Barrons AP Environmental Science

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

40% of total grade


No calculators allowed


Directions: Answer  all four    questions,  which   are weighted    equally.    The
suggested time is about 23 minutes for answering each question. Write all
your answers on scrap paper. Where calculations are required, clearly
show how you arrived at your answer. Where an explanation or discussion
is required, support your answers with relevant information and/or specific
examples.


  1. A family is building a new home in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo
    experiences severe winters. Assume the following.
    ■ The house has 4,000 square feet.
    ■ 100,000 Btu of heat per square foot are required to heat the house for the
    winter.
    ■ Natural gas sells for $5.00 per thousand cubic feet.
    ■ 1 cubic foot of natural gas supplies 1,000 Btu of heat energy.
    ■ 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity supplies 10,000 Btu of heat energy.
    ■ Electricity costs $50 per 500 kWh.


(a)  Calculate   the     following,  showing     all     the     steps   of  your    calculations,
including units.

(i) The number  of  cubic   feet    of  natural gas required    to  heat    the house   for
the winter.
(ii) The cost of heating the house using natural gas.
(iii) The cost of heating the house using electricity.

(b)  The     homeowners  are     discussing  with    their   architect   the     possibility     of
using either active or passive solar design to reduce their heating costs.

(i) Define  “active solar   systems”    and describe    ONE method  of  how they
are used in heating a home.
(ii) Define “passive solar systems” and describe ONE method of how
they are used in heating a home.
(iii) Identify and describe ONE environmental benefit or ONE
Free download pdf