Copy of Switch Questions.docx.pdf - Switch 95min Coal 1....

Switch
95min
Coal
1. How much of the United States’ electric generation comes from coal? How much supply
remains?
2. The power plant shown uses five trainloads of coal per day, every day. Why is coal such an
attractive source of electricity?
3. What are the external problems caused by burning coal for electricity?
4. Clean coal is a technology that captures and sequesters the pollutants released by burning it.
Why isn’t this technology used in all coal plants?
Oil
5. What are two factors that can influence the price of oil?
6. What is a spar platform? 7. How long does it take to set up a spar drilling rig?
8. What happens at an oil refinery?
9. Gasoline is described in the documentary as a “miracle” fuel. Why is it so ideal for
transportation?
Environmental Science Resources aurumscience.com Page 1

Name: _______________________ Class: ______________Date: ______________________
-2 million
Biofuels
10. What advantage do biofuels have within our current system?
11. What is the most commonly used source of biofuel? 12. What is the advantage of using plants high in cellulose like sorghum and switchgrass instead of
corn?