AP env science
In one month, your household consumes 8,000,000 kJ. How much should your electricity bill be if the electric company charges $0.12/kWh?
$267
a) Evaluate how the closing of U.S. nuclear power plants can affect the domestic production of energy. Be sure to discuss TWO advantages and TWO disadvantages of nuclear energy. (b) Natural gas is a type of fossil fuel. (i) Describe TWO environmental advantages to burning natural gas instead of coal, another type of fossil fuel. (ii) Describe ONE environmental drawback of extracting and burning natural gas. (c) An alternative to nuclear energy and fossil fuels is hydroelectric power. Discuss TWO drawbacks of hydroelectric power. (d) Experts suggest that we should decrease energy consumption through energy conservation and energy efficiency. (i) Compare energy conservation and energy efficiency. (ii) Describe ONE government action that has worked to decrease energy consumption.
(a) The closing of U.S. nuclear power plants will reduce the percentage of nuclear energy produced domestically and ultimately, cause a dependency on European and East Asian countries where nuclear energy is produced more readily. However, with US energy production more geared toward fossil fuels, a loss of domestic nuclear plants might increase the dependency on environmentally-unfriendly energy sources like coal and natural gas. Advantages of nuclear energy include the fact that it does not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases, and produces jobs and economic growth. Those benefits are often overshadowed by several of its disadvantages, which fossil fuels do not share, including variable safety in its power plants, and the expense of building those plants. (b) (i) Natural gas does not contain sulfur, making it a cleaner fossil fuel than coal, which produces toxic sulfur dioxide when burned. Additional, natural gas emits more than 50% less carbon dioxide than coal when it is processed. (ii) Hydraulic fracking is the main process used to extract natural gas from below the earth. Unfortunately, this method is detrimental to the environment, causing erosion around areas where it takes place and using significant quantities of water. (c) Hydroelectric power is a renewable resource of energy, but modifies the normal flow of water to a point where it creates siltation in a body of water, leaving riverbanks vulnerable to flooding. Another downside is the amount of land that is needed for building reservoirs and power plants, where hydroelectric power production takes place. (d) (i) Energy conservation is a term referring to saving energy by reducing the actual amount of energy used, whether by carpooling to reduce the number of cars on the road or turning the lights off in an unused room to reduce the amount of time electricity is producing light. Energy efficiency is a term referring to another strategy of saving energy, by using technology or strategies that require less energy. This might mean going the same distance as any other vehicle while using a hybrid car, which will still reduce your energy impact, or keeping the lights in the house on all day, but using lightbulbs which are made to conserve energy. (ii) The "Energy Star" program, initiated in 1992 by the Clean Air Act was a strive toward energy efficiency, and involved providing certificates to buildings and products which achieved certain energy efficiency standards. Many florescent lightbulbs received these certifications because they reduced the energy produced by incandescent bulbs, helping citizens reduce their energy use easily.
What correctly describes fossil fuels?
- non-renewable - are rich in carbon -the largest source of human-made air pollution -materials created through compression of prehistoric organic plant and animal matter
List SEVEN human activities that cause a loss of biodiversity.
-Habitat loss due to agriculture practices -Habitat loss to deforestation -Habitat loss due to urban land development -Habitat loss due to surface mining -Introduction of invasive species -Burning fossil fuels -Over-harvesting -Pollution
What are some situations showing how human activity causes habitat loss?
-Humans clear large portions of land to build homes and power plants. -Humans clear land for growing monocultures and GMOs which reduce diversity.
What correctly describes carbon oxides?
-can be poisonous -produced by the combustion of fossil fuels -produced naturally
What are advantages to hydroelectric power?
-can be used for flood control -does not produce greenhouse gases -relatively inexpensive -provides recreational opportunities
What correctly describes how oil deposits are formed?
-can become trapped by impermeable rock -forms in shale, then moves upward into porous limestone -composed of organic matter that were buried at the bottom of the ocean
What describes tropospheric ozone?
-classified as a secondary pollutant -causes respiratory problems -produced from a reaction between NOx, CO, and VOCs -also known as smog
What are some activities that produce anthropogenic greenhouse gases?
-combustion of fossil fuels -driving gas-powered vehicles -industrial farming -deforestation
Extraction, purification, and burning of fossil fuels impact the environment in what ways?
-contamination of groundwater -production of sulfur dioxide -soil erosion -habitat destruction
What correctly describes NOx?
-contributes to smog -emissions can be reduced by using catalytic converters -produces nitric acid, a secondary pollutant
What correctly describes the effects of the Industrial Revolution?
-increase in coal consumption -exponential growth of the human population -mass production of goods, including automobiles
What are caused by photochemical smog?
-indoor air pollution -increased temperatures in urban areas in the daytime -stagnant air and temperature inversions -sick building syndrome -the production of heat trapping ozone
What describes the natural changes that stratospheric ozone undergoes?
-involves ozone producing and ozone destroying processes - involves oxygen atoms and UV radiation
What are disadvantages to hydroelectric power?
-it can cause a buildup of sediments in reservoirs -it requires a lot of land -it can reduce biodiversity -it can cause a loss of sediment in riverbanks -it can cause erosion
What are some effects of ozone depletion?
-large holes in the ozone layer, especially over the poles -increased rates of skin cancer -ocular damage -coral bleaching
Characterizations of a pollutant
-materials produced by natural processes and human activity -chemicals that collect in the troposphere -chemicals that have negative environmental and health effects -can produce acid rain, smog, and temperature inversions
What are produced by the combustion of coal?
-mercury -sulfur dioxide -particulate matter
What describes stratospheric ozone?
-protects organisms from harmful UV radiation -makes up the ozone layer
What is a correct description of VOCs
-released through car exhaust -contribute to smog -include propane and CFCs
Disadvantages of nuclear energy
-releases dangerous radiation -is a non-renewable resource -dangerous accidents -waste can take a long time to decay
What correctly describes the CAFE standards?
-resulted from the Arab Oil Embargo -aimed at reducing fuel consumption
What could reduce anthropogenic climate change?
-slowing population growth -reducing fossil fuel consumption -turning to renewable energy sources -implementing sustainable agriculture methods
What correctly describes the effects of increased petroleum consumption?
-the formation of OPEC - an increase in coal consumption - energy dependence in the United States
Why are amphibians especially susceptible to extinctions?
-their egg shells are permeable -they are exposed to water and air pollution
What is true concerning nitric acid and sulfuric acid?
-they precipitate as acid rain or acid smog -they can severely damage aquatic life and marble structures -they are caused by a reaction with atmospheric water
What correctly describes hydroelectric power?
-uses the energy of flowing water to generate electricity -examples include the Hoover and Three Gorges dams -often utilizes dams
What correctly describes some impacts of climate change?
-weather extremes, with the most damaging tornadoes in the U.S. -sea level rise -melting of the polar ice caps -increasing water temperatures -migration of species
How much energy does a 100 W light bulb use if its is turned on for 3 hours?
1,080 kJ
According to the EPA, every American citizen generates about 2 kg of MSW every day, and about 60% of that can be composted. How much compostable waste does a family of 4 produce in one year?
1,752 kg
What is the percent change in the world energy consumption of 1990 and the expected world energy consumption in 2035?
118% increase
According to the EPA, every American citizen generates about 2 kg of MSW every day, and about 60% of that can be composted. How much compostable waste does a family of 2 produce in one week?
17 kg
What is the percent change in the total MSW generation in the last 50 or so years?
178% increase
Nuclear power plants began producing electricity in the _________.
1950's
In 2015, light trucks averaged a fuel efficiency of 17 mpg and domestic passenger cars averaged 23 mpg. Assuming that both vehicles travel 60,000 miles in one year, and 1 gallon of burned petroleum produces 20 lbs of CO2 gas, the truck emits nearly ___________ more pounds of CO2 gas.
20,000
At the current rate of consumption, about how long are fossil fuels expected to last?
200 years
How is oil extracted?
25% is pumped out and pressure from hot water and steam is used to force the remainder out ----> then it is boiled to refine
What is the best estimate of the total municipal solid waste produced in the U.S. in 2013?
250 million tons
Which area of the globe is experiencing damaging tornadoes?
US
Which of the following does stratospheric ozone partially or completely absorb?
UV B radiation UV C radiation
Work energy equation
W = F x d
Although water vapor is a greenhouse gas, it does not contribute significantly to the temperature changes that are occurring. Which of the following correctly describes why?
Water vapor does not stay in the atmosphere long.
Watt equation
Watt = Joules/sec
acute vs chronic effects
acute effects occur rapidly after exposure to a high concentration of a substance, where chronic effects occur over a long period of exposure to small concentrations. Chronic effects are difficult to observe and measure because they may not be seen for years.
CFCs are found in —
aerosols, industrial processes, styrofoam production, refrigerants
the form of coal which produces the most energy when burned and is 100% carbon
anthracite
Nuclear waste can take ___________ of years to completely decay.
billions
the buildup of pesticides at each trophic level resulting in toxic levels in upper level consumers
bioaccumulation
disease-causing organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and internal parasites
biological agents
the portion of the Earth that includes all living organisms
biosphere
coal that is about 85% carbon
bituminous
The majority of coal that is found in the U.S. is ___________________ which produces the ________ sulfur dioxide.
bituminous coal; most
What is a direct source of mercury?
burning coal
One example of an emission-reducing technology is the catalytic converter. Which car exhaust pollutant does a catalytic converter reduce?
carbon monoxide
hazardous waste known to cause cancer
carcinogenic
convert toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas into less toxic pollutants by initiating a chemical reaction
catalytic converters
Chlorine atoms in the atmosphere come from ____________________________
chlorofluorocarbons
when an entire forested area is cut down without a single tree left standing
clear-cutting
system in which energy does not exchange with surroundings
closed system
Most abundant fossil fuel
coal
________ provides the energy for 50% of electricity generated in the US
coal
Wind turbines can be installed on mountains as an alternative to _________________
coal mining
the shift from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates
demographic transition
are compounds that are usually produced as a byproduct of herbicide production. They can also biomagnify and cause birth defects and death.
dioxins
channels water from a river through a canal to a powerhouse; also known as run-of-river
diversion
chemicals that may interfere with the body's endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife
endocrine disrupter
using less energy
energy conservation
using technology that requires less energy
energy efficiency
using technology that requires less energy to perform the same function
energy efficiency
Describe TWO efforts to reduce biodiversity loss.
establishment of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or the IUCN, which established a classification system to identify the endangerment status of organisms law known as the Endangered Species Act, which was designed to protect endangered and threatened species smarter urban development selective tree cropping
the contamination of a water system with excess nutrients, which stimulates excessive algae growth at the expense of other parts of the ecosystem
eutrophication
materials that are created through the compression of prehistoric organic plant and animal matter in the Earth's crust
fossil fuels
-their concentrations have increased due to human activity -they are naturally produced -they include CFCs, CO2, N2O, CH4, and SF6 -they trap heat
greenhouse gases
Burning oil produces about _____ as much sulfur dioxide as burning coal does.
half
the time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay
half-life
when a body of water has low oxygen levels
hypoxic
uses control gates and dams to store water in a reservoir
impoundment
Coal consumption saw a(n) __________ following conflicts with OPEC nations.
increase
Coal consumption saw an ______________ following conflicts with OPEC nations.
increase
What describes an advantage of using coal?
it is easily mined
a species that an ecosystem depends on for survival
keystone species
Which of the following is the most widely used method of solid waste disposal in the U.S.?
landfills
the softest form of coal; has the lowest energy output and lowest sulfur output
lignite
If there is more light, like there is during the summer time, then there will be ________ ozone production.
more
The reactions between chlorine and ozone produce ________ chlorine, which will destroy even more ozone.
more
Oil produces ________ energy than coal with ______ pollutants
more; less
hazardous waste known to cause DNA mutation
mutagenic
Considered the cleanest fossil fuel
natural gas
a mixture of gases, including methane, often located in reservoirs with oil deposits
natural gas
transforming atmospheric nitrogen into a biologically available nutrient
nitrogen fixing
makes up 99% of the total solid waste generated in the U.S.
non-MSW
when a nucleus split into two smaller nuclei and about three neutrons releasing enormous amounts of energy
nuclear fission
system in which energy is exchanged with surroundings
open system
Which of the following makes up the largest percentage of municipal solid waste in the U.S.?
paper
example of MSW
paper
became widely used during the Green Revolution to increase crop yields and prevent insect-borne diseases
pesticides
Mass production of automobiles in the late 20th century led to a large increase in the consumption of _____________________
petroleum (refined oil)
the first organisms to colonize new soil
pioneer species
What best describes the progression of materials that form coal?
plant matter ⟶ peat ⟶ lignite ⟶ bituminous coal
chemicals that have negative health and environmental effects
pollutants
chemicals that have negative environmental and health effects
pollution
the conversion of bare rock to soil over time, through the processes of weathering and erosion
primary succession
What are some benefits of biodiversity?
production of resources net primary productivity regulation of water recreation
during high-demand periods, water flows downward to a lower reservoir
pumped storage
transports water to a higher reservoir during low-demand times
pumped storage
the energy and particles released as a radioactive nucleus decays
radiation
a characteristic of atomic nuclei; the ability to naturally decay over time
radioactive
Which of the following correctly ranks the "three R's" from least effective to most effective?
recycle, reuse, reduce
when the fertility or health of soil decreases
soil degradation
What is a negative impact of the use of biomass?
soil erosion
how many species are found in the ecosystem
species richness
Chlorine atoms are largely responsible for the depletion of _______________________.
stratospheric ozone
How is coal extracted?
strip-mining sub-surface mining
the population shift from urban areas to suburban areas in developed countries
suburban sprawl
everything outside of the matter relevant to a particular energy transfer
surroundings
liquid fuel obtained from syngas (mix of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) derived from gasification of coal/biomass
synfuels
matter relevant to a particular energy transfer
system
70% of oil fields found near _____________________________
tectonic boundaries
hazardous waste known to cause birth defects
teratogenic
known to cause birth defects
teratogenic
Which two countries are the largest producers of greenhouse gases?
the U.S. and China
What country has the highest per capita energy use?
the United States
The majority of the world's natural gas reserves are found where?
the United States and the Middle East
Eutrophication is a harmful environmental effect and can result in the death of aquatic organisms, such as fish, due to —
the lack of dissolved oxygen
What is a likely cause of algal blooms in a lake?
the use of nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich fertilizers
What is a limitation to the use of photovoltaic cells as a method of generating electricity?
they produce less electricity when it is cloudy
an estimate of the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime
total fertility rate
including mercury and lead, are usually produced as by-products of manufacturing and mining. These chemical agents biomagnify.
toxic heavy metals
the process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere
transpiration
a measure of how clear a sample of water is
turbidity
examples of energy conservation
turning off the lights when you leave the room, using mass transit
As energy flows through systems, at each step more of it becomes _________________
unusable
What is an important method for protecting water quality?
using rain barrels to reduce runoff from storm water
example of non-MSW
waste-water sludge
Based on their lifetime in the atmosphere and their heating potential, rank the six greenhouse gases in order of their impact of increasing temperature from smallest impact to largest impact.
water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride
What produces photochemical smog and what does it produce?
when nitrogen oxides (NOx) reacts with VOCs in the presences of light; produces airborne particles and ground-level ozone
EROEI must be greater than ___ to be considered a viable energy source
3
In 2014, light trucks averaged a fuel efficiency of 26.3 and domestic passenger cars averaged 36.4 mpg. Assuming that both vehicles travel 50,000 miles in one year, and 1 gallon of burned petroleum produces 20 lbs of CO2 gas, the truck produces about _____________ pounds of CO2 gas and the passenger vehicle produces about __________ fewer pounds of CO2 gas.
38,000 ; 11,000
The average passenger car had a fuel efficiency of 24.3 mpg in 1980. If a car traveled 10,000 miles, how many gallons would have been consumed?
412 gallons
Lignite is _______% carbon and _____% water
50; 50
An average Texan passed child-bearing age consumes about 225 g of blackfin tuna a month. If the blackfin tuna tissue has an average concentration of mercury of 2.5 LaTeX: \mu μ μg/g, how much mercury does the average Texan passed child-bearing age consume?
563 μg mercury
_____% of US oil is imported
66
What is the projected world energy consumption in the year 2035?
812 x 10^18 Joules
Bituminous coal is _______% carbon and _____% water
83; 5
What percentage of world energy consumption comes from non-renewable resources?
85%
Since the mid 1800s, conservation of biodiversity has been a very important concern of environmental scientists. (a) Identify THREE human activities that have causes losses in biodiversity and explain how these activities cause these losses. (b) For each of the three human activities you identified, propose a specific solution to reduce the biodiversity losses. (c) Explain TWO benefits that diverse ecosystems provide to humans.
Activities that have caused and continue to cause losses in biodiversity are: - Using chemical pesticides and fertilizers (These which wash into streams and other bodies of water and cause eutrophication, then hypoxia, killing species. Additionally, their toxic compounds are biomagnified and concentrate in top predators, causing a fall in their populations. This can disrupt the entire food chain as predators are key in maintaining population balance.) - Overharvesting (When a population is being exploited faster than it can recover, it can lead to species extinction or disturb the food chain as key species are killed off.) -Clear-cutting (This is when entire forested areas are cleared to make room for urban development or industrial use. It can remove an entire ecosystem of habitats and force species to migrate or die.) A solution for... ...chemical pesticides and fertilizers is replacing toxic substances in those pesticides and fertilizers with non-toxic, all-natural substances that can do the job just as well. These types of substances are already available, so it is just necessary to encourage farmers and corporations to use them instead of chemicals that are affecting species and their food. ...overharvesting in fishing industries specifically is implementing a stricter catch limit that will discourage fishers from being too liberal in their catching. ...clear-cutting is moving toward selective tree cutting in the process of urban development. This involves strategically only removing trees completely necessary and protects as much natural habitat as possible, instead of blindly destructing entire areas of land. This is helpful because migration of species can occur more gradually if necessary, or not at all. Diverse ecosystems are important because they ensure that there are species filling specific niches, allowing life to flow and function smoothly. A diverse ecosystem improves the ecosystem service of provisioning because there are more products to be reaped from nature, from fruits and vegetables to meats and timber, that can benefit our lives. Secondly, a diverse ecosystem can provide the regulating services that allow us to breathe fresh oxygen and not air polluted with carbon dioxide, as a healthy, diverse ecosystem has flourishing flora to do so.
Which area of the globe is experiencing the greatest average annual temperature increase?
Alaska and Northern Canada
What correctly compares Japan and the United States' per capita GDP and per capita energy consumption?
Although they have a similar per capita GDP, the United States consumes nearly double the amount of energy.
What are the four different classes of health-harming agents?
Biological agents, Chemical agents (Toxic heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides)
It is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior that administers more than 247.3 million acres of public lands in the United States which constitutes one-eighth of the landmass of the country.
Bureau of Land Management
According to the USDA, several species ranges have shifted in the last few decades due to climate change. Most of these species are currently found in the northernmost area of the United States. Where would you expect these species to live in the next hundred years?
Canada
The Energy Star program was established by the _______________
Clean Air Act
authorizes the EPA to establish air quality standards to prevent the health impacts of pollution and to regulate emissions of hazardous pollutants
Clean Air Act (1970)
Established the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States. It also gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry.
Clean Water Act
Expectation of years to last for the three fossil fuels: longest to shortest
Coal Natural Gas Oil
One free chlorine atom in the atmosphere can _______________ about 100,000 ozone molecules
DESTROY
How is oil formed?
Deep below the surface as plants/animals sink to the bottom of the ocean and are buried under sand ----> sedimentary rock forms before more pressure turns it into oil ----> later moves upward into porous reservoir rock
One of the impacts of climate changes is the increase in frequency of infectious diseases. Which of the following explains why?
Disease-carrying mosquitoes thrive in warmer temperatures.
It provides for the conservation of species that are threatened throughout all or a significant portion of their range, and the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend.
Endangered Species Act
examples of energy efficiency
Energy Star appliances, fluorescent light bulbs, using a hybrid vehicle
1st Law of Thermodynamics
Energy can be transformed, but cannot be created nor destroyed
About 40% of the U.S.'s electricity comes from nuclear power plants. T or F?
False
Biodiversity loss has not been a concern to environmental scientists until the last 50 years. T or F?
False
France has more nuclear power plants than the United States. T or F?
False
More than half of the world's oil is found in China. T or F?
False
________ performed the first self-sustaining reaction in 1942.
Fermi
Why is climate change considered a positive feedback loop?
Global warming and climate change are examples of positive feedback mechanisms, meaning they will produce an amplifying response. Increased concentrations in GHGs lead to warmer temperatures, which modify the atmosphere leading to even warmer temperatures. For example, as temperatures rise, the polar ice caps will melt. This will lead to rising sea levels. This causes the water temperatures to continue to increase, leading to even more ice melting.
What describes how solid waste is disposed of?
Hazardous waste is disposed of in secure landfills, where about 15% of MSW in the U.S. is incinerated. Sanitary landfills involve placing waste in a hole that is lined with clay or plastic.
How is natural gas extracted and used?
Hydraulic fracking ---> made into liquid petroleum gas ---> shipped to tanks/pipelines
Anthropogenic climate change causes positive feedback loops. Which of the following describes an example of this that is occurring in the Arctic?
Increasing temperatures are causing the polar ice caps to melt, increasing surface water temperatures and causing more ice to melt.
the shift from small scale production of goods to large-scale production using machines
Industrial Revolution
Which of the following describes how the introduction of an invasive species causes biodiversity loss?
Invasive species outcompete native species.
What did the Clean Air Act accomplish?
It allowed companies to buy and sell pollutant allowances.
makes up 1% of the total solid waste generated in the U.S.
MSW
Largest exporter of petroleum?
Middle East
It was an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion.
Montreal Protocol
What was an attempt to reduce ozone depletion?
Montreal Protocol
a pollutant that is produced by automobiles and quickly oxidizes to produce ozone.
NO (nitrous oxide)
What country has the highest percentage of renewable energy consumption?
New Zealand
Which of the following correctly compares carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide traps heat more efficiently.
Renewable or nonrenewable: Coal
Non-renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Natural Gas
Non-renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Nuclear Energy
Non-renewable
What is a limitation to wind and geothermal energy?
Not all land is suitable.
What is an advantage of nuclear energy?
Nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases, like CO2
Suppose scientists design a technology that prevents hydrocarbons, a type of VOC, from being emitted. How would this affect the concentration of another pollutant?
Ozone concentrations would decrease.
Power equation
Power = Energy/time
Primary or secondary pollutant: CO
Primary
Primary or secondary pollutant: NOx
Primary
Primary or secondary pollutant: VOCs
Primary
Pollution is a major problem in environmental science, and it has only gotten worse since the Industrial Revolution. (a) Air pollution is a specific area of concern for environmental scientists. (i) List TWO examples of a primary air pollutant and ONE example of a secondary air pollutant. (ii) Describe TWO environmental effects of the air pollutants you listed. (iii) Describe ONE method for reducing air pollution. (b) Water pollution is another area of concern. (i) List TWO major sources of water pollutants. (ii) Describe TWO environmental effects of water pollution. (c) In addition to pollution, the amount of waste that is generated is also increasing. (i) List TWO major sources of municipal solid waste. (ii) Describe ONE method of MSW disposal. (iii) Describe ONE environmental impact of the method of disposal you described. (d) Pollution and waste can negatively impact human health. (i) Describe TWO classes of agents that negatively impact human health. Provide ONE example for each class. (ii) Evaluate the risks associated with exposure to these agents. (iii) Explain how safe doses are determined and why certain food products might have higher concentrations than others.
Primary air pollutants include carbon dioxide and lead, and a secondary air pollutants includes ozone. Some environmental effects of these pollutants include health concerns such as toxicity and lung irritation, or the trapping of heat that can lead to temperature inversions. Air pollution can be reduced by using technology such as catalytic converters, which are placed in automobiles to covert toxic gas into less toxic pollutants by initiating a chemical reaction. Water pollution can stem from farms releasing animal waste or as runoff during/after storms. Water pollution's environmental effects include hypoxia, which is a loss of oxygen in bodies of water leading to wildlife death, or the release of diseases in the water supply such as typhoid fever and cholera. Municipal solid waste comes from households and businesses, and is disposed primary in sanitary landfills. Sanitary landfills function as waste is dumped into a hole which is covered with a layer of clay or plastic that prevent it from spreading out of that contained area. One environmental impact of this method of disposal is groundwater contamination as rainwater seeps through the landfill and collects toxic chemicals, possibly contaminating local aquifers. Biological agents are disease-causing organisms that include malaria. Chemical agents include several subclasses such as toxic heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides and endocrine disrupters; a specific example of toxic metals might be lead. Biological agents are especially risky in underdeveloped countries, where they can infect populations through water supplies and cause sickness or death. Chemical agents include risks of birth defects and hormone interference. Pesticides, an example of a chemical agent, are especially risky for farm workers and predatory birds, who face the effects of close contact with chemical pesticides or with biomagnification of chemicals through the food chain. Safe doses are determined by studying the effect of a substance on test animals or patterns of harm in homicide/accidental poisoning cases. Scientists might conduct an experiment on a rat using a specific substance and then divide the lethal dose by 100 to determine what a safe dose might be for humans. Humans also have to be aware, when eating foods like fish which are impacted as biomagnification, the heightened concentration of a substance with increasing trophic levels, that animals higher in the food chain, such as albacore or halibut, contain a more concentrated dose than salmon, and should be eaten less frequently.
Renewable or nonrenewable: Biomass
Renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Geothermal
Renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Hydroelectric
Renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Solar
Renewable
Renewable or nonrenewable: Wind
Renewable
Which of the following acts established the framework for managing hazardous waste from "cradle to grave?"
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, or RCRA
Put the following countries in order of greenhouse gas production, from lowest to greatest. India China Russia US EU
Russia India EU US China
Incineration of waste produces air pollutants, including __________________________
SO2, NOx, and methane.
can be used to remove particulate matter and/or gases from industrial exhaust systems, such as smokestacks in coal-burning power plants.
Scrubbers
Primary or secondary pollutant: Nitric Acid
Secondary
Primary or secondary pollutant: Ozone
Secondary
Which of the following correctly compares stratospheric ozone and tropospheric ozone?
Stratospheric ozone protects organisms from harmful UV radiation, while tropospheric ozone causes respiratory problems in animals.
The primary federal law that regulates the environmental effects of coal mining in the United States. It created two programs: one for regulating active coal mines and a second for reclaiming abandoned mine lands.
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
What were some efforts to reduce air pollution emissions?
The U.S. government passed the Clean Air Act Catalytic converters that are placed in automobiles Scrubbers
What correctly describes the effect of increased petroleum consumption?
The U.S. saw an increase in coal consumption to become more energy-independent.
phytoplankton ⟶ zooplankton ⟶ minnows ⟶ needle fish ⟶ osprey If these organisms live in an aquatic habitat near a coal mine, which species would you expect to have the highest concentration of mercury?
The osprey would have the highest concentration of mercury because mercury is a chemical pollutant that biomagnifies.
A person who suffers from a respiratory disease often checks the EPAs daily ozone reports. She notices that the concentration of ground-level ozone has decreased. Which of the following could explain why?
There has been a decrease in NO emissions.
Which of the following correctly describes how hybrid vehicles consume fewer fossil fuels?
They only burn fossil fuels when the car is accelerating, or when the battery is recharging.
What describes how greenhouse gases impact the environment?
They trap radiation from the sun
Where would you expect trees that are adapted to colder temperatures to migrate as a result of climate change?
They will likely migrate northward.
Oil supplies will likely be exhausted in another 30 years or so. T or F?
True
It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres.
U.S. Forest Service