Geology Week 9 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Geology Week 9 questions - Essay Example In the beginning, the shortages would cause inconveniences. Gas stations would run out of fuel. When gas was available, the prices would be outrageous. Plastic products would become rarer. A change would occur, but not easily. Green powered energy would become the new business. In the end, Americans would produce the energy needed as history has shown. 2. Investigate how geophysicist M. King Hubbert predicted in 1956 that annual U.S. oil production would peak in the early 1970s (the actual peak occurred in 1971). Also, investigate the debate over whether the same predictive technique can be applied to world oil supplies. When do you think world oil production will reach its peak—or has it done so already? Hubbert was a geologist. He predicted that oil would peak. His (Hubbert 1958) rationalization was it took 500 million years for the oil reserve to be formed. The reserve was limited. Oil would peak and then decline depending on usage. He also based his prediction on coal. The figures of coal production, peaking, and finally declining was a basis of part of his prediction. Hubbert (1958) used the following calculations with t standing for time is t=0 at the beginning and at first t equals a finite limit to reserves that are in a specific amount. The t will peak and eventually go back to 0. Using a complicated calculus formula that only a true mathematician could understand, he came up with the following chart: Hubbert was scoffed at for this prediction. Short term people would laugh and say oil would run out far in the future. Hubbert did not base his predication on feelings or emotions, he used a formula. He could prove what he was saying. It is looking like Hubbert was the only smart one that could face reality. 3. Many hydrothermal mineral deposits of copper, gold, silver, and other metals have been found in the countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. Can you offer an explanation for this remarkable concentration? If you were