts of tidal power?
Environmental impacts of tidal power can change hydrology of a bay or estuary, which can affect vegetation and wildlife.
22: What is the major problem with using wind power?
Major problem with wind power is that wind tends to be highly variable in time, place and intensity.
23: How are winds produced?
Winds are produced when differential heating of Earth's surface creates air mass with differing heat contents and densities.
24: How does topography influence winds? Explain.
Topography affects the wind's direction, velocity and duration because of things blocking wind like mountains and hills.
25: Which regions in the United States have the greatest potential for wind power development?
Regions in the U.S that have greatest potential for wind power development is the Pacific Northwest coastal area and the coastal region of the northeastern United States.
26: Which country has the largest wind energy capacity installed?
The United States has the largest wind energy capacity installed.
27: Modern wind turbines are big- as much as _70___ m high, as tall as a ___23__ story building, and have a generating capacity of more than ___1 million___ watts. This is enough electricity for __500_____ modern U.S. homes.
28: What are the disadvantages to wind power for the environment?
Wind turbines kill birds and can degrade area scenery.
29: What is the future outlook for wind energy generation?
The future outlook for wind energy generation is that it can be a major supplier.
30: What are the 3 categories of biofuels?
3 categories of biofuels are firewood, organic wastes and crops grown to be converted into liquid fuels.
31: How many people worldwide still use wood as their primary source for energy?
1 billion people worldwide still use wood as primary source of energy.
32: What are some of the benefits of using biofuels?
Benefits of using biofuels is the reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and releases fewer pollutants.
33: What are the environmental concerns with the using of biofuels?
Environmental concerns with using biofuels is that it requires fertilizers and pesticides, pollutes and degrades land.
34: What are the two types of geothermal energy and how do they differ?
Two types of geothermal energy are deep-earth high-density and shallow-earth low-density. Deep-earth uses energy within earth and shallow-earth uses solar energy.
35: How many people worldwide depend on geothermal as their energy source?
40 million people depend on geothermal as their energy source.
36: What type of location is ideal for high-density geothermal energy? Give an example.
The location ideal for high-density geothermal is hot water transfers. An example is the Geysers Geothermal Field north of San Francisco.
37: Where is low-density geothermal energy mostly found? Why?
Low-density is mostly found at the groundwater because groundwater is usually cool.
38: What are the PROS and CONS of using geothermal energy?
PRO- renewable, doesn't require large scale transportation, doesn't produce atmospheric pollutants
CON- Thermal pollution, site noise, emission of gases, disturbance of land
39: What types of government incentives might encourage use of alternative energy sources? Would their widespread use affect our economic and social environment?
Types of government incentives that might encourage use of alternative energy sources is paying them to use the energy sources or less taxes. Yes, their widespread use would affect our economic and social environment. The economy would improve and people's lives would be more healthier.
1: How much of the world’s electricity do nuclear power plant provide?
Nuclear power provides 17% of world electricity.
2: In the United States, nuclear power plants produce about _20__% of the country’s electricity and about _ 8____% of the total energy used.
3: The nuclear power plants in France provide _80___% of the country’s total energy
4: What is nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy is energy contained in an atom's nucleus.
5: What is the difference between fission and fusion?
Fission splits the atom and fusion combines atom.
6: Nuclear reactors use (fusion or fission?) and which product as a source of radioactivity?
Nuclear reactors use fission and the product is uranium oxide.
7: Which type of Uranium is used for nuclear power plants?
Uranium-235 is used for nuclear power plants.
8: What does it mean that the Uranium is “enriched”?
The Uranium is increased in concentration.
12: What is a radioisotope?
Radioisotopes are a form of a chemical element that spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay.
13: What is radioactive decay?
Radioactive decay is when the radioisotope changes from one isotope to another and emits one or more kinds of radiation.
14: What is a half-life? What is the half-life of Uranium 235?
Half-life is the time required for half of the isotope to decay. The half life of Uranium-235 is 700 million years.
15: Define the following types of nuclear radiation: (Explain the safety measures needed when using each)
* Alpha Particle: two protons and neutrons and has greatest mass. Safety is to be far away from this particle.
*Beta Particle: electrons that travel further through air, but can be blocked by shielding like sheet metal.
* Gamma Rays: Most penetrating type of radiation. Requires thick shielding when being used.
16: Uranium goes through a radioactive decay chain to finally become which element?
Uranium goes through radioactive decay to become lead-206
17: What are the major problems associated with the nuclear fuel cycle?
Exposes miners to radiation, radioactive waste must be carefully handled, site selection is controversial, waste disposal controversy
18: How does nuclear radiation effect ecosystems? Explain and give an example.
Nuclear radiation can affect materials and by entering pathways of mineral cycling and ecological foodchains, because the radioactive particles are moved around by winds. An example is the Atomic fallout in 1950s and 1960s when the U.S were testing nuclear weapons.
19: Radiation is found naturally in what kind of materials? Give 2 examples.
Radiation is found naturally in soils and rocks. Examples are granite and shale.
20: Where in the United States are background radiation levels higher?
Florida has background radiation levels higher than normal
21: In what ways are people exposed to radiation in their every day lives?
People are exposed to radiation through x-rays, flying planes and cosmic rays.
22: What is the commonly used unit for radioactive decay? Who is it named after?
The used unit for decay is curie, named after Marie Curie.
23: What is the SI unit for radioactive decay?
The SI unit for radioactive decay is the becquerel.
24: When dealing with the environmental effects of radiation, we are most interested in the actual dose of radiation delivered by radioactivity. This dose is commonly measured in terms of _rads__ and __rems____. In the international system (SI), the units are _grays_____ and __sieverts______.
25: For gamma rays, the unit commonly used is the ______roentgen____ or in SI units, ___coulombs_____
26: What is the LD50 dose of radiation in humans?
LD50 dose of radiation is 5 sieverts.
27: What happened to the women who worked in the watch factories in the early 1900’s?
The women died of anemia or bone cancer from radium.
28: What are the health effects for workers in uranium mines?
Health effects of workers in uranium mines were high rates of lung cancer
29: What is the current risk of a nuclear meltdown in the U.S. according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission?
Current risk of nuclear meltdown is one in ten thousand.
30: When did the event on Three-Mile Island occur?
The event occurred in March 28, 1979.
31: Where is Three-Mile Island located?
It is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
32: What were some of the societal issues associated with the incident at Three-Mile Island?
Societal issues associated were fear of another meltdown, revealed problems to nuclear power.
33: Summarize the events at Chernobyl, Soviet Union
In April 28,1986 a power plant at Chernobyl had high levels of radiation. The cooling system for the Chernobyl reactor failed, causing temperatures to rise to 3000 degrees Celsius. It caused an explosion and release clouds of radioactive particles. 237 people had acute radiation sickness and 31 people died. 3 million people in the Northern Hemisphere received varying amounts of radiation from Chernobyl.
34: How many people died and how many people were diagnosed with acute radiation sickness?
237 people were diagnosed with acute radiation and 31 died.
35: How many people were exposed to radiation in the days following the accident?
3 million people were exposed.
36: What was the most common type of illness that resulted from the Japanese A-bomb survivors?
The most common type of illness was leukemia.
37: What was the most common type of illness that resulted from the Chernobyl accident?
The most common type of illness was thyroid cancer.
38: What happened to the ecosystem around the affected area following the meltdown?
The vegetation within 7 km had been killed or damaged and pine trees had extensive tissue damage and contained radioactivity.
39: What is low-level radioactive waste? Where it is stored?
Low-level radioactive waste contains radioactivity in low concentrations that doesn't give environmental hazards. It is stored in near-surface burial areas.
40: What is transuranic waste? How is it created?
Transuranic waste is waste contaminated by man-made radioactive elements. It is created when industrial trash has been contaminated.
41: What is high-level radioactive waste? Where is it stored?
High-level radioactive consists of commercial and military spent nuclear fuel. It is stored in more than a hundred sites in 40 states. 72 sites are commercial nuclear reactors.
42: What and where is Yucca Mountain? What was the plan with it?
Yucca Mountain was a place that was planned to bury nuclear waste in Nevada. The plan was to dispose the waste deep underground in Yucca Mountain.
43: What are the safety hazards associated with using Yucca Mountain to store nuclear waste?
Safety hazards associated with using Yucca Mountain is the probability of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and changes in storage environments.
44: How much Uranium stores do we have left?
We have 104 uranium stores left.
45: What are the PROS and CONS of using Nuclear Power?
PRO- Good for the environment because it doesn't contribute to global warming, doesn't emit gases and would greatly increase availability of fuel.
CON- Nuclear power unlikely to have real impact on environmental problems, can be used for weapons, uranium ore to fuel conventional nuclear reactors limited.
46: What are breeder reactors?
Breeder reactors are designed to produce new nuclear fuel by transforming waste or lower-grade uranium into fissionable material.
Used a set of fixed masts
3: What are the two types of non-renewable alternative energy sources? Why are they considered to be non-renewable?
Two types of non-renewable energy sources would be nuclear and deep-earth geothermal.
4: What is low-density, near-surface geothermal energy?
Low-density, near-surface geothermal energy is a type of renewable energy.
5: What are biofuels made from?
Biofuels are made from biomass (crops, wood, etc.)
6: What is the definition of “renewable” energy?
Renewable energy is energy that can be regenerated by the sun within a time period useful to people
7: How much solar energy is equal to the energy stored in a all known reserves of coal, oil and natural gas on Earth?
Ten weeks of solar energy is equal to energy stored in all known reserves of coal, oil and natural gas.
8: What are passive solar energy systems? Give an example.
Passive solar energy systems are systems that do not use mechanical pumps or other active technologies to move air or water. An example is architectural designs that enhance absorption of solar energy.
9: What are active solar energy systems? Give an example.
Active solar energy systems require mechanical power to circulate air, water or other fluids. Examples are electric pumps.
10: What are solar collectors? What are they used for? How do they work?
Solar collectors provide space heating and are glass-covered plates that is circulated through tubes. The radiation enters the glass and is absorbed by the black background. Heat is emitted, heating fluid.
11: What are photovoltaics? What are they made out of? Explain how they work.
Photovoltaics convert sunlight directly into electricity. They are made of photovoltaic cells. When sunlight hits the cells, thin layers of a semiconductor produce an electric current.
12: What are solar thermal generators? How do they work?
Solar thermal generators focus sunlight onto water-holding containers. The water boils and is used to run machines.
13: What are some of the environmental concerns of solar energy?
Environmental concerns include the manufacturing of metals, glass, plastics and fluid. The substances may cause environmental problems through production and accidental release.
14: What are fuel cells? How are they created?
Fuel cells are highly efficient power-generating systems that produce electricity by combining fuel and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction. They are created by electrodes, platinum membranes and with addition of H2, H2O and O2.
15: Water power has been around since when?
Water power has been around since the Roman Empire.
16: How much power in the United States is currently powered by hydroelectricity?
80,000 MW currently powers the United States by hydroelectricity.
17: What is microhydropower? Where is this helpful?
Microhydropower is small scale hydropower systems, designed for homes.
18: What are the environmental benefits of hydroelectricity?
Benefits of hydroelectricity are reducing high cost of importing electricity and can help small operations become independent.
19: What are the environmental consequences of hydroelectricity?
Consequences include interference of freshwater ecosystems, take away landscape beauty and changes downstream flow.
20: Explain how we can harness tidal power.
We can harness tidal power by building dams that entrance to a bay or estuary. As tides rises, water is prevented from entering the bay. When there is sufficient water to run turbines, the dam is opened and water flows to run turbines.
21: What are some of the environmental impacts of tidal power?
Environmental impacts of tidal power can change hydrology of a bay or estuary, which can affect vegetation and wildlife.
22: What is the major problem with using wind power?
Major problem with wind power is that wind tends to be highly variable in time, place and intensity.
23: How are winds produced?
Winds are produced when differential heating of Earth's surface creates air mass with differing heat contents and densities.
24: How does topography influence winds? Explain.
Topography affects the wind's direction, velocity and duration because of things blocking wind like mountains and hills.
25: Which regions in the United States have the greatest potential for wind power development?
Regions in the U.S that have greatest potential for wind power development is the Pacific Northwest coastal area and the coastal region of the northeastern United States.
26: Which country has the largest wind energy capacity installed?
The United States has the largest wind energy capacity installed.
27: Modern wind turbines are big- as much as _70___ m high, as tall as a ___23__ story building, and have a generating capacity of more than ___1 million___ watts. This is enough electricity for __500_____ modern U.S. homes.
28: What are the disadvantages to wind power for the environment?
Wind turbines kill birds and can degrade area scenery.
29: What is the future outlook for wind energy generation?
The future outlook for wind energy generation is that it can be a major supplier.
30: What are the 3 categories of biofuels?
3 categories of biofuels are firewood, organic wastes and crops grown to be converted into liquid fuels.
31: How many people worldwide still use wood as their primary source for energy?
1 billion people worldwide still use wood as primary source of energy.
32: What are some of the benefits of using biofuels?
Benefits of using biofuels is the reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and releases fewer pollutants.
33: What are the environmental concerns with the using of biofuels?
Environmental concerns with using biofuels is that it requires fertilizers and pesticides, pollutes and degrades land.
34: What are the two types of geothermal energy and how do they differ?
Two types of geothermal energy are deep-earth high-density and shallow-earth low-density. Deep-earth uses energy within earth and shallow-earth uses solar energy.
35: How many people worldwide depend on geothermal as their energy source?
40 million people depend on geothermal as their energy source.
36: What type of location is ideal for high-density geothermal energy? Give an example.
The location ideal for high-density geothermal is hot water transfers. An example is the Geysers Geothermal Field north of San Francisco.
37: Where is low-density geothermal energy mostly found? Why?
Low-density is mostly found at the groundwater because groundwater is usually cool.
38: What are the PROS and CONS of using geothermal energy?
PRO- renewable, doesn't require large scale transportation, doesn't produce atmospheric pollutants
CON- Thermal pollution, site noise, emission of gases, disturbance of land
39: What types of government incentives might encourage use of alternative energy sources? Would their widespread use affect our economic and social environment?
Types of government incentives that might encourage use of alternative energy sources is paying them to use the energy sources or less taxes. Yes, their widespread use would affect our economic and social environment. The economy would improve and people's lives would be more healthier.
1: How much of the world’s electricity do nuclear power plant provide?
Nuclear power provides 17% of world electricity.
2: In the United States, nuclear power plants produce about _20__% of the country’s electricity and about _ 8____% of the total energy used.
3: The nuclear power plants in France provide _80___% of the country’s total energy
4: What is nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy is energy contained in an atom's nucleus.
5: What is the difference between fission and fusion?
Fission splits the atom and fusion combines atom.
6: Nuclear reactors use (fusion or fission?) and which product as a source of radioactivity?
Nuclear reactors use fission and the product is uranium oxide.
7: Which type of Uranium is used for nuclear power plants?
Uranium-235 is used for nuclear power plants.
8: What does it mean that the Uranium is “enriched”?
The Uranium is increased in concentration.
12: What is a radioisotope?
Radioisotopes are a form of a chemical element that spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay.
13: What is radioactive decay?
Radioactive decay is when the radioisotope changes from one isotope to another and emits one or more kinds of radiation.
14: What is a half-life? What is the half-life of Uranium 235?
Half-life is the time required for half of the isotope to decay. The half life of Uranium-235 is 700 million years.
15: Define the following types of nuclear radiation: (Explain the safety measures needed when using each)
* Alpha Particle: two protons and neutrons and has greatest mass. Safety is to be far away from this particle.
*Beta Particle: electrons that travel further through air, but can be blocked by shielding like sheet metal.
* Gamma Rays: Most penetrating type of radiation. Requires thick shielding when being used.
16: Uranium goes through a radioactive decay chain to finally become which element?
Uranium goes through radioactive decay to become lead-206
17: What are the major problems associated with the nuclear fuel cycle?
Exposes miners to radiation, radioactive waste must be carefully handled, site selection is controversial, waste disposal controversy
18: How does nuclear radiation effect ecosystems? Explain and give an example.
Nuclear radiation can affect materials and by entering pathways of mineral cycling and ecological foodchains, because the radioactive particles are moved around by winds. An example is the Atomic fallout in 1950s and 1960s when the U.S were testing nuclear weapons.
19: Radiation is found naturally in what kind of materials? Give 2 examples.
Radiation is found naturally in soils and rocks. Examples are granite and shale.
20: Where in the United States are background radiation levels higher?
Florida has background radiation levels higher than normal
21: In what ways are people exposed to radiation in their every day lives?
People are exposed to radiation through x-rays, flying planes and cosmic rays.
22: What is the commonly used unit for radioactive decay? Who is it named after?
The used unit for decay is curie, named after Marie Curie.
23: What is the SI unit for radioactive decay?
The SI unit for radioactive decay is the becquerel.
24: When dealing with the environmental effects of radiation, we are most interested in the actual dose of radiation delivered by radioactivity. This dose is commonly measured in terms of _rads__ and __rems____. In the international system (SI), the units are _grays_____ and __sieverts______.
25: For gamma rays, the unit commonly used is the ______roentgen____ or in SI units, ___coulombs_____
26: What is the LD50 dose of radiation in humans?
LD50 dose of radiation is 5 sieverts.
27: What happened to the women who worked in the watch factories in the early 1900’s?
The women died of anemia or bone cancer from radium.
28: What are the health effects for workers in uranium mines?
Health effects of workers in uranium mines were high rates of lung cancer
29: What is the current risk of a nuclear meltdown in the U.S. according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission?
Current risk of nuclear meltdown is one in ten thousand.
30: When did the event on Three-Mile Island occur?
The event occurred in March 28, 1979.
31: Where is Three-Mile Island located?
It is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
32: What were some of the societal issues associated with the incident at Three-Mile Island?
Societal issues associated were fear of another meltdown, revealed problems to nuclear power.
33: Summarize the events at Chernobyl, Soviet Union
In April 28,1986 a power plant at Chernobyl had high levels of radiation. The cooling system for the Chernobyl reactor failed, causing temperatures to rise to 3000 degrees Celsius. It caused an explosion and release clouds of radioactive particles. 237 people had acute radiation sickness and 31 people died. 3 million people in the Northern Hemisphere received varying amounts of radiation from Chernobyl.
34: How many people died and how many people were diagnosed with acute radiation sickness?
237 people were diagnosed with acute radiation and 31 died.
35: How many people were exposed to radiation in the days following the accident?
3 million people were exposed.
36: What was the most common type of illness that resulted from the Japanese A-bomb survivors?
The most common type of illness was leukemia.
37: What was the most common type of illness that resulted from the Chernobyl accident?
The most common type of illness was thyroid cancer.
38: What happened to the ecosystem around the affected area following the meltdown?
The vegetation within 7 km had been killed or damaged and pine trees had extensive tissue damage and contained radioactivity.
39: What is low-level radioactive waste? Where it is stored?
Low-level radioactive waste contains radioactivity in low concentrations that doesn't give environmental hazards. It is stored in near-surface burial areas.
40: What is transuranic waste? How is it created?
Transuranic waste is waste contaminated by man-made radioactive elements. It is created when industrial trash has been contaminated.
41: What is high-level radioactive waste? Where is it stored?
High-level radioactive consists of commercial and military spent nuclear fuel. It is stored in more than a hundred sites in 40 states. 72 sites are commercial nuclear reactors.
42: What and where is Yucca Mountain? What was the plan with it?
Yucca Mountain was a place that was planned to bury nuclear waste in Nevada. The plan was to dispose the waste deep underground in Yucca Mountain.
43: What are the safety hazards associated with using Yucca Mountain to store nuclear waste?
Safety hazards associated with using Yucca Mountain is the probability of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and changes in storage environments.
44: How much Uranium stores do we have left?
We have 104 uranium stores left.
45: What are the PROS and CONS of using Nuclear Power?
PRO- Good for the environment because it doesn't contribute to global warming, doesn't emit gases and would greatly increase availability of fuel.
CON- Nuclear power unlikely to have real impact on environmental problems, can be used for weapons, uranium ore to fuel conventional nuclear reactors limited.
46: What are breeder reactors?
Breeder reactors are designed to produce new nuclear fuel by transforming waste or lower-grade uranium into fissionable material.