Environmental Science Final
What are control rods and how do they work?
Rods made from materials that absorb neutrons, such as boron or graphite, are placed between the fuel rods in order to control the speed of the reaction.
Which of the following would have the highest albedo?
a glacier
Classify the methods for addressing climate change as either mitigation or adaptation. Mitigation ...
carbon capture and sequestration sustainable and nuclear fuel sources reforestation decrease methane release energy efficiency
What natural event could cause climate to warm?
changes in Earth's position in space relative to the sun
Classify the air pollution reduction strategies as either technological or policy‑based ... policy-based
subsidies, tax credits, cap-and-trade, green taxes
Anthropogenic pollution is found in remote regions of the Arctic and Antarctica, even though there are no polluting industries or cities in these areas. This is an example of
transboundary pollution.
What occurs during a nuclear fission reaction?
A neutron strikes the nucleus of an atom breaking it into two or more smaller atoms.
Why do trees at higher elevations suffer more damage from acid deposition than trees at lower elevations?
Acidic fog increases exposure time.
Which of these is an example of a positive feedback loop related to global warming?
As ice melts, water is exposed, increasing the temperature even more and causing more melt.
What methods can successfully reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants in modern buildings?
Avoid or limit the use of items made with toxic glue and formaldehyde. Install good ventilation and maintain heating and air conditioning units. Use cleaners without petrochemicals and decorate with low-VOC paints.
How much of a problem is worldwide air pollution? Po
Both indoor and outdoor air pollution are still a threat to human health worldwide, contributing to as many as 7 million deaths per year.
Acid deposition in the United States has _____ in recent years due to _____ air quality standards for coal power plants, but ecosystems have yet to recover from the damage.
declined; stronger
A study by Douglas Dockery from Harvard University found that, as the level of small particulate matter _____ in cities, the death rate in those cities _____.
decreased; decreased
Indicate whether each factor is increasing or decreasing due to climate change.... glacial mas is
decreasing
If a waste incinerator was built next to a low-income neighborhood instead of a similar area in a high-income neighborhood, it would be an issue of
environmental justice.
What is the purpose of enriching the yellowcake in the nuclear fuel production process?
to increase the percent of U-235
Most nuclear reactors use the element
uranium.
The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day refer to its _____, whereas the long-term patterns and trends of meteorological conditions in that area are its _____.
weather; climate.
Air pollution causes which of the following impacts?
environmental, societal, and health-related impacts
Health consequences of air pollutions
eye, nose, and throat irritation, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, premature death, and respiratory infections.
A nuclear fission chain reaction begins when
fuel rods are bombarded with neutrons, causing the uranium nucleus to split and release energy.
Which of the following is NOT a way to reduce indoor air pollution?
heating the home with an open fire
If current policies for worldwide emissions reduction continue, what is the predicted amount of global warming over preindustrial levels by 2100? 2 °C
3.0 °C
In general, scientists look for a _____ year trend before concluding that a new trend is emerging in the climate.
30
How many people died in Fukushima, Japan, from radiation exposure?
0
Place the steps of nuclear fuel production in order from first to last.
1. mining the ore 2. milling into "yellowcake" 3. enrichment 4. pellet production 5. fuel rod production 6. assemblies placed in reactor
Which notable nuclear accidents rank highest in severity? [Choose 2]
Chernobyl (Ukraine) Fukushima (Japan)
One of the first environmental laws passed in the United States to regulate pollution was the
Clean Air Act.
Why do scientists think that most of the current warming is due to human impact?
Climate models can accurately replicate the warming we have experienced, but only when anthropogenic forces are included in the evaluation. Natural forcers alone cannot account for the warming we have experienced.
Which statement is true of the Milankovitch cycles?
Earth is not currently a part of any cycle that would result in greater warming.
Which of the following actions is an example of a mitigation strategy with regard to climate change?
Halting deforestation in tropical areas and planting trees in areas that have already been cleared.
Which of the following is TRUE of the production of nuclear fuel?
Hazardous waste is created at every step of the process.
Classify the methods for addressing climate change as either mitigation or adaptation. Adaptation ...
Improve disease surveillance plant crops to match new climate capture and conserve water erect coastal barriers provide wildlife migration corridors
Which is a potential problem with the cap-and-trade program?
It can concentrate pollution in areas where many industries choose to buy additional allocations.
What effect does acid rain have on aluminum in the soil, and how does this affect plants?
It causes aluminum, which is toxic to plants, to be released from the soil.
What were the major implications of the U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act? [Choose 3]
It designated the Federal Department of Energy as responsible for nuclear waste disposal. It identified deep underground storage as the best way to dispose of high‐level radioactive waste (HLRW). It established guidelines for the research and development of permanent repositories.
Where does the energy come from that a nuclear reactor uses to generate electricity?
It is the energy released when radioactive isotopes are split into 2 or more smaller atoms.
Why are sea levels rising due to climate change?
Land-based ice is melting and sending more water into the oceans.
Choose the reasons that low-income and minority groups often suffer more from the effects of air pollution.
Low‑income and minority groups often have fewer resources to fight for their rights. Major pollution facilities are often placed in low‑income or minority neighborhoods.
For particulate matter air pollution, which of these particle sizes would be the most problematic for health?
PM2.5 (the smallest class recognized, 2.5 µm or smaller diameter)
Alpha
Particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons cannot penetrate paper or skin but harmful if ingested
Efforts to minimize the impact of climate change are called
mitigation.
According to a 2018 by the IPCC, how many years do we have to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to keep warming under 1.5°C?
12
The goal of the 2016 Paris Agreement is to keep climate warming well below which threshold?
2°C
Which of the following is TRUE of acid deposition?
Acid deposition is a secondary pollutant.
How does acid deposition affect aquatic organisms?
Acid deposition lowers the pH in water habitats.
Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees?
An increase in average global temperatures means we have more weather extremes that can cause problems.
What are some environmental or health concerns associated with mining uranium ore? [Choose 3]
Mining and enrichment of uranium, as well as the production of fuel pellets, creates hazardous waste. Uranium miners get higher than normal cancer rates from their high exposure to radioactive elements. The uranium mining process requires large amounts of corrosive materials that pose occupational health risks.
How do agricultural and industrial pollutants reach remote locations such as the Arctic and Antarctica?
Prevailing winds transport pollution around the globe.
Which of the following is evidence that suggests climate is changing?
Sea level is rising.
What is the majority conclusion for climate change?
The world is warming because of us.
What are some problems that climate change presents to species?
Species may lose important mutualistic partners.
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
The enhanced greenhouse effect is an increase in global temperatures due to additional greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere.
How is climate change impacting species?
The habitat range of many species is shifting to higher latitudes or altitudes.
Why does the northeastern United States receive more acidic precipitation than any other part of the country?
The northeastern United States has a higher population density and concentration of industry.
Why are particles smaller than 2.5 µm the most dangerous?
They can penetrate lung cells or enter the bloodstream.
How do nuclear reactors work?
They use heat produced from a fission reaction to boil water to produce steam to spin a turbine.
Is U-235 or U-238 more radioactive (less stable)? Why?
U-235 is more radioactive because it has a lighter nucleus since it contains fewer neutrons.
The difference between generating power from nuclear energy compared to other power plants is that the source of heat comes from
a controlled nuclear reaction.
Which of the following would be an example of a tax credit?
a reduction on taxes for purchasing a hybrid car
What is a smokestack scrubber?
a technology that traps outgoing pollutants before they can exit a smokestack
What are control rods used for?
absorbing neutrons to slow a fission chain reaction
Efforts intended to help deal with the climate change that has already occurred or will inevitably occur are known as
adaptation.
Which of these can be used by scientists to estimate past climates?
an analysis of pollen grains trapped in layers of lake sediments
What can be affected by air pollution besides humans?
animals, plants, and buildings
What is air pollution?
any material added to the atmosphere naturally or by humans that harms living organisms, affects the climate, or impacts structures
What is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in developed nations, and a major cause of childhood disability?
asthma
Environmental Consequences of air pollutions
atmospheric ozone depletion, climate change, eutrophication of water bodies, reduce visibility, and damage to structures.
What would be an example of climate?
average annual temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit
What is the biggest contributor to global warming?
burning fossil fuels
Only climate models that incorporate anthropogenic climate forcers alongside natural ones can accurately explain Earth's warming temperatures. Which human activity is the leading contributor to climate change?
burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation
Classify radioactive waste characteristics as either low‑level radioactive waste (LLRW) or high‑level radioactive waste (HLRW). ... LLRW
can be safely buried includes clothing, gloves, and tools radiation has short half-life around 60,000 cubic m (2 million cubic ft) produced per year
Which molecule currently accounts for three-fourths of all greenhouse gas emissions?
carbon dioxide
What are VOCs?
chemicals that easily evaporate, entering the air as a gas
What is the most useful term for alterations in the long term patterns and averages of meteorological events?
climate change
Anything that alters the balance of incoming solar radiation relative to the amount of heat escaping into space is a
climate forcer.
The type of regulation that involves setting upper allowable limits of pollution that can be released and enforcing those limits with fines is known as
command and control.
Scientists use proxy data to gather clues about climate history and predict future climate conditions. Scientists weave this data together to determine past climates, called paleoclimates, and estimate current and future climatic changes. What sources of proxy data provide clues about Earth's past climates?
coral reefs ice cores sediment layers tree ring analysis
Indicate whether each factor is increasing or decreasing due to climate change.... The length of the growing season is
increasing
Indicate whether each factor is increasing or decreasing due to climate change.... precipitation is
increasing
Indicate whether each factor is increasing or decreasing due to climate change.... sea level is
increasing
Indicate whether each factor is increasing or decreasing due to climate change.... temperature is
increasing
In rural regions of developing countries, the largest single source of air pollution is
indoor cooking fires.
What is the main source of indoor air pollution in developing countries?
indoor fires
Where does the average person in the United States get most of his or her exposure to air pollution?
indoors at home or work
Atoms that have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus, but the same number of protons, are called
isotopes
Efforts to minimize the impact of future climate change are called
mitigation.
What changes in weather have we seen with rising temperatures?
more precipitation in coastal areas
Chemical weathering, a process in which rocks react with water and the atmosphere to produce chemical and physical changes, removes CO2 from the atmosphere. Chemical weathering increases in warmer and wetter conditions. As global temperatures increase, chemical weathering increases and removes more CO2, which reduces the rate of global temperature increase and, consequently, the rate of chemical weathering. Chemical weathering is an example of what type of feedback loop? positive or negative?
negative
Identify each process as an example of a positive feedback loop, a negative feedback loop, or both a positive and negative feedback loop. As the Earth warms, water evaporates, forming clouds. Low, thick clouds reflect incoming solar radiation, thus cooling the area. As the temperature cools, less water evaporates, forming fewer clouds. As a result, the temperature rises and more clouds form. Evaporation and low, thick clouds are part of what type of feedback loop? positive or negative?
negative
Identify each process as an example of a positive feedback loop, a negative feedback loop, or both a positive and negative feedback loop. Many homes use electricity from fossil fuels for heating or burn solid fuels such as wood to generate heat. Fossil fuels and other solid fuels produce greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. As the planet warms and average winter temperatures increase, the amount of energy needed to heat homes decreases, decreasing the need for fossil fuels and other solid fuels, and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced from heating. If the planet began to cool, greenhouse gas emissions from heating would increase and offset some of the cooling. The relationship between indoor heating and greenhouse gas emissions is an example of what type of feedback loop?
negative
Classify radioactive waste characteristics as either low‑level radioactive waste (LLRW) or high‑level radioactive waste (HLRW). ... HLRW
one million times more radioactive than fuel rods generates tremendous heat requires special storage and containment around 2,000 metric tons produced per year
Beta
particle consisting of electrons can penetrate the upper layers of skin and be harmful if ingested easily penetrates deep layers of skin
An example of point-source pollution is
pollution that is discharged from a pipe or smokestack.
Identify each process as an example of a positive feedback loop, a negative feedback loop, or both a positive and negative feedback loop. At the beginning of the last ice age, the Earth began to cool. As the Earth cooled, permafrost expanded and tundra replaced forests, producing land area with a higher albedo. The high-albedo surface reflected more solar radiation away from the Earth, resulting in greater cooling. The vegetation-albedo effect is an example of what type of feedback loop? positive or negative?
positive
Identify each process as an example of a positive feedback loop, a negative feedback loop, or both a positive and negative feedback loop. Sea ice melts and uncovers water, which has a darker surface with a lower albedo. The exposed water absorbs sunlight and releases more heat into the atmosphere. As a result, more ice melts and more water is exposed, further increasing the Earth's temperature. The ice-albedo effect is an example of what type of feedback loop? positive or negative?
positive
Primary air pollutants are those which are
released directly from a mobile or stationary source.
Classify the air pollution reduction strategies as either technological or policy‑based ... technological
smokestack scrubbers, clean coal, electrostatic precipitator, catalytic converters
Gamma
the greatest potential for serious health problems high-energy photon (electromagnetic wave) only stopped by thick or dense materials like concrete and lead easily penetrates deep layers of skin
A downside to cap-and-trade programs intended to reduce pollution is that
they may concentrate pollution in some areas.
