Identify specific ways in which the transportation and electricity-generating sectors could reduce and/or conserve energy in an effort to become more sustainable
What will be an ideal response?
Transportation: Currently, the combustion of oil-derived fuels accounts for 31% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The use of electric or hybrid cars, and increasing the opportunities for buses and other mass transit options that are more energy efficient, are options moving us in the direction of a more sustainable transportation future. With higher gasoline prices and more stringent regulatory standards being instituted worldwide, incentives are being created for the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles and vehicles powered by alternative energy sources.
Electricity: We can conserve energy needed by power plants through cogeneration, in which excess heat produced during the generation of electricity is captured and used to heat nearby workplaces and homes and to produce other kinds of power. Cogeneration can almost double the efficiency of a power plant. Likewise, in the process of coal gasification and combined cycle generation, coal is treated to create hot gases that turn a gas turbine, while the hot exhaust of this turbine heats water to drive a conventional steam turbine, producing more electricity than would be produced in a standard coal power plant.
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Imagine that all minerals found in rocks were the same color. What information would you no longer be able to infer?
A. Composition B. Cooling rate C. Texture
Longer projected lifetimes for scarce minerals can be achieved with all of the following, EXCEPT ________
A) finding more available substitutes for these minerals B) exploring for new mineral reserves C) lowering prices for products using these minerals D) recycling E) researching more efficient extraction techniques
A number of elements occur naturally as diatomic molecules under normal atmospheric conditions.. Which of the following does not occur naturally as a diatomic molecule?
A) chlorine B) hydrogen C) nitrogen D) sulfur
All of the following are examples of descriptive classifications except
A) igneous vs. sedimentary vs. metamorphic rocks. B) silica rich vs. silica poor vs. intermediate rocks. C) dark-colored vs. medium-colored vs. light-colored rocks. D) carbonate vs. mixed-carbonate vs. non-carbonate rocks.