apes final - unit 7
C) Radon
A gaseous decay product of uranium that is found in rocks A) Iron B) Copper C) Radon D) Lead E) Mercury
C) The amount of hydrogen ions
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? A) The species richness B) The total suspended solids C) The amount of hydrogen ions D) The amount of dissolved oxygen
D) pH
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) Biological oxygen demand ( BOD ) B) Carbon dioxide C) Volatile organic compounds ( VOCs ) D) pH
C) There is no representation of photosynthesis in the model environment.
A student is setting up a model to study the carbon cycle and natural sources of carbon dioxide. They create a microenvironment that contains soil, leaf debris, an earthworm, heterotrophic bacteria, and a sun lamp. What natural source of carbon dioxide and major metabolic process was left out of the model? A) There is no representation of ingestion in the model environment. B) There is no representation of decomposition in the model environment. C) There is no representation of photosynthesis in the model environment. D) There is no representation of cellular respiration in the model environment.
B) The burning of fossil fuels
Acid rain is associated with which of the following? A) Damage to tropical rain forests B) The burning of fossil fuels C) Formation of the antarctic ozone hole D) The increasing pH of lake waters E) Release of PCBs into the atmosphere
B) There will be an increase in the level of nitrogen dioxide and a decrease in the level of ground-level ozone.
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? A) There will be no change in the levels of nitrogen dioxide or ground-level ozone. B) There will be an increase in the level of nitrogen dioxide and a decrease in the level of ground-level ozone. C) There will be an increase in the levels of both nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone. D) There will be a decrease in the level of nitrogen dioxide and an increase in the level of ground-level ozone.
C) the risk of developing skin cancer
All of the following are likely consequences of indoor air pollution EXCEPT an increase in A) respiratory diseases leading to premature death B) the development and exacerbation of asthma C) the risk of developing skin cancer D) flulike symptoms, chronic fatigue, and nausea E) the risk of developing lung cancer
A) Particulate matter
An engineer is assigned the task of reducing the air pollutants being released from a power plant that generates electricity by burning coal. The engineer performs a variety of computer simulations to determine which techniques and methods would be most effective at reducing air pollution generated by the plant. The air pollutant that computer simulations would likely show as being the most reduced by the installation of baghouse filters in exhaust systems A) Particulate matter B) Carbon monoxide C) Sulfur dioxide D) Carbon dioxide
C) Wet scrubbers using a flow rate of 450 L/min are best suited to remove large particles.
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? A) Wet scrubbers using a flow rate of 300 L/min are best suited to remove small particles. B) Dry scrubbers using a flow rate of 450 L/min are best suited to remove large particles. C) Wet scrubbers using a flow rate of 450 L/min are best suited to remove large particles. D) Dry scrubbers using a flow rate of 200 L/min are best suited to remove small particles.
B) Monitoring the long-term chemical and biological parameters of an ecosystem
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? A) Mapping out coal-burning power plant locations over the past 50 years B) Monitoring the long-term chemical and biological parameters of an ecosystem C) Calculating the change in sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-burning power plants over time D) Measuring the pH of rainwater and surface water in affected areas
A) Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
Catalytic converters reduce which of the following pairs of pollutants in car exhaust? A) Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons B) Carbon dioxide and ozone C) Carbon dioxide and particulates D) Lead and mercury E) Methane and particulates
B) Radon
Colorless, odorless gas that is a naturally occurring decay product of uranium A) Formaldehyde B) Radon C) Asbestos D) Caron monoxide E) Lead
A) Asbestos
Composed of fibers known to cause lung disease A) Asbestos B) Caron monoxide C) Lead D) Radon E) Formaldehyde
D) The bills do not include public health costs, such as those associated with air pollution.
Consumers who get their electricity from coal-fired power plants are not paying the true cost of energy production in their monthly utility bills. Which of the following is true about utility bills for these consumers? A) The bills include the cost of environmental damage associated with transporting coal. B) The bills do not include the cost of marketing electricity. C) The bills include the cost of cleaning up acid mine damage. D) The bills do not include public health costs, such as those associated with air pollution. E) The bills do not include the cost of power distribution.
C) Lead
Found in old plumbing pipes and fixtures and some ceramic glazes A) Caron monoxide B) Formaldehyde C) Lead D) Asbestos E) Radon
D) motor-vehicle exhaust
Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from A) burning coal B) burning fuel for cooking C) industrial emissions D) motor-vehicle exhaust E) producing electric power
C) Carbon monoxide
Has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen has A) Sulfur dioxide B) Radon C) Carbon monoxide D) Carbon dioxide E) Methane
A) Radon
Has been implicated as the cause of as much as 15 percent of lung cancer cases A) Radon B) Sulfur dioxide C) Methane D) Carbon dioxide E) Carbon monoxide
D) Pb
Implicated in human neurological damage A) Hydrocarbons B) O3 C) Particulates (PM10) D) Pb E) SO2
C) A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system
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 warm mountain breeze and a low pressure system B) A cool sea breeze and a low pressure system C) A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system D) A cool mountain breeze and a high pressure system
E) Coal
Is primarily responsible for acid rain in the northeast United States A) Uranium-238 B) Natural Gas C) Solar D) Oil E) Coal
A) Particulates (PM10)
Is the major pollutant that electrostatic precipitators are designed to remove from power-plant smokestack emissions A) Particulates (PM10) B) Pb C) SO2 D) Hydrocarbons E) O3
C) There is insufficient evidence to support that noise exposure induces birth defects in humans.
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? A) Noise exposure can induce hearing impairment and decreased school performance. B) There is sufficient evidence that exposure to noise induces some health risks in humans. C) There is insufficient evidence to support that noise exposure induces birth defects in humans. D) A high-priority study subject is the effect of noise on children.
E) Los Angeles, California
Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions? A) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania B) Atlanta, Georgia C) Portland, Oregon D) New York City, New York E) Los Angeles, California
C) Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss.
Of the following, which is true of noise pollution? A) Noise pollution is an insignificant occupational hazard. B) In urban areas, few individuals are exposed to noise pollution. C) Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss. D) Hearing damage occurs most quickly when the intensity level of the sound is low. E) Noise at 100 decibels has twice the energy of noise at 50 decibels.
B) Electrostatic precipitators
Particulates can be removed from smokestack emissions by which of the following methods? A) Liquid chromatography B) Electrostatic precipitators C) Catalytic converters D) Exhaust-stream aeration E) Irradiation by UV light
D)Mercury
Poses a health risk to humans who eat large quantities of marine fish such as swordfish and tuna A)Iron B)Lead C)Copper D)Mercury E)Radon
C) Toxic metals freed by acid deposition
Recent studies show that the decline of some tree populations in the northeastern United States is due to a combination of factors. Which of the following is the most important factor? A) Lead emissions produced by smelters B) Radon produced in the Earth's crust C) Toxic metals freed by acid deposition D) Carbon monoxide released in motor vehicle exhaust E) Carbon dioxide produced by coal-fueled electric power plants
C) The amount of sulfur dioxide released will decrease.
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) The amount of carbon monoxide released will increase. B) The amount of ground-level ozone released will decrease. C) The amount of sulfur dioxide released will decrease. D) The amount of water released will increase.
C) Ozone maximum is correlated to average and maximum temperature.
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. 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? A) Isoprene levels vary depending on traffic and urbanization. B) Changes in average temperature are linked to changes in land use in Berlin. C) Ozone maximum is correlated to average and maximum temperature. D) Impact factor causes a change in temperature maximum.
A) Use of biomass fuel sources such as wood and charcoal for cooking
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? A) Use of biomass fuel sources such as wood and charcoal for cooking B) Use of chemical pesticides on croplands C) Industrial power plants burning fossil fuels for electrical energy generation D) Construction of homes with more efficient insulation and increased ventilation
A) In moderately developed regions such as China and Latin America, an individual's health is more or as likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor pollution.
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 Latin America, an individual's health is more or as likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor pollution. B) Indoor air pollutants decrease and urban outdoor pollutants increase as countries become more industrialized. C) Developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa are less affected by indoor air pollution because there is no source of radon in the region. D) The amount of both indoor and outdoor air pollution is directly linked to the size of each region.
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 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 control group could affect the results of their experiment? A) The coal-burning power plant would appear to have a much larger effect on the pH of the experimental group because the pH in the control lake would be elevated from the acidic water. B) The coal-burning power plant would affect both lakes because the Coriolis effect and weather patterns would circulate pollutants in the atmosphere. 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. D) Using this control would not have an effect on the outcome because the high temperature of the hot spring reduces the acidity of the water in the lake.
A) Location A has the greatest need for remediation because the radon levels in the building are the highest and exceed the EPA action level.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States recommends taking corrective measures to reduce exposure to radon gas. The EPA has set an action level of 4 pCi/L 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 in the building are the highest and exceed the EPA action level. B) Location C has the greatest need for remediation because the radon levels in the soil are the highest. C) Location B has the lowest need for remediation because the radon levels in the building are below the suggested action level. D) Location D has the lowest need for remediation because there is no measurable radon in the air or the soil samples.
C)well-insulated homes
The danger from radon gas would most likely be greatest in A)high-rise office buildings B)areas with a high density of automobiles C)well-insulated homes D)crop-dusted agricultural fields E)airplanes at high altitudes
B) Cool sea breeze ® Warm ® Cool
The figure below illustrates how a thermal inversion can form over major urban centers.In the figure above, the letters A, B, and C represent the different thermal layers present in an inversion. Which of the following shows the correct sequence of thermal layers as one moves vertically upwards from the surface of Earth? A) Warm sea breeze ® Cool ® Warm B) Cool sea breeze ® Warm ® Cool C) Cool sea breeze ® Cooler ® Coolest D) Warm sea breeze ® Warm ® Cool
E) NO is produced by rush-hour traffic and is quickly oxidized in the atmosphere.
The following questions(s) refer to the diagram below, which depicts the concentrations of various gases in the air over a city on a typical smoggy day. Which of the following best explains the pattern in NO concentration? A) NO is quickly absorbed by plants and converted to sugars. B) NO is formed in the lower atmosphere in the morning by the rising Sun. C) NO is a secondary pollutant with a long residence time in the atmosphere. D) NO does not play a significant role in smog formation. E) NO is produced by rush-hour traffic and is quickly oxidized in the atmosphere.
D)The concentration of O3 would have been lower.
The following questions(s) refer to the diagram, which depicts the concentrations of various gases in the air over a city on a typical smoggy day. If technology that reduces the hydrocarbon concentration had been utilized, which of the following would have been the most likely result? A)The concentration of aldehydes would have been higher. B)The concentration of O3 would have been higher. C)The concentration of CO2 would have been lower. D)The concentration of O3 would have been lower. E)The concentration of NO would have been higher.
A) Concentrations for component C would be higher throughout the graph.
The graph depicts the various components of smog for a densely populated urban area in the Northern Hemisphere. Each plotted line (A, B, C, and D) is a different component of smog.The data that were used to create this graph were collected in the winter. Which of the following best describes how the graph would be different if the data were collected in the middle of the summer? A) Concentrations for component C would be higher throughout the graph. B) Components A , B , and D would peak in the afternoon instead of in the morning. C) Concentrations for all the data lines would be the horizontal throughout the day. D) The peaks for every data line would be at a lower concentration.
B)10
The graph shows the average pH of precipitation from several regions of the world. Approximately how many more times acidic, in terms of H+ concentration, is precipitation in the northeastern United States as compared to precipitation in the South Pacific? A)0.1 B)10 C)100 D)20 E)2
A) lung cancer
The major human health problem related to radon accumulation is A) lung cancer B) heart disease C) cataracts D) malignant melanoma E) pancreatic cancer
D) the underlying bedrock
The major source of radon in houses in the United States is A) fossil-fuel combustion B) nuclear power plants C) the troposphere D) the underlying bedrock E) furniture and carpets
C) Limestone
The presence of which of the following in soil is most likely to neutralize acid rain? A) Granite B) Sand C) Limestone D) Humus E) Radon
E) Reducing use of fossil fuels
Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid deposition problems? A) Adding lime to acidified lakes B) Developing acid-resistant crops C) Relocating power plants to areas of lower population density D) Using higher smokestacks E) Reducing use of fossil fuels
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.
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? A) Measure changes in plant height over a year in a two different groups of trees; one group is 5km from the power plant and one group is 10km from the 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. C) Measure changes in plant biomass over a year in two different groups of trees the same distance from the power plant; one group is not manipulated and one group is watered daily to dilute the deposition's acidity. D) Measure changes in plant biomass over a year in two different groups of trees; one group is 5km from the power plant over limestone bedrock and one group is 10km from the power plant that has nitrogen and phosphorus added to the topsoil.
D) Less-dense, warm air creates a temperature inversion between more-dense layers, trapping pollutants near the ground.
Which of the following best describes the process shown in the diagram? A) Less-dense, cool air rises up and mixes with the denser warm air above it, increasing the amount of thermal pollution in the atmosphere. B) Movement of air currents over urban areas decreases the amount of photochemical smog during summer months. C) Dense, warm air from the mountains on the right pushes into the less-dense, cool air mass, causing an inversion layer. D) Less-dense, warm air creates a temperature inversion between more-dense layers, trapping pollutants near the ground.
A) Increase in respiratory irritation due to increased levels of fine airborne particulates
Which of the following describes a potential human health effect most likely to be associated with a thermal inversion? A) Increase in respiratory irritation due to increased levels of fine airborne particulates B) Increase in skin cancer due to increased ozone levels C) Increase in heart attacks due to increased barometric pressure D) Increase in infant mortality due to increased atmospheric CO2 levels E) Increase in allergies due to increased household mold
A
Which of the following devices is correctly paired to the air pollutant it would be used to measure? D C A B
A) Nitrogen dioxide, NO2
Which of the following is a common component of photochemical smog and is a reddish-brown gas with a pungent odor? A) Nitrogen dioxide, NO2 B) Ozone, O3 C) Methane, CH4 D) Ammonia, NH3 E) Carbon monoxide, CO
A)Use filtered water for drinking and bathing.
Which of the following is an appropriate remediation strategy for removing radon gas from the home? A)Use filtered water for drinking and bathing. B)Seal or ventilate places where radon enters the living space. C)Do not occupy the basement of the home. D)Remove and replace soil in crawl spaces under the home. E)Place monitors in suspect areas of the home.
B) Individuals pay for medical treatment of lung disease aggravated by pollution from a coal- fired power plant.
Which of the following is an example of an external cost? A) A gas station goes out of business when gasoline prices go so high that drivers drastically decrease their use of gasoline. B) Individuals pay for medical treatment of lung disease aggravated by pollution from a coal- fired power plant. C) A fish-packing company pays unemployment compensation to workers displaced by automation. D) A landfill owner buys more land to increase the size and profitability of the landfill. E) A company that manufactures x-ray machines triples its profits when a new law mandates increased airport security.
C) Cracks in the basement foundation
Which of the following is most likely responsible for the indoor air pollutant shown in the graph? A) Synthetic fiber in carpets and furniture B) Pet hair C) Cracks in the basement foundation D) Leaking water
C) An increase in air emission standards that began in 1970 that regulated corporate average fuel economy ( CAFE ) standards.
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? A) A decrease in the number of vehicles fitted with catalytic converters and an increase in the number of hybrid vehicles beginning in 1970. B) An increase in VOC emissions from car exhausts that resulted from increased driving distances from 1970 to 2020. C) An increase in air emission standards that began in 1970 that regulated corporate average fuel economy ( CAFE ) standards. D) A decrease in the average driving distance in the United States from 1970 to 2020 that resulted from increased urbanization.
C) Oil tanker spill
Which of the following is the best example of a point source pollutant? A) Farm field B) Parking lot C) Oil tanker spill D) Golf course
B) Radon levels tend to increase in the colder months because of the difference in temperature inside and outside the home, which creates a vacuum pulling radon into the home at a higher rate.
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? A) Increased levels of radon are linked to burning biomass indoors, which increases in winter months when more biomass is burned for cooking and heating. B) Radon levels tend to increase in the colder months because of the difference in temperature inside and outside the home, which creates a vacuum pulling radon into the home at a higher rate. C) Home windows are often closed during summer months, causing the levels of radon in the house to build up. D) Barometric pressure changes from summer storms can cause radon levels to increase.
D) Wet-scrubber units
Which of the following is used to reduce SO2 emissions from coal-burning power plants? A) Catalytic converters B) Afterburners C) Ultrafine mechanical filters D) Wet-scrubber units E) Electrostatic precipitators
A) Coal-burning
Which type of electricity-generating power plant releases radioactive materials as well as toxic metals such as lead and arsenic under normal operating conditions? A) Coal-burning B) Geothermal C) Solar D) Nuclear E) Hydroelectric
