________ is the element mined to be the fuel in nuclear reactor
urainum
________ is the process of capturing wasted heat from power-generating and industrial installations.
cogeneration
Fuel cells rely on the element ________ for their energy source.
hydrogen
Solar cells, or ________, use semiconductors to convert sunlight directly into electricity.
photovoltaics
All renewable energy sources ultimately capture energy from the ________.
sun
Nuclear ________ is the splitting of atomic nuclei, which continues as a chain reaction, releasing energy.
fission
The temperature increase that occurs as we go deeper into the earth is known as the geothermal ________.
gradient
An advantage of wind power is that it does not cause air pollution. t or f
true
________ solar energy systems simply enhance absorption of solar energy without requiring mechanical power
passive
Energy in the form of heat is created by the reactor at a nuclear power plant. The energy heats water, generating ________, which turns a turbine to create electricity via a generator.
steam
Wind power generation has grown rapidly in the past decade. t or f
true
Groundwater at normal shallow subsurface temperatures can be used as an energy source. t or f
...
The future use of photovoltaics is likely to
increase or decrease
...
The ultimate source of geothermal energy is
heat from Earth's interior
A breeder reactor differs from a burner reactor in that
it create more than it burns
Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is a potentially viable site for nuclear waste disposal because
...
Radioactive minerals release energy only through the fission process. t or f
false
The main difference between hard path and soft path energy policy is
...
Superfund" sites are those that
clean up the worst of abandoned hazardous waste sites
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act mandates
that hazmats are controlled from creation to destruction
All of the following are geologic factors necessary for the safe disposal of radioactive waste, EXCEPT...
Because earthquakes may change groundwater levels and damage a storage site, it is better to choose a location with minimal earthquake activity
What is one of the most significant potential hazards from a sanitary landfill?
Although a significant hazard, groundwater and surface water pollution of sanitary landfills can be prevented with appropriate engineering techniques.
site selection for modern sanitary landfills depends on a variety of geologic and hydrologic variables.t or f
true
What is leachate?
water mixed with waste and forms toxic waste that travels through a landfill
Deep-well disposal of hazardous wastes can result in
earthquakes
The main detrimental byproduct of incineration is
toxic ash
The main drawback of composting as a waste reduction strategy is
organic waste must be separated from other waste
What was the main cause of environmental problems at Love Canal?
...
conservation
control energy demand, adjust uses
efficiency
design/use equipment that yields more power for given amount of energy
You are working in the field as a geologist. You are mapping a large iron ore deposit. After you identify the amount of ore that is currently available, you speculate that there is a vast volume in the same area that could be extracted with the use of tec
resource
Where would you expect to find mercury deposits?
Near convergent plate boundaries
Which type of mineral would most likely be found in a dry lakebed?
evaporate deposit
Itai-Itai is a serious chronic disease that is extremely painful and attacks bones, causing them to become so thin and brittle that they break easily. Scientists are fairly certain that Itai-Itai disease is caused by...
heavy metals, especially cadmium, concentrated in the soil and rice.
A mineral resource is a concentration of a naturally occurring material that can _______ be extracted at a profit.
now or potentially
The process of converting an old, unsightly mining site into an environmentally safe, clean, and useful area is called _______
mine reclamation
About 94% (by weight) of all the minerals mined in the United States are used for...
building materials
Metallic minerals are consumed in _______ amounts than nonmetallic minerals and materials.
lesser
What is the fundamental problem associated with mineral resource availability?
reserves are difficult to maintain
The term _______ refers to useful metallic minerals that can be mined at a profit.
ore
Which of the following minerals was created by weathering processes?
bauxite
Which of the following is a mineral resource that is concentrated at divergent plate boundaries?
massive sulfide deposits
Which step(s) of mineral development have/has the greatest impact on the environment?
extraction and processing
What would make a good reservoir rock for oil?
sandstone
_______ is the term for the time when one-half of Earth's oil has been extracted and used.
peak oil
Oil and gas are known as _______.
hydrocarbons
Coal beds in the western United States are now being mined to extract _______
methane
How can scientists collect data about changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations for the last 800,000 years?
studying glacial ice
You are studying climate change in the American Southwest over the past 200 years. Which type of proxy measurement might you collect in this part of the world?
Tree ring data from ancient trees
As Earth warms, _______ snowfall on Antarctica is predicted.
more
_______ refers to the characteristic atmospheric conditions at a particular place or region over time.
climate
The term _______ refers to the trapping of heat by Earth's atmosphere.
greenhouse effect
Which of the following is a type of climate proxy data?
tree rings
The increase in atmospheric aerosols after a volcanic eruption leads to a _______ climate forcing.
negative
An El Nino event is characterized by...
a warm water current in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean that flows eastward.
Glaciers in mountain valleys are called what?
alpine glaciers
When glacial ice melts and bare ground is exposed, there is a _______ feedback because white ice reflects sunlight and darker rock absorbs more sunlight.
positive
There is evidence that one reason for the fall of the Roman Empire was an environmental toxin. What was the toxin?
lead
Of the following choices, where is the best site for a sanitary landfill?
One in an arid environment where waste is buried in impermeable material
What is natural gas mostly comprised of?
methane
source rock
fine grained organic rich sedimentary rock
reservoir rock
porous and permeable rock
ore deposits at divergent boundaries are related to
migration of ocean water
ore deposits at convergent boundaries are related to
partial melting of seawater-saturated rocks of the oceanic lithosphere in a subduction zone
Common oil traps
anticlimb, fault, unconformity
Nuclear power from splitting of U-235 is a renewable energy resource.
false
Because fossil fuels form from natural geologic processes, we usually consider them renewable resources.
false
Which region has an overwhelming share of Earth's oil and gas reserves?
middle east
Natural gas is generally considered a cleaner fuel than oil and coal.
true
No place on Earth is colder today than it was 100 years ago.
false
As average global temperature rises,
precipitation increases
The six hottest years on record occurred during the last
10 years
Nuclear fission is the process of
...
Superfund sites are those that have been abandoned by previous owners.
true
What was the main cause of environmental problems at Love Canal?
waste wasn't disposed correctly
For the geologic conditions in slanty oil trap, the most likely location for an effective oil trap would be ___?
middle of sandstone
The environmental hazards associated with nuclear energy include the release of carbon dioxide and the development of acid rain.
false
The equipment used in dragline mining operations is also useful in room-and-pillar mining.
false
Placer deposits are expected in what type of rock?
sedimentary
How is biotechnology helping to reduce the environmental impacts of mining?
...
The location of the origin of many ore deposits are believed to be related to plate tectonic boundaries.
true
A concentration of minerals that could now be legally mined at a profit is called a
reserve