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- 1. Multiple Choice
Geothermal energy is an alternative energy source. However, it is not resourceful enough to replace more than a minor amount of the Earth's energy needs. Why is this?
There are only a few places where the Earth's core is hot. It is cool in places like Antarctica.
The center of the Earth is not hot enough to make a significant energy contribution.
Drilling through the Earth to reach areas hot enough to create steam is possible, but very expensive and difficult.
Once the cool water is poured down the well and filters through the rocks, the rocks cool off and are no longer hot enough to turn water into steam.
- 2. Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a nonrenewable energy source?
solar power
wind power
heating oil
biofuel
- 3. Multiple Choice
Most of the world's automobiles run on energy acquired from petroleum. Like all fossil fuels, petroleum is a nonrenewable energy resource. This means that it is a resource that cannot be replaced as quickly as humans use up existing supplies.
Humans face a problem because once petroleum reserves begin to run out, there won't be enough fuel to power all the automobiles in the world. Which of the following is the best potential long-term solution to this specific problem of energy supply?
Use more petroleum, but make sure it is used only in fuel-efficient automobiles.
Maintain current consumption of petroleum, but use it only to manufacture plastics.
Use a cleaner fossil fuel, such as natural gas, to power automobiles.
Use renewable resources, such as solar energy, to power automobiles.
- 4. Multiple Choice
The map shows that different regions of the world have different soil types.
Which of the following is most likely true?
The soil type of a region depends on the type of geologic processes that occur there and the rate at which they occur.
All types of vegetation are able to grow equally well in all soil types around the world.
The geologic processes that result in soil occur at the same time and at the same rate in every region of the world.
The soil type of a region depends only on the distance of that region from the ocean.
- 5. Multiple Choice
Life-cycle analysis tries to determine the total environmental impact of a product, from the gathering of its raw materials through disposal of the product when it is no longer useful.
Life-cycle analysis studies of cars that burn gasoline in 2010 showed that roughly 80% of their environmental impact is due to the fuel they burn. Similar analysis of electric cars estimated that about 55% of their environmental impact is due to the energy used to recharge—or "refuel"—the cars. Manufacturing electric cars had slightly more impact on the environment than manufacturing gasoline-powered cars.
According to the above information, during which part of an electric car's life will it have less impact on the environment than a gasoline powered car will?
while it is being disposed of
while it is being manufactured
while it is being repaired
while it is being used
- 6. Multiple Choice
If humans run out of the following resources, which resource would be most difficult to replace?
lumber
rice
wind energy
coal
- 7. Multiple Choice
The graphic below shows the average petroleum consumption in millions of barrels per day of different regions of the world from 1980 to 2010.
Much of the petroleum consumed in the last few decades has been extracted from relatively few locations around the world, because most of the world's easily accessible petroleum deposits are concentrated in these areas.
How has this continued petroleum extraction from selected areas over time likely affected petroleum resources on Earth?
Petroleum resources have been replenished as quickly as they have been extracted.
More petroleum is now available overall because extraction techniques result in the formation of more petroleum.
The distribution of petroleum has changed and less petroleum is now available overall.
The distribution of petroleum has not changed in any way, and there is the same amount of petroleum available now as there was in the past.
- 8. Multiple Choice
Several regions in the United States export petroleum to other regions. To export the petroleum, thousands of miles of pipelines have been constructed. Often, these must be built on or near coastal wetland areas.
The graphs below show human consumption of petroleum in the USA from 1930 to 2010 and the area of coastal wetland in a particular region during the same time period.
Which statement is the best solution to the potential problems related to the data shown in the two graphs?
The coastal wetlands should be cleared more rapidly to meet the higher demand for petroleum pipelines.
As future pipelines are built or restored, great care should be taken to avoid damaging too much of the coastal wetlands.
As future pipelines are built or restored, most of the coastal wetlands should be used for building roads and construction sites.
The coastal wetlands should be changed into riverways for shipping to help reduce the need for pipelines.
- 9. Multiple Choice
Plastics are made from petroleum. Because of plastic’s flexibility and sturdiness, people use plastics to make many different kinds of products. How does the increase in the use of plastics affect the availability of petroleum?
It decreases petroleum’s availability.
It causes petroleum’s availability to be erratic.
It does not affect petroleum’s availability.
It increases petroleum’s availability.
- 10. Multiple Choice
The oil industry is an important part of the economy for many regions in the United States. The graph below shows the percentage of oil exports in a particular state, compared to the national average.
The current high demand for oil will likely continue. There are certain risks when exporting oil since oil spills can occur. Based on this information, what should be done to minimize the environmental risk and maintain the state's oil economy?
The oil industry should be expanded without monitoring its activities associated with the environment.
Oil exports should be supported, but they should be carefully monitored to ensure a clean environment.
Vegetation should be cleared on land to enhance oil pipeline routes to avoid dangerous spills.
Oil exports should continue at their current level since oil is the primary source of income for the state.
- 11. Multiple Choice
The diagram below shows the formation of a volcanic arc as a result of an oceanic plate moving underneath a continental plate at a subduction zone.
When volcanoes erupt, magma (hot, molten rock) rises toward the surface of the Earth. As magma cools, solid rock forms. This rock contains substances from the interior of the Earth.
Which of the following natural resources is likely to be plentiful near subduction zones where volcanic activity has occurred in the past?
fossil fuels
fresh water
solar energy
metal ores
- 12. Multiple Choice
Most of the world’s energy supply comes from burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources. If people continue to burn fossil fuels at the same rate, which of the following events will most likely happen?
No changes will be made to the world’s fossil fuel reserves.
All of the world’s fossil fuel reserves will be used up.
Fossil fuel deposits will be found on the moon.
Fossil fuels will quickly reform underneath the ocean’s floor.
- 13. Multiple Choice
Many renewable and nonrenewable energy resources are managed by private companies. In order for renewable energy resources and technologies to be widely used in the private sector, these resources and technologies must
not pollute the atmosphere or groundwater.
reduce their impact on climate.
be sustainable for centuries to come.
become cost effective.
- 14. Multiple Choice
Which of the following lists contains only examples of renewable sources of energy?
coal, solar, wind, and biomass
fossil fuels and nuclear energy
hydroelectric, petroleum, solar, and wind
wind, tidal, geothermal, and hydroelectric
- 15. Multiple Choice
The image below shows the energy that can be generated from the Earth's tides from the pull of the Moon's gravity.
Which statement best describes this type of energy?
It is tidal energy, which is a renewable resource.
It is the tidal energy, which can be exhausted if it is not conserved.
It is the chemical energy of water, which is a renewable resource.
It is wind energy, which is a nonrenewable resource.
- 16. Multiple Choice
The graph below shows the volume of known petroleum in different regions of the world as estimated in 1997.
The graph shows that the largest known reserve of petroleum at the time was located in Region 2, which includes the Middle East and northern Africa.
Based on the large volume of petroleum in Region 2, what kind of activity must have occurred there in the past?
Large amounts of carbon dioxide were released into the air and precipitated back down as petroleum.
Large amounts of organic matter were buried and then trapped by underground rock formations to create petroleum reservoirs.
Flooding in this area resulted in rapid chemical weathering that created petroleum as rocks were broken down.
Mass wasting from northern regions resulted in the deposition of underground petroleum reserves.
- 17. Multiple Choice
The Ogallala aquifer, or High Plains aquifer, located in the central United States is one of the largest aquifers in the world. It is shown in blue in the picture.
Scientists estimate that the formation of the Ogallala aquifer began several geologic epochs ago, when the Rocky Mountains were still tectonically active. Over time, sediment from the Rocky Mountains eroded and was deposited over rivers and valleys on the eastern side of the mountains, eventually covering them and trapping water below the surface to form the aquifer.
Today the Ogallala aquifer is a very important source of fresh water, supplying about 30% of the total ground water used for irrigation in the United States. The Ogallala aquifer also provides drinking water to many people who live in the central United States.
Based on the information above, which of the following is true?
Geologic processes that occur in modern times did not occur earlier in Earth's history.
Geologic processes have very little impact on the distribution of resources on Earth.
Past geologic processes impact the present-day location of resources on Earth.
Past geologic processes have resulted in an even distribution of resources on Earth.
- 18. Multiple Choice
Which of the following could help slow down the use of fossil fuels?
leaving the water running while brushing your teeth
eating more vegetables
turning off lights when they are not being used
buying more automobiles
- 19. Multiple Choice
Renewable resources are resources that can be replaced faster than they are used. Which of the following energy resources is renewable?
petroleum
solar energy
uranium
natural gas
- 20. Multiple Choice
Wind turbines are becoming an increasingly popular method of generating a community’s electricity. In wind turbines, wind is used to power electric generators. How will an increase in the use of wind turbines affect the availability of wind in the future?
They will not affect the availability of wind.
They will increase the availability of wind.
They will pollute the wind, making it unsafe to use.
They will decrease the availability of wind.
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