EEE 230 TEST 3 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026
Resource depletion is often tied to the challenges + impacts of __________ _______________,
end of life strategies. - ANS material extraction/production (its energy intensive)
embodied energy - ANS -sum of all energy required to produce goods or services
-function of mining/extraction/refining technologies + concentration of the resources being
mined
-technology more efficient over time, resources less concentrated
electrolytic refining - ANS -electrochemical process that uses an electric current passed
through dissolved, impure metal to form a pure metal layer at positive current collector
-ex: Hall-Heralt process for aluminum uses a carbon anode, cryolite electrolyte, etc.
smelting - ANS -melting metal ores (metal + impurities)
-add oxidizing agent to molten metal to react with impurities to form a slag, gas byproducts
-for producing steel
-oxygen is not used to reduce the amount of carbon in molten iron
fractional distillation - ANS -separating mixtures by using different densities/boiling points
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, -commonly used for crude oil refining
-lighter fuels used directly
-heavier fuels may undergo more processing after distillation "cracking" to turn them into
lighter fuels
-fuel gas at top, lubrication oil, paraffin, asphalt at bottom
methane venting + flaring - ANS -oil + natural gas deposits occur in same location
-oil wells are intending to produce oil but extract natural gas as a byproduct
-not all NG is collected
-venting: methane released into air flaring (combusting) methane that isn't being captured
-GWP of methane is higher than CO2
coal ash - ANS -coal isn't close to 100% carbon left with remnants after combustion (fly ash,
mostly silica)
-particulate matter that's too large to escape + collects at bottom of combustion chamber
(bottom ash)
-flue gas desulfurization materials capture sulfur that would've been emitted as SO2
-all byproducts are stored in water (retaining ponds)
precious metals - ANS waste typically going to have positive economic value
nonprecious metals - ANS typically have a cost associated with disposal, sometimes the
presence of a little bit of high-value material will make recycling of products with many
materials economically viable
collection - ANS dispersed use of products makes end of life collection a challenge sometimes
collection + recycling required by law
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2025/2026
Resource depletion is often tied to the challenges + impacts of __________ _______________,
end of life strategies. - ANS material extraction/production (its energy intensive)
embodied energy - ANS -sum of all energy required to produce goods or services
-function of mining/extraction/refining technologies + concentration of the resources being
mined
-technology more efficient over time, resources less concentrated
electrolytic refining - ANS -electrochemical process that uses an electric current passed
through dissolved, impure metal to form a pure metal layer at positive current collector
-ex: Hall-Heralt process for aluminum uses a carbon anode, cryolite electrolyte, etc.
smelting - ANS -melting metal ores (metal + impurities)
-add oxidizing agent to molten metal to react with impurities to form a slag, gas byproducts
-for producing steel
-oxygen is not used to reduce the amount of carbon in molten iron
fractional distillation - ANS -separating mixtures by using different densities/boiling points
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, -commonly used for crude oil refining
-lighter fuels used directly
-heavier fuels may undergo more processing after distillation "cracking" to turn them into
lighter fuels
-fuel gas at top, lubrication oil, paraffin, asphalt at bottom
methane venting + flaring - ANS -oil + natural gas deposits occur in same location
-oil wells are intending to produce oil but extract natural gas as a byproduct
-not all NG is collected
-venting: methane released into air flaring (combusting) methane that isn't being captured
-GWP of methane is higher than CO2
coal ash - ANS -coal isn't close to 100% carbon left with remnants after combustion (fly ash,
mostly silica)
-particulate matter that's too large to escape + collects at bottom of combustion chamber
(bottom ash)
-flue gas desulfurization materials capture sulfur that would've been emitted as SO2
-all byproducts are stored in water (retaining ponds)
precious metals - ANS waste typically going to have positive economic value
nonprecious metals - ANS typically have a cost associated with disposal, sometimes the
presence of a little bit of high-value material will make recycling of products with many
materials economically viable
collection - ANS dispersed use of products makes end of life collection a challenge sometimes
collection + recycling required by law
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
