The National Academies
What You Need To Know About Energy
What do you know about energy?
Which of the following energy sources is not used to generate electricity in the United States?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Oil, biofuels, natural gas, and coal are all used to generate electricity in the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Oil, biofuels, natural gas, and coal are all used to generate electricity in the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Oil, biofuels, natural gas, and coal are all used to generate electricity in the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Oil, biofuels, natural gas, and coal are all used to generate electricity in the United States.
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Correct!
Oil, biofuels, natural gas, and coal are all used to generate electricity in the United States.
Which energy sources together account for 84% of the energy used in the United States?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) account for 84% of the energy used in the United States.
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Correct!
Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) account for 84% of the energy used in the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) account for 84% of the energy used in the United States.
Nuclear power provided what percentage of the total U.S. energy supply in 2008?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Nuclear power accounted for 9% of the U.S. energy supply in 2008.
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Correct!
Nuclear power accounted for 9% of the U.S. energy supply in 2008.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Nuclear power accounted for 9% of the U.S. energy supply in 2008.
How much of the world's CO2 is released by the United States?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Almost 20% of the world's CO2 is released by the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Almost 20% of the world's CO2 is released by the United States.
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Correct!
Almost 20% of the world's CO2 is released by the United States.
Most of the world's energy originates from which two primary sources:
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Correct!
The energy we capture for use on Earth comes largely from the sun or from nuclear forces local to our own planet.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The energy we capture for use on Earth comes largely from the sun or from nuclear forces local to our own planet.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The energy we capture for use on Earth comes largely from the sun or from nuclear forces local to our own planet.
What is the commonly accepted unit of measurement for electric current—or the amount of an electric charge passing a point per unit time?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The ampere, or amp, is the most commonly used measurement for electric current.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The ampere, or amp, is the most commonly used measurement for electric current.
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Correct!
The ampere, or amp, is the most commonly used measurement for electric current.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The ampere, or amp, is the most commonly used measurement for electric current.
Of the following fossil fuels, which is typically the least expensive for its energy content?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
In 2005, a million Btu of energy from coal cost approximately $2, versus $5 for natural gas and $10 for oil. However, prices can fluctuate due to changes in the economy and new government policies.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
In 2005, a million Btu of energy from coal cost approximately $2, versus $5 for natural gas and $10 for oil. However, prices can fluctuate due to changes in the economy and new government policies.
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Correct!
In 2005, a million Btu of energy from coal cost approximately $2, versus $5 for natural gas and $10 for oil. However, prices can fluctuate due to changes in the economy and new government policies.
Which renewable energy source contributed the most to the total energy consumed in the United States in 2008?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Out of all the renewable energy sources, biomass contributed the most to U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Out of all the renewable energy sources, biomass contributed the most to U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Out of all the renewable energy sources, biomass contributed the most to U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
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Correct!
Out of all the renewable energy sources, biomass contributed the most to U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
Which of the following sources do experts expect will provide us with the “silver bullet” solution to our energy needs?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
There is no silver bullet. Tomorrow’s energy, like today’s, will come from a variety of sources.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
There is no silver bullet. Tomorrow’s energy, like today’s, will come from a variety of sources.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
There is no silver bullet. Tomorrow’s energy, like today’s, will come from a variety of sources.
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Correct!
There is no silver bullet. Tomorrow’s energy, like today’s, will come from a variety of sources.
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