AP Environmental Science : Hydroelectric Energy
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Dams
All of the following are potential benefits to dams EXCEPT __________.
Recreation opportunities from the resulting lake
Water level management
Flood control
Sedimentation buildup
Clean electricity generation
Sedimentation buildup
Dams can be huge boons to local economies, and are a landmark of human engineering and achievement; however, they do carry serious consequences to the natural environment. They lead to sediment buildup, which hurts the flow of nutrients downstream, ruins the natural riverscape, and can cause the area behind the dam to become more shallow.
Example Question #1 : Dams
All of the following are drawbacks to dams EXCEPT __________.
Increased air pollution
Local inhabitants may be forced to move
Habitat alteration
Interruption of migration patterns among fish
Destruction of surrounding farmland
Increased air pollution
Dams carry numerous drawbacks, but one benefit of dams that they do not increase air pollution. Hydroelectric power is considered to be one of the cleanest forms of energy.
Example Question #1 : Hydroelectric Energy
Which of the following is NOT an adverse affect of building dams to generate hydro-electric power?
Dams often change the current and width of a watershed, altering the riparian ecosystem.
The energy required to operate and maintain the dam is often equal to the energy produced by the dam.
Dams can contribute to flooding and resulting property damage.
Many fish populations (including salmon and trout) are decimated because dams restrict access to essential habitat.
Animals that rely on fish as sustainance may begin to decline because the dam has permanently altered fish habitat.
The energy required to operate and maintain the dam is often equal to the energy produced by the dam.
The energy output from a hydro-electric dam is substantial enough to result in most of America's major rivers being damned. The more pressing issues that these damns cause are changes to the aquatic ecosystem and restriction of movement for migratory fish species.
Example Question #1 : Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric energy composes a significant portion of the U.S. energy grid and is a low-emission, renewable form of energy. Which of the following would be a substantial issue with expanding hydroelectric energy production?
With the pressing issue of climate change and changes in precipitation, it is unclear how much energy current hydroelectric dams can provide in the future, let alone how much energy dams built in the future could provide.
There is currently a federal ban on the construction or development of future hydroelectric dams to protect fish populations.
Most if not all rivers capable of generating substantial hydroelectric energy have already been dammed and are working at high capacity.
The reported amount of electricity generated by hydroelectric dams is actually an inflated figure derived from theoretically running at full capacity and is not realistic.
The amount of energy invested in hydroelectric is about equal to the amount of energy harnessed from the process.
Most if not all rivers capable of generating substantial hydroelectric energy have already been dammed and are working at high capacity.
While there are federal wetland conservation laws geared at protecting aquatic habitat, there is currently no federal ban on constructing hydroelectric dams, and the returned energy investment for hydroelectric is quite substantial. The dominant issue with expanding hydroelectric energy production is that in the U.S., we have dammed most if not all of the significant energy-producing water bodies. Further expansion of hydroelectric power will not yield as much energy as the current dams operating in the U.S.
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