APC EEC 4.1-4.3 (TECTONICS AND SOIL)

At which of the following sites does seafloor spreading result in rifts and possible volcanoes?

A

The intraplate location where hot-spot volcanism is occurring

A

Which of the lettered choices in the soil profile above represents the region with the greatest concentration of organic material?

A

Which soil horizon is best developed in areas with dense vegetation, such as forests and grasslands, since the horizon consists of decomposing leaves and other plant material?

A

Based on the data in the table, which of the countries is most likely located at a subduction zone between an oceanic tectonic plate and a continental tectonic plate?

Country D

Students want to determine the impact of soil erosion from the development of new housing. They plan to measure the density of a species of algae growing along the bottom of a river that flows through their town. The town is built in a heavily forested area, but a large area of trees along the river was recently clear-cut to allow for the construction of a new housing development, which has caused exposed soil to wash into the river. The river flows north to south through the town and is still forested both up- and downstream of the town. Which of the following would be the best control sample for the study?

A sample of water collected just downstream of the northern forest

A farm is experiencing extensive crop loss due to high rains causing overly saturated soils. Which of the following approaches would best help the farmer alleviate the problem?

Amending the soil with sand to increase the permeability of the soil

Which of the following best describes a transform boundary?

An area where two tectonic plates slide past one another

Area where new crust is being created at a divergent plate boundary

B

At which of the following sites would activity result in volcanoes, island arcs, and mountains?

B

This area is most susceptible to erosion, leading to increased suspended solids and increased turbidity downstream.

B

Area that exhibits a growing nonvolcanic mountain chain due to uplift

C

At which of the following sites is an earthquake most likely to occur as two plates slide sideways past each other?

C

The location where new crust is being created at a divergent plate boundary

C

Which soil horizon has very little organic matter and accumulates soluble metals and nutrients that are transported from other soil layers?

C

At this site a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, which occurred at a nearby subduction zone, triggered one of the largest nuclear reactor disasters in history.

D

A community located downwind from a coal-fired power plant has seen a recent increase in the number of dead and dying trees. A soil scientist measured values for the following parameters before and after the trees died off. Which of the following soil data should be used to determine if the coal-fired power plant emissions were the cause of the damage to the trees?

Calcium and aluminum levels

Which of the following is the correct order of soil particles in order of increasing size?

Clay-silt-sand

Of the following, which is the most likely composition of the soil sample?

Clay: 10% Silt: 10% Sand: 80%

Which soil horizon is the least weathered horizon and contains rock that is starting to break down into soil?

D

Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement. The following question(s) refer to the following processes. (A) Photosynthesis (B) Eutrophication (C) Denitrification (D) Decomposition (E) Transpiration The rapid rate of this process in tropical forests results in low-nutrient soils

Decomposition

Area that exhibits island arcs

E

The location where one tectonic plate is being forced beneath another, creating a volcanic arc.

E

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.

Which of the following properties is most likely associated with soils that contain more sand-sized particles than soils that contain more clay-sized particles?

High permeability

Scientists are looking for new locations to generate electricity using geothermal energy. Which of the following locations would be the best choice for a geothermal energy generating plant?

Near tectonic plate boundaries

Which of the following properties of the soil sample most influences the flow of water through the sample?

Permeability

The water-holding capacity of soil is LEAST likely to be affected by the addition of which of the following?

Pesticide

Corn is a crop that grows best in soil that drains well. Which of the following soils is best suited to grow corn?

Sandy loam because it has large amounts of sand and less than 20% clay.

Most volcanism in the world is associated with

Plate boundaries

Which soil composition would be the best choice for lining a landfill?

Point W

Based on the data in the table above, which of the following samples would be the most prone to becoming waterlogged?

Sample D

Of the following, which has the greatest permeability?

Sand

What are the proportions of sand, silt, and clay for the soil at point T?

Sand: 60% Silt: 30% Clay: 10%

Based on the soil texture triangle, which of the following would describe soil that was 25% clay, 25% silt, and 50% sand?

Sandy clay loam

Which soil indicated on the soil triangle above would most likely have the highest water-holding capacity?

Soil C

An environmental engineer wants to examine the permeability of different soils to determine the best natural containment system to protect groundwater from pollutants. The engineer tests four different soil samples, places them into a wet column, and pours 50mL50mL of water over each sample. The engineer records the total amount of water that moves through the column as well as the total amount of time for the water to fully percolate through the soil. The data from the study are shown below. Which of the following best describes why the engineer chose to calculate the permeability of the soil sample in the experimental design in order to evaluate a natural containment system to protect groundwater?

Soils that have low permeability would best help protect groundwater because the soil traps pollutants so that chemical and biological breakdown can occur.

Which of the following is the best method for preventing soil erosion in an agricultural area?

Terrace farming

Students want to determine the impact of soil erosion from the development of new housing. They plan to measure the density of a species of algae growing along the bottom of a river that flows through their town. The town is built in a heavily forested area, but a large area of trees along the river was recently clear-cut to allow for the construction of a new housing development, which has caused exposed soil to wash into the river. The river flows north to south through the town and is still forested both up- and downstream of the town. Which of the following is the dependent variable in the study?

The density of a species of algae growing along the bottom of the river

An environmental engineer wants to examine the permeability of different soils to determine the best natural containment system to protect groundwater from pollutants. The engineer tests four different soil samples, places them into a wet column, and pours 50mL50mL of water over each sample. The engineer records the total amount of water that moves through the column as well as the total amount of time for the water to fully percolate through the soil. The data from the study are shown below. Which of the following best describes the independent variable in this research design?

The sample of material chosen as the potential container material is the variable being tested, so it is the independent variable.

Students want to determine the impact of soil erosion from the development of new housing. They plan to measure the density of a species of algae growing along the bottom of a river that flows through their town. The town is built in a heavily forested area, but a large area of trees along the river was recently clear-cut to allow for the construction of a new housing development, which has caused exposed soil to wash into the river. The river flows north to south through the town and is still forested both up- and downstream of the town. Which of the following explains the variable that would be the best for students to measure to determine the direct impact of soil erosion caused by the construction project on the river?

Turbidity, because a decrease in water clarity would indicate an increase in soil erosion.

A student group is involved in a restoration study of a nearby disturbed area. They decide to collect six soil samples and analyze them for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Two of the samples are found to be very high in C and N, but the other four samples are low in both. The students also notice that the color of the two soil samples that are high in C and N is very dark. Which of the following is the most likely explanation of the data?

Two of the samples were collected from an A horizon, and the others were collected from a B horizon.

Which of the following agricultural practices would most likely lead to improved water quality in nearby streams and rivers?

Using crop rotation in fields