The final will be at 9:30 am on Thursday, December 15, in our classroom (Olin 201).
The final will have two parts. One part (roughly half of the test) will be on things we have done since the last exam. The other section will be comprehensive. This is not to say that the exam will be physically separated into these two parts, but that this is the philosophy behind the exam and so sections will be made up accordingly.
You can use your old study guides for stuff from the other two sections of the course.
The part of the exam that focuses on the last third of the test will cover the following subjects. As always, some of the information for answering the questions is from the book, and some from your notes.
Fossil Fuels
What are the major drawbacks to the use of fossil fuels? How has the price of oil changed over the last 30 years, and what were the main causes for the significant fluctuations? What is a "Hubbart curve", and what can we learn from it? How close are we to running out of fossil fuel energy? What are the main fossil fuels that we use? How is our consumption distributed (i.e. how much from each of the big three--oil, gas, coal-- and what fraction of total do these make up)? What are some future options for fossil fuels? What are some options other than the big three?
Nuclear power
What are the benefits and risks of nuclear power? How do you think they line up? Why have we not built any in recent years, and why is this fact relevant to any discussion of future energy choices in the US, regardless of whether we build more? How do nukes compare environmentally to other power sources? We did not spend much time discussing nuclear power in class, but a fair amount of information can be found in the book. Since we didn't focus on this in class, I don't expect it to make up a very large portion of the exam.
Renewable energy
What are the pros and cons of: hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass energy (and what are these things)? What is the situation with solar energy in the developing world? Why are fuel cells and hydrogen important to the success of renewables, and what part might they play in a post-fossil economy? What might be some ways to encourage renewable energy?
Climate Change
What has climate done in the past, and how is this relevant to anthropogenic climate change? What roles are played in climate change by: CO2, methane, ocean currents, solar cycles, clouds, and water vapor? What are some of the feedbacks in the climate system? (Remember, DCH loves to talk about feedbacks!) What might be some of the effects of climate change on humans and ecosystems? If climate has changed naturally in the past, why might we be concerned now? What is the evidence for the idea that climate has warmed over the last 100 years, about how much has it changed, and what are some of the issues related to whether this has been caused by humans? If natural systems emit most of the CO2, why do people think human emissions are important? What is the Kyoto Protocol, and what are some arguments for and against its ratification? What role has been played by the US in global climate change?
Ch. 12: Fluctuations in demand/demand cycle, how the US dealt with the energy crisis in the 70s, the prospects for coal, problems with growing US dependency on foreign oil, policies for dealing with fossil fuels.
Ch. 13: Focus on 13.3-13.5, though you should check out the comparison of nuclear power with coal power starting on p. 355. You should have an idea of how nuclear power works. Vocab: Half life. Waste disposal. Embrittlement.
Ch. 14: Understand the role fuel cells could play in making alternative power more accessible. Vocab: Passive/active solar. Photovoltaic cells. Fuel cells. Biomass.
Ch. 21: Understand Milankovitch cycles (could be a vocab word, too). Ocean/atmosphere interactions. What could be done? Framework Convention on Climate Change. Vocab: albedo
Things to think about: How do you feel about the state of the environment? Are we locked in a cycle from which we can't escape, are things pretty much OK, or is it something in-between? Put another way: Are we dumb, selfish lemmings running off a cliff because we don't have the basic will to sacrifice in the self-interest of humanity, or are environmentalists scare-mongerers trying to gain power and control for their own socialist agenda through the promotion of irrational fear and guilt, or is it a mix of both and neither? What does "sustainability" mean in a world of technological progress, and is it an important concept? Are things getting better or worse? Is the United States generally a progressive force for global environmental improvement (think Endangered Species Act, maybe?) or not (think Kyoto Protocol, maybe?)? Where do personal and governmental responsibility fit into the equation for building a more sustainable world?
How do issues such as ecosystem stability, population, risk, climate, and energy interrelate, if at all?
I hope that helps. As always, the questions on the exam won't be these exactly, but if you understand how to answer these questions then you are likely to do well on the final. Also, don't forget to look at the weekly notes for both concepts and vocabulary terms.
Good luck!