ENV TEST 2
Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called ________.
Hadley cells
The stratospheric ozone layer is important to ecosystems because it ________.
absorbs and scatters UV light
The breakdown of large rocks into smaller pieces is ________.
affected by rainfall, freezing, and thawing
The biosphere is best defined as ________.
all Earth's organisms and the nonliving environment with which they interact
The relative humidity is the ________.
amount of water vapor a given volume of air holds compared to the maximum amount it could hold at a given temperature
Residence time is the ________.
average length of time a molecule of a substance spends in the environment
Carbon monoxide ________.
blocks oxygen transport in human blood
Which of the following is the chief cause of industrial smog?
burning fossil fuels
Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by autotrophs ________.
by producing synthetic fertilizers and applying them to crops, lawns, and parks
Which of the following describes a property of pure water?
can hold many molecules in solution
Which of the following represents chemosynthesis?
carbon dioxide + water + hydrogen sulfide → sugar + sulfuric acid
Lead enters the atmosphere as a particulate pollutant. This is a problem because lead ________.
causes central nervous system damage in humans
Bacteria and fungal spores are potential ________.
causes of "sick-building syndrome"
Forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots, what compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissues?
cellulose
When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting ________.
chemical to thermal energy
What are the three distinct layers of the earth?
core, mantle, crust
Seasons are a result of ________.
differences in the amount and intensity of sunlight brought about by the tilt of Earth's axis
The type of tectonic plate boundary at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is referred to as a ________.
divergent boundary
Which of the following describes mass wasting?
downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity
Earthquakes result from ________.
energy released from movement at plate boundaries and fault
We use ________ to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.
enzymes
The eutrophication that has taken place in Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and other locations appears to be due to ________.
excess nutrients from fertilizers
The Coriolis effect contributes to ________.
global wind patterns
Which of the following reactions represents cellular respiration?
glucose + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + energy
The force driving plate tectonics is ________.
heat in the deepest layers of the earth
Temperature increases with altitude through most of the stratosphere because ________.
heat is released when oxygen and ozone absorb the sun's UV radiation
What is the type of rock formed when magma or lava cools?
igneous
You have been hired by a rapidly growing small city to improve the air quality, which has deteriorated in the past 10 years. What would be a logical action to take?
improve transportation options, including carpool lanes, buses, and light rail
The majority of Earth's fresh water exists ________.
in the form of ice
In an aquatic ecosystem experiencing eutrophication, levels of dissolved macronutrients ________ and dissolved oxygen levels ________.
increase; decease
One problem that occurs as a consequence of CFC pollution is ________.
increasing skin cancer in humans
The Coriolis effect ________.
is caused by earth's rotational forces
Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it ________.
is formed only in the presence of sunlight
Tropospheric ozone ________.
is produced through the interaction of UV light with nitrogen oxides and carbon-containing compounds
What are Earth's structural spheres?
lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
Rock that has undergone heat or pressure that causes it to change form is called ________.
metamorphic
Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen available to plants and is carried out by ________.
mutualistic and free‑living bacteria
Mutualistic relationships between bacteria and certain root nodules play an important role in the global cycling of ________.
nitrogen
What gas comprises the largest portion of Earth's atmosphere?
nitrogen
The Earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of ________.
nitrogen and oxygen
The process of subduction ________.
occurs when denser ocean crusts slide beneath lighter continental crusts
The phosphorus in all biological tissues can traced back to ________.
phosphorus weathered from rock
pH influences ________.
plant growth
River water held behind a dam is best described as a form of ________.
potential energy
Skin, hair, muscles, and enzymes are all made up of ________.
proteins
Cellular respiration ________.
releases carbon dioxide and water
The Montreal Protocol ________.
resulted in significant reduction in the production of CFCs by signatory nations
Soil texture refers to the relative amounts of ________ in soil.
sand, silt, and clay
The largest pool of carbon in the carbon cycle is ________.
sedimentary rock
The primary causes of acid deposition are ________.
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
Precipitation ________.
that is acidic would have a pH lower than pure water
During photosynthesis within plants, ________.
there is net consumption of water and carbon dioxide
The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a(n) ________.
transform plate boundary
Biodiversity is partially influenced by net primary productivity. Where can the highest terrestrial rates of NPP be found?
tropical rainforests
Weather patterns are largely determined in the ________.
troposphere
Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce ________.
tsunamis
Air moving along Earth's surface near the equator tends to be ________.
warmer and wetter than air at higher latitudes; it then rises, expands and cools
Consider the following processes: respiration, chemosynthesis, combustion of firewood, and photosynthesis. How many of these result in the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?
1
A solution with a pH of 3 is ________ a solution with a pH of 5.
100 times more acidic
Decomposers are most likely found in the ________.
A and O horizons
________ is any network of relationships among a group of components, which interact with and influence one another through the exchange of energy, matter, or information.
A system
Today, ________ has the worst acid deposition problem, primarily because of ________.
China; coal-fired electrical and industrial plants
________ cause water molecules to interact and adhere to one another.
Hydrogen bonds
Which of the following is a consequence of acid deposition?
It leaches important minerals from soils.
________ is defined as the number of protons plus the number of neutrons.
Mass number
________ are composed of amino acids.
Proteins