CONSERVATION OLD EXAM 3

1. Heavy oil
a) contains less energy than regular oil.
b) is processed from tight sands.
c) has been been virtually unused.
d) is not recoverable.
2. Extinctions that occurred millions of years ago differ from those occuring now because
a) climate changes now play a major role.
b) only large organisms are now going extinct.
c) humans now influence the process.
d) all of the above
3. Most extinctions are taking place in the
a) grasslands.
b) underdeveloped regions in Europe.
c) tropical rain forests.
d) temperate forests of North America and Asia.
4. A photovoltaic system converts sunlight energy into
a) hydropower.
b) biomass fuels.
c) a gaseous fuel.
d) electricity.
5. A species that is slowly recovering from near extinction is the
a) starling.
b) California condor.
c) passenger pigeon.
d) dodo bird.
6. Desertification
a) has been controlled throughout central and northern Africa.
b) may result from improper grazing practices.
c) produces needed desert habitats.
d) is a major problem in the eastern United States.
7. An example of a passive solar energy system may be a
a) solar-powered calculator.
b) south-facing window on a Minnesota home.
c) power tower.
d) roof-mounted solar panel for a water heater.
8. Hydropower facilities
a) produce an insignificant proportion of the world's electricity.
b) may use the energy in tides.
c) have virtually no effect on the environment.
d) have been constructed at most of the possible locations.
9. Deforestation
a) is restricted primarily to tropical areas.
b) can bring about global climate changes.
c) is producing fewer extinctions than expected.
d) all of the above.
10. The United States' conservation movement was championed by
a) George Bush.
b) John F. Kennedy.
c) Theodore Roosevelt.
d) Benjamin Franklin.
11. The U.S. National Wilderness System was established ________ the
environmental movement of the 1960's.
a) during
b) long before
c) following
d) none of the above
12. Which energy resource is imported in the greatest amounts into the U.S.?
a) coal
b) uranium
c) oil
d) natural gas
13. Fluidized-bed combustion
a) removes oil from oil shale.
b) is often used in retort furnaces.
c) produces hazardous by-products.
d) is environmentally safer than other combustion systems.
14. Oil wells generally remove what fraction of the oil from a deposit?
a) 9/10
b) 1/3
c) 1/50
d) 3/4
15. The disappearance of the American elm tree is an example of the adverse effects on wildlife
from
a) species introduction.
b) pollution.
c) collecting.
d) habitat disturbance.
16. What have been the dominant supplemental energy resources used in the U.S. in the past
150 years?
a) solar, coal, wood
b) nuclear, oil, natural gas
c) oil, hydropower, coal
d) wood, coal, oil
17. People fear nuclear fission reactors because the reactors
a) constantly emit high levels of radiation.
b) may suffer a core meltdown.
c) generate dangerously high voltages.
d) all of the above
18. In the United States, environmental issues are often hindered by
a) a lack of bureaucracy.
b) special interest groups.
c) too much long-range planning.
d) none of the above
19. Relatively few federally owned lands in the U.S. are still managed by what method?
a) ecological
b) balanced multiple-use
c) economic
d) scientific
20. Compared to surface mining, underground coal mining
a) is less costly.
b) produces most of the U.S. coal.
c) removes more coal from a deposit.
d) is dangerous to workers.
21. Geothermal energy
a) cannot be used to generate electricity.
b) is both renewable and non-renewable.
c) has little future potential.
d) all of the above
22. Which of the following is our most abundant renewable energy source?
a) wood
b) sunlight
c) coal
d) hydropower
23. Redirecting economic growth involves
a) slowing the rate of economic growth.
b) encouraging the use of renewable resources.
c) developing new ways to generate wastes.
d) at least doubling the gross national product.
24. Bituminous coal has a _____ energy content and a _____ sulfur content.
a) high, high
b) low, low,
c) high, low
d) low, high
25. Cornucopians (technological optimists) believe that
a) neo-Malthusians are too optimistic.
b) economics plays a role in extending non-renewable resources.
c) technology cannot be counted on to provide resource substitutes.
d) we have no need for renewable resources.
26. The uncommon isotope used as fuel in a conventional fission reactor is
a) plutonium-239.
b) uranium-238.
c) deuterium-2.
d) uranium-235.
27. The designation of wilderness areas is based on what land-use method?
a) preservationist
b) ecological
c) conservationist
d) balanced multiple-use
28. Coke is produced from
a) oil.
b) tar sands.
c) coal.
d) iron ore.
29. The world's largest oil deposits are located in
a) Alaska.
b) Saudi Arabia.
c) Mexico.
d) China.
30. Most of the coal mined each year is used to
a) produce steam for industrial use.
b) heat homes.
c) fuel railroad locomotives.
d) generate electricity.
31. The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to file
a(n) ________ before proceeding with a project.
a) environmental law suit
b) environmental impact statement
c) environmental sustained-yield analysis.
d) environmental protection agency
32. What are the three dominant supplemental energy resources used in the U.S. today?
a) coal, wood, oil
b) nuclear power, coal, oil
c) oil, natural gas, hydropower
d) coal, oil, natural gas
33. The rarest, but most "attractive", type of coal is
a) subbituminous.
b) lignite.
c) anthracite.
d) bituminous.
34. The country of Iceland exploits large amounts of
a) hydroelectric energy.
b) geothermal energy.
c) wind energy.
d) nuclear energy.
35. The EPA belongs to what branch of the federal government?
a) legislative
b) judicial
c) executive
d) environmental
36. Proven reserves of what fossil fuel are projected to last the longest?
a) coal
b) oil
c) natural gas
d) uranium
37. Gasification of coal
a) involves mixing coal and water and pumping it through a pipe.
b) produces LP gas.
c) has been practiced for centuries.
d) none of the above
38. The U.S.'s only permanent nuclear waste disposal site is located in
a) Washington.
b) Texas.
c) Nevada.
d) none of the above
39. Gasification
a) involves exploiting tight sands.
b) loses a large portion of the energy contained in coal.
c) cannot be done near mines because of explosion dangers.
d) helped fuel German planes during World War II.
40. The OPEC country that supplies more oil to the U.S. than any other OPEC member is
a) Canada.
b) Venezuela.
c) Saudi Arabia.
d) Mexico.
41. Under the balanced multiple-use management system, lands are managed based on
a) biological magnification.
b) preservation of wildlife.
c) maximizing profits.
d) sustained yield.
42. Which of the following is not true concerning coal east of the Mississippi River?
a) Most is used by power companies east of the river.
b) It generally has a high heat content.
c) Burning may require the use of sulfur emission controls.
d) It costs less per unit weight than western coal.
43. The future of nuclear power is unclear because of
a) greatly increased demands for electricity.
b) less concern over safety problems.
c) new fusion reactors starting up after 1995.
d) none of the above
44. Breeder nuclear reactors
a) split U-238 to produce energy.
b) convert plutonium-239 into uranium-238.
c) are hundreds of years from reality.
d) are more expensive to build than conventional reactors.
45. The average U.S. citizen gets most of his/her exposure to radiation from
a) TV viewing.
b) natural sources.
c) nuclear power plants.
d) cigarette smoking.

Essay. Do any one (but only one!) of the following questions.

1. List and describe four problems with the nuclear power industry.

2. Describe the four ways in which humans can exploit the energy of the sun.

3. Describe in detail how a nuclear fission power plant generates electricity.

4. Describe in detail the two ways in which humans are now trying to prevent species from becoming extinct.