Living in the Environment
18th Edition
ISBN: 9781133940135
Author: G. Tyler Miller
Publisher: CENGAGE L
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Question
Chapter 16, Problem 1CR
To determine
The potential for using renewable energy from the wind to produce most of the electricity used in the United States.
Expert Solution & Answer
Answer to Problem 1CR
The United States has sufficient wind potential to meet 16 to 22 times its
Explanation of Solution
A study published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences assessed that the United States has sufficient wind potential to meet 16 to 22 times its current electricity needs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the wind farms that are situated at the favorable sites in three states such as North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas can meet the electricity needs of the lower 48 states when a modern electrical grid is available for the distribution of the electricity. In addition, the NREL estimates that winds off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the shores of the Great Lakes can generate 4 times the electricity currently used in the lower 48 states and it is more than enough electricity to replace all of the coal fired power plants in the country. Many states in these regions are planning to tap into this huge energy source and thereby enhance their economies.
A study conducted by DOE in 2015 shows that the United States can generate 30% of its electricity from wind by 2030 with the continuation of subsidies from government. This can result in 600,000 jobs and lower energy bills. It can decrease the pollution in air and slow the climate change ocean acidification by decreasing the use of coal for the generation of electricity.
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44) In periglacial environments, the layer of ground that thaws every summer and freezes every winter is called
A) frost layer
B) permafrost
C) active layer
D) discontinuous permafrost
Use the attached piezometer map to make your own, clean version of the map, and indicate the elevation of the water table at all piezometer locations.
Draw equipotential lines (lines of equal water table elevation) using regular intervals – creating a contoured map of the water table.
Determine the direction of groundwater flow based on the horizontal gradient. Label the areas of recharge and discharge directly on your map.
Flow lines: Draw flow lines on your water table map. The lines should be at right angles to the equipotential lines and extend from the recharge area to the discharge area.
Hydraulic Gradient, Specific Discharge (Darcy Flux), Average Linear Velocity:
Using your water table map, estimate an average hydraulic gradient between two locations, call them locations A and B, one at the eastern-most and a second at the western-most extent of your dataset (note the north arrow on the map).
Calculate the specific discharge, q, between the two locations. For this calculation…
Calculate all the values of table 1:
Q in (L/day)
Q out (L/day)
Residence time (days)
Please show all steps
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