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NPRE 101 / ENVS 101
Introduction to Energy Sources
Spring 2012
Study guide for Exam I and a copy of a previous year’s exam
Your exam will come exclusively from these questions and from homeworks #1 - #6.
WHAT IS ENERGY?
- Definition of energy. Explain how all other “forms” and sources of energy fit within this
definition.
CHEMISTRY OF ENERGY
- Calculate how much energy is released in a particular chemical reaction. Use the example
from the HW.
- Calculate how much energy is released in a particular nuclear reaction. Use the example
from the HW.
- Understand the chemistry/ binding energy reason for several common phenomena ---
Aluminum cans, sea shells, sodium exploding in water.
- Learn the definition of units used in energy: BTU, Quad, J, kCal, Calorie (food)
- How does E = mc
2 relate to both chemical and nuclear reactions?
PHYSICS OF ENERGY / THERMODYNAMICS
- What does temperature mean --- draw a graph and explain in terms of speed.
- Where does the energy go in a chemical reaction?
- Definition and use of kinetic energy in understanding nature
- Definition and use of potential energy in understanding nature
- Explanation of temperature scales --- and the concept of absolute zero
- What does heat transfer mean on an atomic level?
THERMODYNAMICS / ENGINES
- What is a heat engine?
- Know how to calculate efficiency from Carnot formula with correct units
- How efficient are real devices. Show using the Carnot efficiency formula.
- The relationship between pressure, temperature, and volume and what it means to you
- How your car engine works (all four strokes) (warning: this is quite involved)
- What are the following items, and what do they do in the engine: valves, cams, cam
shaft, crankshaft, connecting rod (ie, “I threw a rod”).
- Why is the common 6 cylinder engine referred to as a “V” six?
ELECTRICITY
- How in detail is electricity made? Explain each of the following:
a. Heat source
b. Steam
c. Turbine
- Explain in detail using words and a drawing how a generator creates electricity.
- What is electricity? Explain the difference between AC and DC.
- How efficient is electricity generation?
- Why is a water source needed?
- Why is a condenser needed, why not just vent the “used” steam?
WHO HAS IT, WHO WANTS IT, AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
- What is the difference between energy and power? (Know how to use and convert units
of each)
- What are the energy quantities of some everyday objects like those brought
into class (shown on handout)?
- How much energy is in or used by a number of items/places
a. US total
b. World total
- What energy sources are used and how much do they provide?
- Draw a time line of energy use and the talk about the major dips in the curve
and the events that shape it.
- What energy sources do we use to make electricity? Be quantitative.
- How do the US and the world compare in population and in energy use?
Explain how the ratio has changed in time and why?
OIL
- What is oil?
- What are its physical origins?
- Who has it and how much? Who imports it, who exports it? (Know top 3 countries of
each)
- Who uses it and how much? (Know top 3 countries)
- Will it “run out”? (use supply and demand to explain)
- What is done with it all?
- How much of the cost of gasoline is taxes, and how does that compare with Europe?
EXPLORATION
- Where is oil in the ground? Explain a geological trap.
- How is it found? Explain the exploration techniques.
- How a drill works and removes the rock chips
- How the pump works
- Amount of oil produced per well – compare by countries and time being
pumped.
45.What is the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary extraction?
Give examples of each.
- Explain how tar sands are removed and converted to oil.
NATURAL GAS
- What is natural gas?
- What are its physical origins?
- How does increasing the “greenhouse gases” affect the energy balance for the Earth?
Describe the process.
- What evidence is there for global warming and why is there a debate over it? (From pre-
industrial times to the present)
- How could we predict further climate change?
- What effect do aerosols have on the environment?
- What are the effects on sea level? What complicates the measurement of global
warming by that means?
- How does the ocean conveyor work and how does it affect global climate?
- Why isn’t the Earth normally -3 degrees F?
ENERGY POLICY (from homework and spread throughout lectures)
- What would be the effects (both positive and negative) of significantly increasing the
taxes on gasoline? Imported oil? High sulfur coal? Carbon dioxide output?
- What would be the effects (both positive and negative) of offering tax incentives for
purchase of hybrid cars and renewable energy source use for the home?
- What would be the effects (both positive and negative) of outlawing the use of natural
gas as a source of energy for electricity production?
- How do supply and demand affect the price of a resource (for instance, gas)?
- What are pollutions credits and how does the system work?
POWER PLANT OPERATION
- How does a real power plant make electricity? Describe each of….
a. Fuel
b. Boiler
c. Turbine
d. Generator
e. Condenser
f. Cooling tower
g. Smoke stack
- Describe the Pollution control devices
h. Ash collection/bag house
i. Scrubber
j. Electrostatic precipitator
k. EPA regulations – do we meet them? What are they?
- What are the inputs and outputs of a power plant?
- What factors affect whether or not a plant will be profitable? ( See HW #5)
ENERGY USE BY SECTORS / MISC.
- How is energy use divided into sectors? What are they?
- What is the major user(s) of energy in each sector?
- Explain octane rating.
- Why is 2/3 of the energy used “wasted?” What are the biggest “wasters”?
- Be able to explain the Monte Hall “3 door” probability problem.
- Explain the pH scale and give approximate values for neutral water, drinking water, and
the point where fish die.
- What does a lot of urban China’s atmosphere look like, and why?
COPY OF SPRING 2006 EXAM ----
Short answer questions. Write a few concise sentences and draw diagrams where appropriate to
answer the following questions. Be sure to answer each part of each question. Each problem is
worth 10 points.
Be sure to read the entire exam first. You may not want to start at the beginning. If you need more
room for an answer, continue on the back side of the paper and clearly mark where your answer can
be found. Be sure to answer all parts of each question. Generous partial credit can be awarded.
- Utilizing the definition of energy Prof. Ruzic described on the first day of class, explain why (a)
aluminum cans are so impervious to decay, (b) carbon dioxide in sea water can actually be used as a
“fuel” for the creatures who live in sea shells, (c) water, which usually puts out fires, can produce a
fire when sodium is added to it. Be as detailed as you can.
- How much heat (in kcal) is released when burning one mole of octane (gasoline, C 8
H
completely to carbon dioxide ( CO 2
) and water (H 2
O)? You must show all of your work and how
you came up with the answer, not just give a number. (Your first step is to write down a balanced
chemical equation: 1 octane plus 12.5 oxygens goes to 8 carbondioxides and 9 waters) Is complete
combustion very likely? Why or why not?
Possibly useful numbers:
Heat of formation for C 8
H
: -59.2 kcal / mole
H
O: -57.8 kcal / mole
CO
: -94.1 kcal / mole
O
: 0.0 (by definition of the scale used)
3.What are the following item in an engine and what do they do:
cams, crankshaft, rings, connecting rods, “V-6” arrangement of cylinders
- What is a condenser and why is one needed in a power plant? Why not just vent the “used”
steam to the atmosphere?
- What are tar sands? Where in the world is the largest known deposit? Explain in detail how tar
sands are removed and converted to crude oil.
- What is coal? How was it formed? Name the top three countries that have the largest known
coal reserves (in order for maximum credit) and name the top three users of coal (in order for
maximum credit).
- Describe the following pollution control devices in used at coal power plants like Abbott in
detail and explain what kind of pollution each of the three attempts to ameliorate: Cooling Tower,
Electrostatic Precipitators, Scrubbers.
- When will natural gas “run out”? Write a paragraph or two on this topic. Be sure to consider
economics, exploration, transportation and the uses for natural gas as well as for energy in general.
- What are greenhouse gases? Next, explain how they cause the earth to warm up. Do this by
explaining the energy balance of the earth and the role greenhouse gasses play in it. Further, be
sure to explain how adding more greenhouse gasses to the air effects the energy balance.
- What are some of the policies the US government could actually enact to effect energy use?
(This means I want reasonable, possible ideas like the ones we have discussed in class and in the
homework). Name at least three policies and describe the likely effect of each of those policies.
