CHNG2805 Mid-semester exam, Monday 31st August 2015

All 25 questions must be answered time available 15 mins

Question

True?

LCA is concerned predominantly with minimising waste streams

False?
X

Bans and Phase-outs may be one of the results of the Precautionary

Principle

Most of the energy that makes it to the surface of the Earth is in the UV
part of the spectrum (~eq vis and IR, UV is small)
The global average solar insolation is 342 W/m2

4
The calculation of Carnot efficiency is equally applicable to all forms of
energy conversion [no only heat engines]

Outgoing radiation (from the earth) has a shorter wavelength than

incoming radiation (lower temp from cooler Earth means longer
wavelength)

At equilibrium, most of the CO2 emitted from burning fossil fuels ends
up in the oceans (~46% stays in atmosphere for 100y, land ~29%,
oceans ~26%)

In the Tragedy of the Commons, when benefits accrue to an

individual, society usually bears the costs

The average Albedo of the Earth is about 30% (30%)

9
As atmospheric CO2 levels increase, the opaque outer layers of the
10 atmosphere move to lower and thus warmer altitudes (opaque outer
layers move higher & thus cooler)

A sustainable process will not consume any natural resources

[consumes, but within capacity to be regenerated]

11

The largest single sector contributing to Australia's greenhouse gas

12 emissions is the transport sector [no -electricity production]

In LCA, Impact Assessment must be carried out before an Inventory

13 Analysis is undertaken

The embodied energy of a material only refers to the quantity of

14 electricity that was used in its manufacture [no it's all energy input]

In the master equation I=P*A*T, T stands for time

15
The no data, no market principle is a key component of the Natural
16 Step framework

The solar energy available on a flat surface in Sydney during a clear

2
2
17 sunny day is about 30 MJ/km (30 MJ/m )

Dematerialisation means that using less material is always more

18 beneficial to the environment

Forecasting is used to envision what a future system or product is

required to deliver and then works backwards to determine what steps
19 are needed to reach it [that's backcasting]

The CO2e emission intensity of electricity generation in NSW is

20 approximately 1 kg/kWh (yes same as 1 tonne/MWh)

If 2 sites have identical solar insolation (solar radiation level) more

21 electricity will be produced from a silicon PV panel at the site that has a
lower temperature [ yes]

Industrial Ecology is based on a premise that the ideal industrial process

22 needs no energy or material inputs

The embodied energy of 1 L of Sydney's water is about 1 MJ/L [it's

23 about 1.6 Wh/L = 5.7 kJ/L]

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with mining coal for power

24 production is considered a scope 1 emission

Greenhouse gas emissions from aluminium production in Australia are

much greater than the international average because our electricity
25 supply has a higher emissions intensity