Unit 7 Darkbox APES
The concentration of H+ ions in a solution with a pH value of 4 is how many times as great as the concentration of H+ ions in a solution with a pH value of 7 ?
1,000
Approximately how many more times acidic, in terms of H+ concentration, is precipitation in the northeastern United States as compared to precipitation in the South Pacific?
10
Based on the data in the graph, which of the following illustrates the approximate percent increase in total water withdrawals between 1970 and 2010 ?
56
Which of the different components of smog depicted in the graph are most likely released from automobile exhaust?
A and B
Which of the following would most likely neutralize the effect of acid rain on bodies of water, based on the composition of soils and bedrock in the region?
A forest underlain by limestone
Which of the following best describes a potential unintended negative consequence of implementing measures to control acid deposition?
A reduction in sulfur for crops as a result of less acidic rainfall, leading to an increased need for sulfur supplements
A paper company located on the banks of a river discharges its treated wastewater into the river. Which of the following would be the best control group to evaluate the treated wastewater from the paper company?
A sample of water upstream from the same river
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
(A) Asbestos (B) Radon (C) Lead (D) Carbon monoxide (E) Formaldehyde Composed of fibers known to cause lung disease
Asbestos
Which of the following is a primary air pollutant produced from burning coal?
Carbon monoxide
The graph below shows the experimental data from an investigation testing how carbon monoxide levels in the ambient air alter the amount of oxygen hemoglobin can carry. The experiment was performed with five different laboratory mice. Each mouse was kept in its own habitat under constant conditions of water, food, light, and temperature. Each mouse was exposed to a different concentration of carbon monoxide, and the oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin was measured. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the investigation?
Carbon monoxide impairs the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream.
Which of the following is a nonanthropogenic source of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere?
Cellular respiration
(A) Uranium-238 (B) Coal (C) Natural gas (D) Oil (E) Solar Is primarily responsible for acid rain in the northeast United States
Coal
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
Which of the following would be the most likely effect of acid deposition on a northern forest?
Decreased ability of trees to withstand cold weather
Which of the following statements correctly explains the tectonic plate activity on the West Coast of the United States?
Earthquakes occur at the San Andreas Fault when stored energy is released from locked plates.
Particulates can be removed from smokestack emissions by which of the following methods?
Electrostatic precipitators
(A) Asbestos (B) Radon (C) Lead (D) Carbon monoxide (E) Formaldehyde Emitted from most manufactured building materials and furniture
Formaldehyde
Which of the following energy sources produces the most air pollutants when used during the generation of electricity?
Fuel oil
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
Which of the following describes a potential human health effect most likely to be associated with a thermal inversion?
Increase in respiratory irritation due to increased levels of fine airborne particulates
Which of the following is a human health impact associated with exposure to radon gas inside homes or other buildings?
Increased incidence of lung cancer
Over a three-year period, a city's environmental protection department measured the particulate matter (PM2.5) in a ten-square-mile area around one of the city's coal-fired power plants. The annual mean level of PM2.5 measured was 20.0μgm3 over the three-year study period. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is an annual mean level of 12.0μgm3, averaged over three years. The city instructs the manager of the power plant to propose a plan to aid the city in meeting the NAAQS for PM2.5 in the area around the power plant over the next ten years. Which of the following would be the most effective plan for the manager to propose to the city?
Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant.
Which of the following best describes one way the Clean Air Act helped reduce air pollution?
Introduced regulatory measures to control the amount of lead in fuels
What important phenomenon that often plays a role in air pollution episodes is illustrated in the diagram above?
Inversion
Which of the following is true of the Clean Air Act?
It established a cap-and-trade program for SO2 in 1990.
Which of the following best describes the effect of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide on marine organisms?
It will decrease the availability of carbonate ions in ocean water, decreasing the ability of coral to form shells.
(A) Asbestos (B) Radon (C) Lead (D) Carbon monoxide (E) Formaldehyde Found in old plumbing pipes and fixtures and some ceramic glazes
Lead
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States recommends taking corrective measures to reduce exposure to radon gas. The EPA has set an action level of 4pCiL for radon gas. The graph below shows radon samples taken from seventeen buildings in California. The radon samples were taken from the air inside the buildings, and the uranium concentrations were sampled from the soil under the buildings. Data points from four of the seventeen building locations are labeled A-D. Which of the following conclusions can best be drawn from the data in the graph?
Location A has the greatest need for remediation because the radon levels in the building are the highest and exceed the EPA action level.
Which of the following best explains the pattern in NO concentration?
NO is produced by rush-hour traffic and is quickly oxidized in the atmosphere.
Chemical compound that can cause algal blooms and cultural eutrophication in streams
Nitrates (NO3− )
Chemical compound that leads to formation of photochemical smog in the troposphere when it reacts with other compounds in the presence of sunlight
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Which of the following correctly pairs a greenhouse gas with its primary anthropogenic source?
Nitrous oxide and agricultural practices
The graph below shows the experimental data from an investigation testing how carbon monoxide levels in the ambient air alter the amount of oxygen hemoglobin can carry. The experiment was performed with five different laboratory mice. Each mouse was kept in its own habitat under constant conditions of water, food, light, and temperature. Each mouse was exposed to a different concentration of carbon monoxide, and the oxygen saturation level of hemoglobin was measured. Which of the following modifications would improve the validity of the investigation?
Perform the experiment on a larger sample size of mice.
Which of the following areas shown on the map of the United States has a history of coal deposits and is most likely to have mining operations?
Point B
(A) Radon (B) Mercury (C) Lead (D) Copper (E) Iron A gaseous decay product of uranium that is found in rocks
Radon
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.
Which of the following best describes why secondary succession generally occurs more quickly than primary succession?
Secondary succession takes place in areas that already have soil and nutrients in place, whereas primary succession occurs in areas that lack soil.
Of the following, which is true of noise pollution?
Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss.
(A) Sulfur dioxide (B) Lead (C) Ozone (D) Hydrocarbons (E) Particulates Most often cited as the causative factor for acid deposition
Sulfur dioxide
Which of the following air pollutants is correctly paired with one of its major effects?
Sulfur oxides . . acid deposition
Based on the layers in the diagram, which of the following best explains why a thermal inversion tends to concentrate pollutants in the air layer closest to the Earth's surface?
The air layer closest to the Earth's surface is denser than the layer above it.
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.
Acid rain is associated with which of the following?
The burning of fossil fuels
A student is setting up a model to study the carbon cycle and natural sources of carbon dioxide. They create a microenvironment that contains soil, leaf debris, an earthworm, heterotrophic bacteria, and a sun lamp. What natural source of carbon dioxide and major metabolic process was left out of the model?
There is no representation of photosynthesis in the model environment.
Which of the following sources should be examined in a study to determine the impact of a geologic source on levels of CO2 in the atmosphere?
Volcanoes
Which of the following is used to reduce SO2 emissions from coal-burning power plants?
Wet-scrubber units
Which of the following is a natural source of atmospheric carbon dioxide?
Which of the following is a natural source of atmospheric carbon dioxide?Decomposition of organic matter
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
In 1950 the pH of the pond water was 8.2, but by 2000 the pH had decreased to 5.2. An effective short-term remediation strategy for the pond would be to
add calcium carbonate to the pond water
The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States are
industry, transportation, and energy production
The major human health problem related to radon accumulation is
lung cancer
The major source of radon in houses in the United States is
the underlying bedrock
If the air layers in the diagram were relabeled to illustrate normal atmospheric conditions, the correct labeling from the air layer closest to the Earth's surface to the one farthest from the Earth's surface would be
warm air, cool air, cooler air
