- What are two major problems with reliance upon coal and petroleum for energy?
- Why does natural gas contribute much less to greenhouse warming than does coal?
- How might coal be utilized for energy without producing greenhouse gas carbon
dioxide? - What is a large limiting factor in growing biomass for fuel, and in what respect does
this limit hold hope for the eventual use of biomass fuel? - What relationship describes the limit to which heat energy can be converted to
mechanical energy? - Why does a diesel-powered vehicle have significantly better fuel economy than a
gasoline-powered vehicle of similar size? - Why is a nuclear power plant less efficient in converting heat energy to electricity
than is a fossil-fueled power plant? - Instead of having a spark plug that ignites the fuel, a diesel engine has a glow plug
that heats up only during engine startup. Explain. - Cite two examples of vastly increased efficiency of energy utilization that have taken
place during the last century. - Describe a combined power cycle. How may it be tied with district heating?
- What are three reactions used in coal gasification?
- What is a major proposed use of liquid methanol as a fuel for the future?
- Describe a direct and an indirect way to produce electricity from solar energy.
- What is the distinction between donor and acceptor layers in photovoltaic cells?
- What are some possible means for storing energy generated from solar radiation?
- How is wind power utilized as an energy source?
- What are the advantages of Pittsosporum reiniferum and Euphorbia lathyrus for the
production of biomass energy? - Corn produces biomass in large quantities during its growing season. What are two
potential sources of biomass fuel from corn, one that depends upon the corn grain
and the other that does not? - Does biomass contribute to greenhouse gas carbon dioxide? Explain.
- What fermentation process is used to generate a fuel from wastes, such as animal
wastes? - What are two potential pollution problems that accompany the use of geothermal
energy to generate electricity? - What basic phenomenon is responsible for nuclear energy? What keeps the process
going?
Chap. 6. Energy Relationships 159