Renewable Energy Multiple Choice Questions on “Environmental Aspects of Energy – 2”.
1. Which of the following is the cleanest fossil fuel?
a) Natural gas
b) Petrol
c) Petroleum
d) Coal
Answer: a
Clarification: Natural gas is often described as the cleanest fossil fuel. Petroleum is a raw form of fossil fuel found in oceans and seas. Petrol is a processed product of petroleum.
2. What is IPCC?
a) A government organization that provides scientific information regarding climate change and its effects
b) An intergovernmental body of UN that provides scientific information regarding climate change and its effects
c) An intergovernmental organization that provides scientific information regarding climate change and its effects
d) A private company that sells scientific information regarding climate change
Answer: b
Clarification: IPCC stands for “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”. It is an intergovernmental body of UN that provides scientific information regarding climate change and its effects. It is non-profit organization.
3. What is the objective of the main international treaty on climate change?
a) To provide scientific information on climate change
b) To destabilise the greenhouse gas concentrations so that anthropogenic actions interfere with the climate system
c) To stabilise the greenhouse gas concentrations so that anthropogenic actions do not interfere with the climate system
d) To bring peace between all countries
Answer: c
Clarification: The objective of the main international treaty on climate is to stabilise the greenhouse gas concentrations so that anthropogenic actions do not interfere with the climate system. The treaty itself does not provide information on climate change.
4. What is the aim of Paris Agreement in 2015? Note that C indicates Celsius.
a) To keep the decrease in global average temperature to below 2 degree C
b) To keep the decrease in global average temperature to above 2 degree C
c) To keep the increase in global average temperature to above 2 degree C
d) To keep the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degree C
Answer: d
Clarification: The Paris Agreement is an agreement within United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dealing with greenhouse gas emissions. Its long term goal is to keep the decrease in global average temperature to below 2 degree C.
5. Which of the following IPCC assessment reports was a critical input in Paris Agreement?
a) Fifth Assessment Report
b) First Assessment Report
c) Second Assessment Report
d) Tenth Assessment Report
Answer: a
Clarification: IPCC’s fifth Assessment Report (AR) was a critical scientific input into Paris Agreement held in 2015. The AR5 report was developed through a scoping process involving climate change experts from all relevant disciplines.
6. Where is the ozone hole located?
a) Asia
b) Antarctica
c) Europe
d) America
Answer: b
Clarification: The ozone hole is located over Antarctica. It was and still is the largest observed ozone hole. It was caused due continuous emissions of CFCs and freons.
7. What is main potential water pollutant from a geothermal reservoir?
a) Carbon
b) Silicon
c) Sulphur
d) Nitrogen
Answer: c
Clarification: The main water pollutant from a geothermal reservoir is sulphur. This is because underground reservoirs contain large amounts of sulphur and other minerals.
8. How does a geothermal plant prevent the leakage of sulphur into environment?
a) By trapping it inside the reservoir during extraction of hot water
b) By trapping it inside the reservoir before extraction of hot water
c) By disposing it into water bodies
d) By using a closed-loop water system
Answer: d
Clarification: Most geothermal plants prevent leakage of sulphur and other minerals into the environment by using a closed-loop water system. The spent water is pumped directly back into the geothermal reservoir.
9. Which of the following gases is commonly emitted into the atmosphere from an open-loop geothermal system?
a) Hydrogen sulphide
b) Hydrogen
c) Carbon
d) Silicon
Answer: a
Clarification: Hydrogen sulphide is commonly emitted into the atmosphere from an open-loop geothermal system. Carbon and silicon are not gases. Even if hydrogen is emitted it is not the most common one.
10. How does hydrogen sulphide from geothermal plants contribute towards pollution?
a) By reacting with acidic gases to cleans the precipitating rainwater
b) By forming sulphur dioxide
c) By changing into one of the noble gases
d) By reacting with ozone
Answer: b
Clarification: Hydrogen sulphide reacts and changes into sulphur dioxide. Sulphur dioxide contributes to the formation of acid rain which is harmful to the environment.
11. Which of the following is the largest emitter of sulphur dioxide?
a) Geothermal plants
b) Photosynthesis
c) Coal plants
d) Respiration
Answer: c
Clarification: If not the coal plants are one of the largest emitters of sulphur dioxide. Photosynthesis releases oxygen and respiration releases carbon dioxide. Though geothermal plants release hydrogen sulphide which converts into sulphur dioxide, their contribution is negligible when compared to coal plants.
12. Land requirement of a geothermal plant depends on _______
a) greenhouse gas emissions
b) hydrogen sulphide emissions
c) the wildlife
d) amount of power capacity
Answer: d
Clarification: Land requirement of a geothermal plant depends on the amount of power capacity. It also depends on other factors like the substation and the type of energy conversion system.
13. Which of the following is one of the major problems caused by a geothermal plant to land?
a) Land subsidence
b) Land fertilisation
c) Reservoir cleansing
d) Noble gas emissions
Answer: a
Clarification: Land subsidence is one of the major problems caused by a geothermal plant to land. It is basically the sinking of land surface due to various activities in the plant and reservoir. Geothermal plants neither fertilise the land nor emit noble gases.
14. Photovoltaic manufacturing requires hazardous materials.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Manufacturing of photovoltaics require hazardous materials like arsenic and cadmium. Consumption of such metals even in small amounts could be deadly for the workers in the factory.
15. Life cycle assessment is a good indicator of the net environmental impact of any technology.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Life cycle assessment is a good indicator of the net environmental impact of any technology including renewable energy. This is because it studies the environmental impacts of the processes involved, materials used to manufacture the technology and the manufacturing processes of the materials.