Chapter 14/15 Guided Reading
Ch.14
1. How does the energy crisis in Ancient Greece and Rome compare to the oil crisis today? Explain.
The energy exhaust came from wood supply and compared to today's situation, the peak for coal reached its maximum in 1920, wood peaked in 1880, and the peak for oil is coming near to its end.
Energy Basics
2. What is “work”? Definition and mathematical equation.
Exerting force over a distance.
Equation = force x distance.
Define the following:
3. What is the “first law of thermodynamics”?
Total energy must be conserved
4. What does it mean to have a “higher quality of energy”?
Energy is easier in being converted to work.
5. What is the “second law of thermodynamics”?
Energy goes from a higher quality to a lower quality. Using up energy lowers its quality.
Energy Efficiency
6. Define: First-Law Efficiency
Deals with the amount of energy without consideration of the quality or availability
7. Define: Second-Law Efficiency
Comparing energy use to its source where low values show where technological improvements can be .
Energy Units
8. What is the fundamental energy unit in the Metric System? How is it defined?
The Joule is defined as a force of 1 Newton (N) applied over a distance of 1 m.
9. What is POWER? How is it expressed?
The rate of doing work.
Expressed as work/ time.
10. What is thermal efficiency?
The maximum possible efficiency of a heat engine.
11. What is electrical resistivity? What does it cause?
A measure of how strongly a material opposes the flow of electric current and causes electric energy to convert into heat energy.
Energy Sources and Consumption
12. What percentage of the energy in the United States is derived from fossil fuels?
90%
13. What percentage of the energy use in the United States is used efficiently?
50%
Energy Conservation, Increased Efficiency and Cogeneration
Define the following:
14. Conservation: Using less energy and adjusting energy needs/ uses to minimize amount of energy needed.
15. Cogeneration: # of processes designed to capture and use heat waste.
Example: Natural gas combined with cycle power plant produces electricity in two ways - gas cycle and steam cycle.
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 moving parts.
Example: Design buildings to take advantage of passive solar potential.
18. What are some ways that older homes can be modified to be more energy efficient?
Using solar designs, and better insulation.
Industrial Energy
19. U.S. Industry consumes about 1/3 of the energy produced.
Values, Choices and Energy Conservation
20. Name 3 ways that people could modify their behavior to help save energy
Car pooling, Hybrid cars, Turning off products when now needed
21. What is the concept of Integrated, Sustainable Energy Management?
No single energy source, but a mixture of energy sources that are reliable, environmentally benign, and sustainable.
Micropower
22. What is the concept of micropower?
Using smaller, more distributed systems for production of electricity.
Critical Thinking Issue: Use of Energy Today and in 2030
23. 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 250 Exajoules in 2010 and may even double, or even triple by 2030 because of our growing population.
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?
100 watts x 0.25 = 25 watts
25 watts x 365 days = 9125 watts of energy emitted from the brain
25. Can the world supply one-third more energy by 2030 without unacceptable environmental damage? How?
I don't think that there will be enough resources by this time because of the overused materials needed may be gane and searching for new locations may take time to recover all the minerals needed to supply the human population.
26. In what specific ways could energy be used more efficiently in the United States?
Passing laws for energy use and educating people about energy efficiency may change the way people consume this resource better than how it is being managed today.
The energy exhaust came from wood supply and compared to today's situation, the peak for coal reached its maximum in 1920, wood peaked in 1880, and the peak for oil is coming near to its end.
Energy Basics
2. What is “work”? Definition and mathematical equation.
Exerting force over a distance.
Equation = force x distance.
Define the following:
- Chemical Energy: Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds
- Kinetic Energy: Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds
- Heat Energy: The energy of friction slows down movement
- Potential Energy: Potential to move something
3. What is the “first law of thermodynamics”?
Total energy must be conserved
4. What does it mean to have a “higher quality of energy”?
Energy is easier in being converted to work.
5. What is the “second law of thermodynamics”?
Energy goes from a higher quality to a lower quality. Using up energy lowers its quality.
Energy Efficiency
6. Define: First-Law Efficiency
Deals with the amount of energy without consideration of the quality or availability
7. Define: Second-Law Efficiency
Comparing energy use to its source where low values show where technological improvements can be .
Energy Units
8. What is the fundamental energy unit in the Metric System? How is it defined?
The Joule is defined as a force of 1 Newton (N) applied over a distance of 1 m.
9. What is POWER? How is it expressed?
The rate of doing work.
Expressed as work/ time.
10. What is thermal efficiency?
The maximum possible efficiency of a heat engine.
11. What is electrical resistivity? What does it cause?
A measure of how strongly a material opposes the flow of electric current and causes electric energy to convert into heat energy.
Energy Sources and Consumption
12. What percentage of the energy in the United States is derived from fossil fuels?
90%
13. What percentage of the energy use in the United States is used efficiently?
50%
Energy Conservation, Increased Efficiency and Cogeneration
Define the following:
14. Conservation: Using less energy and adjusting energy needs/ uses to minimize amount of energy needed.
15. Cogeneration: # of processes designed to capture and use heat waste.
Example: Natural gas combined with cycle power plant produces electricity in two ways - gas cycle and steam cycle.
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 moving parts.
Example: Design buildings to take advantage of passive solar potential.
18. What are some ways that older homes can be modified to be more energy efficient?
Using solar designs, and better insulation.
Industrial Energy
19. U.S. Industry consumes about 1/3 of the energy produced.
Values, Choices and Energy Conservation
20. Name 3 ways that people could modify their behavior to help save energy
Car pooling, Hybrid cars, Turning off products when now needed
21. What is the concept of Integrated, Sustainable Energy Management?
No single energy source, but a mixture of energy sources that are reliable, environmentally benign, and sustainable.
Micropower
22. What is the concept of micropower?
Using smaller, more distributed systems for production of electricity.
Critical Thinking Issue: Use of Energy Today and in 2030
23. 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 250 Exajoules in 2010 and may even double, or even triple by 2030 because of our growing population.
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?
100 watts x 0.25 = 25 watts
25 watts x 365 days = 9125 watts of energy emitted from the brain
25. Can the world supply one-third more energy by 2030 without unacceptable environmental damage? How?
I don't think that there will be enough resources by this time because of the overused materials needed may be gane and searching for new locations may take time to recover all the minerals needed to supply the human population.
26. In what specific ways could energy be used more efficiently in the United States?
Passing laws for energy use and educating people about energy efficiency may change the way people consume this resource better than how it is being managed today.
Ch. 15
Some Basics
1. What is Peak Oil? What is predicted to happen when we reach peak oil?
The time when we will have exhausted one-half of the Earth’s oil supply. What is predicted to happen is that we will have to change our lifestyles and economies.
Fossil Fuels
2. How were fossil fuels created?
Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago from the debris of plants. They got their energy from the sun.
3. The major fossil fuels- crude oil, natural gas and coal- are our primary energy sources; they provide approximately 90 % of
the energy consumed worldwide.
Crude Oil and Natural Gas
4. Where were crude oil and natural gas deposits created?
Crude oil and natural gas deposits were created in marine or lake sediments called depositional basins
5. Why do we not find oil and gas in geologically old rocks?
Old rocks have ample time to migrate to the surface, where they have vaporized or eroded away.
6. What the favorable rock structure to trap oil and gas deposits?
The favorable rock structure is anticline, an arch shaped fold or a fault, a fracture in the rock in which displacement has occurred.
Petroleum Production
7. How much oil can be recovered from wells by primary production?
25% of oil can be recovered from wells by primary production
8. What are enhanced recovery techniques of oil and gas deposits?
Steam, water or chemicals are injected into the oil reservoir to push the oil towards the wells. This makes it easier for the oil to be collected.
9. Where are 60% of the total known reserves found?
60% of the total known reserves are found in the Middle East
10. When will world oil production likely to peak?
The world oil production will likely to peak in the next few decades.
Natural Gas
11. How is natural gas primarily transported?
Natural gas is primarily transported by pipelines.
12. Why is natural gas considered to be a clean fuel?
Burning this gas produces fewer pollutants than burning oil and coal and causes fewer environmental problems.
Coal-Bed Methane
13. What is coal-bed methane and how much is estimated to exist? (How many years does this represent?)
Methane that is stored on the surfaces of organic matter in coal. 20 trillion cubic meters is estimated to exist, representing 5 years.
14. What are the PROS and CONS of drilling for and using coal-bed methane?
Pros- Need to be drilled in shallow depths, promising energy source, combustion produces less methane
Cons- Funds not sufficient to cover damage resulting from producing the gas, methane might migrate away from well sites
Black Shale Natural Gas
15. What are some of the concerns of hydrologic fracturing for black shale natural gas?
Water pollution and contamination of drinking water.
Methane Hydrates
16. What are methane hydrates composed of? How were they formed?
Methane hydrates are composed of ice like compounds made of methane gas. They were formed as a result of microbial digestion of organic matter in the sediments of the seafloor.
17. Where do methane hydrates form?
They form in the ocean where deep, cold seawater provides high pressure and low temperatures.
The Environmental Effects of Oil and Natural Gas
18. What are some of the environmental effects of recovery of oil and gas?
Use of land to construct pads for wells, pipelines and storage tanks to build a network of roads, pollution of surface and groundwater, accidental release of pollutants in the air.
19. What are some of the environmental effects of refining of oil and gas?
Accidental spills and slow leaks of gasoline. Industrial processes involved in producing chemicals have potential to release variety of pollutants.
20. What are some of the environmental effects of delivery and use of oil and gas?
Danger of oil spills, strong earthquakes which cause a problem for pipelines which in then spill oil.
21. What are some arguments FOR and AGAINST drilling in the ANWR (Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge)?
For - U.S needs more oil, new facilities will bring jobs, new exploration tools
Against - Advances in technology are irrelevant, oil exploration will impact the ANWR, heavy vehicles in exploration scar the ground permanently
Coal
22. What is COAL? How is it created?
Coal is a brittle, solid, carbonaceous rock. It is created when decomposed vegetation is buried in a sedimentary environment.
23. Which type of coal has the greatest energy content? Which type has the lowest?
The greatest energy content is in anthracite and the lowest is in lignite.
Coal Mining and the Environment
24. What is strip mining?
Strip mining is a surface mining process in which the overlaying layer of soil and rock is stripped off to reach the coal.
25. What are some of the environmental impacts of strip mining?
Acid mine drainage leading to acid rain. The acid drainage can cut the abundance of coal and pyrite. Potential to pollute or damage water, land and biological resources.
Mountaintop Removal
26. What are some of the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal?
Production of coal dust, exacerbating lung diseases like asthma. Mountaintops get destroyed, valleys are filled with waste rock and flood hazard increases.
27. What does the “Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977” require? Underground Mining
Production of coal dust, exacerbating lung diseases like asthma. Mountaintops get destroyed, valleys are filled with waste rock and flood hazard increases.
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 collapses, 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?
Most of the coal transported in the United States is by train.
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% of the total emissions of sulfur dioxide, 30% of nitrogen and 35% of carbon dioxide are created using coal.
34. What did the Clean Air Amendment of 1990 mandate?
It mandated that sulfur dioxide emissions from coal burning power plants eventually be cut 70%-90%
35. What is allowance trading?
Allowance trading is an approach to managing U.S coal resources and reducing pollution
Oil Shale and Tar Sands
36. What is oil shale? How is it created and where is it found?
It is a fine-grained sedimentary rock. It is created by synfuels and is found in the United States Green River formation and the Middle East.
37. What are the environmental impacts of developing oil shale?
Waste disposal is a major problem. Both methods require that oil shale be processed at surface. Volume of waste will exceed original volume of shale mined.
Tar Sands
38. Why can’t petroleum be recovered from tar sands from conventional methods?
The oil is too thick to flow easily.
39. How are tar sands processed?
Oil in tar sands is recovered by mining the sands then you wash the oil out with water. It takes two tons of tar sand to produce one barrel of oil.
1. What is Peak Oil? What is predicted to happen when we reach peak oil?
The time when we will have exhausted one-half of the Earth’s oil supply. What is predicted to happen is that we will have to change our lifestyles and economies.
Fossil Fuels
2. How were fossil fuels created?
Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago from the debris of plants. They got their energy from the sun.
3. The major fossil fuels- crude oil, natural gas and coal- are our primary energy sources; they provide approximately 90 % of
the energy consumed worldwide.
Crude Oil and Natural Gas
4. Where were crude oil and natural gas deposits created?
Crude oil and natural gas deposits were created in marine or lake sediments called depositional basins
5. Why do we not find oil and gas in geologically old rocks?
Old rocks have ample time to migrate to the surface, where they have vaporized or eroded away.
6. What the favorable rock structure to trap oil and gas deposits?
The favorable rock structure is anticline, an arch shaped fold or a fault, a fracture in the rock in which displacement has occurred.
Petroleum Production
7. How much oil can be recovered from wells by primary production?
25% of oil can be recovered from wells by primary production
8. What are enhanced recovery techniques of oil and gas deposits?
Steam, water or chemicals are injected into the oil reservoir to push the oil towards the wells. This makes it easier for the oil to be collected.
9. Where are 60% of the total known reserves found?
60% of the total known reserves are found in the Middle East
10. When will world oil production likely to peak?
The world oil production will likely to peak in the next few decades.
Natural Gas
11. How is natural gas primarily transported?
Natural gas is primarily transported by pipelines.
12. Why is natural gas considered to be a clean fuel?
Burning this gas produces fewer pollutants than burning oil and coal and causes fewer environmental problems.
Coal-Bed Methane
13. What is coal-bed methane and how much is estimated to exist? (How many years does this represent?)
Methane that is stored on the surfaces of organic matter in coal. 20 trillion cubic meters is estimated to exist, representing 5 years.
14. What are the PROS and CONS of drilling for and using coal-bed methane?
Pros- Need to be drilled in shallow depths, promising energy source, combustion produces less methane
Cons- Funds not sufficient to cover damage resulting from producing the gas, methane might migrate away from well sites
Black Shale Natural Gas
15. What are some of the concerns of hydrologic fracturing for black shale natural gas?
Water pollution and contamination of drinking water.
Methane Hydrates
16. What are methane hydrates composed of? How were they formed?
Methane hydrates are composed of ice like compounds made of methane gas. They were formed as a result of microbial digestion of organic matter in the sediments of the seafloor.
17. Where do methane hydrates form?
They form in the ocean where deep, cold seawater provides high pressure and low temperatures.
The Environmental Effects of Oil and Natural Gas
18. What are some of the environmental effects of recovery of oil and gas?
Use of land to construct pads for wells, pipelines and storage tanks to build a network of roads, pollution of surface and groundwater, accidental release of pollutants in the air.
19. What are some of the environmental effects of refining of oil and gas?
Accidental spills and slow leaks of gasoline. Industrial processes involved in producing chemicals have potential to release variety of pollutants.
20. What are some of the environmental effects of delivery and use of oil and gas?
Danger of oil spills, strong earthquakes which cause a problem for pipelines which in then spill oil.
21. What are some arguments FOR and AGAINST drilling in the ANWR (Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge)?
For - U.S needs more oil, new facilities will bring jobs, new exploration tools
Against - Advances in technology are irrelevant, oil exploration will impact the ANWR, heavy vehicles in exploration scar the ground permanently
Coal
22. What is COAL? How is it created?
Coal is a brittle, solid, carbonaceous rock. It is created when decomposed vegetation is buried in a sedimentary environment.
23. Which type of coal has the greatest energy content? Which type has the lowest?
The greatest energy content is in anthracite and the lowest is in lignite.
Coal Mining and the Environment
24. What is strip mining?
Strip mining is a surface mining process in which the overlaying layer of soil and rock is stripped off to reach the coal.
25. What are some of the environmental impacts of strip mining?
Acid mine drainage leading to acid rain. The acid drainage can cut the abundance of coal and pyrite. Potential to pollute or damage water, land and biological resources.
Mountaintop Removal
26. What are some of the environmental impacts of mountaintop removal?
Production of coal dust, exacerbating lung diseases like asthma. Mountaintops get destroyed, valleys are filled with waste rock and flood hazard increases.
27. What does the “Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977” require? Underground Mining
Production of coal dust, exacerbating lung diseases like asthma. Mountaintops get destroyed, valleys are filled with waste rock and flood hazard increases.
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 collapses, 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?
Most of the coal transported in the United States is by train.
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% of the total emissions of sulfur dioxide, 30% of nitrogen and 35% of carbon dioxide are created using coal.
34. What did the Clean Air Amendment of 1990 mandate?
It mandated that sulfur dioxide emissions from coal burning power plants eventually be cut 70%-90%
35. What is allowance trading?
Allowance trading is an approach to managing U.S coal resources and reducing pollution
Oil Shale and Tar Sands
36. What is oil shale? How is it created and where is it found?
It is a fine-grained sedimentary rock. It is created by synfuels and is found in the United States Green River formation and the Middle East.
37. What are the environmental impacts of developing oil shale?
Waste disposal is a major problem. Both methods require that oil shale be processed at surface. Volume of waste will exceed original volume of shale mined.
Tar Sands
38. Why can’t petroleum be recovered from tar sands from conventional methods?
The oil is too thick to flow easily.
39. How are tar sands processed?
Oil in tar sands is recovered by mining the sands then you wash the oil out with water. It takes two tons of tar sand to produce one barrel of oil.