Power Surge Assignment PDF

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Summary

You watch a video at the link provided and answer questions discussed in the video. these questions are usually put onto the next exam. Taught by Dr. Reinhardt....

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BIOL/ESSC 107 Watch the NOVA documentary Power Surge, which is available online at the PBS web site: http://video.pbs.org/video/1873639434/ Read the content questions before watching the video (which runs about 53 min.). Take notes (also useful for studying for the exam) while watching, and then answer all questions. 1. Thirty five million years ago, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere was much higher and the climate warmer. What was covering Antarctica at that time? Thirty five million years ago, Antarctica was covered in forests. 2. By the end of this century, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is predicted to reach a level similar to By the end of this century, the CO2 concentration is predicted to be a similar level to how it was thirty five million years ago. 3. Explain in one sentence each, what the four colors of the wood wedges stand for. full sentences The green wedge represents efficiency, such as increasing fuel mileage of cars. The Yellow wedge represents tripling the number of nuclear power plants over 50 years. The blue wedge represents cleaning coal plants by burying their carbon emissions. The red wedge represents harnessing the sun’s power with solar panels or wind turbines. 4. What kind of carbon-catching device is Klaus Lackner from Columbia University designing? Explain the principle and look of the prototype in two full sentences. Klaus Lackner is designing a device that pulls CO2 out of the air like trees. He is cutting a resinbased material into thin strips and hanging them on a wire, similar in looks to a Christmas tree branch, to maximize efficiency in attracting CO2 from the air without using energy. 5. According to the video, fossil fuels currently feed _______% of the commercial energy demand of the world. Fossil fuels feed 85% of the commercial energy demand of the world. 6. Briefly explain the method by which CO2 is stored by the pilot plant in the Sahara desert and what scientists do to figure out if the CO2 stays in the ground? Write full sentences. Carbon sequestration is used to capture the carbon emitted from the power plant and injecting it back into the ground. To make sure it stays in the ground, scientists calculate the movement of the ground above the injected carbon, which shows that the carbon is indeed underground.

7. The compost demonstration shows how much carbon is produced by the average American. How many tons of carbon are produced annually by the average family?

The average family produces 14 tons of carbon per year. 8. Photovoltaics (PV: producing electricity from the sun) has great potential to supply our society with renewable energy. According to the video, why is solar not yet in use at a very large scale? Solar is not used on a large scale yet because it is very expensive and there has not been a cheap way to use it yet. 9. President Jimmy Carter had put solar water heater panels onto the White House in 1970’s during a time of very high oil prices. He wanted to have the USA produce 20% of its energy needs with solar energy by end of the 20th century. What is the main reason solar energy was not developed to that extent? Solar energy was not developed to that extent because oil prices dropped and people did not think it was important to conserve energy anymore. 10. Researcher Jay Keasling tries to make a diesel-like fuel out of agricultural products. What are the ingredients he is using? He is using switchgrass and genetically altered yeast. 11. Find the building improvements by which the National Archives managed to reduce their energy use and save money. full sentence/s The National Archives manages to reduce their energy use with more efficient radiators, 20% brighter lights that sue less energy, motion sensors to shut the lights off, efficient boilers, and plugging gaps that leaked heat.

12. According to the video, what is nuclear energy’s biggest unresolved problem? full sentence Nuclear power plants create a lot of nuclear waste, and disposing of it safely and efficiently is an unresolved problem....