APES EXAM

if a city of population 10,000 experiences 100 births, 40 deaths, 10 immigrants, and 30 emigrants in the course of a year, what is its net annual percentage growth rate? .4%? .8%? 1%? 4%? 8%?

.4%

What is the efficiency of the conversion of light energy to chemical energy in photosynthesis? 100%? 95%? 30%? 15%? 1%?

1%

What is the maximum efficiency possible in an energy conversion process that is not limited by the second law of thermodynamics? 100%? 95%? 30%? 15%? 1%?

100%

If the population of a country grows at a rate of approixmately 5% per year, the number of years required for the population to double in closest to

15 years

What is the energy efficiency of an average coal powered plant? 100%? 95%? 30%? 15%? 1%?

30%

The combustion of one gallon of automobile fuel produces about 5 pounds of carbon (in CO2). Two autos are making a trip of 600 miles. The first auto gets 20 miles per gallon, and the second gets 30 miles per gallon. Approximately how much LESS carbon (in CO2) will be produced by the second auto on this trip? 300 lbs? 150 lbs? 100 lbs? 75 lbs? 50 lbs?

50 lbs

the current global human population is about 6,100,000,000 billion and is growing at an annual rate of 1.35%. If world population were to grow at this rate for the next year, approixmately how many people would be added? 800,000? 8,000,000? 80,000,000? 800,000,000? 8,000,000,000?

80,000,000

What is the approximate percentage of electrical energy converted to heat in the average incandescent lightbulb? 100%? 95%? 30%? 15%? 1%?

95%

The element commercially extracted from bauxite Oxygen? aluminum? iron? nitrogen? argon?

Aluminum

plant roots absorb ammonium ions and nitrate ions for use in making molecules such as DNA, amino acids, and proteins nitrification? dentrification? assimilation? ammonification? nitrogen fixation?

Assimilation

The rapid rate of this process in tropical forests results in low-nutrient soils. photosynthesis? eutrophication? dentrification? decomposition? transpiration?

Decomposition

Nitrate ions and nitrite ions are conerted into nitrous oxide gas and nitrogen gas (N2) nitrification? dentrification? assimilation? ammonification? nitrogen fixation?

Dentrification

the process by which a soil nutrient is reduced and released to the atmosphere as a gas photosynthesis? eutrophication? dentrification? decomposition? transpiration?

Dentrification

the most commonly used measure of the economic growth of a country is which of the following? gross national product? level of exports? level of imports? fertility rate? externalized costs?

Gross national product

economic benefits of building large dams include which of the following? I. Storage of water for agriculture and domestic use. II. Controlling floods upstream III. Production of renewable energy I only II only I and III only II and III only I, II, and III

I and III only

Regulations that deal directly with the disposal of hazardous materials in the United States include which of the following? I. RCRA II. Clean Water Act III. Clean Air Act I only II only III only I and II only I, II, and III

I only

characteristics that tend to increase the risk of a species becoming endangered include which of the following? I. Having a very limited distribution II. Being a specialist at the end of a long food chain. III. Having a small population size. I only II only III only II and III only I, II, and III

I, II, and III

The most abundant element in Earth's core Oxygen? aluminum? iron? nitrogen? argon?

Iron

Which of the following is a true statement about replacement-level fertility? It equals the average number of children a woman will give birth to during her childbearing years? It equals the annual number of live births per 1,000 people in a population? It equals the natural increase of a population in one year? It is found by subtracting the number of emigrants from the number of immigrants in one year? It is greater in countries with high infant mortality rates than in countries with low infant-mortality rates?

It is greater in countries with high infant mortality rates than in countries with low infant-mortality rates

negative environmental impacts associated with large-scale hydroelectric projects have been demonstrated in which of the following areas? James bay, quebec? three mile island, pennsylvania? kissimmee river, florida? mono lake, california? aral sea, former USSR?

James Bay, Quebec

which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is also a by-product of anaerobic respiration? Methane, CH4? Nitrogen, N2? Oxygen, O2? Nitrogen dioxide, NO2? Hydrogen sulfide, H2S?

Methane, CH4

Ammonia is converted to nitrite, then to nitrate nitrification? dentrification? assimilation? ammonification? nitrogen fixation?

Nitrification

The most abundant element in Earth's atmosphere Oxygen? aluminum? iron? nitrogen? argon?

Nitrogen

The most abundant element in the Earth's crust Oxygen? aluminum? iron? nitrogen? argon?

Oxygen

Of the following, which is the best example of reclamation of disturbed lands? Restoring vegetation to an area that has been mined? Constructing a new wetland to compensate for the loss of wetlands? Growing crops on land formerly used for grazing? Reintroducing an endangered species into an area from which it has disappeared? Regulating the use of a natural resource in order for it to renew itself

Restoring vegetation to an area that has been mined

country with the largest area of boreal forests australia? brazil? chile? russia? united states of america?

Russia

country with the largest area of temperate deciduous forests? australia? brazil? chile? russia? united states of america?

United States of america

which of the following componenets of a wastewater treatment plant is designed to facilitate the decomposition of organic material by aerobic microorganisms? bar screen? gritt-settling tank? activated-sludge tank? chlorination tank? ultraviolet-light array?

activated sludge tank

country with the greatest percentage of land area affected by desertification australia? brazil? chile? russia? united states of america?

australia

acid rain is assocaited with which of the following? formation of the antarctic ozone hole? release of PCBs into the atmosphere? Damage to tropical rain forests? the burning of fossil fuels? the increasing pH of lake waters?

burning of fossil fuels

an industry uses natural gas for manufacturing and uses the waste heat to produce electricity. This is an example of which of the following processes? cogeneration? electrolysis? gas hydration? gasification? reclamation?

cogeneration

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of the tragedy of the commons? Destruction of landscape by surface mining on private land? Selective harvesting of trees by a timber company in a national forest? Legislation of catch limits to avoid depletion of fish stocks in a shared lake? Inadvertent destruction of beneficial species while attempting to control pests? Depletion of an aquifer by regional farmers?

depletion of an aquifer by regional farmers

Which of the following identifiies the two factors thought to be the most harmful to biodiversity? acid deposition and increased use of fertilizers for agriculture? depletion of the ozone layer and oil drilling? destruction of habitat and invasion by nonnativ species? changes in climate and proliferation of endemic species? global warming and decline in fisheries?

destruction of habitat and invasion of nonnative species

which of the following is the primary environemntal problem associated with the use of nuclear power to generate electricity? radon leaking into buildings? production of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide? disposal of radioactive waste? depletion of the ozone layer? production of acid rain?

disposal of radioactive waste

Stratospheric ozone depletion is most likely to result in which of the following? Increased growth of food crops due to increasing amounts of ultraviolet radiation? extended grazing season for cattle? disruption of photosynthesis in plants? increased movement of the human population toward equatorial regions? a higher percentage of cloudless days?

disruption of photosynthesis in plants

At the current rate of grwoth, Earth's human population will double in about 50 years. Which of the following is the LEAST viable strategy for ensuring adequate nutrition for a population that size? increasing the number of new food crops from the great diversity of plant species? doubling the area of arable land on a global basis? developing systems for making the global distribution of food more equitable? increasing the area of land that is currently dedicated to grain production by reducing the area dedicated to meat production? assisting developing countries in using high efficient crop irrigation systems?

doubling the area of arable land on a global basis

Which of the following methods of agricultural irrigation results in the loss of the LEAST amount of water by evaporation? conventional center-pivot irrigation? drip irrigation? laser-level irrigation? flood irrigation? gravity-flow irrigation?

drip irrigation

if wastewater treatment plant effluent that contains nitrates and phosphates is allowed to flow into a body of water, which of the following may result? chlorination? decomposition? eutrophication? oxygenation? methylation?

eutrophication

a country with an age distribution that looks like a pillar is most likely a country that is experiencing rapid growth? is experiencing slow or no population growth? is experiencing a high death rate? has 40% of the population under age 15? is a less-developed country?

experiencing slow or no population growth

For a certain insecticide, the LD-50 dosage level for rats is determined to be 250 milligrams per kilogram of body mass. On the basis of this information, which of the following is the best prediction regarding the consequences of receiving this dosage of the insecticide? fifty percent of any rat population would be sickened? fifty percent of the population of any warmblooded animal would die? fifty percent of any population of mosquitoes would die? five hundred out of every one thousand people would experience acute effects? five hundred out of every one thousand rats would die?

five hundred out of every one thousand rats would die?

Which of the following is a process that indirectly removes carbon from Earth's atmosphere? formation of carbonate deposits? outgassing by volcanoes? respiration by mammals? respiration by anaerobic bacteria? photodissociation by ultraviolet light?

formation of carbonate deposits

which of the following statements about genetic diversity is true? genetic uniformity of a crop increases the crop's overall resistance to pests and disease? genetic resistance to pests and diseases can be increased by crossing a crop plant with ancestral varieties? genetic engineering technology is used to increase genetic diversity by creating new species with synthetic genes? genetic diversity within populations of common crop species such as corn is typically high? genetic diversity is usually high in endangered species?

genetic restance to pests and diseases can be increased by crossing a crop plant with ancestral varieties

which of the following energy sources is not derived directly or indirectly from solar energy? geothermal? photovoltaic? hydroelectric? biomass? wind?

geothermal

Critics of incineration of municipal solid waste suggest that it may NOT be the best solution for the future, for which of the following reasons? incineration produces ash that increases landfill volume? incineration generates methane? incineration involves advanced technology? incineration contributes to air pollution? incineration requires large energy input?

incineration contributes to air pollution

factors contributing to the rise in world hunger include all of the following EXCEPT unequal distribution of available food supplies? loss of or decline in arable land? increasing rate of population growth? increasing poverty in developing countries? increasing consumption of vegetable protein in place of meat protein?

increasing consumption of vegetable protein in place of meat protein

the factor that likely poses the greatest threat of extinction of species worldwide is weakening of environmental legislation? increase in hunting and fishing? aggressiv collecting of specimens by museums and zoos? black market trade in endangered species? increasing loss of habitat?

increasing loss of habitat

in the united states, most municipal solid waste is disposed by composting? recycling? incineration? ocean dumping? landfilling?

landfilling

implicated in human neurological damage sulfur dioxide? lead? ozone? hydrocarbons? particulates?

lead

as urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to increased evaporation and transpiration? decreased surface runoff? loss of recharge area? confinement of aquifers? capping of artesian wells?

loss of recharge area

The major human health problem related to radon accumulation is lung cancer? heart disease? pancreatic cancer? cataracts? malignant melanoma?

lung cancer

A state highway was constructed over wetlands. The state obtained a permit to fill the existing wetlands in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1972, and agreed to create another wetland. This trade-off approach to addressing an environmental issue is known as mitigation? restoration? preservation? remediation? sustainability?

mitigation

which of the following is likely to minimize soil erosion? high-yield crops? deforestation? herbicide use? annual plowing? no-till agriculture?

no-till agriculture

Of the following sources, which supplies the most commercial energy in the world today? solar? oil? biomass? nuclear? hydroelectric?

oil

Which of the following is the best explanation of the fact that agricultural production on floodplains is often relatively high? on floodplains, soils tend to be nutrient-rich and fertile? on floodplains, high water tables make irrigation unnecessary? periodic flooding leaches toxic pollutants out of floodplain soils? periodic flooding prevents the pH of floodplain soils from becoming to high? floodplains are usually sparsely settled and thus more acreage is available for agriculture?

on floodplains, soils tend to be nutrient-rich and fertile

the major cause for the decline in the worldwide catch of fish since 1990 is acid deposition? escalating price of fuel? competition from aquaculture? overfishing? decline in market price?

overfishing

considered harmful in the troposphere but beneficial in the stratosphere sulfur dioxide? lead? ozone? hydrocarbons? particulates?

ozone

which of the following is an effective alternative to chlorine for disinfecting wastewater in a municipal treatment plant? freon? alcohol? phosphate? ammonia? ozone?

ozone

is the major pollutant that electrostatic precipitators are designed to remove from power-plant smokestack emissions sulfur dioxide? lead? ozone? hydrocarbons? particulates?

particulates

the water-holding capacity of soil is LEAST likely to be affected by the addition of which of the following? clay? humans? manure? pesticide? sand?

pesticide

the process in which glucose is synthesized by plants photosynthesis? eutrophication? dentrification? decomposition? transpiration?

photosynthesis

an advantage of recycling aluminum rather than disposing of it in landfills is that aluminum can be produced from recycle metal using much less energy than is required for its production from an aluminum ore? produced from ore that is chemically reactive and dangerous to transport, store, and process? produced from ore that is scarce and found primarily in remote, inhospitable regions at high latitudes? absorbed by plants and then biomagnified in both terrestrial and aquatic food chains? leached from landfills in the form of Al3+ ions that could increase the pH of lakes and streams?

produced from recycled metal using much less energy than is required for its production from an aluminum ore

annual flucuation in carbon dioxide concentration can best be explained by seasonal use of fossil fuels? regularity of volcanic activity? deforestation in the tropics? El Nino events? seasonal photosynthetic activity of green plants?

seasonal photosynthetic activity of green plants

Most often cited as the causative factor for acid deposition sulfur dioxide? lead? ozone? hydrocarbons? particulates?

sulfur dioxide

information gathered by a scientist about the toxicity of chemical X and chemical Y showed that they had individual safe limits for fish at particular concentrations. But when they were used together at the safe concentrations, there were extensive fish kills. This is an example of hoeostasis? synergism? commensalism? bioaccumulation? antagonism?

synergism

which of the following best exemplifies global collaboration for a sustainable environemtn? the montreal protocol? the antarctic treaty of 1961? the clean air act of 1972? CERCLA (superfund)? NAFTA?

the MOntreal protocol

Which of the following best describes the significance of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which was held in 1972 in Stockholm? Developing countries and developed countries were largely in agreement about the most important environemtnal problems? For the first time since the end of the Second world war, nations set aside their political differences to achieve a common objective? Environmental activisists who had organized Earth Day in 1970 ran the conference? The conference provided the first global forum for dialogue on environmental problems? The delegates assembled at the conference voted in favor of controlling population growth?

the conference provided the first global forum for dialogue on environemntal problems

which of the following describes a fundamental characteristic of the green revolution in food resources? the application of higher levels of organic fertilizers to increase rice production? deforestation to provide field crops with increased sunlight for photosynthesis? the addition of calorie, fat, and fiber percentages to the information provided on food package labels? the development of new strains of crops with higher yields? the discovery that chlorophyll adds nutritional value to wheat, rice, and sorghum?

the development of new strains of crops with higher yields

The increase in the size of Earth's human population in the last century has been dramatic. Which of the following identifies two major contributors to this increase? New methods of agriculture and the identification of new food crops? the industrial revolution and modern medicine? increased emigration/immigration and decreased warfare? new methods of birth control and decreased warfare? increased education for women and the development of new pesticides?

the industrial revolution and modern medicine

which of the following will occur if the trend of global temperature increase continues? night temperatures will decrease by as day temperatures increase? tropical areas will become cooler than they currently are? sea levels will drop due to increased evaporation? the incidence of insect-borne diseases will decrease? the troposphere will contain more water vapor?

the troposphere will contain more water vapor

the presence of fecal coliform bacteria in a sample of river water suggests which of the following? the pH of the river is very high? the water is contaminated with animal waste? the river is devoid of plant life? the dissolved oxygen level of the river is high? fish caught from the river will be free of parasites?

the water is contaminated with animal waste

many scientists maintain that a rise in sea level has occured in the last hundred years as a result of global warming. If this is true, which of the following factors best explains such a rise? increased precipitation? increased cloud cover? increased evapotranspiration? thermal expansion of the ocean? melting of permafrost?

thermal expansion of the ocean

Compared to a coal-fired power plant that produces the same amount of energy, a nuclear power plant generates more CO2 SO2 fly ash particulates thermal pollution

thermal pollution

why do introduced species often become pests? they displace native species? they increase biodiversity? they do not adapt well to local habitats? they contribute to habitat fragmentation? they have low biotic potential?

they displace native species

which of the following factors is fundamentally responsible for seasons on Earth? the varying distance of Earth from the sun? the tilt of earth's axis of rotation? the latitudinal variation in temperature and precipitation? the tidal pull of the Sun and Moon? the anthropogenic greenhouse effect?

tilt of earth's axis of rotation

the polar regions radiate away more heat energy than they receive from the Sun in the course of a year. However, they are prevented from becoming progressively colder each year primarily by the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by snow? transport of heat through the atmosphere and oceans? concentration of Earth's magnetic field lines at the poles? release of latent heat to the atmosphere when the polar ice caps melt? generation of heat by glacial movement?

transport of heat through the atmosphere and oceans

ozone in the stratosphere is most important to life at Earth's surface because it absorbs gamma rays? microwaves? ultraviolet light? visible light? x-rays?

ultraviolet light

which of the following best helps to explain why phosphorus is often a limiting factor in many ecosystems? there is usually a gaseous phase in the phosphorus cycle? phosphorus cycles very quickly through environments? under many conditions, phosphorus forms stable insoluble compounds? phosphate is not readily taken up by plants? there are no anthropogenic sources of phosphorus?

under many conditions, phosphorus forms stable insoluble compounds

the major source of radon in houses in the united states is furniture and carpets? the underlying bedrock? the troposphere? nuclear power plants? fossil-fuel combustion?

underlying bedrock

integrated waste management employs all of the following EXCEPT using refillable soft-drink bottles? using disposable diapers instead of cloth diapers? using reusable canvas bags instead of plastic or paper bags? using tires for the construction of artificial reefs? redesigning automobiles to replace steel parts with aluminum and plastic parts?

using disposable diapers instead of cloth diapers

Which of the following natural events would be most likely to contribute to the cooling of Earth's atmosphere earthquake? volcanism? hurricane? tsunami? monsoon?

volcanism