Environmental Science Chapter 17 Study Guide
1. Electric generators work by converting ______into ______.
2. How are oil and natural gas formed?
3. What happens inside the combustion chamber of a coal-fired power plant?
4. What is most of the energy consumed in the U.S. used for?
5. Define “fission”.
6. What forms when an atom is split in fission?
7. Why can’t we use fusion to create electricity?
8. Storage sites for nuclear waste need to be in areas that are geologically unstable.
9. Fewer nuclear power plants are built now because they are too expensive.
10. How is electricity generated in a coal-fired power plant?
11. How is coal formed?
12. One advantage of using fossil fuels for energy is their versatility.
13. During the problem of nuclear fission, a neutron splits a uranium-235 atom, forming ______?
14. In a nuclear power plant, three pipe circuits pump water through the reactor, turbine, and cooling tower.
15. Name 2 advantages to using nuclear power over fossil fuels.
16. Name the 4 main uses of fuel.
17. The energy in fossil fuels is often converted into electricity.
18. Where is much of the oil and natural gas located in the U.S.? (in what areas?)
Short Answer:
19. If fossil fuels come from the remains of dead organisms, why are they not considered renewable resources?
20. Coal can be considered to be a form of solar energy, or energy from the sun. Explain why. (Hint: Think about where coal comes from.)
21. Do you think Americans should start trying to use less energy to conserve the nonrenewable resources that are currently available to them? Explain your answer.
22. How can you help conserve energy in your homes? Give examples.
23. Make a Venn diagram to compare and contrast coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants. Include information on how they work AND their environmental impacts.