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16 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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How do silicon cells work?
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Sunlight strikes and excites electrons which create electricity. Metal carries the current.
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How did ancient people take advantage of the sun?
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They built south-facing homes so that they could maximize exposure in the Winter and shade in the Summer.
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What is the number one use of natural gas or electricity for most homeowners?
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Heating the house.
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What do solar thermal plants use to collect the sun's energy?
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They use mirrors that heat up oil tubes which boil water which spins a turbine.
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What is an important use of photovoltaic panels in the developing world?
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They are used to power satellites, pump water in Africa, and power coast guard buoys.
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What is the main challenge for wind turbines and how is this issue solved?
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The fact that the wind is not everywhere all the time. It is solved by diversification and the ability to turn towards the wind on their own.
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In what decade did wind energy see resurgence?
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The 1980s
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What percentage of electricity does wind power generate for the U.S.?
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Less than 1%
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How much electricity is produced by geothermal energy in Iceland?
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26.5% of the nation's needs
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Does geothermal energy release greenhouse gases?
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Yes, but in a year it releases the same amount that a coal plant does in a week.
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How far below the Earth's surface is the air a steady temperature between 50 and 75 degrees fahrenheit year-round?
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8 feet below
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How does the heat exchanger work in summer and winter?
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It uses antifreeze liquid which carries heat out during the summer and in during the winter.
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What kind of car do you need to use vegetable oil?
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Any, as long as it has been converted.
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What plant do they use in Brazil to create ethanol? In the U.S.?
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Sugar cane in Brazil and biomass/leftovers in the U.S.
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What are some of the benefits of switchgrass?
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fast growing, little water use, can grow almost anywhere, and many more
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How can tides be used to produce power?
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We can collect water from high tide, and then force it through turbines when the water goes out during low tide.
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