Exam 3 Geology Exam Questions with
Correct Answers
Renewable Resources - Answer-Can be replaced as fast as it is being used
Take hours or centuries to replace
Example: Biomass, clean water
inexhaustible resource - Answer-Never runs out!
Example: Solar energy, wind, water
Non-Renewable (exhaustible) - Answer-Fixed amount
Cannot be replaced as fast as it is used
Examples: Fossil fuels, mineral resources
The lifetime of mineral supplies depend on what factors? - Answer-1. Production rates
(availability, technology)
2. Consumption rates (demand, technology)
3. Substitutions
4. Recycling
how can we extend the lifetime of mineral resources? - Answer-recycling!
Externalities - Answer-unintended "costs" from production/consumption
List some of the most commonly used rock and mineral resources and their uses -
Answer-Iron- for steel
Aluminum- construction and packaging
Copper- wiring
Lead- batteries
Zinc- alloys
Halite- table salt
Gypsum- sheet rock
Gemstones- diamonds
Feldspars- ceramics• Quartz- glass
Sulfur- fertilizers
Copper, Tantalum, gold - Used in phones
Rock- cement, concrete, slate, marble, granite, sandstone, limestone, basalt for
construction
What are rare earth elements? - Answer-lanthanide series and actinide series
What are some of the externalities associated with mineral resources? - Answer-mining
pollution
, What are conflict resources? - Answer-Resources extracted in a conflict zone
Examples: Funding rebel militias and conflict, Exploitation by neighboring countries,
Poor working conditions for miners,
Destroying natural habitats
What are the big 3 fossil fuels? - Answer-coal, oil, natural gas
What are the primary of coal? - Answer-most abundant, replacement for wood and used
for electricity
What are the primary of oil? - Answer-transportation and plastics
What are the primary of natural gas? - Answer-started as byproduct of oil drilling and
used for electricity/residential
Why are the fossil fuels called "ancient sunlight"? - Answer-all formed from the
"cooking" of dead organic matter hundreds of millions of years ago• Carboniferous age
(360-280 million years ago)
Where are the largest reserves found for fossil fuel? - Answer-Coal: China, North
America, Russia, Europe South and Central America
Oil: Middle East
Natural Gas: Middle East
Explain how fossil fuel sources are used to generate electricity. - Answer-1. Heat is
generated by burning of fossil fuels or nuclear reaction
2. Heat causes water to boil which generates steam
3. Steam causes a turbine to spine which generates electricity
What are the cons of each non-renewable energy resources? - Answer-The cons would
be their method of extraction. Coal uses mining which could cause pollution, oil requires
drilling into the ground and ocean which is expensive, and fracking for natural gas.
Transportation is risky and can lead to air pollution impacting air quality index.
Acid Rain, Shaft Mining, Contamination, Oil spills such as the Gulf of Mexico Mess
What is "fracking" used to extract? - Answer-used to release the natural gas held within
the shale rock
Why is nuclear fission considered non-renewable? - Answer-because once uranium is
used, it is gone. It is not renewable.
What are the pros and cons of nuclear fission? - Answer-pros: no air pollution and less
fuel is needed
cons: dangerous waste storage and the danger of a nuclear "fallout" such as the 1986
Chernobyl , Three Island , PA and 2011 Fukushima Japan.
Correct Answers
Renewable Resources - Answer-Can be replaced as fast as it is being used
Take hours or centuries to replace
Example: Biomass, clean water
inexhaustible resource - Answer-Never runs out!
Example: Solar energy, wind, water
Non-Renewable (exhaustible) - Answer-Fixed amount
Cannot be replaced as fast as it is used
Examples: Fossil fuels, mineral resources
The lifetime of mineral supplies depend on what factors? - Answer-1. Production rates
(availability, technology)
2. Consumption rates (demand, technology)
3. Substitutions
4. Recycling
how can we extend the lifetime of mineral resources? - Answer-recycling!
Externalities - Answer-unintended "costs" from production/consumption
List some of the most commonly used rock and mineral resources and their uses -
Answer-Iron- for steel
Aluminum- construction and packaging
Copper- wiring
Lead- batteries
Zinc- alloys
Halite- table salt
Gypsum- sheet rock
Gemstones- diamonds
Feldspars- ceramics• Quartz- glass
Sulfur- fertilizers
Copper, Tantalum, gold - Used in phones
Rock- cement, concrete, slate, marble, granite, sandstone, limestone, basalt for
construction
What are rare earth elements? - Answer-lanthanide series and actinide series
What are some of the externalities associated with mineral resources? - Answer-mining
pollution
, What are conflict resources? - Answer-Resources extracted in a conflict zone
Examples: Funding rebel militias and conflict, Exploitation by neighboring countries,
Poor working conditions for miners,
Destroying natural habitats
What are the big 3 fossil fuels? - Answer-coal, oil, natural gas
What are the primary of coal? - Answer-most abundant, replacement for wood and used
for electricity
What are the primary of oil? - Answer-transportation and plastics
What are the primary of natural gas? - Answer-started as byproduct of oil drilling and
used for electricity/residential
Why are the fossil fuels called "ancient sunlight"? - Answer-all formed from the
"cooking" of dead organic matter hundreds of millions of years ago• Carboniferous age
(360-280 million years ago)
Where are the largest reserves found for fossil fuel? - Answer-Coal: China, North
America, Russia, Europe South and Central America
Oil: Middle East
Natural Gas: Middle East
Explain how fossil fuel sources are used to generate electricity. - Answer-1. Heat is
generated by burning of fossil fuels or nuclear reaction
2. Heat causes water to boil which generates steam
3. Steam causes a turbine to spine which generates electricity
What are the cons of each non-renewable energy resources? - Answer-The cons would
be their method of extraction. Coal uses mining which could cause pollution, oil requires
drilling into the ground and ocean which is expensive, and fracking for natural gas.
Transportation is risky and can lead to air pollution impacting air quality index.
Acid Rain, Shaft Mining, Contamination, Oil spills such as the Gulf of Mexico Mess
What is "fracking" used to extract? - Answer-used to release the natural gas held within
the shale rock
Why is nuclear fission considered non-renewable? - Answer-because once uranium is
used, it is gone. It is not renewable.
What are the pros and cons of nuclear fission? - Answer-pros: no air pollution and less
fuel is needed
cons: dangerous waste storage and the danger of a nuclear "fallout" such as the 1986
Chernobyl , Three Island , PA and 2011 Fukushima Japan.
