APES Ch 5
How many units of energy are absorbed by Earth's surface?
120
The LD50 for arsenic in humans is 13mg/kg. Which of the following approaches should be used to calculate the number of grams of arsenic it would take to reach the LD50 in a 140-pound person? [Note: 1kg=2.2pounds]
140lb×(1kg/2.2lb)×(13mg/1kg)×(1g/1,000mg)
NOx vehicle release
458700
A pesticide was applied to a population of roaches, and it was determined that the LD50 was 55mgkg. If the average mass of a roach was 0.02kg, which of the following approaches will determine the dose in mg per roach?
55mg1kg×0.02kg
(Note: ↑ represents an increase; ↓ represents a decrease)
A
Based on the diagram, which of the following is associated with the primary treatment of sewage?
A Grit chamber
Surface oceanic circulation results most directly in the
A distribution of heat from tropical to temperate and polar regions
Which of the following identifies and describes the equipment needed to best determine the amount of water that infiltrated the soil?
A ruler should be used to measure the level of water above the pavers in both pallets immediately after pouring the water over the pavers and immediately after the one-hour wait time
If Earth had no atmosphere, the mean surface temperature would be approximately -15°C. With our present atmosphere, Earth's mean surface temperature is approximately +15°C. Which of the following is the best explanation for this difference?
Absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases
When scientists discover the existence of an emerging infectious disease such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), they must take immediate steps to determine the cause of the disease and the method of transmission. These initial steps would include which of the following?
Acquiring recent medical and travel histories of the disease victims
Which of the following components of a wastewater treatment plants designed to facilitate the decomposition of organic material by aerobic microorganisms?
Activated-sludge tank
Which of the following best describes the action of an endocrine disruptor?
An endocrine disruptor blocks the receptor protein binding site of a hormone so that the cell cannot receive a signal.
Which of the following would be the strongest evidence in support of a scientist's contention that a local area was experiencing acid deposition?
An increase in the concentrations of soluble heavy metals in a local pond
The drop in stratospheric ozone levels in the Southern Hemisphere (the "ozone hole") is most evident during which season?
Antarctic spring (October)
Composed of fibers known to cause lung disease
Asbestos
Which of the following is the human health impact most closely associated with atmospheric particulates?
Asthma
The graph above shows the effect of sewage on biological oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in a flowing stream. The smallest fish populations will most probably be found at point
B
The zone in which the greatest total mass of CO2 is absorbed from the atmosphere
B
Major anthropogenic sources of nitrogen pollution include commercial fertilizers, vehicle exhaust, industrial air pollution, and
B discharge of sewage to surface waters
Which of the following best identifies the reason that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were banned in 1996 by the Montreal Protocol?
CFCsCFCs led to the destruction of stratospheric ozone.
Catalytic converters reduce which of the following pairs of pollutants in car exhaust?
Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
Which of the following best explains why DDT has been found in penguin eggs in the Antarctic?
Chemicals used in one region of Earth can circulate in the biosphere and affect organisms in a distant region.
Which of the following substances is released by CFC's and catalyzes a chain reaction that breaks down ozone in the upper atmosphere?
Chlorine
Mandates the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters
Clean Water Act
Which type of electricity-generating power plant releases radioactive materials as well as toxic metals such as lead and arsenic under normal operating conditions?
Coal-burning
Global warming is most likely to directly cause which of the following?
Coastal flooding and submersion of low-lying areas
Which of the following federal laws specifically deals with the cleanup of abandoned hazardous waste sites?
Comprehensive Environmental Responsibility Compensation and Liability Act
Large quantities of methane hydrates are located in this region and if released will contribute significantly to global climate change.
D
Which of the following is true of the Clean Air Act?
D It established a cap-and-trade program for SO2 in 1990.
Which of the following best describes why DDT is classified as a persistent organic pollutant?
DDTDDT is very stable, and as much as 50% of the original concentration can remain in the soil 15 years after the initial application.
Which of the following would most likely reduce the concentration of ground-level ozone in the air of a city?
Decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an effect of global warming?
Decreased rate of photosynthesis in vegetation
Which of the following components, which are not shown on the diagram, are part of the tertiary treatment of wastewater?
Disinfectants
Which of the following human activities is most closely associated with depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer?
Disposal of refrigerators and air conditioners
Which of the following would add the most support to the reliability of this series of experiments?
Duplicate the experiment under identical conditions, and get similar results.
Researchers suspect that sewage leaked into the Moose River. Rates for which of the following diseases should be used to determine whether the human population using the river as a source of drinking water was exposed to sewage?
Dysentery
Which latitude shown on the diagram above experiences 24 hours of daylight on December 21?
E
Which of the following best describes how an anthropogenic activity can increase ocean acidification?
Emissions from power plants that burn fossil fuels increase atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by the ocean.
Which of the following characteristically produces non-point-source pollution?
Erosion from agricultural land
Which of the following examples includes both a point and a nonpoint source of pollution?
Fertilizer from suburban lawns and wastewater from a water treatment plant
Emitted from most manufactured building materials and furniture
Formaldehyde
Recent studies have found that fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less can have negative human health effects. Which of the following correctly links a negative human health effect to an anthropogenic source of fine particulate matter?
High rates of respiratory disease from power plant emissions
Endocrine disruptors directly affect which of the following in an organism?
Hormones
The amount of sediment deposited at the mouth of a river system is likely to be increased by the presence upstream of which of the following? Artificial levees and embankments Dams Extensive natural wetlands
I only
Which of the following events would most likely lead to a decrease in the pH in the oceans?
Increased burning of fossil fuels in power plants
Rachel Carson's contributions to the environmental movement include which of the following?
Increasing public awareness of the risks of using pesticides
Which of the following types of releases of greenhouse gases from an anthropogenic source is shown in the diagram?
Industrial and agricultural practices releasing CH4CH4 into the atmosphere
The presence of which of the following in soil is most likely to neutralize acid rain?
Limestone
Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions?
Los Angeles, California
Significant increases in water temperature can drastically change dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in a lake. Why does the combined effect of these two environmental changes result in algal blooms?
Low dissolved oxygen leads to death for aerobic organisms, like fish, whose decomposition provides an overabundance of nutrients for the algae, resulting in the large blooms.
Which of the following best explains why scientists are increasingly concerned about the effect of methane gas emissions on global climate if they are a relatively small percent of greenhouse gases released?
Methane gas has a higher global warming potential (GWPGWP) than carbon dioxide does, so it can trap more heat in the atmosphere.
Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is also a by-product of anaerobic respiration?
Methane, CH4
Addressed the issue of stratospheric ozone depletion
Montreal Protocol
Which of the following human health issues is linked to exposure to pollutants released during the incineration of plastic waste?
NOT mesothelioma
All of the following gases have been implicated in contributing to the increase in global temperature via the greenhouse effect EXCEPT
O2
Which of the following is a point source pollutant that would likely affect the ecosystem health of a coral reef?
Oil released from the broken hull of a shipwrecked tanker
The processes described above are steps in the purification and treatment of municipal wastewater. The steps are listed in random order. Which of the following lists the steps in the correct sequence?
P → S → R → Q
Is the major pollutant that electrostatic precipitators are designed to remove from power-plant smokestack emissions
Particulates
Which of the following best describes a way that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) cause harm in the environment?
Persistent organic pollutants are soluble in fat, so they accumulate in an organisms' fatty tissues
Which of the following will result in accelerated eutrophication when introduced into streams, lakes, and bays?
Phosphates
Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid deposition problems?
Reducing use of fossil fuels
Which of the following would best improve the validity of the experiment?
Repeating the experiment several times and comparing the results
Based on the diagram, which of the following is the most likely reason that a community with good sanitation could still have individuals who contract cholera?
Runoff from a nearby agricultural field pollutes a reservoir used for drinking water.
Waste from which of the following is an example of nonpoint source pollution?
Runoff from agricultural fields
If all four of the bacteria species shown in the graph are equally likely to contaminate agricultural products at a dose of 102 CFU, regulating which of the following species would have the greatest effect in reducing the likelihood of illness in humans?
Salmonella sppspp.
Which of the following is an appropriate remediation strategy for removing radon gas from the home?
Seal or ventilate places where radon enters the living space.
Based on the data table above for a stream in Illinois, which site most likely has a construction site immediately upstream from it?
Site C
Which of the following best illustrates point-source pollution?
Smokestack emissions from a large smelting company
Is an important precursor to acid rain
Sulfur dioxide
The air pollutant that computer simulations would likely show as being the most reduced by the use of fluidized-bed combustion in the boiler furnaces
Sulfur dioxide
Which of the following best exemplifies global collaboration for a sustainable environment?
The Montreal Protocol
If the diagram illustrates Earth's relative position on December 21 of a given year, which of the following statements would be correct?
The Tropic of Cancer has a shorter day and lower solar radiation intensity because there is a direct relationship between day length and radiation intensity.
Why did the DO after one week decrease as the amount of waste increased?
The algae multiplied and then died and decomposed.
Consumers who get their electricity from coal-fired power plants are not paying the true cost of energy production in their monthly utility bills. Which of the following is true about utility bills for these consumers?
The bills do not include public health costs, such as those associated with air pollution.
Based on the diagram, which of the following best predicts how an increase in greenhouse gases would affect the ocean?
The oceans would be warmed because of increased solar radiation being absorbed by the water, causing expansion and sea level rise
Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the figure below, which depicts the observed relation between dietary fat intake and rate of death from breast cancer in different countries. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data?
There is a positive correlation between breast cancer and dietary fate intake
Many scientists maintain that a rise in sea level has occurred in the last hundred years as a result of global warming. If this is true, which of the following factors best explains such a rise?
Thermal expansion of the ocean
Which of the following is true of sewage treatment plants in the United States?
They are not designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals from wastewater.
Which of the following is a measure of the amount of suspended material in water?
Turbidity
Which of the following is used to reduce SO2 emissions from coal-burning power plants?
Wet-scrubber units
Smoke from forest fires is most likely to affect air quality over larger areas for many days when
a persistent atmospheric inversion exists in the region
All of the following are commonly used to deal with the side effects of eutrophication in lakes EXCEPT
adding nitrates
The risk that many cancer-causing chemicals pose to humans can be estimated using laboratory tests on rats. A significant scientific limitation of such tests is that
animal models may not reflect human responses
Based on the LD50 values, which of the following best describes the toxicity level of the household substances shown in the table
antifreeze is more toxic than aspirin
Eutrophication results in the death of trout and other fish as a result of
asphyxiation from lack of oxygen
The primary cause of acid precipitation in the northeastern United States is
burning of sulfur-containing fossil fuels to produce electricity
The majority of atmospheric mercury is produced by
coal-burning power plants
Most plastics pose a special problem in the waste stream because they
decompose slowly, if at all, and persist as solid waste
Toxicologists say, "the dose makes the poison," meaning that most substances are harmful in high enough concentrations. The data for anastrozole
does not support this concept because as concentration increases, response decreases
noise pollution bat populations
highway noise interfearing with ecolocation, preventing them from successfully ...
Most data indicate that, during the past 100 years, mean global annual temperature has
increased by 0.5°C
The increase in mean global temperature is likely to result in all of the following EXCEPT
increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation
Implicated in human neurological damage
lead
Was once widely used in the United States as a gasoline additive
lead
The activity with the health risk most likely to be overestimated by the general public in the United States is
living near a nuclear power plant
A point source discharges organic waste into a stream. Which of the following graphs best depicts the expected pattern for dissolved oxygen (DO) in this stream as a function of distance from the discharge point?
loopy down
The major human health problem related to radon accumulation is
lung cancer
The data in the graph can be useful in explaining the greenhouse effects when they are compared with
mean global temperatures
Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from
motor-vehicle exhaust
flooding downstream from urban areas. strategy w/ flooding?
preserve open areas with intact vegetation
A gaseous decay product of uranium that is found in rocks
radon
A laboratory study using rats showed a steady increase in physical effects as the concentration of a toxic substance in their food was increased. This suggests that
the dose-response relationship is linear
Of the phenomena that correlate with the data above, the one that is the most direct consequence of the trend in air travel is
the increase in the spread of infectious diseases
All of the following are likely consequences of indoor air pollution EXCEPT an increase in
the risk of developing skin cancer
In models of global warming, the most important factor contributing ot an increase in sea level is
thermal expansion of the oceans
The polar regions radiate away more heat energy than they receive from the Sun in the course of a year. However, they are prevented from becoming progressively colder each year primarily by the
transport of heat through the atmosphere and oceans
One important step that homeowners in the new development can take to protect water quality in Samel Creek would be to
use rain barrels to reduce the flow of storm water into the creek
The spread of infectious diseases is expected to increase with climate change, mainly because
warmer temperatures allow disease-carrying insects to survive in areas that were once too cold
The danger from radon gas would most likely be greatest in
well-insulated homes
Incineration is one solution to reduce the volume of municipal solid waste. Municipal solid waste can be used to produce energy at waste-to-energy plants. Based on the data in the graphs, which of the following materials would be best suited for incineration to reduce total volume, produce energy, and have minimal release of air pollutants?
wood