2010 EXAM 1-50
How many units of energy are absorbed by earths surface? a) 45 b) 50 c) 60 d) 70 e) 120
e) 120
A clock draws 2.0 watts of power to operate and is in operation 8,600 hours per year. The energy usage of the clock, in kWh per year, is closest to a) 4,300 b) 1,700 c) 430 d) 170 e) 17
e) 17
Correct statements about the northern spotted owl include which of the following? I. It is a pioneer species that is an opportunistic feeder. II. It is dependent on mature, old-growth forest for its habitat. III. It is a carnivore at or near the top of the food chain. a) I only b) II only c) III only d) I and II e) II and III
e) II and III
Many environmentalists consider Egypt's Aswan High Dam on the Nile River to be an ecological disaster. Which of the following is the best evidence to support this viewpoint? a) creation of the dam flooded important archaeological sites. b) sardine populations near the Nile delta increased exponentially as a result of decreased annual rates of water flow. c) the Aswan High Dam supplies one-third of the electrical power used in Egypt. d) some countries upstream from the dam have diverted Nile River water for their own projects. e) Most of the nutrient-rich silt that the Nile annually deposited downstream is now deposited behind the dam.
e) Most of the nutrient-rich silt that the Nile annually deposited downstream is now deposited behind the dam.
The zone in which species are adapted to the lowest light and the highest pressure. a) top right b) top left c) in between 200 and 1,200 depth d) in between 1,200 and 4,000 depth e) below 4,000 depth
e) below 4,000 depth
Which graph best illustrates a population that was growing and has reached its carrying capacity? a) graph increasing rapidly b) J shaped curve c) L shaped curve d) graph starting high then curving down e) graph looks like ~
e) graph looks like ~
Which of the following is NOT a property of water? a) its melting point is 0*C at one atmosphere of pressure. b) its boiling point is 100*C at one atmosphere of pressure. c) it is used in liquid form by most living organisms. d) it is denser at 4*C than at 20*C. e) it absorbs relatively little heat as it vaporizes.
e) it absorbs relatively little heat as it vaporizes
All of the following statements about invasive exotic species are true EXCEPT*** a) they may compete with native species for food b) they may prey on native species c) they are generally introduced by human activity d) they may be plant or animal species e) they tend to have low reproductive rates
e) they tend to have low reproductive rates
Marine sediments that form limestone are a major sink for this element. a) carbon b) sodium c) sulfur d) phosphorus e) potassium
a) carbon
Which of the following compounds is NOT involved in the depletion of stratospheric ozone? a) carbon dioxide b) carbon tetrachloride c) dichlorodifluoromethane d) methyl bromide e) trichloromethane
a) carbon dioxide
Contains an amendment that allows private landowners to modify their property under a habitat conservation plan. a) endangered species act b) kyoto protocol c) montreal protocol d) national environmental policy act e) wilderness act
a) endangered species act
The release of a large amount of sewage and other organic wastes into a river would likely result in a sharp a) increase in the biological oxygen demand b) increase in the amount of dissolved oxygen c) increase in the population size of fish that require high levels of oxygen d) decrease in coli-form bacteria counts e) decrease in the temperature of the river water
a) increase in the biological oxygen demand
Which of the following best illustrates a mitigation approach to climate change? a) increasing the proportion of commercial energy that is produced by wind farms. b) increasing the global land area that is devoted to agriculture. c) increasing the global sales of air conditioners. d) decreasing the price of gasoline for automobiles. e) decreasing the cost of electricity derived from coal-fired power plants
a) increasing the proportion of commercial energy that is produced by wind farms.
Converts solar energy directly into electrical energy. a) photovoltaics b) geothermal c) biomass d) hydroelectric e) hydrogen fuel
a) photovoltaics
The zone that has the greatest biodiversity. a) top right b) top left c) in between 200 and 1,200 depth d) in between 1,200 and 4,000 depth e) below 4,000 depth
a) top right
In a human population, the population momentum effect is most likely to occur in cases in which a large percent of people in the population are in which age group? a) younger than 18 b) between 30 and 44 c) between 45 and 54 d) between 55 and 60 e) older than 65
a) younger than 18
#s 47-48 In 1950 the pH of the pond water was 8.2, but by 2000 the pH had decreased to 5.2. Which of the following changes would also be expected in the pond over the same time period? I. Increased levels of dissolved oxygen. II. Increased levels of heavy metals. III. Increased number of fish species. a) I only b) II only c) III only d) II and III e) I, II, and III
b) II only
same graph as 21 Which of the following is the most likely reason that the greatest number of extinctions of bird species occurred in the period 1901-2000? a) Pollution was becoming so widespread that many birds migrated to new habitats. b) Increased environmental disturbances from human activities altered bird habitats. c) Adaptive radiation produced many new species of birds. d) Animals were being domesticated, leading to the agricultural revolution. e) Ecosystems were changing rapidly because of widespread glaciation.
b) Increased environmental disturbances from human activities altered bird habitats.
Which graph best illustrates a population growing at its biotic potential? a) graph increasing rapidly b) J shaped curve c) L shaped curve d) graph starting high then curving down e) graph looks like ~
b) J shaped curve
Which of the following is a common component of photochemical smog and is a reddish-brown gas with a pungent odor? a) Carbon monoxide, CO b) Nitrogen dioxide, NO2 c) Ammonia, NH3 d) Ozone, O3 e) Methane, CH4
b) Nitrogen dioxide, NO2
Which of the following best describes acid mine drainage? a) Reclamation of mines by removing excess water. b) The leakage of water containing toxic materials from coal and metal mines. c) The use of acids to leach minerals from rocks to increase smelting efficiency. d) Increased water pollution from acid rain entering copper mines. e) Acid production by anaerobic bacteria in coal mines.
b) The leakage of water containing toxic materials from coal and metal mines.
Drawbacks include noise and the release of corrosive chemicals. a) photovoltaics b) geothermal c) biomass d) hydroelectric e) hydrogen fuel
b) geothermal
Switching from customary large-scale agricultural practices to which of the following is most likely to reduce the exposure of farm workers and nearby residents to toxic chemicals? a) no-till cultivation b) integrated pest management c) contour plowing d) crop dusting e) use of cover crops
b) integrated pest management
Of the following ecosystems, which has the lowest net primary productivity, measured as kilocalories of energy produced per square meter per year? a) Taiga (boreal forest) b) Open ocean c) Temperate grassland d) Estuary e) Agricultural land
b) open ocean
The zone in which the greatest total mass of CO2 is absorbed from the atmosphere. a) top right b) top left c) in between 200 and 1,200 depth d) in between 1,200 and 4,000 depth e) below 4,000 depth
b) top left
Which of the following is the best example of gray water? a) water that is high in calcium, magnesium, and iron b) water that has been used for bathing and washing clothes c) water from toilets and garbage disposals d) runoff from parking lots e) rainwater collected from roofs
b) water that has been used for bathing and washing clothes
*picture of earth's atmospheric greenhouse effect* #34-36 How many units of energy do greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect? a) 20 b) 50 c) 60 d) 100 e) 120
c) 60
More commonly used in the least developed countries than in highly developed countries. a) photovoltaics b) geothermal c) biomass d) hydroelectric e) hydrogen fuel
c) biomass
Which of the following best characterizes a population that is growing exponentially with time? a) equal increases in number over equal increments of time. b) controlled growth over a finite time. c) doubling in size over equal increments of time. d) reaching a maximum then experiencing a rapid decline. e) growing at a rate proportional to the square root of time.
c) doubling in size over equal increments of time.
For a primary producer, the main function of photosynthesis is to manufacture a) oxygen b) carbon dioxide c) glucose d) proteins e) water
c) glucose
Addressed the issue of stratospheric ozone depletion. a) endangered species act b) kyoto protocol c) montreal protocol d) national environmental policy act e) wilderness act
c) montreal protocol
This element in pyrite contributes to acid mine drainage. a) carbon b) sodium c) sulfur d) phosphorus e) potassium
c) sulfur
All of the following are likely consequences of indoor air pollution EXCEPT an increase in a) the development and exacerbation of asthma b) the risk of developing lung cancer c) the risk of developing skin cancer d) flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue, and nausea e) respiratory diseases leading to premature death
c) the risk of developing skin cancer
Which of the following is a characteristic of tropical rain forests? a) they rarely receive more than 100 centimeters of rain per year. b) their sols typically have a high pH. c) their soils are relatively poor in nutrients. d) they do not exhibit a great deal of species diversity. e) they generally occur in the rain shadows of mountain ranges.
c) their soils are relatively poor in nutrients.
Which of the following best explains why decomposers in soils and water are important to the ecosystems? a) they remove heavy metals. b) they store carbon dioxide. c) they recycle nutrients. d) they neutralize acid deposition. e) they produce more oxygen than they consume.
c) they recycle nutrients
How many units of energy return to space from Earth and its atmosphere? a) 25 b) 30 c) 95 d) 100 e) 120
d) 100
graph: 1701-1800: birds-about 60 went extinct per century; mammals- about 10 1801-1900: birds- about 110; mammals- 50 1901-2000: birds- about 140; mammals- about 130 Approximately how many more mammal species became extinct in the period 1901-2000 than became extinct in the period 1801-1900? a) 30 b) 50 c) 60 d) 90 e) 140
d) 90
An effective short-term remediation strategy for the pond would be to a) build taller smokestacks downwind from the pond b) prevent fertilizer runoff from entering the pond c) periodically stock the pond with brown trout d) add calcium carbonate to the pond water e) use tertiary wastewater-treatment protocols
d) add calcium carbonate to the pond water
Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that comes only from human sources? a) nitrous oxide b) carbon dioxide c) methane d) chlorofluorcarbons e) carbon monoxide
d) chlorofluorcarbons
Which of the following pairs of statistics would most likely indicate the highest quality of life in a country? a) high rate of teenage pregnancy and low gross domestic product b) high life expectancy and low infant mortality c) high crude birth rate and low literacy rate d) high level of exports and low social status of women e) high emigration rate and low total fertility rate
d) high level of exports and low social status of women
The increase in mean global temperature is likely to result in all of the following EXCEPT a) decreased size of the Greenland ice sheet b) increased range of some plant species c) increased populations of insects d) increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation e) increased sea level
d) increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation
Requires the federal government to produce an environmental impact statement for any construction project funded by the government. a) endangered species act b) kyoto protocol c) montreal protocol d) national environmental policy act e) wilderness act
d) national environmental policy act
Guano from fish-eating birds in a commercial source of this element. a) carbon b) sodium c) sulfur d) phosphorus e) potassium
d) phosphorus
Many synthetic chemicals, such as PCBs, act as estrogen mimics. In an ecosystem, these persistent chemicals would have the greatest effect on which of the following? a) decomposers b) primary producers c) parasites d) secondary consumers e) autotrophs
d) secondary consumers
Which of the following is most likely to reduce the United States contribution to the increase in concentration of atmospheric CO2? a) requiring all farming practices to be organic b) stopping logging in United States forests c) switching fuel use for residential heating from oil to coal d) switching from cars and trucks to rail for mass transit and freight movement e) preventing depletion of stratospheric ozone
d) switching from cars and trucks to rail for mass transit and freight movement
A small developing country with negligible rates of immigration and emigration is going through a demographic change. Thirty years ago the crude birth rate was 44 per thousand per year and the crude death rate was 17 per thousand per year. Now the crude birth rate is 16 per thousand per year and the crude death rate is 5 per thousand per year. Which of the following statements about the country now is most likely to be true? a) the population is decreasing. b) the growth rate of the population is increasing. c) the country is at the preindustrial stage of the demographic transition. d) the country is at the industrial stage of the demographic transition. e) the country is at the postindustrial stage of the demographic transition.
d) the country is at the industrial stage of the demographic transition.
A laboratory study using rats showed a steady increase in physical effects as the concentration of a toxic substance in their food was increased. This suggests that a) tolerance increases with dosage b) there is a threshold dosage c) there are no chronic effects of the toxin d) the dose-response relationship is linear e) the substance is safe to use as a rat poison
d) the dose-response relationship is linear
