APES LAP 1-5

Nationwide standard for pollutants emissions and air quality were established in the US by

The Clean Air Act

Which of the following statements is true? Cold air is denser than warm air Warm air is denser than cold air Air has the same density, regardless of the temperature. Gases have no density; only liquids and solids have density.

Cold air is denser than warm air.

At what type of plate boundary do tectonic plates push apart from one another as magma rises up?

Divergent

What type of mining is sifting through sand and silt in riverbeds for minerals using flowing water?

Placer mining

What are geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar radiation all examples of?

Renewable environmental resources

What does reclamation of land in mining include?

Replacing trees, planting ground cover, removing mining structures, filling in holes

which of the following laws gave the EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from "cradle-to-grave," including the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste?

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

When a population approaches its carrying capacity, its resources:

become more scarce as population growth rate decreases

Greenhouse gas with the highest warming potential per molecule

chlorofluorocarbons

a consumer stores only part of the matter and energy it eats. what happens to most of the remaining energy?

it is given off in the form of heat

rocks, air, and water are:

abiotic factors

biosphere

all living things on earth, and the areas they live

which factor differentiates between forest vs. grasslands, all other factors being approximately equal?

amount of rainfall

The frequency of extreme weather events (hurricanes, floods, droughts, heat waves) in the US has ________ since 1970.

at least doubled

producer

autotroph

which of the following is most likely to increase both nutrient levels and bacterial content of lake water

runoff from a nearby hog farm

Waste from which of the following is an example of a nonpoint source of water pollution?

runoff from agricultural fields

Overuse of groundwater in coastal areas would most likely result in

saltwater intrusion

detritivore

scavenger of waste products or dead material

Curving global wind patterns and the counterclockwise spinning of hurricanes (in the northern hemisphere) are due to:

the Coriolis effect

It can be argued that the US should enact laws slowing global climate change because:

the US is a major source of the problem

Where is US geothermal energy most available?

the West

Why did the DO after one week decrease as the amount of waste increased?

the carbon dioxide increased due to algal respiration

Pollution is considered an external cost when

the cost to the environment is not reflected in the price of the products that produce the pollution

negative feedback from "The Lorax"

the effect of cutting trees down on environmental quality

habitat

the ensemble of living and nonliving things in which an organism lives

The amount of radon in a building's air is mainly determined by

the geology of the rock underneath it

Which of the following is not true regarding the greenhouse effect?

the greenhouse effect originated with anthropocentric activities

Heavy rains and mudslides cause a river to change course, isolating two groups of lizards form one another. If they remain isolated for a long period of time:

the groups will probably diverge genetically, and speciation may occur

ocean temperatures are much more stable than temperatures on land. this is explained by:

the high heat capacity of water

A sustainable society would emphasize

using energy efficiently and reusing and recycling matter

Emitted by many manufactured building and furnishing materials

volatile organic compounds

Which of the following may result in a positive mechanism that would intensify climate change?

warmer temperatures result in the melting of permafrost

A family of five recently replaced its 5-gallon-per-minute showerheads with water-saving 2-gallon-per-minute showerheads. Each memeber of the family averages 8 minutes in the shower per day. In a 30-day period, how many fewer gallons of water will the family use the new showerheads?

3600

Large inland mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas, are formed as a result of __________

A continental-continental convergence of plates

____ is a device designed to remove airborne pollutants from smokestack emissions

A scrubber

Which of the following states is expected to experience the greatest increase in temperature by the year 2100?

Alaska

In the US, what is the trend between the 1980 and the present in the level of the six major pollutants tracked by the FDA?

All have substantially decreased

Which of the following is an effect of acid deposition? Elevated level of aluminum in soil and surface waters Erosion of statues and buildings disruption of food webs crop damage all of these

All of these

Where would an "island arc" be most likely to form?

At a subduction zone between oceanic plates

Which of the following causes most indoor pollution in developing countries? Substance used to make carpeting Cigarette smoke Volatile components of plastics Burning Fuel

Burning Fuel

Which of the following is an example of an ozone-depleting substance? CFC Carbon monoxide Carbon dioxide Particulate pollution all of these

CFC

Greenhouse gas produced by microbes decomposing matter in landfills, swamps, and rice fields

CH4

A catalytic converter is used to reduce _____ emissions in vehicle exhaust

CO and NOx

Predominant greenhouse gas produced by burning of coal and petroleum products

CO2

Acidic material in the atmosphere

Can travel long distances from where it originated

Which of the following substances is not regulated by the EPA? Carbon Monoxide Particulates Lead Carbon dioxide Ozone

Carbon dioxide

natural capital examples

potable water, copper ore, wind, soil

Which of the following effects is caused by ultraviolet radiation? Damage to tissues of living organisms Warming of the planet Air pollution Depletion of the ozone layer

Damage to tissues of living organisms

One solution to address the problems caused by the pollution being emitted by the factor would be for the federal government to institute a command-and-control policy to set limits on the amount of pollution that the factory can discharge. What federal regulating agency would be responsible for instituting such a command-and-control policy?

EPA

Which of the following events occurs most frequently at transform boundaries?

Earthquakes

What is tantalum, an element mined in Africa, primarily used for?

Electronics

The Acid Rain Program of the Clean Air Act of 1990 set up an effective ___ to fight acid deposition in the US

Emissions trading system for SO2

the market value in dollars of goods and services produced in a country for use within a year is the

GDP

What is the best way to decrease concentrations of indoor air pollutants?

Good ventilation

Found in acid deposition due to vehicle emissions

HNO3

Equatorial areas experience heavy rainfall. Deserts are often found at 30 degrees north or south of the equator. North of these effects are due to:

Hadley Cells

Which statement is true about air pollution in Houston? Houston has more air pollution than it had in the 1980s. Air quality measurements are not routinely done in Houston. Houston's air quality is currently worse than that of LA Houston has better air quality now than it had in the 1980s.

Houston has better air quality now than it had in the 1980s

The current practice of geothermal power generation may not always provide a practical renewable energy source because...?

In some cases, the heated groundwater is used much faster than it is recharged

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that photochemical smog:

Is formed only in the presence of sunlight

Why was the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 so much more deadly than the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan in 2011?

Japan has stricter building codes

groups of organisms with low biotic potential such as gray whales are...

K-selected

What is stratigraphy the study of?

Layers of sedimentary rock

What does weathering and erosion do to all three types of rock?

Make them sediments

What is a naturally occurring solid chemical element or inorganic compound with a distinct chemical composition ad a crystal structure?

Mineral

What does the US Surface Mining Control and Reclamation of 1977 require?

Mining companies to post bonds to cover restoration of mined areas before permits are granted

The most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere

N2

Greenhouse gas that is a by-product of synthetic fertilizer use, feedlots, forest fires, and auto emissions

N2O

Which gas comprises the largest portions of Earth's atmosphere?

Nitrogen

Stratospheric greenhouse gas that absorbs the sun's incoming short-wave radiation

O3

What type of mining is excavating a giant hole in the landscape to remove widely spread mineral deposits?

Open pit mining

Which of the following is a secondary air pollutant? Sulfur dioxide Ozone Carbon monoxide Particulates Radon

Ozone

Step P: water is passed through a screen. Step Q: pathogenic organisms are killed by chlorination, UV, or ozone. Step R: suspended particles clump and settle out. Step S: a floccing agent, such as alum, is added to the water. The processes described above are steps in the purification and treatment of municipal wastewater. The steps are listed in random order. What is the correct order?

P S R Q

What does the US General Mining Act of 1872 do?

Practically gives away resources located on public land

What is the source of radon as an indoor pollutant?

Radioactive decay of uranium

Indoor air pollutant that may cause lung cancer

Rn

Requires minimum safety standards for community water supplies

Safe water drinking act

What type of mining is extracting minerals from underground by dissolving them and then sucking or pumping the dissolved minerals out of the ground?

Solution Mining

Which part of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

Stratosphere

What type of mining is removing surface layers to expose and extract horizontal mineral deposits?

Strip Mining

"Challenger Deep" is the deepest known ocean trench, and is found off the Marianas Trench in the Pacific. It is likely that this is found in __________________.

Subduction zone

What type of mining is tunneling deep underground to extract minerals?

Subsurface mining

Acid deposition usually begins with the emission of ____ into the atmosphere

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

The international effort to halt the depletion of the ozone layer, a model of international cooperation to address global problems, was called

The Montreal Protocol

Why do environmentalists and scientists advocate immediate action, including stricter laws to limit power plant carbon dioxide emissions?

These industries produce the most greenhouse gases.

What do undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions produce?

Tsunamis

In the wake of the U.S. failure to ratify the Kyoto Protocol ________.

US cities and states are setting their own programs for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Which of the following is an adaptation response to climate change?

a Pacific island nation building higher seawalls

population

a group of organisms of the same species, living in a particular area

niche

a species' role; its use of resources and the surroundings

ecosystem

a system composed of a community, its environment, and interactions between them

which of the following is not included in a water footprint

a waterfall in a recreational area

secondary consumer

a wolf that preys on deer

Anolis lizard species that live up high in the trees have larger toe pads than those living on the ground. The larger toe pads are an example of:

an adaptation that enhances survival in a particular environment

example of intrinsic value of an ecosystem

an estuary is often a stopover location for millions of migrating shorebirds that need to stop and fuel up on the invertebrates living in the mudflats

a key "take-home message" about Easter Island

an island population must live as responsible stewards of its sources

Which of the following inorganic substances is naturally occurring in rocks, soluble in groundwater, and toxic at low concentrations

arsenic

which of the following is a successful solution to the problem of fish mortality caused by dams

building fish ladders around the dam

benefits of artificial wetlands

can treat waste water, manage pollution/run off from a city, provide a recreational area

Which of the following are market mechanisms for addressing climate change?

cap-and-trade and carbon offsets

Human wastewater entering into bodies of water can be dangerous because

causes increase in biological oxygen demand, can lead to cultural eutrophication, the wastewater can carry pathogens

how is global climate change expected to affect global per capita GDP by the year 2200

climate change is expected to decrease GDP by greater than 5% annually by the year 2200 as economies struggle because of the economic effects of flooding

What are the 3 distinct layers of the earth?

core, mantle, crust

effects of ocean acidification

decay of shells of marine life, certain coral cannot survive

As urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to

decreased surface runoff

which of the following is the best illustration of the tragedy of commons?

depletion of fishing stocks in North Atlantic

Seasons are a result of:

differences in the amount and intensity of sunlight due to the tilt of the Earth's axis

a _________ is best defined as one who evaluates an action based on its impact on water and air quality

ecocentrist

triple bottom line goals

economic development, environmental protection, and social equity

the consumption of mosquitoes by bats and the control of flooding provided by tropical forests in mountainous areas of Central America are examples of

ecosystem services

The largest source of anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the United States is

electricity generation

which is the best example of a point source of water pollution

factory effluent

true/false: ocean currents are always rapid and powerful

false

which of the following terms applies to the economic approach of including external costs in the price of goods and services?

full-cost pricing

decomposer

fungi and bacteria

By definition, parasites ________ their host.

get nourishment from and harm

which of the following displays eutrophication on a large scale

gulf of mexico

primary consumer

herbivorous grazing animals

Which surface has the highest albedo?

ice

type of rock formed when lava cools?

igneous

High population density can ________.

increase the incidence of disease transmission

cause of ocean acidification

increased levels of H2CO3 in the atmosphere leads to a decreased ocean pH

in a river ecosystem, dissolved oxygen concentrations drop quickly downstream from a point source input of organic matter into the river. this effect is due to

increasing bacterial activity as organic matter decays

which of the following is an example of external costs?

individuals pay for medical treatment of lung disease aggravated by pollution from a coal-fired power plant

Earth's climate...

is changing as a result of natural and human processes

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere:

is currently higher than it has been for the past 400,000 years

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it ________.

is formed only in the presence of sunlight

Recent research indicates that the variation in solar output:

is less than any of the anthropocentric factors affecting climate change

The ocean is an important factor in the change climate because:

it is a major carbon sink

the use of tidal and wave energy as a renewable energy source involves converting __________ energy to electricity

kinetic

which of the following is a measure of the amount of suspended material in water

leachate concentration

the invasive european buckthorn invades a local forest preserve. Initially, the population of buckthorn rapidly increases, and then it begins to level of. This pattern of population growth most closely resembles:

logistic growth

green taxes

may affect consumers if the companies paying the taxes raise the price of their product

When more carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, a direct result is that its water becomes:

more acidic and lower in pH value

which of the following statements is true? a. Energy is recycled over and over in an ecosystem without losing quality b. energy and matter are both recycled in ecosystems c. an ecosystem's second trophic level stores the same amount of energy as the first trophic level d. most ecosystems require regular input of solar energy

most ecosystems require regular input of solar energy

which of these is not a type of marine ecosystem

mountain stream

several species of warblers can live off of resources provided by the same spruce tree ONLY because:

occupy different niches within the tree

Rising sea levels result in all of the following except

ocean acidification

Which process stores carbon in the "terrestrial ecosystem?"

photosynthesis

The major biological source of dissolved oxygen in the ocean comes from

photosynthesis by phytoplakton

One factor contributing to US resistance to legal intervention regarding global climate change is:

political influence of the petroleum, coal, and automobile industries

Carbon dioxide is:

produced during the combustion of fossil fuels

environmental policy aims to

promote fairness among people and groups in the use of resources and protection from pollution

An environmentally sustainable society

protects the prospects of the future generations of humans and other species, meets the needs of its people without jeopardizing the needs of the future generations, satisfies the needs of its people by harvesting without depleting the Earth's capital, manages its economy and population size without doing irreparable environmental harm

which of the following practices would have the greatest impact on achieving global sustainability?

reducing human population size

Which of the following would not be considered an action to mitigate climate change?

relocating coastal communities further inland

Which of the following samples in NOT used by scientists to collect information about past climate?

rock samples

natural resources are

substances and energy sources that we take from the environment

Substance that contributes to short-term atmospheric cooling

sulfate aerosol

what does the ring of fire consist of?

tectonic plate boundaries

cost-benefit analysis of the risks associated with an environmental hazard involving health and safety, which of the following concerns is NOT typically taken into account?

the long-term value and peace of mind to society resulting from a cleaner, healthier environment

Why is the melting of polar ice and snow of concern to scientists?

the populations of animals that live there are declining

The decrease in NOx emissions in the US from 1970 to 2014 can be partially attributed to which of the following?

the use of catalytic converters in motor vehicles

The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in a sample of river water suggests which of the following?

the water is contaminated with animal waste

which is true of sewage treatment plants in the United States

they are not designed to remove pharmaceutical chemicals from wastewater

The energy content and biomass of ________ is lowest in a terrestrial food web.

top carnivores

The greenhouse effect involves the warming of Earth's surface and the:

troposphere

which biomes are characterized by relatively low temperatures

tundra and taiga (boreal forest)