ENV TEST 2

Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called ________.

Hadley cells

The stratospheric ozone layer is important to ecosystems because it ________.

absorbs and scatters UV light

The breakdown of large rocks into smaller pieces is ________.

affected by rainfall, freezing, and thawing

The biosphere is best defined as ________.

all Earth's organisms and the nonliving environment with which they interact

The relative humidity is the ________.

amount of water vapor a given volume of air holds compared to the maximum amount it could hold at a given temperature

Residence time is the ________.

average length of time a molecule of a substance spends in the environment

Carbon monoxide ________.

blocks oxygen transport in human blood

Which of the following is the chief cause of industrial smog?

burning fossil fuels

Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by autotrophs ________.

by producing synthetic fertilizers and applying them to crops, lawns, and parks

Which of the following describes a property of pure water?

can hold many molecules in solution

Which of the following represents chemosynthesis?

carbon dioxide + water + hydrogen sulfide → sugar + sulfuric acid

Lead enters the atmosphere as a particulate pollutant. This is a problem because lead ________.

causes central nervous system damage in humans

Bacteria and fungal spores are potential ________.

causes of "sick-building syndrome"

Forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots, what compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissues?

cellulose

When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting ________.

chemical to thermal energy

What are the three distinct layers of the earth?

core, mantle, crust

Seasons are a result of ________.

differences in the amount and intensity of sunlight brought about by the tilt of Earth's axis

The type of tectonic plate boundary at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is referred to as a ________.

divergent boundary

Which of the following describes mass wasting?

downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity

Earthquakes result from ________.

energy released from movement at plate boundaries and fault

We use ________ to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.

enzymes

The eutrophication that has taken place in Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and other locations appears to be due to ________.

excess nutrients from fertilizers

The Coriolis effect contributes to ________.

global wind patterns

Which of the following reactions represents cellular respiration?

glucose + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + energy

The force driving plate tectonics is ________.

heat in the deepest layers of the earth

Temperature increases with altitude through most of the stratosphere because ________.

heat is released when oxygen and ozone absorb the sun's UV radiation

What is the type of rock formed when magma or lava cools?

igneous

You have been hired by a rapidly growing small city to improve the air quality, which has deteriorated in the past 10 years. What would be a logical action to take?

improve transportation options, including carpool lanes, buses, and light rail

The majority of Earth's fresh water exists ________.

in the form of ice

In an aquatic ecosystem experiencing eutrophication, levels of dissolved macronutrients ________ and dissolved oxygen levels ________.

increase; decease

One problem that occurs as a consequence of CFC pollution is ________.

increasing skin cancer in humans

The Coriolis effect ________.

is caused by earth's rotational forces

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it ________.

is formed only in the presence of sunlight

Tropospheric ozone ________.

is produced through the interaction of UV light with nitrogen oxides and carbon-containing compounds

What are Earth's structural spheres?

lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

Rock that has undergone heat or pressure that causes it to change form is called ________.

metamorphic

Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen available to plants and is carried out by ________.

mutualistic and free‑living bacteria

Mutualistic relationships between bacteria and certain root nodules play an important role in the global cycling of ________.

nitrogen

What gas comprises the largest portion of Earth's atmosphere?

nitrogen

The Earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of ________.

nitrogen and oxygen

The process of subduction ________.

occurs when denser ocean crusts slide beneath lighter continental crusts

The phosphorus in all biological tissues can traced back to ________.

phosphorus weathered from rock

pH influences ________.

plant growth

River water held behind a dam is best described as a form of ________.

potential energy

Skin, hair, muscles, and enzymes are all made up of ________.

proteins

Cellular respiration ________.

releases carbon dioxide and water

The Montreal Protocol ________.

resulted in significant reduction in the production of CFCs by signatory nations

Soil texture refers to the relative amounts of ________ in soil.

sand, silt, and clay

The largest pool of carbon in the carbon cycle is ________.

sedimentary rock

The primary causes of acid deposition are ________.

sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

Precipitation ________.

that is acidic would have a pH lower than pure water

During photosynthesis within plants, ________.

there is net consumption of water and carbon dioxide

The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a(n) ________.

transform plate boundary

Biodiversity is partially influenced by net primary productivity. Where can the highest terrestrial rates of NPP be found?

tropical rainforests

Weather patterns are largely determined in the ________.

troposphere

Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce ________.

tsunamis

Air moving along Earth's surface near the equator tends to be ________.

warmer and wetter than air at higher latitudes; it then rises, expands and cools

Consider the following processes: respiration, chemosynthesis, combustion of firewood, and photosynthesis. How many of these result in the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?

1

A solution with a pH of 3 is ________ a solution with a pH of 5.

100 times more acidic

Decomposers are most likely found in the ________.

A and O horizons

________ is any network of relationships among a group of components, which interact with and influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter, or information.

A system

Today, ________ has the worst acid deposition problem, primarily because of ________.

China; coal-fired electrical and industrial plants

________ cause water molecules to interact and adhere to one another.

Hydrogen bonds

Which of the following is a consequence of acid deposition?

It leaches important minerals from soils.

________ is defined as the number of protons plus the number of neutrons.

Mass number

________ are composed of amino acids.

Proteins