Lecture 20- Sustainability I

Question 0

What is sustainability?

Answer 0

The ability to sustain a certain process or state at certain rate or level

Question 1

What are the two broad strategies for coping with climate change?

Answer 1

Adaptation and mitigation

Question 2

What is an environmentally sustainable society?

Answer 2

A society that can satisfy the basic needs of humans without degrading or depleting natural resources

Question 3

Do we live in an environmentally sustainable society?

Answer 3

Environmentalists say no environmental critics say yes

Question 4

What is sustainable energy?

Answer 4

Energy harvested from natural sources at a rate no faster than it is being replenished

Question 5

What is regenerative braking?

Answer 5

Reduces speed of vehicle by re-converting some kinetic Energy into electrical energy

Question 6

Why are electric vehicles more efficient and cheaper to operate than gasoline or diesel vehicles?

Answer 6

Conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy is much more efficient than conversion of heat energy to mechanical energy due to loss of heat in an internal combustion engine

Question 7

What are compressed air vehicles?

Answer 7

Pistons of an engine are driven by the expansion of compressed air instead of the expansion of hot gases from burning a mixture of fuel and air

Question 8

Why are public transportation systems usually buses often inefficient in the USA?

Answer 8

Underused by commuters due to excessive reliance on private passenger vehicles