Unit 7 APES

Scientists are testing the effect of different scrubber technologies on the removal of pollutants from coal power plants. The scrubbers use a slurry of limestone and water. Which of the following best describes the impact of modifying the slurry by increasing the amount of limestone?

A Amt of sulfur dioxide will decrease

Which of the following devices is correctly paired to the air pollutant it would be used to measure?

A -CO2 and gas sensor

Which of the following is most responsible for the change in the emissions of volatile organic compounds ( VOC��� ) from 1970 to 2020 as shown in the graph?

An increase in air emission standards that began in 1970 regulated corporate average fuel economy ( CAFE ) standards.

Scientists have observed that the health of people living in moderately developed regions, which have developed transportation and industry but lack environmental control measures, is more likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor air pollution. Which of the following activities would most likely account for the levels of indoor air pollution in India and sub-Saharan Africa, as shown in the graph?

B. Use of biomass fuel sources such as wood and charcoal for cooking

Which of the following best explains the cause of the trend shown in the graph for lead emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2011 ?

D. Unleaded gasoline....

Which of the following points on the graph best illustrates the location where pollutants are most likely to accumulate as a result of a thermal inversion?

Point D

In addition to a nearby mountain range, which of the following environmental conditions would be required for the process in the diagram to occur?

A. A cool sea breeze and high pressure system

Which of the following is most likely responsible for the indoor air pollutant shown in the graph?

A. Cracks in the basement foundation

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 location to obtain a water sample from to determine if the paper plant is affecting the acidity of the river?

A. Immediately downstream from the power plant

Scientists have observed that the health of people living in moderately developed regions, which have developed transportation and industry but lack environmental control measures, is more likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor air pollution. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the data presented in the graph?

A. In moderately developed regions such as China and India, an individual's health is more likely to be affected by indoor air pollution than outdoor air pollution

The graph shows the average distance traveled by individuals in a population in an urban area in the southwestern United States. Based on the data, which of the following months most likely experiences the highest levels of photochemical smog?

A. July

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPAEPA) of the United States recommends taking corrective measures to reduce exposure to radon gas. The EPAEPA has set an action level of 4pCiL4pCiL 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?

A. Location A has the greatest need for remediation because the radon levels are the highest and exceed EPA action level

A researcher wants to determine if ponds and lakes downwind of a coal-burning power plant are affected by the plant's emissions. Which of the following would be the best parameter from the water in the ponds and lakes to measure in order to determine the effect of the plant's emissions on the aquatic ecosystems?

A. pH

Which of the following best describes the process shown in the diagram above?

B. Less dense, warm air creates a temperature inversion between more-dense layers, trapping pollutants near the ground

Which of the following best describes how a scientist could accurately study the effects of soil buffering on plant growth in a region that is affected by acid deposition downwind of a coal-burning power plant?

B. Measure the changes in plant height over a year in two different groups of trees the same distance from the power plant; one group is in topsoil and one group is in topsoil with limestone added.

Based on the data in the graph, which of the following insulation options is ineffective at insulating a home and greatly contributes to indoor air pollution?

B. Mineral fiber batt

Sound, just like the availability of nesting materials or food sources, plays an important role in the ecosystem. Activities such as finding desirable habitat and mates, avoiding predators, protecting young, and establishing territories are all dependent on the acoustical environment. [Wildlife is] being forced to adapt to increasing noise levels. Research shows that males of at least one frog species are adapting to traffic noise by calling at a higher pitch. This could be problematic for the females, because they prefer lower-pitched calls, which indicate larger and more experienced males. In general, studies indicate that animals are stressed by noisy environments. The endangered Sonoran pronghorn avoids noisy areas frequented by military jets; female frogs exposed to traffic noise have more difficulty locating the male's signal; bats avoid hunting in areas with road noise. Combined with other stressors such as winter weather, disease, and food shortages, sound impacts can have important implications for the health and vitality of wildlife populations within a park. National parks are under increasing noise pressure. Noise levels in park transportation corridors today are many times the natural level. Sound levels during peak periods in a high air traffic corridor in the Yellowstone backcountry, for example, were elevated by up to 5 decibels. The result is as much as a 70% reduction in the size of an area in which predators can hear their prey. Increasingly, careful consideration of the impacts of human-generated noise on wildlife is a critical component of management for healthy ecosystems in our parks. What is one potential impact of increased noise pollution in national parks that is supported by the article?

B. Prey populations are likely to increase in national parks because predators have a decreased ability to hear prey sounds

Noise Exposure and Public Health Exposure to noise constitutes a health risk. There is sufficient scientific evidence that noise exposure can induce hearing impairment, hypertension and heart disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance, and decreased school performance. For other effects such as changes in the immune system and birth defects, the evidence is limited. Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s, and noise abatement is less of a scientific but primarily a policy problem. A subject for further research is the [clarification] of the mechanisms underlying noise-induced cardiovascular disorders and the relationship of noise with annoyance and nonacoustical factors modifying health outcomes. A high-priority study subject is the effect of noise on children, including cognitive effects and their reversibility. Noise exposure is on the increase, especially in the general living environment, both in industrialized nations and in developing world regions. This implies that in the twenty-first century noise exposure will still be a major public health problem. Which of the following best describes why the authors do not claim that noise exposure induces birth defects in humans?

B. There is insufficient evidence to support that noise exposure induces birth defects

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 20.0μgm over the three-year study period. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is an annual mean level of 12.0μgm312.0�gm3, 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?

C. Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant

Scientists have discovered that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCsVOCs) emitted from trees can contribute to photochemical smog formation. Data in the table above were collected in 2006 and 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Isoprene is a VOCVOC released by some tree species. Impact factor refers to the percentage of ozone attributed to the isoprene. Which of the following claims is best supported by the data shown in the table?

C. Isoprene's contribution to ozone levels in Berlin was greatest in July of both years

Exposure to noise constitutes a health risk. There is sufficient scientific evidence that noise exposure can induce hearing impairment, hypertension and heart disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance, and decreased school performance. For other effects such as changes in the immune system and birth defects, the evidence is limited. Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s, and noise abatement is less of a scientific but primarily a policy problem. A subject for further research is the [clarification] of the mechanisms underlying noise-induced cardiovascular disorders and the relationship of noise with annoyance and nonacoustical factors modifying health outcomes. A high-priority study subject is the effect of noise on children, including cognitive effects and their reversibility. Noise exposure is on the increase, especially in the general living environment, both in industrialized nations and in developing world regions. This implies that in the twenty-first century noise exposure will still be a major public health problem. Which of the following best describes why the authors claim that reducing noise exposure is currently more of a public policy problem than a scientific problem?

C. Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s

Scientists have discovered that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from trees can contribute to photochemical smog formation. Data in the table above were collected in 2006 and 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Isoprene is a VOC released by some tree species. The impact factor refers to the percentage of ozone attributed to the isoprene. Which of the following best describes the relationship between variables in the data table?

C. Ozone maximum is correlated to to average and maximum temperature

Which of the following is the most likely reason for the trend shown in the graph of fluctuating indoor radon levels over the course of a year?

C. Radon levels tend to increase in the colder months because of the difference in temperature inside and outside the home... creates vacuum pulling radon into the home at a higher rate

A paper company located on the banks of a river discharges its treated wastewater into the river. Which of the following water quality indicators should be measured to best determine if the wastewater is increasing the acidity of the river?

C. The amount of hydrogen ions

Scientists want to examine the effects of a coal-burning power plant on the pH of a lake that is downwind of the power plant. They take samples from a lake that is not downwind of the power plant to serve as a control. However, they did not realize that the lake they chose as a control group was a geothermal hot spring with acidic water. Which of the following best describes how their choice of the control group could affect the results of their experiment?

C. The coal-burning power plant would not appear to have a large impact because the pH levels of the two lakes would be similar.

Scientists have been collecting atmospheric CO2 data for many years to monitor changes over time. Which of the following best describes why an island location, such as the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, is an ideal location to measure global CO2 concentrations?

C. The location is far from any continent, providing atmospheric air samples that are less likely to be affected by industry and transportation.

Canada has proposed an action plan to address climate change and air pollution. The action plan will reduce the impact of greenhouse gases and pollutants on the environment and human health. Which of the following claims about the Canadian action plan is best supported by the data in the graph?

C. The plan supports phasing out traditional coal power plants and transitioning to sources like hydroelectricity, wind, and solar power

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?

D. A sample of the water upstream from the same river

An experiment to evaluate the efficiency of wet and dry scrubber networks that filter particulate gas at different flow rates was conducted under different flow rate conditions. The results are shown below. Which of the following best describes the efficiency of dry scrubbers at removing particles that are less than 2 micrometers in diameter?

D. Dry scrubbers are less than 10% effective at removing particles

Atmospheric deposition is receiving increased attention in the scientific community, and has become the subject of a specific research area in the environmental sciences. Acid rain is detrimental to our ecosystems and can be measured in several ways. Which of the following methods would best identify changes from acid deposition in an area over time?

D. Monitoring the long-term chemical and biological parameters of an ecosystem

Exposure to noise constitutes a health risk. There is sufficient scientific evidence that noise exposure can induce hearing impairment, hypertension and heart disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance, and decreased school performance. For other effects such as changes in the immune system and birth defects, the evidence is limited. Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s, and noise abatement is less of a scientific but primarily a policy problem. A subject for further research is the [clarification] of the mechanisms underlying noise-induced cardiovascular disorders and the relationship of noise with annoyance and nonacoustical factors modifying health outcomes. A high-priority study subject is the effect of noise on children, including cognitive effects and their reversibility. Noise exposure is on the increase, especially in the general living environment, both in industrialized nations and in developing world regions. This implies that in the twenty-first century noise exposure will still be a major public health problem. Which of the following best describes why the authors claim that noise exposure will be a major health problem in the twenty-first century?

D. Noise exposure is on the increase in both industrialised nations and developing regions

Sound, just like the availability of nesting materials or food sources, plays an important role in the ecosystem. Activities such as finding desirable habitat and mates, avoiding predators, protecting young, and establishing territories are all dependent on the acoustical environment. [Wildlife is] being forced to adapt to increasing noise levels. Research shows that males of at least one frog species are adapting to traffic noise by calling at a higher pitch. This could be problematic for the females, because they prefer lower-pitched calls, which indicate larger and more experienced males. In general, studies indicate that animals are stressed by noisy environments. The endangered Sonoran pronghorn avoids noisy areas frequented by military jets; female frogs exposed to traffic noise have more difficulty locating the male's signal; bats avoid hunting in areas with road noise. Combined with other stressors such as winter weather, disease, and food shortages, sound impacts can have important implications for the health and vitality of wildlife populations within a park. National parks are under increasing noise pressure. Noise levels in park transportation corridors today are many times the natural level. Sound levels during peak periods in a high air traffic corridor in the Yellowstone backcountry, for example, were elevated by up to 5 decibels. The result is as much as a 70% reduction in the size of an area in which predators can hear their prey. Increasingly, careful consideration of the impacts of human-generated noise on wildlife is a critical component of management for healthy ecosystems in our parks. Based on the author's claim in the article, which of the following statements best describes the effect of noise pollution on wildlife?

D. Noise pollution has a negative effect on wildlife activities such as mating, establishing territories, and predator-prey interactions

Air pollution from a power plant is being monitored for levels of nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone. The levels are measured daily at the same time. Which of the following best predicts the impact of a dark and cloudy day on the readings for the levels of air pollutants measured?

D. There will be an increase in the level of nitrogen dioxide and a decrease in the level of ground-level ozone.

An air pollution expert set up a monitoring program to determine the amount of particulate matter (PMPM) leaving a farmer's field after crops were harvested and the soil was bare. She set up high-volume air samplers 10 meters from each edge of the square field and collected samples weekly for two months. When she looked at her data, she was surprised by how much the PMPM levels varied, both from site to site on a given date and over time at each site. Which of the following parameters would have been best to measure to help explain the variation in her results?

D. Wind direction and Speed

Sound, just like the availability of nesting materials or food sources, plays an important role in the ecosystem. Activities such as finding desirable habitat and mates, avoiding predators, protecting young, and establishing territories are all dependent on the acoustical environment. [Wildlife is] being forced to adapt to increasing noise levels. Research shows that males of at least one frog species are adapting to traffic noise by calling at a higher pitch. This could be problematic for the females, because they prefer lower-pitched calls, which indicate larger and more experienced males. In general, studies indicate that animals are stressed by noisy environments. The endangered Sonoran pronghorn avoids noisy areas frequented by military jets; female frogs exposed to traffic noise have more difficulty locating the male's signal; bats avoid hunting in areas with road noise. Combined with other stressors such as winter weather, disease, and food shortages, sound impacts can have important implications for the health and vitality of wildlife populations within a park. National parks are under increasing noise pressure. Noise levels in park transportation corridors today are many times the natural level. Sound levels during peak periods in a high air traffic corridor in the Yellowstone backcountry, for example, were elevated by up to 5 decibels. The result is as much as a 70% reduction in the size of an area in which predators can hear their prey. Increasingly, careful consideration of the impacts of human-generated noise on wildlife is a critical component of management for healthy ecosystems in our parks.

Frog populations may decrease in size as a result of males changing the pitch of their calls

An experiment to evaluate the efficiency of wet and dry scrubber networks that filter particulate gas at different flow rates was conducted under different flow rate conditions. The results are shown below. Based on the data in the graph, which of the following methods would be most effective at removing the greatest amount of particulate matter from coal-burning power plant emissions?

Wet scrubbers using a flow rate of 450 L/min are best suited for large particles