focused quiz 1 - weebly
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SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 1 ENERGY IN THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURIES - THE ELECTRIC AGE
1. B As the United States transitioned from an
agrarian to an industrial economic system, its
economy depended less on wood and animal
power and more on coal and steam power. In this
way, industrialization triggered the United
States’ shift between these two power sources. [5,2,2]
2. B Incandescent light bulbs solved the dim lighting
conditions and constant fire hazard associated
with camphene lighting, as well as the soot
emission and frequent refilling associated with
kerosene lighting. [6,1,0]
3. E Camphene (the fuel used in camphene lighting) is
a constituent of turpentine, a fluid derived from
tree resin. Kerosene is also a common fuel used in
lighting but derives from a different source. [6,1,0]
4. E Approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide have
no access to electricity. This number makes up
nearly a fifth of the entire world population. It
should be noted that another billion people have
only partial access to electricity and electrical
services. [7,2,1]
5. B Energy poverty is defined as a lack of access to
modern energy services. Close to 85 percent of
people in a state of energy poverty live in rural
areas. Since farming communities are considered
rural, this area would be most likely to experience
some degree of energy poverty. [8,1,0]
6. E In order for electric power to gain popularity, the
public first had to be shown a practical
application for its use. The light bulb was the first
product to successfully do this on a commercial
scale, permanently altering the course of modern
life and technology. [6,2,0;6,2,1]
7. A The “war of the currents” describes the
competition between Thomas Edison’s direct
current system and George Westinghouse’s
alternating current system in the late 1800s.
Edison fought aggressively against alternating
current with tactics from spreading
misinformation about the system to electrocuting
animals publicly. [7,1,0]
8. A The International Energy Agency formally
defines energy poverty as the lack of access to
modern energy services. On an individual level, a
lack of these services would naturally lead to a
lack of clean cooking facilities and electricity in
general. [7,2,2]
9. A Primary energy is energy that has been captured
from natural sources but has not yet been
converted into another form. For example, coals
has been extracted from natural sources
(deposits) but has not yet been converted into
heat through combustion. [5,1,2;5,2,0]
10. C In 1870, wood accounted for nearly 70 percent of
the United States’ primary energy consumption.
In 1900, this same statistic described the United
States’ primary energy consumption from coal. [5,2,1]
11. E In the late 1880s, power stations could only
transmit electricity about a mile from its source
because much of the transmitted power was lost
as heat over the distribution lines. Alternating
current, however, could send electricity hundreds
of miles away without major losses of power. [6,2,1;7,1,0]
12. A In the late 1800s, companies increasingly used
electric motors to produce goods and services.
This change in production methods resulted in a
significant increase in demand for electric power. [6,2,1]
13. E Alternating current is the prevailing method for
transmitting electric power in the United States.
Alternating current can transmit power farther
and so has won out as the main electric power
transmission system. [7,1,1]
14. A Primary energy sources include natural energy
resources that have not yet been converted to
another form. Since petroleum is created through
the processing of crude oil, it cannot be considered
a primary energy source. [5,1,2]
15. E The United States’ energy assets include many
utility companies, power plants, high-voltage
lines, distribution lines, and meters for
measuring electricity usage. When the individual
values of these assets are added together, the
total value is over one trillion dollars. [7,2,0]
16. D A “quad” is, on its most basic level, a unit of
energy. However, quads are also useful for
conducting energy analysis. For example, using
quads we can measure the amount of primary
energy available in the United States. [5,1,3]
17. A Agrarian economies are economies that are based
on agriculture. An example of an agrarian
economy would be that of the pre-
industrialization United States, which relied on
wood and animal power to produce crops and
other agricultural products. [5,2,2]
18. B George Westinghouse introduced alternating
current into late 19th century society. Though
Westinghouse built upon the work of Nicholas
Tesla, Tesla cannot be credited for the
development of this current system. [6,2,3]
19. D As of 2011, nearly 836 million people in India
lacked access to clean cooking facilities. This
number makes India the country with the highest
number of people lacking access to such facilities. [8,1,0]
20. B As of 2012, the United States had around 17,000
power plants. In addition, there were about 3,200
electric utility companies, 140 million electricity
meters, 165,000 miles of high-voltage lines, and 6
million miles of normal distribution lines. [7,2,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 2 THE ERA OF OIL - THE HISTORICAL ROLE OF OIL
1. D In his 1992 nonfiction work The Prize, Daniel
Yergin discusses the impact of oil on 20th century
economics and politics. During this discussion,
Yergin identifies three major themes related to
the influence of oil in the 20th century: capitalism,
geopolitical power, and resource dependency. [8,2,1;
8,2,2; 9,1,1]
2. D Because of oil’s importance in the world economy,
the trade of oil is extremely profitable. Author
Daniel Yergin discussed this point in The Prize
when he wrote of the ties between the world oil
trade and the development of capitalism. [8,2,1]
3. E Chewing gum, fertilizer, cosmetics, and synthetic
fibers all typically contain ingredients that can be
derived from crude oil. Other oil-derived products
include packaging, solar panels, certain foods,
and plastics in general. While some waxes can be
made from crude oil, beeswax is specifically made
from the wax found in honeycomb and cannot be
considered an oil-based product. [8,2,0;9,1,1]
4. A “Greek fire” was the name of a chemical weapon
often used by the Byzantines during naval
battles. This weapon, formally known as oleum incendiarum, was a mixture of oil and lime that
would ignite when it came in contact with water,
giving it obvious applications at sea. [9,1,2]
5. C The theory of peak oil, proposed by geoscientist
M. King Hubbert, held that the United States’
production of oil would irrevocably decline around
1970. So far, this prediction has been accurate.
However, the United States is not “running out”
of oil; in reality, some oil reserves will probably
never be extracted for cost reasons. [10,1,0; 10,1,1]
6. A In 2010, the world was consuming about 87
million barrels of oil per day. The United States
Energy Information Administration predicts that
this figure will grow to 115 million barrels per
day by 2040, mostly in the transportation sector. [10,1,2]
7. D John D. Rockefeller was an American business
magnate best known for founding the Standard
Oil company in the late 19th century. Rockefeller
quickly became one of the richest men in the
United States through this pursuit. [9,2,1]
8. C In 1990, Iraq, fueled by the desire to control local
oil resources, invaded the neighboring country of
Kuwait. The United States retaliated against
Iraq in a conflict now known as the Gulf War. [8,2,2]
9. C In the early 1900s, the Ford Motor Company
started to mass produce the automobile. In a
matter of years the company had sold nearly 15
million Model T’s, their first commercially
available model. [9,2,1]
10. E Currently, Russia is the world’s largest oil-
producing country. Second is Saudi Arabia, which
is then followed by the United States, Iran,
China, Canada, and Iraq. [10,2,0]
11. A Although other factors may play a role in the
United States’ recent increase in oil production,
technological advancement has been the driving
force behind the last few years’ rise in domestic
oil output. [10,2,0]
12. E In creating the first oil well, George Bissel drew
on preexisting drilling techniques used to collect
salt. [9,1,3]
13. E Though the Mesopotamians discovered oil as
early as 3000 BC, the first oil well was not drilled
until 1859—two years before the start of the
American Civil War. [9,1,2]
14. B Crude oil is formed when organisms’ remains are
exposed to high levels of heat and pressure. These
conditions transform the biological material into
a liquid that can be easily used as fuel. [8,1,1]
15. A The control of oil affects the allocation of
geopolitical power. Consequently, oil has been
central to many conflicts, including Iraq’s
invasion of Kuwait, the resulting Gulf War, and
World Wars I and II. However, the Muslim
Rebellion of the late 1800s mainly revolved
around ethnic conflicts and was not directly
related to oil disputes. [8,2,2; 9,1,0]
16. E The Mesopotamians actively collected and traded
oil products as early as 3000 BC. Chief among
these products was bitumen (also known as
asphalt), which the Mesopotamians used for a
variety of construction and medical purposes. [9,1,2]
17. C Tight oil, also known as shale oil, is an example of
an unconventional oil source. Oil shale, a
conventional source of oil, is commonly confused
with this substance. [10,1,1]
18. B As oil resources are depleted, it becomes
increasingly difficult to extract remaining oil from
reserves. Additionally, the extraction process
takes a great deal of time and money. After a
certain point, it becomes too costly for companies
to continue extracting the oil, leading them to
abandon the deposits altogether. [10,1,1]
19. D In the early 1900s, the Ford Motor Company
began the first mass production of the
automobile. This development greatly increased
the demand for gasoline, which is a derivative of
crude oil. [9,2,1]
20. D According to Daniel Yergin, the oil trade has
great influence because of its high profitability,
the nationalization of many oil companies, oil’s
relationship to political power, and oil’s critical
role in transportation. Unfortunately, oil is
scarce, even relative to other fossil fuels. [8,2,1; 8,2,2;
9,1,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 3 OPEC AND THE 1974 OIL CRISIS - THE 1979 OIL CRISIS
1. A OPEC (short for “the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries”) is an
international cartel formed to facilitate
coordinated oil production among its members.
OPEC is also considered a counterpart of the
Seven Sisters, a group of major private oil
corporations. [10,2,1]
2. C The rise of OPEC in the late 20th century greatly
diminished Seven Sisters’ influence in the Middle
East. The creation of state-owned oil companies
also contributed to the Seven Sisters’ gradual loss
of political power. [11,1,0]
3. E The Seven Sisters are a group of powerful oil
companies that wield a great deal of political and
economic influence. Though the Seven Sisters’
power has decreased since the creation of OPEC,
these companies still play a key role in the world
economy. [11,1,0]
4. C The supermajors are a group of major oil
corporations that are considered the Seven
Sisters’ successor firms. Its members include
Chevron, BP, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch
Shell. ConocoPhilips is sometimes considered a
fifth member. [11,1,0]
5. B The October War began in 1973 when Egypt and
Syria launched a joint attack against Israel. The
United States openly supported Israel during this
conflict, a move which sparked OPEC retaliation
in the form of a mass oil embargo. [11,1,2]
6. B Before the 1973 oil embargo, most Americans
rarely wondered about the source of their fuel.
However, the sudden shortage of oil and gasoline
caused by the embargo brought this issue into the
public eye. [11,2,1]
7. D “Gas lines” refer to the lines of vehicles common
at American gas stations during the 1973 oil
embargo. At the time, gasoline was so scarce that
drivers were often willing to wait hours for the
chance to fill their gas tanks. [11,2,1]
8. C The 1973 oil embargo’s effect on the United
States was amplified by the country’s recent shift
to a new fuel allocation system. With this system,
delivered fuel could not be transferred between
different areas. [11,2,1]
9. B During the 1973 oil crisis, Saudi Arabia severed
trade to both OPEC-hostile and OPEC-neutral
countries. This development was shocking to
Japan, which had been relatively uninvolved in
recent Middle Eastern conflicts and so had
expected trade to continue as usual. [11,2,2]
10. B The International Energy Agency was originally
created to address member countries’
vulnerability to oil shortages in light of the 1973
oil crisis. A major success of this organization was
the creation of an emergency oil sharing system
that could be used in case of another oil crisis. [12,1,1]
11. A The International Energy Agency was originally
created to lessen member countries’ vulnerability
to oil shortages. One achievement was the
creation of an emergency oil sharing system that
could be used case of crisis. [12,1,1; 12,1,2]
12. C One of the International Energy Agency’s major
achievements was the creation of an emergency
oil sharing system that could be used in case of
crisis. However, governments avoided the use of
this system for fear of causing market
imbalances. [12,2,0]
13. C The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, created in
1975, stores emergency oil supplies in a series of
subsurface caverns near the Gulf of Mexico.
Currently, this system has the capacity to store
about 727 million barrels of oil. [12,1,1]
14. C During the 1979 oil crisis, United States
President Jimmy Carter created a presidential
task force to address gasoline shortages, which
was moderately successful in persuading Saudi
Arabia to increase oil production. [12,2,1; 13,1,0]
15. B In 1973, OPEC’s oil embargo on the United States
created widespread oil shortages within the
country, amplified by the United States’ recent
switch to a new fuel allocation system that
prevented the transfer of delivered fuel between
different areas. [11,2,1]
16. A The joint Egyptian-Syrian attack that began the
October War took place during Yom Kippur, the
most important Jewish holiday. For this reason,
the offensive came as a huge shock to Israel (a
largely Jewish nation). [11,1,1]
17. A The Seven Sisters became a major force in the
Middle East immediately after the Second World
War. However, their influence in the Middle East
declined with the creation of OPEC in 1960. [11,1,0]
18. E During the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the United
States openly supported Israel, an enemy of
OPEC. In response, OPEC refused to supply oil to
the United States. American Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger subsequently accused OPEC of
using oil to conduct “political blackmail” on the
country. [11,1,2]
19. D During the Iranian Revolution, the country’s oil
production plummeted, causing a worldwide oil
crisis. Saudi Arabia increased its own production
to fight these oil shortages, but to little avail. [12,1,3]
20. E The 1979 Iranian Revolution occurred when the
Shah (emperor) of Iran fled the country, allowing
a new leader to take control. Iran quickly became
an Islamist republic, ending years of monarchical
rule. [12,1,2]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 4 THE EVOLUTION OF U.S. ENERGY POLICY I
1. C “Energy policy” refers to the way entities decide
how to handle energy resources and production.
This term is usually applied to a government’s
stance on energy management. [13,1,1]
2. C The 1973 oil crisis highlighted the United States’
dependence on foreign oil, leading the United
States to reevaluate its energy policy and shift its
focus to energy security and independence. [13,2,2]
3. A Before the 1970s, the supply of fuel in the United
States was not considered a legitimate issue.
However, the 1973 oil crisis alerted Americans to
the fact that fuel was scarce, and American
energy policy changed accordingly. [13,2,2]
4. B Four major energy developments occurred in
America between World War I and the 1970s: the
destabilization of the natural gas energy, the
repurposing of coal for the generation of
electricity, the first occurrence of shortages in the
oil market, and the first widespread use of
nuclear energy. These developments fueled an
American desire to establish a complete energy
strategy. [14,1,2]
5. D Four major energy developments occurred in
America between World War I and the 1970s: the
destabilization of the natural gas energy, the
repurposing of coal for the generation of
electricity, the first occurrence of shortages in the
oil market, and the first widespread use of
nuclear energy. These developments fueled an
American desire to establish a complete energy
strategy. [14,1,2]
6. D Many factors contributed to the 1973 oil crisis,
including a recent increase in American energy
consumption, the regulation of the coal and
natural gas industries, widespread fear of natural
gas shortages, and ambivalence toward nuclear
energy. Also influential was the increasing
nationalization of Middle Eastern oil fields. [14,1,4]
7. D The 1973 oil crisis highlighted the United States’
dependency on foreign oil. In response, United
States policymakers began devising legislation to
promote American energy independence and
security. [14,2,1]
8. A President Ford’s approach to energy reform
differed from that of President Nixon in that Ford
sought a more realistic level of energy
independence. [14,2,2; 14,2,3]
9. B President Nixon imposed price controls on oil in
an attempt to slow price inflation in the oil
market. This regulation of the oil industry was
largely successful until the 1973 energy crisis,
when OPEC’s oil embargo on the United States
drove up oil prices across the nation. [14,2,2]
10. A To solidify American energy policy, President
Nixon proposed the creation of an organization
that would oversee all energy-related activities
across the nation. However, before Nixon could
create this organization he was impeached. [14,2,2]
11. C President Nixon’s attempts at energy reform were
cut short by the discovery of the Watergate
scandal of 1972, a major political scandal that led
to his impeachment. [14,2,2]
12. A Though the American government had intended
to create a strategic oil program for several
decades, such a program was not implemented
until after the 1973 oil crisis. [15,1,0]
13. B The Energy Policy and Conservation Act
established the vehicle fuel-efficiency
requirements in the United States. These
requirements, known as the Corporate Average
Fuel Economy standards, set a lower limit to
miles per gallon for commercial vehicles. [15,1,1]
14. D The Energy Policy and Conservation Act marked
the first time that United States energy policy
advocated general energy conservation. This act
also encouraged the increased use of renewable
energy sources and a national focus on energy
efficiency. [15,1,1]
15. C Relative to traditional energy policy, modern
energy policy is much more focused on climate
change. Modern energy policy is also very
sensitive to the need to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, a major contributor to climate change. [13,1,1]
16. B The Natural Gas Act ultimately led to natural gas
shortages throughout the 1970s. Increased
regulation of the natural gas industry under the
Natural Gas Act led to price distortions that
interrupted the natural gas market. [14,1,3]
17. D The Federal Power Commission regulated the
trade of natural gas by imposing price controls on
the gas market. This federal supervision of the
natural gas industry was established by the
passage of the Natural Gas Act in 1938. [14,1,3]
18. D The Natural Gas Act, implemented in 1938, was
one of the first major pieces of energy legislation
in the United States. This act created the Federal
Power Commission to regulate the interstate
transport of natural gas. [14,1,3]
19. E Nixon intended Project Independence to eliminate
America’s need for foreign energy sources by the
1980s. However, President Ford significantly
relaxed the initiative’s goals. [14,2,2]
20. D Gerald R. Ford is considered the first president to
understand the relationship between energy, the
economy, and national security. Accordingly, Ford
called for the creation of a strategic oil program to
ensure the stability of the economy and the
nation as a whole. [14,2,3]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 5 THE EVOLUTION OF U.S. ENERGY POLICY II
1. D The administration of President Jimmy Carter
oversaw the creation of numerous pieces of
energy legislation. In this way, the Carter
administration can best be described as
“productive”, even though it ultimately failed to
promote alternative energy over fossil fuels. [15,2,0]
2. B The administration of President Jimmy Carter
was extremely productive and created several
major changes in American energy policy. The
Carter administration was also responsible for
the creation of the Department of Energy, a
government agency designed to oversee the
achievement of American energy policy goals. [15,2,0]
3. E President Jimmy Carter may be best known for
his “moral equivalent of war” speech, in which he
discussed the importance of creating a
comprehensive American energy policy. During
this speech, President Carter also begged his
fellow Americans to take responsibility for
national energy issues and help prevent future
energy crises. [15,2,0]
4. A The National Energy Act of 1978 called for
several changes to American energy policy,
including the development of American energy
independence, the modernization of utility rate
determination procedures, the restructuring of
the market for natural gas, and the general
return to traditional conservation values. The act
also encouraged the decreased regulation of oil
prices in the American economy. [15,2,1]
5. A During his “moral equivalent of war” speech,
President Carter begged his fellow Americans to
take responsibility for energy issues currently
facing the nation. This action was intended to
prevent further energy crises and similar energy
problems in the future. [15,2,0]
6. D President Carter’s “moral equivalent of war
speech” directly influenced the passage of the
National Energy Act in 1978. The main objectives
of this act were to diversify the sources of
American energy and to promote American
energy independence as a whole. [15,2,0]
7. B The National Energy Conservation Policy Act of
1978 included several provisions to increase
energy standards in the United States. Among
these provisions was the creation of “Minimum
Energy Performance Standards” for motor
vehicles, buildings, equipment, and the like. [16,1,1]
8. B The National Energy Act of 1978 actually
included five smaller pieces of legislation: the
National Energy Conservation Policy Act, the
Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act, the
Natural Gas Policy act, the Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act, and the Energy Tax Act.
Each was in some way designed to promote
American energy dependence and diversify the
sources of American energy. [15,2,2; 16,1,0]
9. D “Qualifying facilities” refer to certain types of
power plants and energy facilities that are subject
to decreased government regulation. Additionally,
the markets for power generated in these
facilities are protected from most government
interference under the Public Utility and
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. [16,1,2]
10. A Under the National Energy Conservation Policy
Act of 1978, federal agencies were made to limit
their use of nonrenewable energy resources as
much as possible. In order to do this, the agencies
would conduct periodic energy surveys on
themselves to determine how they could best
reduce their energy consumption. [16,1,1]
11. A The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
created a market for power from qualifying
facilities. Recall that qualifying facilities are
certain types of power plants and energy facilities
which are largely exempt from government
regulation. [16,1,2]
12. E The Carter administration ultimately failed to
facilitate widespread shift from fossil fuels to
renewable energy sources. However, this
administration did oversee the creation of several
important energy bills such as the National
Energy Conservation Policy Act and the Public
Utility Regulatory Policies Act, which were both
passed in 1978. [16,1,3]
13. C President Carter and President Reagan mainly
disagreed on the true source of effective energy
policy solutions. President Carter supported a
“top-down” approach to energy policy, meaning he
saw government as the main source of solutions
to American energy issues. However, President
Reagan believed that the energy market, if left to
its own devices, would produce solutions to the
aforementioned energy issues. [16,1,4]
14. E President Reagan firmly believed that the energy
market, if left to its own devices, would provide
solutions to many American energy problems.
Unfortunately, this overdependence on the energy
market ultimately resulted in the failure of many
of Reagan’s policies. [16,2,0]
15. D The National Energy Act of 1978 was made up of
a series of energy laws that addressed different
parts of the energy sector. Its overarching goals
were to diversify the American supply of oil and
to increase American energy independence as a
whole. [15,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 6 ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 1982
1. C The Energy Policy Act of 1992 first introduced
production tax credits into the American
economy. The act also made several amendments
to the National Energy Conservation Policy Act of
1978, including the deregulation of natural gas
imports and the establishment of concrete
national energy goals. [17,1,0]
2. A The Energy Policy Act of 1992’s main goals were
to encourage the use of renewable energy,
promote increased energy efficiency, lessen
American dependence on foreign oil, and
encourage greater energy conservation
nationwide. The act was also notable for its role
in deregulating the energy market. [17,1,1]
3. E The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935
limited energy company power by placing certain
constraints on holding company operations. More
specifically, if a company controlled at least 10
percent of a public utility it would be forced to
downsize by limiting its operations to a single
state or geographic area. [17,1,1]
4. D Under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, energy companies were subject to federal
regulation if they controlled a large enough
portion of a public utility. However, the Energy
Policy Act of 1992 made it so that certain
companies could produce energy without this
restriction. [17,1,1]
5. D Under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, energy companies that controlled a large
portion of a public utility were subject to federal
regulation. This policy changed in 1992 when the
Energy Policy Act created a new type of company
that could avoid being regulated as utilities.
These companies came to be known as “exempt
wholesale generators”. [17,2,0]
6. C The Energy Policy Act of 1992 decreased the
regulation of energy companies in an attempt to
increase competition among energy providers. In
reality, this act gave rise to the entrance of many
non-regulated companies into the energy market.
These companies eventually displaced regulated
monopolies as the main sources of electric power. [17,2,0]
7. A The Energy Policy Act of 1992 decreased the
regulation of energy companies in an attempt to
increase competition among energy providers. In
reality, this act gave rise to the entrance of many
non-regulated companies into the energy market.
These companies eventually displaced regulated
monopolies as the main sources of electric power. [17,2,0]
8. D The Energy Policy Act of 1992 amended the
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 by
establishing a new category of power companies
that would be exempt from federal regulation.
These companies came to be known as “exempt
wholesale generators”. [17,2,0]
9. E The world experienced yet another energy crisis
in 1991, during the aftermath of the Gulf War.
The Energy Policy Act of 1992 was created the
following year to establish an American energy
policy that would protect the United States from
similar events in the future. [17,1,0]
10. D The National Energy Policy Act of 1992 amended
the National Energy Conservation Policy Act of
1978 by establishing more concrete energy goals,
deregulating natural gas imports, encouraging
research on unconventional oil, creating financial
incentives for using electric vehicles, and
lowering federal buildings’ energy consumption.
The act also introduced production tax credits
into the American economy. [17,1,0]
11. C Between the 1980s and 1990s, energy initiatives
in the United States were largely ineffective and
unremarkable. This policy changed in 1992, when
the Energy Policy Act made the first major
changes to the national energy market in several
years. [17,1,0]
12. A The Energy Policy Act of 1992 was passed during
the administration of President George H. W.
Bush. This act was created to establish a
comprehensive energy policy that would protect
the United states from future energy crises and
shortages. [17,1,0]
13. E A public utility is an organization that provides a
service (such as the distribution of water or
electricity) to the public. This term can also be
used to describe the services that these
organizations provide. [17,1,1]
14. D In 1991, the aftermath of the Gulf War caused a
global energy crisis similar to those experienced
in the 1970s. This event further emphasized the
relationship between politics in the Middle East
and the global trade of oil. [17,1,0]
15. B The Energy Policy Act of 1992 was created to
improve American energy security in “cost-
effective and environmentally beneficial ways”.
This mention of the environment in the act’s
major goals indicates its writers’ recognition of
the impact of American energy policy on the state
of the environment. [17,1,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 7 ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 - ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007
1. A Current legislation requires that gasoline be
mixed with biofuels before it can be sold on the
market. The Renewable Fuel Standard sets the
amount of biofuel that must be added to gasoline
prior to sale. [17,2,1]
2. D Current legislation requires that gasoline be
mixed with biofuels before it can be sold on the
market. The Renewable Fuel Standard sets the
amount of biofuel that must be added to gasoline
prior to sale. [17,2,1]
3. E The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was the piece of
legislation that officially added wave and tidal
power to the list of renewable technologies.
However, a number of provisions included in the
act ultimately harmed the progress of alternative
energy in the United States. [17,2,1]
4. B The Energy Policy Act of 2005 repealed the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, a piece of
legislation created to limit the power of American
energy holding companies. This action is one of
many reasons why the Energy Policy Act of 2005
was less progressive than it initially appeared. [18,1,1]
5. B The Energy Policy Act of 2005 affected natural
gas production by exempting liquids used in the
hydraulic fracturing process from disclosure
requirements. In other words, natural gas
producers no longer had to declare what
chemicals they used in the process of extracting
natural gas. [18,1,2]
6. E The Energy Policy Act of 2005 made it so that
utilities no longer had to purchase qualifying
facility power. This development increased
competition in the energy market, making it
harder for renewable energy providers to secure
funding without signing long-term contracts. [18,1,1]
7. B The Energy Policy Act of 2005 amended the
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1935
ending the requirement that utilities purchase
qualifying facility power. This development
increased competition in the energy market,
making it harder for renewable energy providers
to secure funding without signing long-term
contracts. [18,1,1]
8. B Though the Energy Policy Act of 2005 appeared to
raise fuel economy standards, a technicality made
it so that vehicles only had to be able to run on
alternative fuels. In the meantime, many
continued to run on traditional fuel sources. [18,2,1]
9. B The Energy Independence and Security Act
included a number of provisions that promoted
energy efficiency in appliance equipment. The act
also modified the Renewable Fuel Standard and
increased fuel economy standards for the first
time in several years. [19,1,1]
10. C Currently, energy policy in the United States is
composed of a portfolio of laws that lack
consistent goals or themes. In this way, American
energy policy can be best described as
“disjointed”. [19,1,2]
11. D The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was responsible for
the creation of the Renewable Fuel Standard,
annual subsidies for biomass researchers, general
subsidies for alternative energy producers, and
standards for the national electric grid. An
increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy
Standards would not come until 2007 with the
passage of the Energy Independence and Security
Act. [17,2,1; 18,1,0]
12. D Though the Energy Policy Act of 2005 seemed
progressive to the American people, it actually
included several provisions that undid previous
gains in alternative energy development. For
example, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 made it so
that utilities no longer had to purchase qualifying
facility power, making it harder for renewable
energy producers to secure funding. [18,1,1]
13. B The Safe Drinking Water Act was one of several
pieces of environmental legislation that imposed
chemical disclosure requirements on energy
producers. Other acts with chemical disclosure
requirements include the Clean Air Act and the
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act. [18,2,0]
14. E The Energy Independence and Security Act was
especially notable for including the first revisions
of Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards
since the 1970s. This act also modified the
Renewable Fuel Standard and instituted new
energy efficiency standards for appliance
equipment. [19,1,1]
15. C The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed during
the administration of President George W. Bush.
This act came after several unsuccessful attempts
to pass a bill that would help establish a
comprehensive American Energy Policy. [17,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 8 SECTION I SUMMARY
1. C In the late 19th century, the United States made a
major transition from wood to coal power. The
nation’s switch from an agricultural to an
industrial economy largely facilitated this
transition. [19,1,3]
2. B The dominant system of energy transmission in
the United States is alternating current.
Developed by George Westinghouse in the 19th
century, alternating current’s potential for long-
distance transmission meant that it eventually
replaced direct current as the country’s
transmission system of choice. [19,2,1]
3. B After the 1973 oil embargo, many Americans
came to view energy companies as contributors to
the global energy crisis, generating mass distrust
of these companies as a whole. [19,2,5]
4. C The 1973 oil crisis highlighted the United States’
dependency on foreign oil. Consequently,
American energy policy since the 1970s has
focused much more on energy independence and
security. [19,2,6]
5. E In 1973, OPEC’s oil embargo on the United States
caused widespread shortages of oil across the
nation, marking the first time that the supply of
energy in America was considered a legitimate
issue. In response, the United States government
attempted to create a cohesive energy policy to
prevent similar issues from arising in the future. [19,2,7]
6. E The National Energy Act of 1978 amended the
Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975 through
its creation of “Minimum Energy Performance
Standards” for buildings and equipment. The act
also required federal agencies to investigate ways
that they could reduce their own energy
consumption. [19,2,9]
7. C During the aftermath of the Gulf War, the world
experienced yet another global energy crisis. The
Energy Policy Act of 1992 was passed
immediately following the Gulf War in an
attempt to fight this crisis and prevent similar
events from occurring in the future. [19,2,10]
8. D The Energy Policy Acts of 1992 and 2005 were
largely attempts to promote the use of renewable
energy. However, several factors complicated the
acts’ ability to do so. [19,2,11]
9. C The 1973 oil crisis highlighted the United States’
dependency on foreign oil. As a result, many
Americans began to desire a greater level of
energy security to prevent such crises in the
future. [19,2,8]
10. E Approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide have
little or no access to electricity. More specifically,
about 1.5 billion people have absolutely no access
to electricity, while another 1 billion people have
only partial or occasional access to electrical
services. [19,2,2]
11. B In 1973, OPEC instituted a mass oil embargo on
countries that were not its obvious political allies.
The incident exposed to the world oil’s potential
use as a political tool. [19,2,4]
12. A Thomas Edison was the inventor of the
incandescent light bulb, a technology that became
a main source of lighting by the end of the 19th
century. [19,1,4]
13. A The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975
is often considered the cornerstone piece of energy
policy in the United States. Some of the bill’s
goals were to encourage American energy
independence, decrease energy consumption, and
promote the use of more environmentally-friendly
energy sources. [19,2,9]
14. E Between the 1980s and 1990s, the United States
experienced a long period of energy policy
inactivity that was only broken with the passage
of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. [19,2,10]
15. E The 1973 oil crisis highlighted the United States’
dependency on foreign oil. Consequently,
American energy policy since the 1970s has
focused much more on energy independence and
security. [19,2,8]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 9 THE MODERN ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT - ACTIVISM
1. A DDT is a type of pesticide that was used heavily
before the 1960s. In 1962, the publication of
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring exposed the
environmental risks of using this chemical,
marking the beginning of the modern
environmental movement. [20,1,1]
2. C In his nonfiction work Population Bomb, Paul
Ehrlich argued that overpopulation is the main
cause of the world’s environmental issues. The
publication of this work also raised public
awareness of issues related to abortion,
contraception, and family planning in general. [20,1,2]
3. E Rachel Carson’s nonfiction work Silent Spring,
published in 1962, is famous for exposing the
environmental risks of DDT use to the public.
Perhaps more importantly, the publication of this
work sparked the creation of the modern
environmental movement, which still exists
today. [20,1,2]
4. E “Earthrise”, the first photograph of the Earth
from the moon, supported the environmental
movement through its illustration of the fragile
nature of the planet. This picture was eventually
adopted as the representative image of the
modern environmental movement. [21,2,1]
5. D The 1973 Arab-Israeli War (also known as the
October War) caused mass oil shortages that
highlighted the United States’ dependence on
foreign oil. This event caused the United States to
invest more in alternative energy research in an
attempt to prevent future energy crises. [21,2,1]
6. E “Chlorofluorocarbons” refer to certain organic
compounds that are commonly used as
refrigerants. These chemicals pose a large threat
to the environment in the form of ozone depletion.
[22,1,0]
7. C “Chlorofluorocarbons” refer to certain organic
compounds that are commonly used as
refrigerants. These chemicals pose a large threat
to the environment in the form of ozone depletion.
[22,1,0]
8. D Endocrine disruptors cause health issues by
mimicking the body’s hormones and so disrupting
the operation of the endocrine system. These
chemicals are comparable to DDT in their health
and environmental effects. [23,1,0]
9. A The Progressive Era conservation movement and
modern environmental movement mainly differed
in the composition of their relative support bases.
Whereas the Progressive Era conservation
movement was mostly supported by upper-class
men, the modern environmental movement is
supported by the general public. [20,1,1]
10. C In his nonfiction work Population Bomb, Paul
Ehrlich argued that overpopulation is the main
cause of the world’s environmental issues. The
publication of this work also raised public
awareness of issues related to abortion,
contraception, and family planning in general. [20,1,2]
11. D In 1974, chemists Mario Moline and Frank
Sherwood Rowland warned of the environmental
risks of using chlorofluorocarbons, a common type
of refrigerant. These chemicals pose a large
threat to the environment in the form of ozone
depletion. [22,1,0]
12. B The Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act was originally a
response to the Love Canal incident, in which the
contamination of a suburban canal caused health
issues in local residents. Reporter Michael H.
Brown was responsible for uncovering the source
of this issue, which was a local company’s
dumping of toxic waste into the aforementioned
canal. [22,1,0]
13. A The publication of Nature’s article on ozone
depletion in 1985 was largely responsible for
revitalizing the modern environmental
movement. At the time, the environmental
movement had been fairly inactive. However, the
publication of this article brought major
environmental issues back into the public eye. [22,1,0]
14. A The American environmental movement’s
greatest achievement was the public’s raised
awareness of environmental issues. Before the
movement’s creation, Americans were generally
unfamiliar with the environmental issues facing
their country. After the movement gained
popularity, issues like pollution and resource
depletion became common points of discussion
amongst the American people. [22,2,1]
15. B In 1969, a major environmental incident occurred
when the Cuyahoga river caught fire. The river
had been covered in a layer of oil and other
chemicals which suddenly ignited, effectively
catching the river on fire. [21,1,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 10 FEDERAL PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT I
1. B Before the 1960s, state governments were usually
the entities responsible for addressing
environmental issues. However, the modern
environmental movement pressured the federal
government to play a larger role. [23,1,1]
2. C The American government’s immediate response
to the modern environmental movement included
passing a series of laws to address various
environmental concerns. This support encouraged
the creation of nongovernmental environmental
organizations. [23,1,2]
3. A The American government’s immediate response
to the modern environmental movement included
passing a series of laws to address various
environmental concerns. [23,1,2]
4. D Both the Clean Air Act of 1963 and the Clean
Water Act of 1972 allowed the newly-formed
Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on
allowed level of air and water pollutants.
However, air pollution standards became more
flexible under the second revision of the Clean Air
Act in 1990. [23,2,2; 23,2,3; 24,2,2]
5. A The Clean Air Act of 1963 is widely considered
the most successful piece of American
environmental legislation. [23,2,1]
6. A The Clean Air Act of 1963 enabled the
government to regulate interstate and point
source air pollution, created a fund to be spent on
air pollution research, and encouraged
government investment in technologies to reduce
sulfur pollution from the fossil fuel industry. [23,2,2]
7. E In 1970, President Richard Nixon created the
Environmental Protection Agency to enforce
previously established environmental policies.
That same year, he also signed the National
Environmental Policy Act. [23,2,3]
8. D Negative environmental events strongly
influenced the passage of the Clean Air Act of
1963. Perhaps most notable was an air pollution
event that occurred in 1948, during which the
inhabitants of Donora, Pennsylvania experienced
widespread sickness and several deaths. [23,2,1]
9. E Several important environmental events took
place in 1970, including the passage of the first
successful Clean Air Act, the creation of the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the
formation of both the Natural Resource Defense
Council and the Council on Environmental
Quality. [23,2,2; 23,2,3; 24,1,1; 24,2,1]
10. D The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970
was one of the first pieces of environmental
legislation to also focus on American social and
economic interests. In this way, the act’s
approach to environmental issues can be
described as well-balanced. [24,1,1]
11. C The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970
was one of the first laws to acknowledge the
history of environmental irresponsibility in the
United States. The act was also notable for
attempting to address environmental issues while
protecting the social and economic interests of the
American people. [24,1,1]
12. E The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970
aimed to address environmental issues while
protecting the interests of the American people.
Under this act, federal entities had to prepare
Environmental Impact Statements before
carrying out any legislation. [24,1,1]
13. E The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970
was a law created to address environmental
issues while protecting the social and economic
interests of the American people. The act also
created the Council on Environmental Quality to
aid in its own execution. [24,2,0]
14. A During the 1970s, many nongovernmental
organizations promoted grassroots environmental
movements. Examples of such organizations
include the National Resource Defense Council
and the Sierra Club. [24,2,1]
15. B Under the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System, before an entity can release
water pollutants, it must obtain a water pollution
permit. [25,1,0]
16. B The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973
to help protect threatened animal species and
ecosystems. The act explicitly recognized the
aesthetic, educational, ecological, scientific, and
recreational value of nature. [25,1,1]
17. C The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973
to help protect threatened animal species and
ecosystems. Pest insects, however, cannot be
granted special legal status under this law. [25,1,1]
18. B The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973.
Under the act, a species may be listed as
threatened or endangered if it is subject to
predation, has a high incidence of disease, is
considered over-utilized, is a victim of habitat
loss, is not well-protected, or is experiencing other
issues that put it at risk of extinction. [25,1,1]
19. C The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 required
that pollution be monitored in sources such as
lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and public
wells. However, wells serving less than 25 people
were not included in the act’s provisions. [25,2,1]
20. A In 1952, a cloud of toxic pollution settled over the
city of London, resulting in thousands of deaths.
This tragedy, now referred to as the “Killer Fog”
incident, was only one of many environmental
disasters to occur during the period. [23,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 11 FEDERAL PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT II - "POST-ENVIRONMENTALISM
1. E Passed in 1976, the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act was designed to regulate the
disposal of waste. It protected human health,
conserved energy, and reduced the total amount
of waste produced. [25,2,2]
2. A CERCLA, better known as Superfund, allows the
federal government to respond to the release of
hazardous substances. It does so with money
collected from a tax on the chemical and
petroleum industries. [25,2,2]
3. D In 1988, the World Meteorological Organization
and the UN Environmental Program joined to
create the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, with the mission of conducting balanced
scientific studies on climate change. [26,2,0]
4. E Chlorofluorocarbons deplete the ozone layer. In
1987, twenty-four countries—including the U.S.—
signed the Montreal Protocol, which called for
CFCs to be eliminated by 2000. [26,1,1]
5. A The CWA allowed the EPA to set limits on water
quality and to control water discharge through
the National Pollution Discharge Elimination
System. [24,2,2]
6. B Congress passed CERCLA in 1980 to address the
issue of hazardous waste that had already been
released into the environment. CERCLA is better
known as Superfund. [25,2,2]
7. E The EPA was given the task of implementing the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a bill
enacted in 1976 that governed the disposal of
waste. [25,2,2]
8. E According to the graph on page 26 of the Resource
Guide, fluorocarbon production peaked in 1988
before dropping sharply after 1989. [26,figure 6]
9. E Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus
published “The Death of Environmentalism” in
2004. In the essay, they questioned the utility of
environmentalism as a political tool. [26,2,2]
10. A Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus
published “The Death of Environmentalism” in
2004. In the essay, they suggest that
environmentalists have wrongly clung to the
strategies that were successful in the 1970s. [27,1,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 12 THE GLOBAL COMMONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
1. E Nitrogen is the most abundant atmospheric gas,
making up about 78 percent of the earth’s
atmosphere. Second most common is oxygen,
which comprises about 21 percent of atmospheric
gases. [27,1,2]
2. D Greenhouse gases increase the earth’s
equilibrium temperature by trapping heat energy
in the earth’s atmosphere. While greenhouse
gases are largely transparent to incoming light,
they often prevent the reflection of this light back
into space, and, by extension, the light’s heat
energy. [27,2,0]
3. E Water vapor is the most common greenhouse gas,
constituting about four percent of the earth’s
atmosphere. By contrast, carbon dioxide (the
second most common greenhouse gas) only makes
up around four-hundredths of the earth’s
atmospheric gases. [28,1,1]
4. D The greenhouse effect is the process by which
greenhouse gases trap light and heat energy in
the earth’s atmosphere. It is so named because
this process is similar to the way in which glass is
used to trap heat in the interior of a greenhouse. [27,1,0]
5. A Around 85 percent of future growth in carbon
dioxide emissions is expected to come from
developing countries, where emissions are
expected to grow at a rate of three percent per
year until 2040. [29,1,0]
6. B Though experts largely agree on the existence of
climate change, there are still major questions
about its severity. This is the result of scientists’
inability to fully understand the behavior of the
earth’s atmosphere. [29,1,1]
7. C A large portion of the solar energy that enters the
earth’s atmosphere bounces off the earth’s surface
and is reflected back into space. However,
atmospheric greenhouse gases interrupt this
process by reflecting energy in several directions,
including back toward the earth. This traps heat
energy in the atmosphere, resulting in the
greenhouse effect. [27,2,0]
8. A Small quantities of atmospheric greenhouse gases
actually help the environment by helping the
earth maintain relatively constant surface
temperatures. However, an excess of greenhouse
gases can trap heat energy in the atmosphere,
resulting in abnormally high equilibrium
temperatures. [27,2,1]
9. D To maintain a stable climate, there must be a
balance between incoming and outgoing radiation
in the earth’s atmosphere. An excess of
greenhouse gases interrupts this balance by
trapping heat energy in the atmosphere, resulting
in a proportionally smaller amount of outgoing
radiation. [27,1,2]
10. D Though relatively scarce, methane is considered
the one of the strongest greenhouse gases. Other
strong greenhouse gases include ozone, nitrous
oxide, and any particle that can be considered a
halocarbon. [28,1,1]
11. D Halocarbons are man-made gases that contain
either chlorine or bromine atoms. These
compounds are considered exceptionally strong
greenhouse gases. [28,1,1]
12. B Though experts largely agree on the existence of
climate change, there are still major questions
about its severity. This is the result of scientists’
inability to fully understand the behavior of the
earth’s atmosphere. [29,1,1]
13. D Approximately 33 percent of all incoming solar
radiation is immediately reflected back into space
by the earth. The earth’s surface largely absorbs
the remaining heat and light energy. [27,1,2]
14. C Oxygen is the second most common atmospheric
gas, making up about 21 percent of the earth’s
atmosphere. This gas is second only to nitrogen,
which comprises around 78 percent of all
atmospheric gases. [27,2,0]
15. E Global carbon dioxide emissions have increased
about 35 percent since the mid-1800s. This
development is primarily the result of increased
fossil fuel combustions since the beginning of the
industrial era. [28,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 13 INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL - UN FRAMEWORK
1. D Though the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change and the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change share many
similarities, the ideology of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
differs from that of its scientific counterpart.
More specifically, the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change embraces the
principle of Common but Differentiated
Responsibility, while the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change is more objective. [29,2,1;
30,1,3; 30,2,1; 30,2,2; 31,1,1]
2. C “Mitigation” in the context of climate change
refers to the reduction of activities that contribute
to climate issues. One example of a climate
change mitigation activity would be the reduction
of cholorfluorocarbon emissions to prevent rises
in atmospheric temperatures. [30,1,2]
3. D The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Changed issued the first carbon budget in its
2013 report, which argued that releasing more
than one trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere would. [30,1,3]
4. D A “carbon budget” describes the maximum
amount of carbon dioxide that should ideally be
released into the atmosphere. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changed
issued the first carbon budget in its 2013 report,
which argued that releasing more than one
trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere would. [30,1,3]
5. D “Anthropogenic” is a term used to describe
phenomena of human origin. This phrase is
commonly used in scientific discussions of climate
change, as many experts agree that climate
change is at least partially human-induced. [30,2,2]
6. A The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change is considered the most prominent
international treaty on the subject. Established in
1992, this treaty was designed to facilitate the
creation of more specific international legislation
related to climate issues. [30,2,2]
7. A Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
reports increasingly suggest that human activity
is the main cause of global climate change. In
light of this development, the Panel created the
first carbon budget to limit the level of human
interference in the earth’s atmosphere. [30,1,3]
8. B The Principle of Common but Differentiated
Responsibility holds that developed countries are
the main contributors to climate change and,
therefore, are the most responsible for mitigating
its effects. Though this concept is central to many
important climate treaties, developing countries’
emissions increasingly surpass those of developed
countries, leading many industrial nations to
abandon the principle as unfair. Additionally,
climate change is a global rather than localized
issue, meaning that countries should ideally
reduce their emission regardless of their economic
status. [31,1,2; 31,2,1]
9. C Some of the predicted impacts of climate change
include species extinctions, ice cap shrinkage,
floods, droughts, heat waves, and rising sea
levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change holds that no more than one trillion
metric tons of carbon dioxide should be released
in to the atmosphere for humanity to avoid the
worst of these effects. [30,1,3]
10. B The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
was created in 1988 to assess current knowledge
on climate change, particularly the phenomenon
of human-induced climate change. However, it is
important to note that the Panel is not
responsible for conducting original climate-
related research. [29,2,1]
11. D The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
was created in 1988 to assess current knowledge
on climate change, particularly the phenomenon
of human-induced climate change. Since this
date, the Panel has released five reports on the
topic, each suggesting that human activity is the
main cause of global climate issues. [29,2,1]
12. A The Principle of Common but Differentiated
Responsibility holds that developed countries are
the main contributors to climate change and,
therefore, are the most responsible for mitigating
its effects. Despite this, the Principle concedes
that developing countries have a legitimate need
to develop, despite the potential environmental
ramifications. [31,1,2]
13. A China is currently the largest emitter of
greenhouse gases, with the United States at a
close second. However, India is expected to
surpass the United States in greenhouse gas
emissions at some point during the next ten
years. [31,2,1]
14. A The United Nations Framework Committee on
Climate Change was created in 1992 to prevent
“dangerous” human interference with the world’s
climate. However, exactly what constitutes this
type of interference continues to be a subject of
intense debate among climate scientists. [30,2,2]
15. D Climate scientists generally agree that, in order
to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the
earth should not warm more than two degrees
Celsius relative to preindustrial times.
Additionally, this means that humans should
release no more than one trillion metric tons of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. [30,1,3]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 14 KYOTO PROTOCOL
1. D As its name implies, the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change was
established to provide a basic infrastructure for
creating more specific environmental treaties.
The Kyoto Protocol is one such treaty. [31,2,2]
2. C The Kyoto Protocol was created in 1997 to help
reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. One
hundred and ninety-two countries currently
participate in the treaty, though three countries
(Russia, Canada, and Japan) formally withdrew
in 2011. [31,2,2]
3. E The Kyoto Protocol was created in 1997 to help
reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. One
hundred and ninety-two countries currently
participate in the treaty, although three countries
(Russia, Canada, and Japan) formally withdrew
in 2011. [32,1,0]
4. C The Kyoto Protocol is a treaty created in 1997 to
help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The
treaty works under the principle of Common but
Differentiated Responsibility, meaning that a
higher degree of environmental responsibility is
given to developed countries (referred to as
“Annex I” countries) relative to developing
countries (“Annex II”). [32,1,1]
5. B The Kyoto Protocol is a treaty created in 1997 to
help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The
treaty works under the principle of Common but
Differentiated Responsibility, meaning that a
higher degree of environmental responsibility is
given to developed countries (referred to as
“Annex I” countries) relative to developing
countries (“Annex II”). [32,1,1]
6. E Though the United States never became an
official participant in the Kyoto Protocol, the
treaty was not formally renounced until the
administration of President George W. Bush. The
President argued that involvement in the treaty
could negatively affect the American economy. [32,2,1]
7. B Though the United States never became an
official participant in the Kyoto Protocol, the
treaty was not formally renounced until the
administration of President George W. Bush. The
President argued that involvement in the treaty
could negatively affect the American economy. [32,2,1]
8. E The Kyoto Protocol works under the principle of
Common but Differentiated Responsibility,
meaning that the treaty designates a higher
degree of environmental responsibility is given to
developed countries (referred to as “Annex I”
countries) relative to developing countries
(“Annex II”). For example, the treaty places more
environmental responsibility on Switzerland (an
economically developed country) than China (a
still developing country). [32,1,1]
9. E In 1997, the American Senate passed the Byrd-
Hagel Resolution to argue against American
involvement in the Kyoto Protocol. More
specifically, the senate took issue with the
Protocol’s inclusion of the Principle of Common
but Differentiated Responsibility, which they
perceived as being unfair to developed countries. [32,2,1]
10. A In 1997, the American Senate passed the Byrd-
Hagel Resolution to argue against American
involvement in the Kyoto Protocol. More
specifically, the senate took issue with the
Protocol’s inclusion of the Principle of Common
but Differentiated Responsibility, which they
perceived as being unfair to developed countries. [32,1,1]
11. D In order for the United States to enter a treaty,
that treaty must first be signed by the executive
branch and ratified by at least two-thirds of the
Senate. It is for this reason that the Kyoto
Protocol was never submitted for ratification in
the United States; after the passage of the Byrd-
Hagel Resolution, it became apparent that the
Senate was unanimously opposed to the treaty’s
passage. [32,1,2]
12. A In 1997, the American Senate passed the Byrd-
Hagel Resolution to argue against American
involvement in the Kyoto Protocol. The resolution
was passed with a unanimous vote, which
discouraged the executive branch from
submitting the Kyoto Protocol for ratification. [32,1,2]
13. C In 1997, the American Senate passed the Byrd-
Hagel Resolution to argue against American
involvement in the Kyoto Protocol. The resolution
was passed with a unanimous vote, which
discouraged the executive branch from
submitting the Kyoto Protocol for ratification. [32,2,2]
14. A The U.S signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1998.
During the previous year, however, the Senate
had unanimously passed the Byrd-Hagel
Resolution, which stated its disapproval of any
unequal measures to combat climate change. [31,2,2]
15. C As its name implies, the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change was
established to provide a basic infrastructure for
creating more specific environmental treaties.
The Kyoto Protocol is one such treaty. [31,2,2]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 15 SECTION II SUMMARY
1. D Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is often credited
with sparking the creation of the modern
environmental movement. The book promoted an
increased awareness of environmental issues,
particularly the hazards posed by popular
insecticide DDT. [32,2,4]
2. C Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is often credited
with sparking the creation of the modern
environmental movement. The book promoted an
increased awareness of environmental issues,
particularly the hazards posed by popular
insecticide DDT. [32,2,5]
3. A Several events were crucial to the founding of the
modern environmental movement, including the
Cuyahoga River fire, the Arab Oil Embargo of
1973, the Love Canal incident, and the Exxon
Valdez oil spill. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
disaster, however, occurred in the late 2000s-
many decades after the establishment of the
movement in question. [33,1,2]
4. E The modern environmental movement gave rise
to many important pieces of environmental
legislation, including the National Environmental
Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act, and the
Endangered Species Act. The Rivers and Harbors
Act was passed several decades previous during
the Progressive Era environmental movement. [33,1,3]
5. A The modern environmental movement gave rise
to the creation of many environmental
organizations, including the National Resource
Defense Council, the Environmental Defense
Fund, the Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Department of Energy. The US Forest service
was created several decades previous during the
Progressive Era environmental movement. [33,1,4]
6. D Policies related to climate change mostly revolve
around climate change mitigation or adaptation
(with “mitigation” meaning the improvement of
climate issues and “adaptation” meaning the
changing of human habits to account for
preexisting climate change). [33,2,2]
7. C The main international treaty created to address
climate change is the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. As its name
implies, this treaty’s main goal was to provide a
framework in which countries could negotiate
more specific climate policies. [33,2,3]
8. C The commitments included in the Kyoto Protocol
can best be described as specific and binding. This
international treaty was one of the first to set
concrete goals regarding greenhouse gas
emissions worldwide. [33,2,4]
9. D The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty
created to set concrete goals regarding global
greenhouse gas emissions. This treaty was a
product of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, which was
helped facilitate the creation of more specific
international climate agreements. [33,2,4]
10. B After the initiation of the modern environmental
movement, many environmentally- irresponsible
corporations crated publicity campaigns to
downplay the importance of environmental
issues. These campaigns likely played a large role
in the stall of the movement as a whole. [33,2,0]
11. A DDT is a type of chemical pesticide commonly
used in the first half of the 20th century. It was
later banned due to increased public awareness of
its negative human and animal health effects. [32,2,5]
12. A After the publication of Silent Spring, many
environmentally- irresponsible corporations
crated publicity campaigns to downplay the
importance of environmental issues. These
campaigns likely played a large role in the stall of
the movement as a whole. [33,2,0]
13. D One of the man issues in global climate policy is
how much climate responsibility should be placed
on developing countries. Although developing
countries often lack the resources to address
climate issues, they increasingly outpace
developed countries in their level of greenhouse
gas emissions. [33,2,5]
14. B Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is often credited
with sparking the creation of the modern
environmental movement. In this way, the book’s
publication marked the beginning of a new era of
environmental awareness both in the United
States and abroad. [33,1,1]
15. C The modern environmental movement has
resulted in several important environmental
developments, such as the creation of many
environment-related agencies, organizations,
treaties, and pieces of legislation. However, the
environmental movement has not been able to
concretely determine the future impacts of
climate change- in fact, these consequences are
the subject of great international debate. [33,1,2;
33,1,3; 33,1,4; 33,2,4 ]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 16 TRENDING TOWARD RENEWABLE ENERGY - WIND POWER
1. E “Renewable energy” refers to any type of energy
that is derived from sustainable natural
resources. Common examples of such resources
include sunlight, wind, biomass, and geothermal
energy. Unconventional oil resources are types of
fossil fuels (which are nonrenewable) and so
cannot be considered a renewable resource. [34,1,1]
2. B Despite the growth of alternative energy, the
worldwide generation of renewable-based
electricity has decreased in recent years. This
decrease is the result of the slowed growth of
hydroelectric power in many countries,
particularly those that are members of the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development. [35,1,1]
3. C Currently, wind power is the fastest-growing
source of electricity in the world. This
development is the result of financial incentives
such as the United States’ establishment of tax
credits for wind energy producers. [35,1,2]
4. E The physical mechanism responsible for turning
the blades of wind turbines is called lift. This
mechanism is also responsible for supporting the
wings of airplanes during flight. [36,1,0]
5. E Oftentimes optimal locations for wind farms
happen to be a part of someone’s private property.
To gain access to these areas, wind producers
might pay rent to landowners for the opportunity
to establish wind farms on their property. This
increases landowners’ incomes without significant
effort on their part. [36,2,1]
6. D Power lines were the main technology responsible
for phasing out local windmills in the United
States. Before the invention of power lines, many
homes relied on local windmills to generate their
supply of electricity. However, power lines
allowed a constant stream of electricity to be
transmitted to these homes, thus rendering local
windmills obsolete. [35,2,0]
7. E Though most often associated with the generation
of electricity, windmills have historically been
used for a wide variety of purposes. These
purposes include grinding wheat, cutting wood,
producing food, and pumping water. [35,1,3]
8. C Wind turbines create power by collecting
mechanical energy and converting it into
electrical energy. When wind turns the blades of
a wind turbine, a generator is activated in the
interior of the machine. This generator then turns
the movement of the blades into electricity. [35,2,1]
9. A The main issue with wind energy is its
intermittency. Unless the surrounding wind is
sufficiently strong, wind turbines will fail to
generate a significant amount of electricity. This
issue makes wind energy a fairly unreliable
source of electric power. [36,2,2]
10. A In order to halve global carbon dioxide emissions
by 2050, renewable energy generation would have
to increase by a factor of two before 2020. This
statistic is particularly troubling, given that the
global generation of electricity from renewable
resources has decreased in recent years. [35,1,1]
11. E Humans have made use of wind energy as early
as 5000 BCE. This places the first human use of
wind energy around the time of the settlement of
Mesopotamia. [35,1,3]
12. E Wind turbines harm the environment by
contributing to the decline of certain bird species.
It is commonly known that the blades of wind
turbines often hit birds, resulting in their death.
However, it is unknown how much damage wind
turbines cause to bird populations on a large
scale. [37,1,1]
13. C One social argument against the use of wind
turbines is their lack of visual appeal. Wind
turbines are extremely large and significantly
alter the face of the landscape. [37,1,1]
14. B The main issue with wind energy is its
intermittency: unless the surrounding wind is
sufficiently strong, wind turbines will fail to
generate a significant amount of electricity.
Similarly, solar cells will fail to produce a
significant amount of electricity unless climactic
conditions allow them to be exposed to direct
sunlight. [36,2,2]
15. D The 1979 oil crisis played a critical role in the
explosion of wind energy in the 1980s. Both of the
1970s oil crises highlighted the United States’
dependency on foreign fuel resources. In
response, the United States government created
initiatives to promote American energy security
and independence. One such initiative was the
government’s investment in alternative energy,
particularly wind power. [35,1,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 17 SOLAR POWER
1. E For millions of years, humans have harnessed the
sun’s power for a variety of uses. [38,1,1]
2. D Solar energy is produced when the sun’s rays
reach the earth. [38,1,1]
3. C Photovoltaic (PV) devices are used to directly
convert radiation into other forms of energy. [38,1,1:38,2,0]
4. D Solar cells can only convert sunlight into
electricity if they are constructed of durable
semiconductor material. [38,2,0]
5. C Single photovoltaic cells are grouped together into
panels, which can be collected to power almost
anything. [38,2,0]
6. A Solar thermal/electric power plants are
sometimes called concentrating (or concentrated)
solar power, or CSP. [38,2,0]
7. E Steam is produced when a fluid is heated in the
solar power conversion process. [39,1,0]
8. C Between 2000 and 2011, solar photovoltaics were
the fastest-growing renewable energy technology
in the world. [39,1,1]
9. A In 2011, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the
United States, and China were significant sources
of photovoltaic technology. [39,1,1]
10. C Germany and Italy accounted for more than half
the global capacity for photovoltaic technology in
2011. [39,1,1]
11. B In 2006, the market for concentrating solar power
plants re-emerged in Spain after a 20-year
decline. [39,1,2]
12. D Currently, the United States and Spain have the
only global markets with significant
concentrating solar power capacity. [39,1,2]
13. E The International Energy Agency (IEA) claims
that by 2060, solar energy could provide up to
one-third of the world’s energy needs. [39,1,3]
14. D While a possible way to conserve energy usage in
a home, installing radiant-heated flooring does
not necessarily take into account solar power. [39,1,3:39,2,0]
15. D Solar energy does not usually require the use of
water, so availability of water would not impact
solar power conversion. [39,2,2]
16. E Solar energy is intermittent based on weather
conditions and location, which is one of its most
significant drawbacks for homeowners. [39,2,2]
17. D China had the greatest photovoltaic production in
2010, with 10,852 megawatts produced. [38, fig. 15]
18. B In 2005, Taiwan produced only 88 megawatts of
photovoltaics, the least of any nation in the world. [38, fig. 15]
19. C In 2010, the United States had a cumulative
concentrating solar power capacity of about 475
megawatts. [38, fig. 16]
20. D In 2001, the United States had a cumulative
concentrating solar power capacity of
approximately -50 megawatts. [38, fig. 16]
21. D The first concentrating solar power plant was
built in the United States in the 1980s. [39,1,2]
22. C In 2011, approximately 4,000 megawatts of solar
power were deployed in the United States. [39, fig.
17]
23. B Passive solar design is meant to minimize energy
use by maximizing efficiency. [39,2,0]
24. B “Peak shaving” refers to reducing a building’s
energy demands during peak times (times when
energy is used most often) for the power utility. [39,2,2]
25. E In 2008, the annual global photovoltaic
production was about 7,000 megawatts. [38, fig. 15]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 18 BIOFUELS - GEOTHERMAL
1. B “Biofuels” are transportation fuels produced from
some form of biomass. Two examples of biofuels
include ethanol (a fuel made from alcohol) and
biodiesel (a fuel made from oil, fat, or grease). [40,2,1]
2. C “Woody energy crops” refer to fast-growing trees
often used to produce biomass. This biomass is a
critical component of biofuels such as ethanol and
biodiesel. [40,2,1]
3. C Biomass is a type of organic material that is a
critical component of biofuels such as ethanol or
biodiesel. Biomass is commonly derived from
materials such as manure, wood, agricultural
crops, and municipal waste. [40,2,1]
4. E Ethanol is an alcohol-based transportation fuel
created through the fermentation of grain sugars.
Common sources of ethanol include corn, barley,
and sugarcane. [40,2,2]
5. A Ethanol is an alcohol-based transportation fuel
created through the fermentation of grain sugars.
Most ethanol in the United States is derived from
corn, though ethanol can also be made from
materials such as rice, sugarcane, and even tree
bark. [40,2,2]
6. B Biodiesel is a type of fuel made of oils, fats, or
greases. Most biodiesel in the United States is
derived from soybeans, though it can also be
made from other vegetable oils. [41,1,2]
7. C The problem most closely associated with the
production and use of biodiesel is deforestation.
Though biodiesel is a plant-based and therefore
renewable, producing biodiesel requires a large
amount of land to grow these plants. This often
necessitates clearing forest to make room for
biodiesel-producing crops. [41,1,1]
8. D One disadvantage of blending ethanol with
petroleum fuels is that this process is more costly
than using pure gasoline. On the other hand, the
resulting fuel is cleaner-burning than pure
gasoline and includes a smaller proportion fossil
fuels (recall that ethanol is a renewable fuel
source). [41,1,0]
9. E In addition to residential purposes, geothermal
energy is also commonly used in industry.
Common industrial uses of geothermal energy
include mining for gold, processing milk, and
dehydrating food products. [42,1,0]
10. C Direct heating systems heat buildings by
collecting hot water directly from the earth and
distributing it to buildings’ air conditioning
systems. This is only one of many direct
applications of geothermal energy. [42,1,0]
11. D In the future, geothermal energy might be
harvested from the lower-energy resources found
in aquifers. However, more research must be done
on these resources before any energy can be
collected. [42,1,1]
12. E Direct applications of geothermal energy (such as
heating and bathing) usually make use of water
from surface springs or near-surface reservoirs.
Deep subsurface water deposits are mostly used
for electricity generation or the operation of heat
pumps. [41,2,2]
13. E Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat energy
using the natural temperature differentials
between different areas. In other words,
geothermal heat pumps make use of the fact that
heat naturally flows from warmer to colder areas
to move heat energy between locations. [42,2,1]
14. D Currently, the United States is the world leader
in using geothermal energy to generate
electricity. However, other countries also make
use of geothermal energy- for example, in
Reykjavik, Iceland, 95% of all buildings are
heated using geothermal energy systems. [42,1,1]
15. C Bathing is the most common direct use of
geothermal energy. The second most common
direct application geothermal energy is heating
buildings, which is done using district heating
systems that collect hot water directly from the
earth. [42,1,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 19 ELECTRICITY GRID TRANSFORMATION
1. D “Load” can best be described as a demand for
energy. One of the main challenges the current
electricity grid faces is dealing with modern load
requirements. [42,2,3]
2. C “Power” describes the rate of electricity use. As
such, power has a time-based relationship with
energy, the quantity of electricity used over a
period of time. [42,2,3]
3. B “Power” describes the rate of electricity use.
Power is measured in watts and has a time-based
relationship with energy, the quantity of
electricity used over a period of time. [42,2,3]
4. A “Energy” describes the quantity of electricity used
over a period of time. Energy is measured in
kilowatt hours and has a time-based relationship
with power, the rate of electricity use. [42,2,3]
5. A “Power” describes the rate of electricity use. As
such, power has a time-based relationship with
energy, the quantity of electricity used over a
period of time. [42,2,3]
6. A Traditional energy generators operate by
converting mechanical energy into electrical
energy. Typically, this is done by combusting
fossil fuels to create steam, which then turns a
shaft that activates the aforementioned
generator. [42,2,4]
7. A Currently, the vast majority of commercial energy
is generated through the combustion of fossil
fuels. However, the use of alternative energy
sources to generate electricity is becoming
increasingly common as technology progresses. [42,2,4]
8. C An “electricity grid” is a network of electricity
distribution equipment that is used to send
commercial energy to consumers. Key
components of typical electricity grids include
generators, high-voltage transmission lines, and
local distribution lines. [43,1,1]
9. C Traditional energy generation begins with the
combustion of fossil fuels. The resulting heat is
used to convert water into steam. This steam
then activates a turbine which is connected to a
rotating shaft. Finally, the shaft’s rotation
activates a generator that produces electric
current. [42,2,6]
10. E Periods of unusually high energy consumption
are called “peak demand”. Generally, peak
demand occurs in the mornings and evenings
when the most consumers are home to use
electrical services. [43,2,1]
11. E Periods of unusually high energy consumption
are called “peak demand”. However, this
unusually high energy consumption must be
continuous in order for a period to be given this
label. [43,2,1]
12. E Before electric current is sent to local distribution
lines, it is carried over long distances through
high-voltage transmission lines. Once the current
has reached the local distribution lines, its
voltage must be reduced to ensure the safety of
its users. [43,1,1]
13. D “Peaking plants” are facilities that operate during
periods of high energy demand. More specifically,
peaking plants are typically used when energy
demands cannot be met by base load generators
alone. [44,1,1]
14. E The increasing use of renewable energy sources to
generate electricity often hurts grid reliability.
Since resources such as solar and wind energy are
not always available, the grid may not always be
able to meet electricity demands using these
energies alone. [44,1,1; 44,2,1]
15. B “Reliability” in the context of electricity
distribution refers to both the ability to meet
energy demands and to do so safely. The
reliability of the current electricity grid has been
a major issue in recent years as energy demand
continues to grow. [44,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 20 SMART GRID
1. D There are many problems with the legacy grid,
including its susceptibility to blackouts, inability
to store large quantities of energy, inability to use
renewable energy sources, security
vulnerabilities, and exclusively unidirectional
energy transmission. Upgrading to a more
innovative “smart grid” may be the answer to
many of these problems. [44,2,2]
2. D While electricity in the United States used to be
sold as a service, the deregulation of the energy
market has virtually abolished natural
monopolies in the energy sector, giving rise to the
trade of electricity as a commodity. [45,1,0]
3. C Smart grids’ use of two-way communication
systems enables utilities to gather important
information about consumer behavior, improving
grid efficiency and reliability. For example,
utilities that use these systems can determine
when consumers use the most energy and
increase their supply during these periods,
preventing blackouts and other reliability issues. [45,1,1]
4. A “Demand response strategies” refer to the way in
which consumers tend to reduce their energy use
in light of higher energy rates or reliability
issues. On a large scale, these actions reduce the
overall market demand for energy. [45,2,0]
5. B Demand response strategies’ use in reducing
energy demand serves several important
purposes. Firstly, the lowered strain on the
electric grid improves grid response time and
flexibility. This in turn results in decreased power
system emissions. Additionally, electricity prices
become less volatile as demand returns to normal
levels. [45,2,0]
6. A To lessen the strain on the electric grid, utility
companies will sometimes request that
individuals avoid consuming electricity during
times of peak demand. Actions such as these are
called “demand shifting strategies”. [45,2,1]
7. E The legacy grid’s regulatory system is fairly
complicated and out-of-date. The complex nature
of this system is one of many arguments for the
replacement of the legacy grid with a new, more
innovative “smart grid”. [44,2,2]
8. E Relative to those of the legacy grid, smart grid
operations are more efficient, reliable,
sustainable, and secure. Additionally, their use of
a two-way communication system gives smart
grids improved flexibility when dealing with
sudden changes in energy consumption. [45,1,1]
9. C In demand response strategies to electricity
distribution, customers reduce their energy
consumption in response to market price signals
or instances of grid reliability issues. This lowers
the overall demand for energy, helping the
electricity market re-stabilize. [45,1,2]
10. D To lessen the strain on the electric grid, utility
companies will sometimes request that
individuals avoid consuming electricity during
times of peak demand. Actions such as these are
called “demand shifting strategies”. [45,2,1]
11. B Consumer response drives both demand response
and demand shifting strategies in electricity
distribution. [45,1,2; 45,2,1]
12. A Relative to that of the legacy grid, smart grids’
control systems are more centralized. This allows
smart grids to better cope with renewable energy
generation. [45,1,1]
13. E Demand shifting and response strategies are both
used to reduce energy consumption during
periods of peak demand. This reduces producers’
need for peaking power plants, or backup plants
used when energy demand exceeds producers’
normal energy supply. [45,2,1]
14. A Peaking power plants are backup plants used
when energy demand exceeds producers’ normal
energy supply. These plants are often very
expensive to maintain and operate. [45,2,1]
15. C There are many problems with the legacy grid,
including its susceptibility to blackouts, inability
to store large quantities of energy, and
exclusively unidirectional energy transmission.
Most of these problems are derived from the
grid’s basic design, which was created almost a
century ago in a time of significantly less energy
demand. [44,1,2]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 21 ENERGY STORAGE
1. E Flywheels store rotational energy by rotating at
varying speeds. [47,1,1]
2. A Compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems
usually store air in underground caverns situated
in salt domes. [47,1,2]
3. E Compressed air energy storage and conventional
pumped hydro storage are both highly efficient
technologies. [47,2,1]
4. C Capacitors and batteries are both known for rapid
response and discharge times. [47,2,2; 48,1,1]
5. B Conventional pumped hydro storage units require
a vast expanse of land and water, which limits
their practicality. [47,2,1]
6. D Electric vehicles can discharged energy directly to
the grid in what is called Vehicle to Grid
technology. [48,1,2]
7. A More energy is stored in a flywheel as its rotation
increases. [47,1,1]
8. E In order to extract electricity from a flywheel
system, the speed is reduced using the same
transmission device that engages to increase
flywheel electricity. [47,1,1]
9. C In compressed air energy storage systems,
compressed air is mixed and heated with natural
gas and expanded through a high-pressure gas
turbine. [47,1,2]
10. C When compressed air is pulled out of its storage
chamber to be used, it is first sent through a
recuperator, then high- and low-pressure
turbines, and finally through a generator. [47, image]
11. D Conventional pumped hydro storage systems
pump and discharge water in order to power
turbines. [47,2,1]
12. D Conventional pumped hydro storage was first
used with some success in the 19th century. [47,2,1]
13. E Though capacitors have many advantages, they
are not necessarily beneficial because of their
large size or capacity to store energy. [47,2,2]
14. C Batteries have a somewhat limited lifespan
because of their need to be continuously cycled. [48,1,1]
15. A Capacitors are fast, durable, reliable, and flexible,
making them well suited to stabilize voltage on a
power grid. [48,1,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 22 PUBLIC ELECTRIC UTILITIES
1. A “Public utilities” are organizations that control
the infrastructure needed to provide services such
as electricity to the public. Since public utilities
control the majority of American electricity
distribution equipment, they are considered the
primary actors on the electricity grid. [48,2,3]
2. A Public utilities play a huge role in the production
and distribution of electric power. Because of this,
governments often regulate public utilities by
limiting company profits, overseeing company
investment decisions, limiting certain customers’
access to their services, and even determining
their service reliability. [48,2,4]
3. B A “revenue requirement” is the amount of money
a company must take in to both cover its own
expenses and continue attracting capital. Public
utility commissions often set utility rates
according to these requirements. [50,1,1]
4. B A “revenue requirement” is the amount of money
a company must take in to both cover its own
expenses and continue attracting capital. Public
utility commissions often set utility rates
according to these requirements. [50,1,1]
5. D A “revenue requirement” is the amount of money
a company must take in to both cover its own
expenses and continue attracting capital. Public
utility commissions often set utility rates
according to these requirements. [50,1,1]
6. E Public utilities are organizations that distribute a
service such as electricity or fresh water.
Currently, these organizations are responsible for
meeting the majority of the United States’ energy
demands. [50,1,0]
7. D “Utility rates” are the end prices paid by
consumers for utility services. Under traditional
energy regulation, public utility commissions set
utility rates based on companies’ revenue
requirements. [48,2,4]
8. B Public utilities are organizations that distribute a
service such as electricity or fresh water. These
services are often subject to different sets of
regulations than normal goods. [48,2,4; 49,1,1]
9. E One downside to public utility regulation is that
it limits customer choice. Utility companies often
submit themselves to state regulation in
exchange for control over a particular service
territory. The inhabitants of this territory often
have little choice but to buy services from this
utility. [49,1,1]
10. D “Service territory” describes a utility company’s
designated customer base. Utility companies will
often submit themselves to state regulation in
exchange for control over a particular service
territory. [49,1,1]
11. A Approximately half of all states still practice
traditional utility regulation. However, even
“deregulated” states often end up regulating
utility companies in a fairly traditional manner. [49,2,1]
12. A “Vertically integrated utilities” are utilities that
own many of their own production assets. These
utilities also tend to maintain particular service
territories through their status as protected
monopolies. [49,2,1]
13. A Traditional utility regulation, also known as
“cost-of-service” regulation, occurs when a public
utility is directly regulated by a state or local
government. In return, these companies are given
control over a particular service territory. [49,1,1]
14. D Approximately half of all American states still
practice traditional energy regulation. However,
even utility companies in “deregulated” markets
are often subject to state oversight. [49,2,1]
15. C When a utility company submits itself to state
regulation, it is often given control over a
particular service territory. In this way, by ceding
a certain amount of its economic freedom to the
state, a company can become a protected
monopoly and secure a steady customer base. [49,1,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 23 DETHRONING KING COAL
1. D “Thumper trucks” are vehicles used to conduct
seismic imaging of underground fossil fuel
deposits. Though these vehicles significantly aid
in locating fossil fuel reserves, drilling is often the
only way to get an accurate picture of a
reservoir’s size and orientation. [50,2,0]
2. B The “explorative” nature of fossil fuel collection is
largely a result of the way in which fossil fuels
are formed. Once hydrocarbons form oil and
natural gas, these substances accumulate in deep
subsurface reservoirs. Often it is difficult to locate
these reservoirs even with modern imaging
techniques, hence the “explorative” nature of
fossil fuel collection. [50,2,1]
3. D “Source rock” describes a subsurface rock layer
that is naturally rich in hydrocarbons. When this
rock layer is heated, the trapped hydrocarbon
fluids are allowed to escape and migrate to a
reservoir where they may be harvested in the
forms of oil and natural gas. [50,2,1]
4. A “Permeability” describes the ability of air and
water to flow through a rock layer. A reservoir
must be both porous and permeable for humans
to be able to collect the fuels contained within. [51,1,0]
5. D Oil and gas formation begins when a source rock
is heated, transforming the contained
hydrocarbons into oil and natural gas. These
substances are then released into the ground and
migrate to a reservoir, where they settle into
distinct layers. From there, these fuels can be
extracted for human use. [50,2,1]
6. B Shale gas is an unconventional hydrocarbon
resource that resides solely in source rock.
Because its exact location is usually known, shale
gas collection can be described as “farming”. [51,1,1]
7. B Shale gas is an unconventional hydrocarbon
resource that resides solely in source rock.
Because its exact location is usually known, shale
gas collection can be described as “farming”. [51,1,1]
8. E In the year 2000, shale gas made up about one
percent of the domestic natural gas supply. By
2011, this figure had increased to nearly 25
percent, representing an extraordinary increase
in shale gas production. [51,2,2]
9. A As of 2011, shale gas made up about a quarter of
the American natural gas supply. However, shale
gas could make up nearly half of the domestic gas
supply y 2050. [51,2,2]
10. C Oil and gas formation begins when a source rock
is heated, transforming the contained
hydrocarbons into oil and natural gas. These
substances are then released into the ground and
migrate to a reservoir, where they settle into
distinct layers. From there, these fuels can be
extracted for human use. [50,2,1]
11. C The main environmental issue associated with
hydraulic fracturing is water pollution. However,
it should be noted that many water pollution
incidents that occur during the fuel collection
process are not a product of hydraulic fracturing
itself. [52,1,1]
12. C “Cap rock” is a thick rock layer that prevents
fuels from seeping out of subsurface reservoirs.
This trapping of fuels is crucial to the oil and gas
collection process. [50,2,1]
13. A Unconventional hydrocarbon resources are
defined as hydrocarbons that are found in
difficult-to-access reservoirs. Examples of this
type of resource include shale gas and tight oil. [51,1,1]
14. C Unconventional hydrocarbon resources are
defined as hydrocarbons that are found in
difficult-to-access reservoirs. Examples of this
type of resource include shale gas and tight oil. [51,1,1]
15. E Once hydrocarbons form oil and natural gas,
these substances often migrate to deep subsurface
reservoirs. They then settle into layers, with
natural gas forming the top layer, oil forming the
middle layer, and any extraneous water forming
the bottom layer. [51,1,0]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 24 THE FUTURE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY
1. A Incandescent light bulbs still represent the
greatest number of light bulbs in use today.
Ninety percent of the energy they consume is
wasted. [53,1,2]
2. C A “lumen” is the amount of light that a light bulb
generates. Light bulb efficiency can be compared
by how much energy they take to produce the
same amount of lumens. [53,1,2]
3. E Incandescent light bulbs give off 90% of their
energy as heat. Only 10% of the energy they
consume is used to produce light. [53,1,2]
4. B CFLs use phosphor to produce light. “Phosphor”
can refer to many different types of light-emitting
substances. [53,1,2]
5. A Insulating an attic crawl space is an example of
energy efficiency, because it will now require less
energy to heat and cool the house to the same
temperature as before. [52,1,2]
6. E In the process of converting energy to light,
incandescent light bulbs lose nine-tenths of their
energy as heat. [53,1,1]
7. B Televisions use quite a bit of household energy,
about 66% of which is wasted when the TV draws
power when no one is using it. [53,1,1]
8. C A coal-fired power plant loses energy at every
step in its power production process, adding up to
about a seventh-tenths loss of the energy
contained in coal. [53,2,2]
9. C The Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards,
set in 1975, have driven efficiency gains in new
vehicles’ fuel consumption. [54,1,2]
10. C Energy efficiency involves achieving the same
results from a product or service (like the cooling
in a refrigerator) with the same amount of
energy. In contrast, energy conservation reduces
the result to use less energy. [54,2,2]
11. B The U.S. uses quite a bit of energy to heat and
cool buildings—40% of its total energy
consumption. [54,1,2]
12. B LED light bulbs are the most efficient currently
on the market. They use 22 Watts to produce
1,600 lumens, compared to an incandescent bulb’s
use of 100 Watts to produce the same
illumination. [53,figure 22]
13. B Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) use
electroluminescence to produce light. They are
significantly more efficient than incandescent
bulbs and slightly more efficient than fluorescent
lights. [53,1,2]
14. D By 2025, new vehicles will be required to average
54.5 miles per hour, a significant increase from
the average 13.5 miles per gallon typical of
vehicles in the 1970s. [54,1,2]
15. C The U.S. devotes 40% of its power consumption to
heating a cooling buildings. Retrofitting old
buildings to be more energy efficient could pay
large dividends over the long run—or even in as
little as a decade. [54,1,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 25 THE RENAISSANCE OF NUCLEAR POWER
1. B Relative to traditional nuclear reactors, Small
Modular Reactors tend to be more secure. This is
because these reactors often include features such
as passive cooling systems and automated safety
mechanisms. [56,1,0]
2. E Relative to traditional nuclear reactors, Small
Modular Reactors tend to be more secure. This is
because these reactors often include features such
as passive cooling systems and automated safety
mechanisms. [56,1,0]
3. C In 1954, the United States Navy finished the
construction of the first nuclear submarine.
Notably, America’s first commercial nuclear
power plant would not be completed until 1957. [54,2,2]
4. D In 1954, the United States Navy finished the
construction of the USS Nautilus, the first
nuclear submarine. The vessel’s launch was
overseen by Admiral Hyman Rickover, who would
also oversee the commission of the first American
nuclear power plant three years later. [54,2,2]
5. C In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
delivered a speech in which he called for an end
to the threat of nuclear warfare and the
development of civilian nuclear power. This
address eventually became known as
Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech. [54,2,1]
6. D In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower
delivered a speech in which he called for an end
to the threat of nuclear warfare and the
development of civilian nuclear power. This
address eventually became known as
Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech. [54,2,1]
7. C In addition to the launch of the first nuclear
submarine, Admiral Hyman Rickover oversaw
the creation of the first commercial American
nuclear facility. Nearly 50 of these facilities
would be constructed in America by the end of the
1960s. [54,2,2]
8. A In 2011, a sudden earthquake severely
threatened the integrity of Japan’s Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This earthquake
was then followed by a tsunami which flooded the
already damaged facility and caused partial
meltdowns of the plant’s nuclear reactors. [55,1,3]
9. E In 1979, Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island
nuclear power plant experienced a partial
meltdown, releasing a large amount of radiation
into the surrounding atmosphere. That year’s
issue of Time magazine referred to the incident as
a “Nuclear Nightmare”. [54,2,3]
10. A In 1986, Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power
Plant experienced a partial meltdown following a
poorly-devised routine reactor test. After the
initial event, the plant’s poor design did little to
prevent a large dose of radiation from entering
the surrounding atmosphere. [55,1,1]
11. A The issues that sparked the Chernobyl nuclear
meltdown were worsened by the plant’s flawed
facility design. After a series of fires compromised
the integrity of the main reactor, there were no
mechanisms in place to stop a large dose of
radiation from entering the surrounding
atmosphere. [55,1,1]
12. A Currently, about one tenth of all the world’s
energy is supplied by nuclear power. This figure
is likely to increase as nuclear power becomes
more popular in Asian countries. [55,2,2]
13. A In 1979, Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island
nuclear power plant experienced a partial
meltdown, releasing a large amount of radiation
into the surrounding atmosphere. Interestingly,
this incident coincided with the second global oil
crisis. Both events were only one of many energy-
related crises to occur during the period. [54,2,3]
14. C The Three Mile Island and Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear disasters shared many similarities. Not
only did both plants experience partial
meltdowns, both released huge amounts of
radiation into the atmosphere, warranting the
evacuation of the regions surrounding both
plants. This in turn generated a large amount of
public backlash, slowing the growth of the global
nuclear power industry. [53,2,3; 54,2,4; 55,1,3, 55,2,1]
15. A The Three Mile Island and Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear disasters shared many similarities. Not
only did both plants experience partial
meltdowns, both released huge amounts of
radiation into the atmosphere, warranting the
evacuation of the regions surrounding both
plants. This in turn generated a large amount of
public backlash, slowing the growth of the global
nuclear power industry. [54,2,3; 55,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 26 SECTION III SUMMARY
1. A Renewable energy is defined as energy generated
through natural processes that can be utilized
sustainably. Common examples of renewable
energy resources include wind and solar power. [56,1,2]
2. A Renewable energy is defined as energy generated
through natural processes that can be utilized
sustainably. Common examples of renewable
energy resources include wind and solar power. [56,1,2]
3. C One drawback of traditional utility regulation is
that it often results in limited market
competition. This in turn leads to limited
customer choice when choosing energy suppliers. [56,2,3]
4. D A “revenue requirement” is the amount of money
a utility must take in to cover its expenses and
continue attracting capital. Public utility
commissions often set utility rates according to
this requirement. [56,2,4]
5. B Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have
revolutionized the fossil fuel industry by
increasing the availability of unconventional oils.
These resources are becoming increasingly
important as the world continues to deplete its
conventional fuel reserves. [56,2,4]
6. B Currently, shale gas makes up about one quarter
of the United States’ natural gas supply. This
figure is surprisingly high considering shale gas’
status as an unconventional hydrocarbon
resource. [56,2,6]
7. C Shale gas is a commonly-cited example of an
unconventional hydrocarbon resource. Notably,
shale gas makes up one quarter of the United
States’ natural gas supply. [56,2,5]
8. E Currently, nuclear power supplies about one fifth
of the United States’ domestic energy. This figure
is surprisingly high considering nuclear power’s
status as an alternative energy resource. [56,2,8]
9. D Recent studies suggest that slowing climate
change will require a mass increase in renewable
energy generation. This is problematic, as the
American electric grid is not currently equipped
to handle high penetrations of renewable energy. [56,1,4]
10. E High penetrations of renewable energy in the
electric grid tend to harm the grid’s reliability.
Proposed solutions to this problem include the
creation of an automated “smart grid” and the
increased employment of energy storage
technologies. [56,1,5]
11. B High penetrations of renewable energy in the
electric grid tend to harm the grid’s reliability.
Proposed solutions to this problem include the
creation of an automated “smart grid” and the
increased employment of energy storage
technologies. [56,1,5]
12. C A “revenue requirement” is the amount of money
a utility must take in to cover its expenses and
continue attracting capital. Public utility
commissions often set utility rates according to
this requirement. [56,2,4]
13. E The main problem with energy storage
technologies lies in their variability. Though
there are many types of energy storage available,
they often differ in their size, storage capacity,
and general effectiveness. [56,2,1]
14. B Recent studies suggest that slowing climate
change will require a mass increase in renewable
energy generation. However, the American
electric grid is not currently equipped to handle
high penetrations of renewable energy. [56,1,4; 56,1,5]
15. A The majority of problems faced by the electric
grid are derived from its age. More specifically,
the current electric grid was created in an era
with much smaller energy demands. It is for this
reason that the grid often has issues handling
modern load requirements. [56,1,5]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 27 ACRONYMS III
1. B Compact fluorescent light bulbs, also known as
CFLs, are a class of lights best known for being
more efficient than incandescent light bulbs.
Related are light-emitting diodes (LEDs), another
alternative to traditional lighting. [58,2,3]
2. C Investment tax credits (ITCs) and production tax
credits (PTCs) are two types of financial
incentives sometimes offered to producers of
alternative energy. These have played an
especially large role in the increased production
of wind power. [58,2,2; 58,2, 10]
3. C Photovoltaic (PV) cells are often used to harness
light energy during the production of solar power.
They are sometimes simply referred to as “solar
cells”. [58,2,14]
4. A The Federal Power Commission (FPC) is a
government agency created to regulate natural
gas rates. The commission was created in 1938
with the passage of the Natural Gas Act. [58,1,23]
5. C Electrical energy storage (EES) and pumped
hydro storage (PHS) are both techniques used to
store different forms of energy, in this case
electrical power and hydroelectric power. [58,1,6;
58,2,9]
6. E Many international treaties revolve around the
principle of Common but Differentiated
Responsibility, sometimes referred to as CBDR.
This principle states that developed countries
should be primarily responsible for addressing
global climate issues. [58,1,5]
7. C The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was
created to slow water pollution and regulate the
amount of hazardous pollutants that can be
present in the water supply. The Environmental
Protection Agency is responsible for monitoring
the levels of these pollutants. [58,2,19]
8. E The Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development, also known as the OECD, is an
international organization designed to improve
the economic conditions of its member countries.
Unfortunately, the slow growth of hydroelectric
power in these countries has been a major
contributor to the recent decrease in renewable
energy production. [58,2,7]
9. A The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in
1973 to help prevent species extinction and
environmental degradation. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and the Commerce Department’s
National Marine Fisheries Service are the
entities responsible for protecting species and
habitats determined to be at risk under this
legislation. [58,1,20]
10. B The Superfund program is the responsible for the
remediation of sites contaminated by hazardous
waste. It was created in 1980 with the passage of
the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act, often referred to
as “CERCLA”. [58,1,8]
11. A The main international treaty created to address
climate change is the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, often referred to
as “the UNFCCC”. This treaty has resulted in a
number of policy successes, such as the creation
of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. [58,2,22]
12. A The U.S. Energy Information Administration
(EIA) is a government agency responsible for
producing statistics on the state of national and
global energy use. The organization also makes
predictions about future energy consumption. [58,1,15]
13. D The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is
an American wildlife refuge located in Alaska. In
addition to being an important area for plant and
animal life, the refuge is also home to a large
supply of uncollected oil resources. [58,1,1]
14. B Qualifying facilities (QFs) are cogeneration
facilities or small power plants. Before the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, utilities in competitive
markets had to purchase qualifying facility power
in order to operate legally. [58,2,15]
15. B The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of
1976 (RCRA) was created in 197 to facilitate the
proper disposal of hazardous waste. The
Environmental Protection Agency is the main
entity responsible for overseeing this disposal. [58,1,7; 58,1,17; 58,2,1; 58,2,5; 58,2,16]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 28 ACRONYMS II
1. B The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
is a non-profit group that helps ordinary citizens
draft environmental laws and advocate for better
environmental policies with local, state and
federal governments. The NRDC was founded in
1970. [58,2,6]
2. B The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is the oil
supply maintained by the U.S. Department of
Energy for emergencies. [58,2,21]
3. A Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are organic
compounds used most commonly as refrigerants.
CFCs cause ozone depletion. [58,1,9]
4. D The International Energy Agency (IEA), an
intergovernmental organization for policy advice,
was founded in 1974 in response to the oil crisis
of 1973. [58,1, 25]
5. C The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
created in 1970, enforces environmental laws
passed by Congress. [58,1,15]
6. B Concentrating solar power (CSP) uses lenses and
mirrors to focus sunlight into a small area where
it can be converted into heat. [58,1,11]
7. E Public utilities commissions (PUCs) are state or
local agencies that regulate the rates of charges
for public utilities such as electricity. [58,2,11]
8. B The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935
(PUHCA) regulated electric utility companies by
limiting them to operations in single states.
PUHCA was totally repealed by the passage of
the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005. [58,2,12]
9. A Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
standards were first enacted by Congress in 1975
to increase the fuel efficiency of vehicles. The
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
(EISA) included the first increase in CAFE
regulations since 1975. [58,1,16]
10. D The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) requires companies to obtain
permits if they intend to dump pollutants into
U.S. waters. NPDES was implemented as part of
the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972. [58,2,5]
11. D The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
was a major piece of federal legislation passed in
1970. NEPA established the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) under President
Nixon. [58,2,4]
12. A Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the process
of capturing carbon dioxide waste produced by
power plants. The carbon dioxide can then be
transported to a storage site, often underground,
where it will not escape into the atmosphere. [58,1,6]
13. C Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) generate light using
electroluminescence. LEDs are much more energy
efficient than incandescent light bulbs because
less energy is lost as heat. [58,2,3]
14. C In the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992, certain
wholesale power generators were made exempt
from some federal and legal regulations. They are
called Exempt Wholesale Generators (EWGs). [58,1,22]
15. B The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975
(EPCA) was the first legislative act designed to
reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. [58,1,19]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 29 GLOSSARY I
1. C The October War, also known as the 1973 Arab-
Israeli war or the Yom Kippur War, began when
Egypt and Syria launched a joint attack on Israel
in an attempt to control local oil resources.
America’s support of Israel during this conflict
sparked OPEC’s oil embargo on the United States
that same year. [59,1,3]
2. E DDT, an organochlorine insecticide was originally
used during World War II to prevent the spread
of malaria and typhus (both insect-transmitted
diseases). It was eventually banned for its
negative effects on the environment and human
health. [60,1,3]
3. C Chlorofluorocarbons, chemical compounds often
used as refrigerants, harm the environment
through their depletion of atmospheric ozone. The
production of chlorofluorocarbons was halted
after the passage of the Montreal Protocol in
1982. [59,2,2]
4. C Chlorofluorocarbons, chemical compounds often
used as refrigerants, harm the environment
through their depletion of atmospheric ozone. The
production of chlorofluorocarbons was halted
after the passage of the Montreal Protocol in
1982. [59,2,2]
5. E Hydraulic fracturing is a fuel collection technique
in which sand and fluids are injected into the
ground to create fractures in rock layers, allowing
fuels to rise to the surface. This technique is often
used to collect tight gas, tight oil, coal seam gas,
and shale gas. [60,2,11]
6. C “Fossil fuels” are any naturally occurring
substances derived from decayed or decaying
organic material. Common fossil fuels include
coal, peat, petroleum, and natural gas. Since
biodiesel is usually made from animal fat or
vegetable oil, it cannot be considered a fossil fuel. [60,2,7]
7. A The technique of horizontal drilling is useful in
that it allows for the creation of several wellheads
in a small area. This in turn reduces the amount
of surface area that is disturbed during the
drilling process. [60,2,10]
8. A The carbon capture and storage process was
designed to prevent the release of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere. It does this by capturing
carbon dioxide released by power plants and
containing it in underground storage facilities,
thus preventing air pollution. [59,1,8]
9. B The Montreal Protocol’s main goal was to slow
the depletion of atmospheric ozone. It did this by
halting the production of chlorofluorocarbons,
chemical compounds known to degrade the ozone
layer. [61,1,8]
10. A A British Thermal Unit is a measure of energy.
More specifically, one British Thermal Unit is the
amount of energy needed to change the
temperature of a pound of water one degree
Fahrenheit. Fittingly, one Quad is equal to one
quadrillion British Thermal Units. [62,1,4]
11. C Harvesting wind power involves the generation of
electrical energy from kinetic energy. As wind
turns the blades of a wind turbine, a generator
inside the turbine is activated, thus transforming
kinetic energy to electrical energy. [62,2,9]
12. B Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that are
made from carbon and hydrogen and are often
used as fuel. Source rock, a specific rock type, is
the material responsible for the generation of
hydrocarbons. [62,2,3]
13. A The Superfund program is responsible for
overseeing the remediation of sites contaminated
by toxic substances. This program was created
with the passage of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act, a piece of legislature that responded
to the Love Canal incident of the 1970s. [59,2,8]
14. E The Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 promoted American energy security by
increasing renewable energy production, reducing
Federal Government energy consumption,
increasing the energy efficiency of vehicles,
products, and buildings, and encouraging
research on the carbon capture process. [60,1,11]
15. A The main problem with using unconventional
hydrocarbon resources is their difficulty of
extraction. By definition, unconventional
hydrocarbon reservoirs have low permeability
and porosity, making their resources difficult to
collect. [62,2,8]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 30 GLOSSARY II
1. D Admiral Hyman G. Rickover was a four-star
admiral of the United States Navy who oversaw
the launch of the first nuclear submarine. For
this achievement, Rickover is often referred to as
“the Father of the Nuclear Navy”. [59,1,1]
2. D In 1986, Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power
Plant experienced a partial meltdown that
released large quantities of radioactive particles
into the surrounding air. To this day, the area
still exhibits an unusual degree of radioactivity. [59,2,1]
3. B Under the Clean Water Act of 1972, American
surface waters must be pure enough to support
human sports and recreation. Additionally, the
quantity of toxic substances that can be released
into surface and ground water is now severely
limited. [59,2,4]
4. D Cogeneration facilities are power plants that both
generate electricity and process the heat created
as a byproduct of this generation. The
cogeneration process is also referred to as
“combined heat and power”. [59,2,5]
5. E Compact fluorescent lights are a type of light
designed to replace traditional incandescent
bulbs. These lights are generally more efficient
and long-lived than their filament-based
counterparts, though they produce the same
amount of light. [59,2,7]
6. B Ethanol is a type of alcohol-based fuel created
through the fermentation of sugars. It is often
used as an additive to traditional, petroleum-
based fuels. [60,2,6]
7. B Though Paul Ehrlich is a notable biologist and
educator, he is perhaps best known for his
publication of his famous nonfiction book
Population Bomb. In this work, Ehrlich warns of
unchecked population growth’s treat to both
human life and the environment. [60,1,9]
8. A The Environmental Protection Agency helps
preserve the environment by enforcing
regulations based on preexisting environmental
laws. [60,2,5]
9. A The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty
designed to prevent ozone depletion. One of its
biggest achievements was limiting the production
of chlorofluorocarbons, organic compounds known
to degrade the ozone layer. [59,2,2]
10. D DDT, though originally used as an insecticide,
was eventually shown to be harmful to other
animal species, particularly birds. In fact, DDT’s
negative impact on certain bird populations was a
major point discussed in Rachel Carson’s
environmental work, Silent Spring. [62,1,8]
11. C The supermajors are a group of the world’s most
powerful publicly-owned oil and gas companies.
Due to their large amount of political and
economic power, these companies are sometimes
referred to as “Big Oil”. [62,2,6]
12. C “Energy Star” is an international energy-
efficiency standard for consumer products.
Refrigerators and computers are common
examples of Energy Star-rated devices. [60,2,3]
13. E The National Energy Act of 1978 was a legislative
response to the 1973 energy crisis. This act was
made up of a number of smaller pieces of
legislation, including (but not limited to) the
Energy Tax Act, the National Energy
Conservation Policy Act, the Natural Gas Policy
Act, and the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use
Act. [61,1,9]
14. E A “public utility” is any organization that
oversees the systems needed to provide a public
service. Common examples of public utilities
include companies that provide water, electricity,
telephone services, or natural gas. [61,2,12]
15. D OPEC is an international oil cartel created to
help its members coordinate oil production. A few
of its members include Algeria, Saudi Arabia,
Venezuela, and Iran. [61,2,1]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 31 TIMELINE
1. A One of the most notable 20th century
environmental disasters was the Cuyahoga River
fire, which occurred in 1969. Other notable events
from this period include the Love Canal incident
(1978), the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster
(1979), the Chernobyl nuclear disaster (1986),
and the Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989). [63,1,13]
2. E Created in 1963, the Clean Air Act was a
formative piece of American environmental
legislation. Other important environmental acts
include the National Environmental Policy Act of
1970, the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, the
Clean Water Act of 1972, and the Endangered
Species Act of 1973. [63,1,12]
3. E President Richard Nixon created the
Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 to
address growing environmental concerns. Other
20th century organizations created for this
purpose include the Natural Resources Defense
Council, the International Energy Agency, the
Department of Energy, and the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [63,1,15]
4. A President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech,
delivered in 1953, called for new, peaceful
applications of nuclear power. Ironically, the
United States military launched the first nuclear
submarine the following year. [63,1,6]
5. B OPEC’s 1973 oil embargo on the United States
highlighted Americans’ dependency on foreign
fuel resources. In response, President Richard
Nixon created Project Independence to promote
American energy independence and security. [64,1,5]
6. E Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, a book protesting
the use of pesticide DDT, was published in 1962.
Ten years later, DDT was finally banned in the
United States due to its negative environmental
and human health effects. [63,1,11; 64,1,2]
7. D Two major oil crises occurred during the 1970s,
one in 1973 and one in 1979.Both crises were a
major influence on energy policy both in the
United States and abroad. [64,1,4; 64,1,19]
8. A According to the projections of M. King Hubbert,
peak oil occurred sometime between 1965 and
1971. As of 2014, this would have been about 40
to 50 years ago. [63,1,8]
9. C In 1977, President Jimmy Carter created the
Department of Energy to address various energy-
related and environmental concerns. Its duties
include commissioning the production of nuclear
reactors, conducting energy research, and
overseeing the disposal of radioactive waste,
among others. [64,1,14]
10. D Several major environmental events occurred in
1970, including the revision of the Clean Air Act,
the creation of the Environmental Protection
Agency, the passage of the National
Environmental Policy Act, and the celebration of
the first Earth Day. [63,1,14; 63,1,15; 63,1,17; 63,1,18]
11. C The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973
during the administration of President Richard
Nixon. Nixon’s administration also oversaw the
passage of the National Environmental Policy Act
and the creation of the Environmental Protection
Agency. [64,1,6]
12. D The first oil well was constructed in Pennsylvania
in 1859. The first American commercial nuclear
facility was created in the same state almost a
century later. [63,1,2; 63,1,9]
13. A The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster occurred
in 2011 when a tsunami caused severe damage to
a Japanese nuclear reactor. This reactor then
experienced a partial meltdown, releasing
radioactive particles into the air and warranting
the evacuation of the nearby residents of
Fukushima. [63,1,10; 63,1,11; 63,1,12; 64,1,23]
14. D The Clean Air Act was first passed in 1963 to
address American concerns regarding air
pollution. Since then, the act has gone through
two major revisions: one in 1970, and another in
1990. [63,1,12; 63,1,16]
15. A Shale gas is a variety of natural gas derived from
shale rock. As of 2001, shale gas makes up 25
percent of the American natural gas supply. [65,1,4]
SOCSCI FOCUSED QUIZ 32 CHARTS AND GRAPHS
1. E Currently, Corporate Average Fuel Economy
Standards require that passenger cars’ average
fuel economy be at least 40 miles per gallon.
However, it is important to note that this figure
refers to the fuel economy of an entire fleet, not
individual cars. [Figure 5 (Page 18)]
2. A In terms of annual emissions, the global
production of chlorofluorocarbons peaked around
the year 1990 (more specifically, 1998). Since
then, global chlorofluorocarbon emissions have
been reduced by nearly one million ozone
depletion potential tons per year. [Figure 6 (Page 26)]
3. E Currently, carbon dioxide is the most commonly-
emitted greenhouse gas, making up around 77
percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. For
perspective, methane is the second most
commonly-emitted greenhouse gas, making up 14
percent of global emissions. [Figure 8 (Page 28)]
4. B Currently, the energy production sector is
responsible for about a quarter of all greenhouse
gas emissions, making it the highest-emitting
global activity. Second is industry, which is
responsible for approximately 19% of global
greenhouse gas emissions. [Figure 9 (page 28)]
5. C Currently, the concentration of atmospheric
methane is approximately 2000 parts per billion.
This figure is nearly three times larger than that
of the preindustrial era. [Figure 10 (page 29)]
6. C Since the Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic
carbon dioxide emissions have increased by a
factor of about two. While the preindustrial era
experienced atmospheric carbon dioxide
concentrations of about 900 parts per million,
current carbon dioxide levels are estimated to be
around 1800 parts per million. [Figure 10 (page 29)]
7. C During the year 2010, China was the world leader
in photovoltaic energy production, generating
nearly three times as many megawatts of energy
as second-largest producer, Taiwan. This figure
represented an increase of nearly 6000
megawatts of energy from the previous year. [Figure
15 (page 38)]
8. A In 2010, approximately 25,000 megawatts of
photovoltaic energy were generated worldwide.
The majority of this production occurred in
China, which generated nearly 11,000 megawatts
of photovoltaic energy during that year. [Figure 15
(page 38)]
9. C In 2010, the United States generated nearly 80
megawatts of energy through concentrating solar
power operations. This figure represented an
increase of nearly 70 megawatts of energy from
the previous year. [Figure 16 (page 38)]
10. B Between 2008 and 2012, the average price of
generating photovoltaic energy in the United
States decreased by about $3 per watt. This
development coincided with a general increase in
solar energy deployment during the period. [Figure
17 (page 39)]
11. C In 2008, China was the world’s largest emitter of
greenhouse gases, contributing to about a fifth of
emissions worldwide. Second was the United
States, which was responsible for 19 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions. [Figure 11 (page 31)]
12. E In 2009, nearly 37 percent of all energy in the
United States was derived from petroleum,
making petroleum the country’s most popular
energy source. Second most popular was natural
gas, which was used in a quarter of American
energy production. [Figure 12 (page 34)]
13. A In 2009, hydropower was the most popular source
of renewable energy in America, making up 35
percent of domestic renewable energy production.
Second most popular was wood power, which was
used in nearly a quarter of American renewable
generation. [Figure 12 (page 34)]
14. A As of 2012, cumulative wind deployment in the
United States reached nearly 60 gigawatts of
energy. This development coincided with an all-
time low in the cost of American wind energy
generation per kilowatt hour. [Figure 14 (page 37)]
15. D During the mid-200s, the United States’ level of
ethanol production was roughly equal to that of
Brazil. These countries were the two largest
producers of ethanol during the period. [Figure 18
(page 40)]