Q&A: Check my answers for Environmental Science please?

May 8th, 2013 Filed under: Solar Power Cost — Solar Power Author

I thought I’d post this question from Simone since a lot of people seem to be asking it lately:

2. The major sources of ocean pollution come from: decaying sea life.activities that occur on land.the ocean floor.x legal dumping from ships.3. The world-famous French oceanographer who produced popular books, films, and TV programs documenting undersea explorations wasGarrett Hardin.Alice Hamilton.x Jacques Cousteau.John Muir.4. Which of the following issues hinders efforts to achieve sustainability?who will solve environmental problemswho is responsible for environmental problemswho pays the costs of implementing solutionsx all of the above5. All of the following are choices that you can make as an individual that might affect the environment EXCEPT whether or not you recycle.x how you speak.what you buy.what you eat.6. Water is distributed on Earth in which of the following locations? freshwater found in icecaps and glaciersfreshwater found in rivers, lakes, and aquiferssalt water found in the oceanx all of the above7. _______________ was influential in the study of chimpanzees and wrote books that raised awareness of several endangered species. Henry D. Thoreaux Jane GoodallRachel CarsonMarion Stoddart8. Which of the following factors does NOT help predict future oil production and its future cost? the number of oil refineries operating in the pastx changes in technology.cost of obtaining fuels.number of oil deposits discovered.9. Overharvesting affects the supply of aquatic organisms used for food by limiting the reproduction processes of the surviving organisms.adding too many organisms into the environment.x catching and/or removing more organisms that the population can replace.increasing the amount of food available for the organisms to eat so that they grow at a rapid pace.10. Residential uses of water include which of the following? gardeningdrinkingcookingx all of the above 11. High construction costs, safety concerns, and locating a safe storage place are all disadvantages oftoxic waste.nuclear energy.nuclear fusion.x solar energy.12. Latitude strongly influences climate because _____ solar energy falls on areas that are closer to the equator than to the poles.lessx morethe same amount ofsometimes less13. ________________ is a serious environmental problem, which is produced when organic waste decomposes deep in a landfill where there is no oxygen. Ironx MethaneLeachateMercury 14. Which of the following represents an example of how pollution can come from both natural sources and human activities? x natural pollution from volcanoes and human pollution from chemicals in industrial activitiesnatural pollution from the airplanes and human pollution from radonnatural pollution from streams and human pollution from fishingnatural pollution from fossil fuels and human pollution from particulate matter15. An agricultural method by which water is delivered to plants in a way other than precipitation is calledwastewater.drainage.runoff.x irrigation.16. What was the main purpose of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change in 1997? to increase the greenhouse emissions on Earth by 35%to eliminate substances that damage the atmosphere’s protective ozone layerx to reduce worldwide emissions of greenhouse gasesto recognize internationally the problems of climate change17. After an outbreak of an illness, scientists use epidemiology to try to find:the origin of the disease.how the disease spreads.how to prevent the disease from spreading.x all of the above18. The seasons are caused by: the change of climate in a specific area.the temperature and amount of precipitation in the atmosphere.latitude, atmospheric circulation patterns, local geography, solar activity, and volcanic activity over a period of years.x the tilt of the Earth on its axis as the Earth revolves around the sun.19. The five primary air pollutants arex sulfuric acid, carbon dioxide, monoxides, radon, and organic emissions.carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter.cement plants, mining operations, incinerators, wood-burning fireplaces, and coal-burning power plants.carbon dioxide, hydrogen, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, and mercury.20. Which of the following is an advantage of nuclear energy?It does not produce solid waste.It poses no safety risks.x It is cost-efficient.It releases less radioactivity than coal-fired power plants.21. As the amount of ozone in the stratosphere decreases,x more ultraviolet light is able to reach Earth’s surface.less solar energy is able to reach Earth’s surface.the amount of methane in the atmosphere increases.the amount of phytoplankton in the ocean increases.

Answer: “2. The major sources of ocean pollution come from:”activities that occur on land.”8. Which of the following factors does NOT help predict future oil production and its future cost?”the number of oil refineries operating in the past”11. High construction costs, safety concerns, and locating a safe storage place are all disadvantages of”nuclear energy.”19. The five primary air pollutants are”carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter.”20. Which of the following is an advantage of nuclear energy?”… your answer may also be right, but so is this.It releases less radioactivity than coal-fired power plants.The rest appear correct.

Tagged:Homework Help

Q&A – I wanted an estimate of how many solar panels I will be needing and how much will they cost, and their lifetim?

May 2nd, 2013 Filed under: Solar Power Electricity — Solar Power Author

Here a good question I found in the comments section of a previous post. ‘Rihanna’ asks us the question:

Hi, I wanted an estimate of how many solar panels I will be needing and how much will they cost, to run a whole hospital on them. This hospital has over hundred rooms with at least two tube lights and a fan and a TV in each room. I want to use solar panels without having to use electricity, “ever”! I know solar panels have a Lifetime period, but I can get new ones when these stop working, I also want to know their lifetime period. I need them here in Pakistan, there is plenty of sunlight. I want a rough estimate. Please, can someone help me? Thank you in advance! Also, the hospital has air conditioners all over! I don’t want to use normal electricity at all, I’m talking about living on solar energy(alone).

Answer: It is not practical to run the whole hospital on solar alone. This is because the solar system produces no electricity when the sun is down. You would need a massive battery set.Also it is not practical to run the hospital during daylight hours on solar alone. To verify this you could determine the electrical demand at a busy time of day, when air conditioners are running. I expect it will be over 100 kilowatts. At 100 kW per panel, and with 200 watt panels, you would need 500. And that would be if they were 100% efficient. Considering losses due to voltage drop in conductors and losses in inverters, 75% efficiency is what might be expected. And then you must realize that the system generates maximum power only around noon. As the sun rises and sets the output goes from zero to maximum and back to zero again. With that many panels the system would supply sufficient power for only a few minutes each day. If you want to utilize solar for part of your electricity you can look under solar panels to determine how much they would cost. To that you would need to add the cost of inverters and installation. You might consider installing the panels as shade structures on the parking lot.I am sorry to disappoint you.

Tagged:Engineering

Q/A – What action should I take to streamline the tons of “soft costs” needed to install solar in the US?

April 11th, 2013 Filed under: Solar Power Cost — Solar Power Author

‘Carbon Based Lifeform’ asks a great question so I thought I’d post it here with an answer – enjoy:

What course of action should I take to streamline the tons of “soft costs”AND PAPER WORK needed to install solar in the U.S.?What approach do you recommend?Change dot org, Protest, contact each agency, company, department about streamlining? Contact major news channels about publicizing? Major documentary channels?What steps can I, we take to solve this?I think we all no how vital this transition to clean energy is. The price can be cut in half as demonstrated in Germany and I wont stop until it is so in the United States. Id really like to hear any constructive thoughts or suggestions from you all. Thankshttp://www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/07/05/cut-the-price-of-solar-in-half-by-cutting-red-tape/http://cleantechnica.com/2013/02/09/germany-solar-power-lessons/http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/solar-at-home/2009/06/04/what-you-really-need-to-install-solar-a-cpa/

Answer: The soft costs are not so high, if you ask me. The paperwork needed to install our rooftop system was the same as any relatively minor construction project – a trip to city hall, and a permit for $200. I would not want to do away with that, because it includes an inspection. The reason things are inspected is to make sure they are safe. If someone puts in an extra room on their house, I would hope that they get a permit and inspection. There was also a permission to connect required from the power company. That took 5 minutes online to do. I found out later that I could have gotten the city permit online, too.In fact, prices of solar panels have fallen dramatically. They are about 1/4 the price that they were 7 years ago.

Tagged:Global Warming