Review Ch. #15

Earth's average temperature has risen by how much in the past 100 years?

1.5°F

Earth's average temperature is expected to rise by a maximum of how much in the next 100 years?

11.5°F

What percentage of U.S. homes are estimated to have lead-based paint hazards?

25 percent

According to experts, what percentage of trash is recyclable?

90%

Which inexpensive device can be attached to faucets and showerheads to reduce water consumption?

Aerator

Which compound that was formerly used in construction materials has been found to be the cause of certain cancers and lung diseases?

Asbestos

Motor vehicle exhaust is a source of which odorless, colorless gas that also contributes to the formation of smog?

Carbon monoxide

Currently, India is the most populous country in the world.

False

Most solid municipal waste is recycled.

False

The federal government established Superfund to provide money for water conservation efforts in certain communities.

False

Toxic waste (hazardous waste) in landfills and dump sites can harm the environment but has little impact on human health.

False

Which of the following is a concern in regard to overpopulation?

Increased amount of land used for agricultural purposes

The country projected to have the largest population by 2050 is

India

Nancy bought some toys for her children that were made in China. What dangerous chemical might have been used in their manufacture?

Lead

The average person in the United States generates how many pounds of municipal solid waste each day?

More than 4

Radiation exposure is measured in which of the following units (also called roentgens)?

Radiation absorbed doses

Which naturally occurring odorless, colorless gas seeps into homes and is the second-leading cause of lung cancer?

Radon

Long-term exposure to formaldehyde can lead to

cancer and central nervous system disorders.

Air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act include all of the following EXCEPT

carbon dioxide

The primary greenhouse gas is

carbon dioxide.

A measure of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, shown as units of carbon dioxide emissions, is the

carbon footprint.

All of the following statements regarding the safety of cell phones are true EXCEPT

cell phones pose a clear risk of human tissue damage.

The chemical originally contained in aerosol propellants that is thought to have contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer is

chlorofluorocarbons

All of the following are examples of renewable resources EXCEPT

coal

Marta collects kitchen scraps and yard clippings in a bin outside of her home to create this soil enhancement for her garden. She is

composting

A decibel level of 110 is 10 times louder than 100 decibels.

True

Cigarette smoke releases particulates into the air and is perhaps the greatest source of indoor air pollution.

True

Evidence suggests that air within homes and buildings can be 10 to 40 times more hazardous than outdoor air.

True

Oil, coal, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels, which are carbon-based fuels.

True

One in four animals is threatened with extinction because of population growth as a result of human activity.

True

Runoff from a parking lot is considered nonpoint source pollution.

True

The climate change that has occurred over the last 100 years is primarily due to human activities.

True

Which of the following countries has the largest "ecological footprint"?

United States

Smog tends to form in areas that experience

a temperature inversion

A measure of how clean or polluted the air in a given region is on a particular day is the

air quality index

Sound is measured in

decibels

Climate change challenges include all the following EXCEPT

expansion of glaciers.

The average number of births a female in a given population has during her reproductive years is the

fertility rate.

You have been looking at numerous new homes. The nausea and fatigue you are attributing to the stress of buying a new house may actually be due to exposure to

formaldehyde

Gases that accumulate in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming by trapping heat near Earth's surface are

greenhouse gases

Chemicals used to kill weeds and vegetation are

herbicides

All of the following are consequences of population growth EXCEPT

higher healthcare costs

The ozone layer is

in the stratosphere and protects the planet from UVB radiation

The release of particles and electromagnetic rays from atomic nuclei during the normal process of disintegration produces

ionizing radiation.

You are surveying your home for sources of lead because

lead can be extremely detrimental to children and fetuses.

The human body does not excrete polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) but instead stores them in the

liver and fatty tissues.

Seth has a sensitivity to mold. When he visits his grandparents and spends time in their damp basement in his grandfather's wood shop, he likely experiences all of the following EXCEPT

migraine headaches.

Electric utilities and motor vehicles emit

nitrogen dioxide.

Acid deposition mainly consists of airborne deposits of sulfur dioxide and

nitrogen oxides.

When trying to ensure clean air in your home, sources of pollution to look for include all of the following EXCEPT

nitroglycerine

The accident that results when the temperature in the core of a nuclear reactor increases enough to melt the fuel and breach the containment vessel is called a

nuclear meltdown.

An example of a point source water pollutant is

outflow from a sewage treatment plant.

The process of formaldehyde being released into the air is referred to as

outgassing

Smog is sometimes called

ozone pollution

An example of a nonpoint source water pollutant is

pesticide runoff from a farm.

Chemicals used to kill insects and rodents are

pesticides

The two general types of water pollution are described as

point source and nonpoint source.

The term for an environmental contaminant that causes potential harm to living organisms is

pollutant

Sources of water contamination include all of the following EXCEPT

radon

Most experts agree that a key step in slowing climate change is to

reduce consumption of fossil fuels.

Reasons for continued population growth in many developing nations include all of the following circumstances for women EXCEPT

rising economic status.

A colorless gas that dissolves in water vapor to form acid and is emitted from coal-fired power plants is

sulfur dioxide.

Economic development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations is called

sustainable development.

Climate change includes all of the following features EXCEPT

the end of seasonal variations.

Increases in the planet's temperature over the past few decades can be attributed to

the enhanced greenhouse effect

Experts analyze the carrying capacity of the earth to figure out

the maximum population the earth can support.

All of the following statements about particulates are true EXCEPT

they have few health effects.

Proponents of zero population growth believe that the earth's population would stabilize if the number of offspring allowed to each couple was

two