ENS EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is oil shale? What organic material does it contain? - Answer-Largely untapped
source of petroleum. It comes from a common sedimentary rock that contains kerogen.
This is close to Earth's surface and can be mined like coal.
Describe the problems associated with recovery oil from oil shale. - Answer-There are
very large quantities of waste rock that are produced when oil shale is mines and
because this waste is alkaline and poor in nutrients, very little vegetation will grow on it.
How does the current price of petroleum affect the production of shale oil? - Answer-
When oil prices are low mining of oil shale for fuel is not economically attractive
What are tar sands? What organic material do they contain? - Answer-Another potential
source of petroleum and consist of sand-stone mixed with a black, high-sulfur, tar-like,
oil known as bitumen.
what is the difference in chemical composition between commercial natural gas and
crude natural gas? - Answer-Crude natural gas: CH4- small amount of C2H6 and C3H8
roughly 60-80% CH4
Commercial natural gas: CO2, sulfur compounds, water vapor, and most hydrocarbons
must be removed.
What is the difference between bituminous and anthracite coal? Why is anthracite coal
a better fuel? - Answer-Bituminous coal- lignite that was transformed due to increased
temperature and pressure also known as soft coal.
Anthracite coal- Bituminous coal that was transformed because of high temperatures
and pressure in the mountains- hard coal
Anthracite is better coal because it has a higher concentration of carbon in it.
Why is peat not considered a good fuel? - Answer-because it has an extrpemely high
water concentration(90%) and low carbon concentration(10%)
What are the three main methods for coal mining? and which is used most extensively?
- Answer-1. Strip mining
2. Underground mining- also produces large quantities of waste rock and acid produced
will get into different water systems
, Identify two environmental problems associated with strip mining. - Answer-Devastation
of the land unless adequate steps are taken for reclamation
Produces waste rock which can get into water systems
Why is coal gasification considered to be a way to convert coal to a more suitable fuel
for home use? - Answer-the production of gas from coal.
- less expensive and safer than alternatives
Steam reforming is used in coal gasification. Write a chemical reaction that shows this
with appropriate reactant and products - Answer-CO + H2O -> CO2+ H2
What is the average efficiency of a coal burning electric-generating power plant? -
Answer--30%-40%
60-70% of the products are lost to heat as the steam is cooled
What is the max efficieny of a gas turbine that operates with a combustion temp of
1250°C and a condenser of 25°C. - Answer-50%
Describe how energy produced by burning coal is used to turn a turbine and generate
electricity - Answer-High pressure gases produced during combustion of natural gas
turn the turbine blade and generate electricity.
Why are electric power pants often located near large bodies of water? - Answer-they
reduce pollution, less pollution in the ocean= less damage to the atmosphere
List 4 places where sequestered CO should be stores and the advantages and
disadvantages of each. - Answer-1. Sandstone layer- 1000 meters below the sea- it is
expensive
2. power plants- they emitted CO2 that could be captured by a plant would be minimal-
to be concentrated it would have to be above 90% captured to be liquefied- overall it
must be placed somewhere where it can be stored for a long time, not only for a portion
of time
3. Carbon dioxide pumping stations- CO2 could be converted into a solid then buried
somewhere in the ground- expensive
4. Deep ocean storage- attractive bc low temp and high pressure would keep CO2
liquefied and it would stay there- however the worry of hurting the ecosystem in the
ocean is one that is preventing them from taking action.
Bitumen - Answer-oil based substance, biproduct of removing lighter substances fro
crude oil during refining( lighter substances: diesel, petroleum gas and petrol)
Lignite - Answer-soft, brownish coal showing traces of plant structure, intermediate
between bituminous coal and peat.
Cap rock - Answer-A layer of hard, impervious rock overlaying and often sealing in a
deposit of oil, gas or coal.
CORRECT ANSWERS
What is oil shale? What organic material does it contain? - Answer-Largely untapped
source of petroleum. It comes from a common sedimentary rock that contains kerogen.
This is close to Earth's surface and can be mined like coal.
Describe the problems associated with recovery oil from oil shale. - Answer-There are
very large quantities of waste rock that are produced when oil shale is mines and
because this waste is alkaline and poor in nutrients, very little vegetation will grow on it.
How does the current price of petroleum affect the production of shale oil? - Answer-
When oil prices are low mining of oil shale for fuel is not economically attractive
What are tar sands? What organic material do they contain? - Answer-Another potential
source of petroleum and consist of sand-stone mixed with a black, high-sulfur, tar-like,
oil known as bitumen.
what is the difference in chemical composition between commercial natural gas and
crude natural gas? - Answer-Crude natural gas: CH4- small amount of C2H6 and C3H8
roughly 60-80% CH4
Commercial natural gas: CO2, sulfur compounds, water vapor, and most hydrocarbons
must be removed.
What is the difference between bituminous and anthracite coal? Why is anthracite coal
a better fuel? - Answer-Bituminous coal- lignite that was transformed due to increased
temperature and pressure also known as soft coal.
Anthracite coal- Bituminous coal that was transformed because of high temperatures
and pressure in the mountains- hard coal
Anthracite is better coal because it has a higher concentration of carbon in it.
Why is peat not considered a good fuel? - Answer-because it has an extrpemely high
water concentration(90%) and low carbon concentration(10%)
What are the three main methods for coal mining? and which is used most extensively?
- Answer-1. Strip mining
2. Underground mining- also produces large quantities of waste rock and acid produced
will get into different water systems
, Identify two environmental problems associated with strip mining. - Answer-Devastation
of the land unless adequate steps are taken for reclamation
Produces waste rock which can get into water systems
Why is coal gasification considered to be a way to convert coal to a more suitable fuel
for home use? - Answer-the production of gas from coal.
- less expensive and safer than alternatives
Steam reforming is used in coal gasification. Write a chemical reaction that shows this
with appropriate reactant and products - Answer-CO + H2O -> CO2+ H2
What is the average efficiency of a coal burning electric-generating power plant? -
Answer--30%-40%
60-70% of the products are lost to heat as the steam is cooled
What is the max efficieny of a gas turbine that operates with a combustion temp of
1250°C and a condenser of 25°C. - Answer-50%
Describe how energy produced by burning coal is used to turn a turbine and generate
electricity - Answer-High pressure gases produced during combustion of natural gas
turn the turbine blade and generate electricity.
Why are electric power pants often located near large bodies of water? - Answer-they
reduce pollution, less pollution in the ocean= less damage to the atmosphere
List 4 places where sequestered CO should be stores and the advantages and
disadvantages of each. - Answer-1. Sandstone layer- 1000 meters below the sea- it is
expensive
2. power plants- they emitted CO2 that could be captured by a plant would be minimal-
to be concentrated it would have to be above 90% captured to be liquefied- overall it
must be placed somewhere where it can be stored for a long time, not only for a portion
of time
3. Carbon dioxide pumping stations- CO2 could be converted into a solid then buried
somewhere in the ground- expensive
4. Deep ocean storage- attractive bc low temp and high pressure would keep CO2
liquefied and it would stay there- however the worry of hurting the ecosystem in the
ocean is one that is preventing them from taking action.
Bitumen - Answer-oil based substance, biproduct of removing lighter substances fro
crude oil during refining( lighter substances: diesel, petroleum gas and petrol)
Lignite - Answer-soft, brownish coal showing traces of plant structure, intermediate
between bituminous coal and peat.
Cap rock - Answer-A layer of hard, impervious rock overlaying and often sealing in a
deposit of oil, gas or coal.
