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Initial Publication Date: March 4, 2011

Energy Literacy Quiz

Spanish-language version of quiz
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Test your energy awareness by answering the quiz questions below. Many of the answers contain links to references, datasets or spreadsheets that can be used to further explore these topics.

Climate Literacy quiz
is also available »

The information in this quiz has been reviewed by a scientist.

Most recent update to the data in this quiz: July 2021.
Wherever possible, links to current data are provided. Note that some of the data changes fairly rapidly.

1. Which forms of energy are ultimately derived from solar energy?

Gasoline

Wind

Coal

Nuclear energy

Biofuels

All of the above

[hidden 470080 'explanation']

Answers:

Gasoline

Wind

Coal

Biofuels Are all derived from solar energy

Biofuels derive energy from photosynthesis which is powered from the sun. All fossil fuels can be thought of as "paleo-biofuels" and are a form of stored solar energy. Wind energy is created by the uneven heating of the earth's surface, which is driven by solar input.

Nuclear energy is not derived from the sun. Nuclear energy comes from the energy released when atoms are split apart and some mass is converted to energy.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 2: [link energy2.html 'Energy in physical processes' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?search_text=energy+sources&Search=search 'teaching materials' new] about energy sources.

2. About how much of the total energy use in the United States is supplied by renewable forms of energy?

4%

12%

20%

35%

[hidden 470086 'explanation'] As of 2021, 12% of the US energy supply is supplied by renewable energy sources. This includes biomass, hydropower, wind, solar, and geothermal.

79% of the US energy supply comes from fossil fuels, while 8% is from nuclear energy.

If you consider only electricity generation instead of total energy, then renewables accounted for 21.5% of the total in 2022, according to the [link https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=92&t=4 'Energy Information Administration'].

Learn more: [link http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=about_sources_of_energy-basics 'US Energy Consumption by Source'], from the US Energy Information Administration. Note that this link is updated with new statistics each year.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 4: [link energy4.html 'Various sources of energy can be used to power human activities' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?search_text=renewable%20energy 'teaching materials' new] about renewable energy.

3. Which form of energy is currently causing the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, globally?

Natural gas

Coal

Oil

Nuclear

[hidden 470088 'explanation']

Coal is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

For updated data and graphics about fossil fuel use, see Our World in Data's [link https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels 'fossil fuel'] section.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 5: [link energy5.html 'Energy decisions are influenced by economic, political, environmental, and social factors' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__161%3A%2A&q2=sercvocabs__161%3A80&q3=sercvocabs__161%3A88 'teaching materials' new] about trends in energy use.

4. How about in the United States - which type of energy is currently the leading emitter of greenhouse gases?

Natural gas

Coal

Oil

Nuclear

[hidden 470091 'explanation']

Burning oil is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. This includes gasoline, diesel and other transportation fuels, which are the largest consumers of oil.

For updated data and graphics about fossil fuel use, see Our World in Data's [link https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels 'fossil fuel'] section.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 5: [link energy5.html 'Energy decisions are influenced by economic, political, environmental, and social factors' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__161%3A%2A&q2=sercvocabs__161%3A80&q3=sercvocabs__161%3A88 'teaching materials' new] about trends in energy use.

5. The United States has reduced its greenhouse emissions by 12% from the peak in 2007. Which energy sector is the source for almost all of this emissions reduction?

Transportation

Electricity generation

Industrial energy use

Residential energy use

Commercial energy use

[hidden 470093 'explanation']The main source of U.S. emissions reduction is electricity generation.

Over time, each of the other sectors has remained fairly flat, aside from a dip in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Use the graph below to see how emissions from different sources of energy have either increased or decreased over time.

The main reason the U.S. has decreased emissions is because of a reduction in coal burning. Note that this graph shows emissions from all energy sectors, not just electricity generation.

Sources:

[link https://www.c2es.org/content/u-s-emissions/ 'U.S. Emissions'], from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy data from the [link https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/ 'Monthly Energy Review'] (updated every month)

Data for emissions from the [link https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/sec11.pdf 'June 2021'] version of EIA's Monthly Energy Review

6. The biggest use of energy in the typical US home is:

Home electronics

Water heating (such as for hot showers or laundry)

Space heating (heating the house itself)

Lighting

Cooking

[hidden 470095 'explanation'] According to the US Energy Information Administration, space heating uses the most household energy, consuming 43% of the total energy used in an average American home. Water heating is the next largest use, followed by air conditioning. (2015 [link https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php 'data'], and this page is updated periodically.)

Sources:

[link https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php 'Energy Use in Homes'] US Energy Information Administration

[link http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-use/home-work/ 'How we use Energy at Home and Work'], from the National Academy of Sciences. Contains a useful graph of various energy uses in the home.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 6: [link energy6.html 'The amount of energy used by human society depends on many factors' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?search_text=personal+energy&Search=search 'teaching materials' new] about personal energy use.

7. True or false: The primary solution for climate change is for individuals to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints.

True

False

[hidden 470100 'explanation']False.

The primary solution for climate change is systemic reductions of carbon emissions. In other words, the changes that are necessary to curb the worst effects of climate change hinge on large-scale action. The scale of needed reductions is vast; only national and international efforts can achieve what's needed.

However, individual actions are significant in several ways.

Small reductions in emissions do add up. It's worthwhile for individuals, families, and communities to identify their largest sources of emissions and minimize them where possible.
Making personal reductions in energy use or greenhouse emissions is helpful to illustrate the types of solutions needed, and the scale that the problem demands. For example, if someone makes an effort to use public transit to get to school, they will also learn about the strengths and weaknesses of their community's transit system. That may allow them to understand the role of public transit in reducing transportation emissions.
Taking part in small scale solutions can contribute to larger-scale solutions. In the examples above, each person that uses the transit system helps make the overall system worthwhile, thus helping the solution be successful, and perhaps leading to additional transit routes or services.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 6: [link energy6.html 'The amount of energy used by human society depends on many factors' new].

See [link https://cleanet.org/clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__199%3A28 'teaching materials' new] related to this topic

8. True or false: Wind turbines are a leading source of bird deaths

True

False

[hidden 470102 'explanation']

×

Leading causes of human-related bird mortality in the US. Data from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, compiled from multiple studies.
Provenance: Karin Kirk, Freelance Science Writer and Geoscientist
Reuse: This item is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this item for non-commercial purposes as long as you provide attribution and offer any derivative works under a similar license.

False.

Cats are far and away the leading cause of 'unnatural' bird deaths, followed by collisions with buildings, vehicles, electrical lines, and communications towers. Wind turbine collisions are relatively small compared to these other threats. Nonetheless, the effect of wind turbines on bird populations is a serious problem that merits careful attention. But at the same time, it's important to consider the impact wind turbines alongside other threats and to prioritize bird health in many ways, such as protection of habitats and siting structures out of migratory paths and breeding areas.

As with many aspects of energy literacy, a quantitative approach can illuminate the scale of different problems.

Source: [link https://www.fws.gov/birds/bird-enthusiasts/threats-to-birds.php 'Threats to Birds'], by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, compiled from several studies.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 7: [link energy7.html 'The quality of life of individuals and societies (and birds!) is affected by energy choices' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?search_text=wind%20turbines 'teaching materials' new] about wind turbines.

Solar Thermal Tower

9. Which single technology can provide society with a seamless transition to cheap, safe and carbon-free energy?

Electric cars

Concentrating solar power

Nuclear power

Clean coal

Hydrogen fuel cells

Wind turbines

Natural gas

All of the above

None of the above

[hidden 470103 'explanation']

None of the above.

There is no single "silver bullet" technology that will give us a simple transition to carbon-free energy for home heating, transportation, manufacturing, and other large uses of energy. Every source of energy has its drawbacks and benefits, and a transition to new forms of energy will involve many different technologies, along with improvements in efficiency and changes in infrastructure.

The longer we wait to decarbonize our energy supply, the more challenging it will be to do so in time to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Transitioning to carbon-free energy is a high priority in some societies, but not all.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 7: [link energy7.html 'The quality of life of individuals and societies is affected by energy choices' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__129%3A%2A&q2=sercvocabs__458%3A%2A&q3=sercvocabs__458%3A2&q4=sercvocabs__161%3A%2A&q5=sercvocabs__161%3A80 'teaching materials' new] about energy solutions.

Coffee pot

10. What uses more energy? Six hours of laptop use or making coffee?

Six hours of laptop use

Making coffee

They are about the same

[hidden 470105 'explanation'] They are about the same. A laptop uses 15-60 watts of electricity. The exact amount depends on the type of laptop and the intensity of use, such as how many programs are open, if a CD is in use or if the hard drive is being used often. Six hours of use of a laptop of 45 watts equals 270 watt-hours.

Making a coffee can be achieved in many ways. An average coffee maker typically uses 900 watts of electricity and runs for about 15 minutes, which requires 225 watt-hours. To make a coffee on the stove, a burner requires 2,500 watts and lasts about 5 minutes in boiling water. This equals 208 watt-hours,

You can see and tweak all the variables yourself using the following spreadsheet for coffee makers and laptops. Coffee vs Computer Spreadsheet (Excel 2007 (.xlsx) 12kB Dec14 10).

Practical reference: [link http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html ' How much electricity do household items use?'] by Michael Bluejay

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 7: [link energy7.html 'The quality of life of individuals and societies is affected by energy choices' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__129%3A%2A&q2=sercvocabs__458%3A%2A&q3=sercvocabs__458%3A2&q4=sercvocabs__161%3A%2A&q5=sercvocabs__161%3A80 'teaching materials' new] about energy solutions.

This question relates to Energy Literacy Principle 6: [link energy6.html 'The amount of energy used by human society depends on many factors' new].

See [link /clean/educational_resources/collection/index.html?q1=sercvocabs__161%3A%2A&q2=sercvocabs__161%3A80&q3=sercvocabs__161%3A89 'teaching materials about energy policy.' new]

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