APES Ch 13-17

At current consumption rates, Saudi Arabia, with the world's largest crude oil reserves, could supply world oil needs for ______ years. a. 20 b. 50 c. 75 d. 10

10

About what percentage of the world's commercial nonrenewable energy sources are from fossil fuels? a. 29% b. 50% c. 62% d. 78%

78%

Compared to surface mining, subsurface mining a. produces more waste material. b. removes more resources from the ground. c. is safer and less expensive. d. disturbs less land surface.

disturbs less land surface.

Which is the most efficient irrigation technique? a. gravity flow through ditches b. center pivot sprinkler systems c. surge valves d. drip irrigation systems

drip irrigation systems

Salinization of soil can be a by-product of a. composting. b. contour farming. c. irrigation. d. crop rotation.

irrigation.

True or false? Water meters reduce water waste. True False

true

Which of the following is not a proposed method of storing or disposing of nuclear wastes? a. Bury it under the Antarctic ice sheet b. Bury it into descending subduction zones in the deep ocean c. Shoot it into space or into the sun using rocket ships d. Burn it at very high temperatures in specialized reactors

Burn it at very high temperatures in specialized reactors

Which of the following is not one of the causes of water scarcity? a. dry climate b. erosion c. desiccation d. drought

erosion

Diversion of water from the Aral Sea has led to a. decrease in its salinity. b. increased crop yields in the neighboring areas. c. extinction of native fish species. d. more moderate temperature and increased rain.

extinction of native fish species.

True or false? Industrialized agriculture occurs on 50% of all cropland in the world. True False

false

Which of the following supplies most of the world's food? a. rangelands b. croplands c. ocean fisheries d. freshwater fisheries

croplands

True or false? Innovative conservation strategies assure California of an adequate water supply for at least this century. True False

false

True or false? Most of the meat in the U.S. is produced in pastures. True False

false

True or false? Nonrenewable mineral resources are priced according to the rules of a competitive free market. True False

false

True or false? Polyvarietal cultivation refers to planting several different species of crops in the same plot. True False

false

True or false? Producing tar sands from oil sand reserves is cheaper and less damaging to the environment than extraction and refining of conventional crude oil. True False

false

The removal of vegetation, especially on hillsides increases the risk of a. salinization. b. groundwater overdrafts. c. saltwater intrusion. d. flooding.

flooding.

From an environmental viewpoint, the best approach to reducing flood risks is a. floodplain management. b. channelization. c. artificial levees. d. flood control dams.

floodplain management.

Of the following, which is the main agent of erosion? a. climate change b. wind c. agriculture d. flowing water

flowing water

Green manure is a. inorganic fertilizer. b. organic matter such as leaves, food wastes, and paper that are broken down by microorganisms. c. animal manure that is fresh. d. freshly cut or growing green vegetation plowed into the soil.

freshly cut or growing green vegetation plowed into the soil.

Which of the following causes physical or mechanical weathering? a. frost wedging b. lichen c. roots d. carbon dioxide

frost wedging

Breeder reactors a. generate more nuclear fuel than they consume. b. convert plutonium into uranium. c. have a higher safety record than conventional nuclear power plants. d. could deplete our reserves of uranium very quickly.

generate more nuclear fuel than they consume.

A fuel cell combines ______ and ______ to produce electricity. a. carbon dioxide, hydrogen b. a battery, gasoline c. water, ethanol d. hydrogen, oxygen

hydrogen, oxygen

What form of energy has high cost of construction, high environmental impact, and the potential to force the displacement of people and wildlife? a. nuclear power b. wind power c. solar power d. hydropower

hydropower

The ______ depletion time assumes no recycling or reuse of a mineral and no increase in reserves. a. shortest b. longest

shortest

One of the concerns about nanotechnology is that a. the technology is unlikely to produce anything particularly useful. b. smaller particles are more reactive and potentially more toxic. c. the technology promises to be much more expensive than conventional methods. d. it can never replace mineral resources we currently rely upon.

smaller particles are more reactive and potentially more toxic.

Some analysts believe that even if supplies of key minerals become too expensive or scarce from unsustainable use, human ingenuity will find a. new technologies for mining and extraction. b. better methods of recycling minerals. c. substitutes for scarce minerals. d. new deposits of scarce minerals.

substitutes for scarce minerals.

In the United States, about 90% of the mineral resources are extracted by a. surface mining. b. subsurface mining. c. mountaintop removal. d. open-pit mining.

surface mining.

According to the FAO, as much as ______ of the food produced worldwide is lost through spoilage, inefficient processing and preparation, and plate waste. a. 10% b. 25% c. 50% d. 70%

70%

______ pesticides are toxic to many species. a. Persistent b. Selective c. Broad-spectrum d. Natural

Broad-spectrum

Which country has more fresh water, Canada or China? a. Canada b. China

Canada

______ is the name for a system that produces two useful forms of energy from one fuel source. a. Regeneration b. Cogeneration c. Degeneration d. Post-generation

Cogeneration

______ is local, inexpensive, and modular. a. Solar power b. Hydrogen fuel cell power c. Wind power d. Decentralized micropower

Decentralized micropower

Which of the following is the most controversial method of increasing food production? a. Crossbreeding b. Genetic engineering c. Putting more land into production d. Introducing new foods

Genetic engineering

______ is the most energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally clean way to heat or cool a building. a. Passive solar b. Geothermal exchange c. Photovoltaic power d. Hydrogen power

Geothermal exchange

Which of the following is not true of livestock production? a. Uses large amounts of water. b. Feedlots require the use of antibiotics. c. Cattle produce large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas. d. Globally, nearly all livestock waste is returned to the soil as nutrient rich fertilizer.

Globally, nearly all livestock waste is returned to the soil as nutrient rich fertilizer.

______ is reclaimed water from sinks, tubs, and washers. a. Sludge b. Brown water c. Gray water d. Treated water

Gray water

Which of the following questions should we not ask when deciding which energy alternative to use? a. How much of the energy resource is likely to be available in the near future and the long term? b. What government research and development subsidies will be available? c. How vulnerable is the resource to terrorism? d. How much will it cost the consumer to purchase this energy resource?

How much will it cost the consumer to purchase this energy resource?

Which of the following is not a method of maintaining the availability of fish and seafood? a. Fish ranching b. Harvesting at sustainable yield c. Increasing the use of drift nets d. Decreasing allowable bycatch levels

Increasing the use of drift nets

Which of the following is a possible environmental effect of seabed mining? a. It can affect the salinity of the water in the area being mined. b. It may change the ocean temperature. c. It can stir up ocean sediments. d. It will affect migrating patterns of whales.

It can stir up ocean sediments.

Which of the following is not a way in which food production impacts the environment? a. It increases salt buildup in soils. b. It increases soil erosion. c. It decreases biodiversity. d. It increases surface water quality.

It increases surface water quality.

Which of the following is not a method for saving significant amounts of energy? a. Use cogeneration b. Replace electric motors with adjustable-speed drive motors c. Lower CAFE standards d. Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs

Lower CAFE standards

An advantage of synthetic natural gas and other synfuels is: a. No need for coal mining. b. Doesn't require a lot of water for extraction. c. Lower air pollution than coal. d. Lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Lower air pollution than coal.

Which of the following would not be a result of reducing energy waste? a. Prolonging fossil fuel supplies b. Keeping more money in local economies c. Higher net energy d. Prolonging development of technological advancements in renewable energy

Prolonging development of technological advancements in renewable energy

Which of the following is not a stated means of preventing groundwater depletion? a. Reduce stream flow levels b. Ban new wells c. Tax water pumped from wells near surface water d. Switch to less water-intensive crops

Reduce stream flow levels

Which of the following is a strategy to use water more sustainably? a. Build more dams and levees b. Regulate withdrawals to prevent depletion of renewable aquifers c. Slow the rate of ozone depletion d. Increase efficiency and productivity in livestock production

Regulate withdrawals to prevent depletion of renewable aquifers

The Earth's innermost zone is the ______, surrounded by the ______. a. core, mantle b. mantle, core c. core, crust d. mantle, crust

core, mantle

Which of the following is not a stated concern about China's Three Gorges Dam? a. The reservoir will force the displacement of over a million people. b. The reservoir will flood important archaeological sites. c. The dam may not be able to withstand the impact of an earthquake. d. The dam will increase China's dependence on coal.

The dam will increase China's dependence on coal.

Which of the following is not considered to be a problem with pesticides? a. They are especially damaging to genetically-engineered crops. b. They kill beneficial insects. c. They threaten human health. d. They are more likely to end up in our air, water, and soil than on the pests.

They are especially damaging to genetically-engineered crops.

True or false? Traditional subsistence farming provides a higher ratio of units of food energy to units of input energy than does U.S. industrialized farming. True False

True

Which of the following describes the first green revolution? a. Discovery that wild plants could be cultivated as a dependable food supply b. Export of dwarf varieties of rice and wheat to tropical developing countries c. Using high inputs or pesticides and fertilizers to increase crop yields in developing countries d. Introduction of new food plants to developed countries

Using high inputs or pesticides and fertilizers to increase crop yields in developing

Which of the following space heating energy systems has the highest net energy ratio over its estimated lifetime? a. a passive solar system b. an oil system c. a natural gas system d. electric resistance heating

a passive solar system

Natural gas deposits occur in the greatest amount a. above reservoirs of crude oil. b. in methane hydrate ice crystals.

above reservoirs of crude oil.

Porous, water-saturated layers of sand, gravel, or bedrock through which groundwater flows make up a(n) a. aquifer. b. watershed. c. zone of aeration. d. eutrophic zone.

aquifer.

Which of the following is not considered to be a mineral resource? a. coal b. sand c. barium d. aluminum

barium

The United States uses less ______ energy than the world average. a. coal b. biomass c. natural gas d. nuclear power

biomass

Which is the world's most abundant fossil fuel? a. coal b. oil c. natural gas d. shale oil

coal

Which of the following energy sources is the United States not expected to increase its dependence on in the next 15 years? a. natural gas b. oil c. coal d. solar

coal

A trench normally forms at a a. transform fault. b. convergent plate boundary. c. divergent plate boundary. d. mantle plume.

convergent plate boundary.

Which of the following classifications of mineral resources describes mineral deposits known to exist in a certain place, quantity, and quality? a. identified resources b. reserves c. undiscovered resources d. extractable reserves

identified resources

Which kind of rock is formed by cooling lava? a. igneous b. metamorphic c. sedimentary d. shale

igneous

One approach to phasing in more sustainable agriculture is to a. establish more monoculture farms. b. fund research on genetic crop engineering. c. increase subsidies for it. d. none of the choices.

increase subsidies for it.

Which of the following is not a main factor in water scarcity? a. dry climate b. increased damming of rivers and building of reservoirs c. drought d. too many people using reliable water source

increased damming of rivers and building of reservoirs

Which of the following is not a pollutant released by the burning of coal? a. arsenic b. mercury c. iron d. sulfur dioxide

iron

Most water is withdrawn from surface waters and aquifers for a. drinking water. b. industrial manufacturing. c. irrigation of crops. d. cooling power plants.

irrigation of crops.

Much of the world's fresh water is unavailable to us because a. it is in deep and inaccessible aquifers. b. it exists in the form of water vapor. c. it is mixed with saltwater. d. it is locked up in ice caps or glaciers.

it is locked up in ice caps or glaciers.

One of the disadvantages of natural gas is a. it has a relatively low net energy yield. b. it is very difficult to transport from one country to another. c. it produces more air pollution than other fossil fuels. d. supplies are very low.

it is very difficult to transport from one country to another.

If nuclear fusion reactors could be built successfully, which of the following would not be one of their advantages? a. little risk from terrorism b. no carbon dioxide emissions c. low cost of operations d. lower levels of radioactive waste

low cost of operations

A disadvantage of nuclear power is a. low net energy yield. b. high risk of accidents. c. severe disruption of land. d. high level of water pollution.

low net energy yield.

Which of the following is not a possible disadvantage of using biomass as a form of energy? a. possibly nonrenewable b. soil erosion c. low potential supply d. low photosynthetic efficiency

low potential supply

Another name for organic farming is a. high-input agriculture. b. low-input agriculture. c. high-yield agriculture. d. low-yield agriculture.

low-input agriculture.

A person who receives an adequate number of calories but whose diet is deficient in protein and other essential nutrients suffers from a. undernutrition. b. malnutrition. c. overnutrition. d. macronutrition.

malnutrition.

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using solar energy to generate high-temperature heat and electricity? a. may disturb desert areas b. high carbon dioxide emissions c. low net energy d. takes 10-20 years to construct

may disturb desert areas

A(n) ______ absorbs and stores heat from the sun directly within a structure. a. active solar heating system b. passive solar heating system

passive solar heating system

One trend in managing water resources is a. privatization. b. government seizure of privately-held water supplies. c. public utility ownership. d. none of the choices.

privatization.

Environmentalists believe that agricultural subsidies should be used for a. elimination of agricultural pests and predators. b. draining wetlands to increase productive land. c. keeping water prices artificially low so farmers can irrigate more land. d. protecting soil quality.

protecting soil quality.

One way to reduce soil desertification is to a. control rainfall patterns. b. reduce overgrazing. c. remove trees that require large amounts of water. d. move from polyculture to monoculture.

reduce overgrazing.

Compared to conventional-tillage farming, conservation tillage a. reduces soil erosion. b. requires more fuel. c. releases more carbon dioxide to the air. d. reduces crop yields.

reduces soil erosion.

About 2/3 of the world's annual runoff is lost by ______ and is not available for human use. a. evaporation b. percolation into the ground c. pollution of the water supply d. seasonal floods

seasonal floods

Which of the following is not a result of extracting, processing, and using mineral resources? a. large amounts of solid waste b. soil buildup c. increase in water pollution d. disturbance of land

soil buildup

Which of the following is not one of the three primary crops that feed the world? a. soybeans b. rice c. corn d. wheat

soybeans

At a ______, plates slide past one another as they move in opposite directions. a. divergent plate boundary b. convergent plate boundary c. transform fault d. subduction zone

transform fault

True or false? A nonrenewable mineral resource is so defined only if it is a material that can be processed at an affordable cost. True False

true

True or false? Assuming no accidents occur, nuclear power is a cleaner technology than the use of fossil fuels. True False

true

True or false? Dams can lose more water than they provide. True False

true

True or false? Distillation is one method of desalinating water. True False

true

True or false? Hydrogen is not a source of energy. It is a fuel produced by using energy. True False

true

True or false? Since the 1960's the Aral Sea in the former Soviet Union is going dry as a result of a large scale water transfer project. True False

true

Which of the following is a by-product of burning hydrogen, taken from water, as a fuel? a. water vapor b. carbon dioxide c. methane d. deuterium

water vapor

What is the world's fastest growing source of energy? a. solar power b. wind power c. hydroelectric power d. fuel cell power

wind power

Which form of power has more advantages and fewer disadvantages than any other energy source? a. wind power b. solar power c. fuel cell power d. hydroelectric power

wind power

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a. contains enough oil to supply U.S. needs for 5-10 years. b. would bring more oil-related jobs to Alaska. c. is not likely to have an impact on wildlife, most of which do not live in the area. d. is an inexpensive way to get more oil for the U.S.

would bring more oil-related jobs to Alaska.