Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
would have been too cold for their vectors to survive. Rodents, mosquitoes, and other warm-climate in-
sects carry these diseases and spread them to humans. Tropical diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yel-
low fever, and cholera now have farther reach.
92.
B
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a group of scientists and government officials
that assesses, summarizes, and reports information regarding climate change. This organization was es-
tablished by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organ-
ization (WMO) in 1988.
93.
D
In regions close to the equator, precipitation is higher. This larger amount of fresh water entering the
ecosystems decreases the salinity of equatorial ocean waters.
94.
C
As a country experiences economic growth, energy consumption may increase because more people
may purchase items such as vehicles, increasing the use of oil. The trick in this question is the inclusion
of the term
per capita.
Yes, overall energy consumption increases due to population growth and medical
care that keeps energy consumers alive longer, but in this list, only economic growth increases per-cap-
ita consumption.
95.
D
Because of improved technologies, the production and use of energy is becoming more efficient.
This means more usable energy is obtained from the same amount of a substance. For example,
vehicles now can get more miles per gallon than in the past. Also, power plants are more efficient in
producing energy today than they were previously. These efficiencies can reduce a country's per-capita
energy consumption.
96.
A
People in affluent nations have the financial means to consume more energy. These people also tend
to have increased access to energy infrastructure.
97.
A
Atmospheric nitrogen (N
2
) cannot be used directly by organisms and must be fixed prior to being
absorbed. Nitrogen fixation can occur through lightning or through nitrogen-fixing bacteria located in
nodules on the roots of legumes. When nitrogen is fixed, it is combined with hydrogen to form ammo-
nia (NH
3
). Ammonia's water-soluble ion (NH
4
+
) can be used by plants.
98.
B
Earth is considered an open system in terms of energy because its main source of energy is the sun,
which contributes from outside the Earth's system.
99.
B
If each wind turbine generates 2,000 kW of energy per day, and there are 50,000 turbines, 1 × 10
8
kW of energy is produced each day (assuming all turbines are operating at 100 percent). This then
needs to be converted to MW.
1 × 10
8
kW = 1 × 10
6
MW or 100,000 MW
100.
D
The source of geothermal energy is the extreme heat generated deep within the Earth as a result of
radioactive decay of elements. This heat increases the temperature of water it comes in contact with,
creating steam and heated water under pressure. To create usable electricity, this water and steam are
then captured and used as a direct heat source, or the steam can be used to turn turbines to generate
electricity. Because geothermal energy occurs only in areas where heat is being generated by radioact-
ive decay, not all areas can use this form of energy. Also, over time the activity can shift and an area
that once had access to geothermal energy may no longer have access to it.
Section II: Free- Response Explanations
1.
This question is worth a maximum of 10 points, as follows:
