The National Academies
What You Need To Know About Energy
What do you know about energy?
About how much of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
More than a quarter of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States.
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Correct!
More than a quarter of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
More than a quarter of the world's coal reserves are located in the United States.
Which residential usage consumes the largest amount of energy?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Consuming the largest amount of energy, space heating accounts for 31% of all residential energy used. Space cooling accounts for an additional 12% of energy usage.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Consuming the largest amount of energy, space heating accounts for 31% of all residential energy used. Space cooling accounts for an additional 12% of energy usage.
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Correct!
Consuming the largest amount of energy, space heating accounts for 31% of all residential energy used. Space cooling accounts for an additional 12% of energy usage.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Consuming the largest amount of energy, space heating accounts for 31% of all residential energy used. Space cooling accounts for an additional 12% of energy usage.
True or False: Burning biofuels does not release carbon dioxide.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Biofuels contain carbon and although they may burn “cleaner” than oil-derived fuels, they do not avoid generating carbon dioxide emissions.
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Correct!
Biofuels contain carbon and although they may burn “cleaner” than oil-derived fuels, they do not avoid generating carbon dioxide emissions.
Energy intensity is a measure of:
- The amount of energy used by a nation per unit of GDP
- The amount of energy contained in a given amount of fuel
- The amount of electric current passing through a point
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Correct!
Energy intensity is a measure of a nation's energy efficiency represented through energy use per unit of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Energy intensity is a measure of a nation's energy efficiency represented through energy use per unit of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Energy intensity is a measure of a nation's energy efficiency represented through energy use per unit of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
True or False: Burning coal in electric power plants is a major source of CO2 and other emissions. However, its use doesn't have negative consequences beyond the emissions caused by combustion.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Mining coal disturbs the land and modifies the chemistry of rainwater runoff, which in turn affects stream and river water quality.
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Correct!
Mining coal disturbs the land and modifies the chemistry of rainwater runoff, which in turn affects stream and river water quality.
Which source(s) of energy are not nuclear in origin?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Tidal energy is gravitational in origin. Solar energy comes from nuclear reactions in the sun.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Tidal energy is gravitational in origin. Geothermal energy comes from radioactive decay inside the earth.
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Correct!
Tidal energy is gravitational in origin. Solar energy comes from nuclear reactions in the sun, and geothermal energy comes from radioactive decay inside the earth.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Tidal energy is gravitational in origin. Solar energy comes from nuclear reactions in the sun, and geothermal energy comes from radioactive decay inside the earth.
True or False: U.S. domestic production of crude oil has declined since around 1970.
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Correct!
U.S. domestic production of crude oil peaked around 1970 at about 9.5 million barrels per day (MBD) and declined to about 5.1 MBD by 2006.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
U.S. domestic production of crude oil peaked around 1970 at about 9.5 million barrels per day (MBD) and declined to about 5.1 MBD by 2006.
Which of the following is frequently used as a unit of measurement for the energy content of fuels?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The British Thermal Unit, or Btu, is frequently used as a measure for energy content of fuels. One gallon of gasoline contains about 124,000 Btu.
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Correct!
The British Thermal Unit, or Btu, is frequently used as a measure for energy content of fuels. One gallon of gasoline contains about 124,000 Btu.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The British Thermal Unit, or Btu, is frequently used as a measure for energy content of fuels. One gallon of gasoline contains about 124,000 Btu.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
The British Thermal Unit, or Btu, is frequently used as a measure for energy content of fuels. One gallon of gasoline contains about 124,000 Btu.
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.
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