APES EXAM 7
Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from
motor-vehicle exhaust
The concentration of H+ ions in a solution with a pH value of 4 is how many times as great as the concentration of H+ ions in a solution with a pH value of 7 ?
1,000
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? US: 4.4 South Pacific: 5.4
10 times more acidic
Which of the following would most likely reduce the concentration of ground-level ozone in the air of a city?
Decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides
The graph shows the average distance traveled by individuals in a population in an urban area in the southwestern United States. Based on the data, which of the following months most likely experiences the highest levels of photochemical smog? In the graph you can see that july has the highest amount of distance people traveled. september is the lowest distance traveled.
July Correct. Although the amount of travel in July and December is similar, the higher UVUV radiation in July would generate more photochemical smog.
Smoke from forest fires is most likely to affect air quality over larger areas for many days when
a persistent atmospheric inversion exists in the region
In 1950 the pH of the pond water was 8.2, but by 2000 the pH had decreased to 5.2. An effective short-term remediation strategy for the pond would be to
add calcium carbonate to the pond water
introduction of _________________ into the atmosphere at concentrations high enough to harm plants, animals, and materials such as buildings, or to alter ecosystems.
chemicals, particulate matter, or microorganisms
nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2)
motor vehicle and fossil fuel combustion natural: forest fires, lightening, soil microbes respiratory irritant, acid rain, smog
What are the six criteria air pollutants?
particulate matter lead nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide ground level ozone sulfur dioxide
The major source of radon in houses in the United States is
the underlying bedrock
Which of the following would be the best control group to evaluate the treated wastewater from the paper company?
A sample of water upstream from the same river Correct. A sample taken upstream from the same river contains water that would be free from the paper factory discharge. This will be the best control to see if variations in pHpH downstream from the paper factory may be because of the paper factory effluent
Has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen has
Carbon monoxide
Important factors that contribute to smog formation in the Los Angeles basin include which of the following? I.Ample summer sunshine II.Sea-level elevation III.High concentration of automobiles
I and III
The arrow represents the approximate pH of which of the following? *The pH was between 5 and 6
Normal rainfall
A gaseous decay product of uranium that is found in rocks
Radon
A leading cause of lung cancer in the United States
Radon
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?
The bills do not include public health costs, such as those associated with air pollution.
Which of the following devices is correctly paired to the air pollutant it would be used to measure?
gas sensor- CO2 Correct. CO2, given off from the combustion of fossil fuels, is measured using a gas sensor or probe.
air pollution is a
global system
Found in old plumbing pipes and fixtures and some ceramic glazes
lead
ground level ozone (O3)
secondary pollutant formed by sunlight and water reacting with VOCs, NOx, and O2 respiratory irritant, damages plant
Based on the data in the graph, which of the following insulation options is ineffective at insulating a home and greatly contributes to indoor air pollution? the answer is Mineral fiber batt but im just gonna leave the explaination as the answer.
Correct. Mineral fiber batt is the least desirable choice because it has the close to the lowest efficiency of the insulation materials and has the largest contribution to indoor air pollution.
What important phenomenon that often plays a role in air pollution episodes is illustrated in the diagram above?
Inversion
Composed of fibers known to cause lung disease
asbestos
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?
Cool sea breeze →→ Warm →→ Cool Correct. During a thermal inversion, a warm, less dense air mass moves over a dense, colder air mass, creating a layer that prevents atmospheric mixing of gases. This can trap pollutants close to the ground, especially smog and particulates.
Which of the following is true of the Clean Air Act?
It established a cap-and-trade program for SO2 in 1990.
Colorless, odorless gas that is a naturally occurring decay product of uranium
Radon
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?
The amount of sulfur dioxide released will decrease. Correct. Increasing the concentration of limestone would result in more sulfur dioxide removed from the plant emissions.
Which of the different components of smog depicted in the graph are most likely released from automobile exhaust?
A and B Correct. These two components (AA, hydrocarbons and BB, nitrogen oxide) peak midmorning when traffic is highest. Both of these components are released from automobile exhaust.
In addition to a nearby mountain range, which of the following environmental conditions would be required for the process in the diagram to occur? the diagram shows cool air, warm air, then cool air
A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system Correct. A dominant high pressure system keeps the warm air from rising. At night, the Sun's energy no longer heats the air near the ground, allowing the cool sea breeze (more-dense air) to wedge underneath the less-dense warm layer. This process traps the warm layer between two cooler layers, forming the inversion.
Which of the curves on the graph depicts the concentration of ozone, which requires sunlight to form?
Answer C Correct. This is ozone. Ozone concentrations peak in the afternoon as the intensity of the sunlight peaks. Ozone is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere in a reaction that involves both nitrogen oxides (NOxNOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCsVOCs) in the presence of sunlight. By late afternoon, the ozone that forms during the day breaks down.
Implicated in human neurological damage
Lead
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?
Monitoring the long-term chemical and biological parameters of an ecosystem Correct. To fully understand the effects of acid deposition on ecosystems, long-term studies should be conducted to evaluate soils, surface water chemistry, and living things in an area.
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? in the graph, annual vehicle miles went up as the years went by, and VOCs went down.
An increase in air emission standards that began in 1970 that regulated corporate average fuel economy (CAFE ) standards. Correct. In 1970 the Clean Air Act, which was passed and amended in 1977 and 1990, targeted emissions from vehicles (nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons specifically) and required the use of catalytic converters on vehicles. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFECAFE) standards were enacted in 1975 to improve the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks produced for sale in the United States, leading to the trends seen in the graph. Although the number of miles has increased, the VOCVOC emissions have decreased.
Which of the following is most likely responsible for the indoor air pollutant shown in the graph? in the colder months, radon was higher, and in the warmer months, it was lower.
Cracks in the basement foundation Correct. Radon gas is released from rock during radioactive decay. It can enter a home through cracks in the foundation when the gas seeps from the rocks.
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?
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. Correct. Limestone, the one independent variable in this study, can naturally buffer the acid in the rain. With the control group, this study would measure the effect of soil buffering on plant growth in a region affected by acid rain.
Which of the following is the best example of a point source pollutant?
Oil tanker spill Correct. The spill from an oil tanker is a single, identifiable source of a pollutant.
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 electrostatic precipitators in exhaust systems
Particulate matter Correct. Electrostatic precipitators use an electrical charge to make particles coalesce in exhaust so they can be mechanically removed. This reduces the amount of particulate matter in the air.
Scientists have been monitoring CO2 in the atmosphere from Mauna Loa in Hawaii since 1958. Which of the following units is used by scientists to measure CO2 in the atmosphere?
Parts per million Correct: The data collected at the Mauna Loa monitoring station is measured in parts per million, or ppmppm. This can easily be converted to percent.
Which of the following points on the graph best illustrates the location where pollutants are most likely to accumulate as a result of a thermal inversion? idek how to describe this graph
Point D Correct. During a thermal inversion, pollutants accumulate low in the atmosphere because they cannot rise through the warm middle layer. The graph shows the temperature increases above point DD, where the warm air layer would occur during a thermal inversion. An inversion traps pollution, such as smog, close to the ground.
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?
There is no representation of photosynthesis in the model environment. Correct. There is no autotrophic organism (producer) in the system that will be able to fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into sugars by the process of photosynthesis. Producers both produce carbon dioxide during the process of cellular respiration and take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. They are a natural source of carbon dioxide emissions.
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?
There will be an increase in the level of nitrogen dioxide and a decrease in the level of ground-level ozone. Correct. Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant that forms from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, catalyzed by ultraviolet (UVUV) light. Cloud coverage would reduce the amount of UVUV light (sunlight) reaching Earth, which would result in reduced ozone formation. Levels of nitrogen dioxide would be expected to be higher as a result of decreased ground-level ozone production.
Which of the following is true about the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 ?
They allowed power plants to buy and sell SO2 pollution allowances.
Which of the following is used to reduce SO2 emissions from coal-burning power plants?
Wet-scrubber units
The primary cause of acid precipitation in the northeastern United States is
burning of sulfur-containing fossil fuels to produce electricity
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?
pH Correct. Various emissions from coal-burning plants contribute to acid rain. Lakes and ponds downwind from the plant can have lower (acidic) pHpH levels as a result
If the air layers in the diagram were relabeled to illustrate normal atmospheric conditions, the correct labeling from the air layer closest to the Earth's surface to the one farthest from the Earth's surface would be
warm air, cool air, cooler air Correct. Under normal conditions, the air layer closest to the Earth's surface is the warmest, and the temperature decreases with increasing altitude.
Over a three-year period, a city's environmental protection department measured the particulate matter (PM2.5) in a ten-square-mile area around one of the city's coal-fired power plants. The annual mean level of PM2.5 measured was 20.0μgm3 over the three-year study period. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is an annual mean level of 12.0μgm3, averaged over three years. The city instructs the manager of the power plant to propose a plan to aid the city in meeting the NAAQS for PM2.5 in the area around the power plant over the next ten years. Which of the following would be the most effective plan for the manager to propose to the city?
Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant. Correct. Electrostatic precipitators are filtration devices that remove particulate matter (PM2.5PM2.5) from gas being released from coal-fired power plants
If technology that reduces the hydrocarbon concentration had been utilized, which of the following would have been the most likely result?
The concentration of O3 would have been lower.
Which of the following best explains the cause of the trend shown in the graph for lead emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2011 ? Basically in the graph, lead emissions are going down as the years progress.
Unleaded gasoline was first introduced in 1974, and amendments to the Clean Air Act required cars with the model year 1975 or later to use only unleaded gasoline. Correct. The change from leaded to unleaded gasoline during the 1970s was the primary cause of the reduced lead emissions into the air. The Clean Air Act required cars made after 1975 to have a catalytic converter, which could not be exposed to lead and, therefore, required unleaded gasoline.
Which of the following describes a potential human health effect most likely to be associated with a thermal inversion?
Increase in respiratory irritation due to increased levels of fine airborne particulates
Which of the following best describes the process shown in the diagram above? The graph shows cool air, warm air, and then cool air.
Less-dense, warm air creates a temperature inversion between more-dense layers, trapping pollutants near the ground. Correct. Warm air is less dense than cool air. Warm air is wedged higher into the atmosphere when cool air is lower in atmosphere, closer to Earth's surface. This altered temperature gradient is a thermal inversion and traps pollutants near the ground, leading to photochemical smog.
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? in the colder months, radon was higher, and in the warmer months, it was lower.
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. Correct. Radon levels tend to increase in the colder months owing to the difference in temperature inside and outside the home. If the outside temperature is drastically lower than the indoor temperature, then a vacuum is created within the home as the warm, indoor air circulates. This vacuum pulls radon into the home at a faster rate than normal, resulting in elevated radon levels.
Scientists have been collecting atmospheric CO2 data for many years to monitor changes over time. Which of the following best describes why an island location, such as the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, is an ideal location to measure global CO2 concentrations?
The location is far from any continent, providing atmospheric air samples that are less likely to be affected by industry and transportation. Correct. A location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean would provide a good average sample of air that would be less affected by areas of mass industrialization on continents.
Which of the following sources should be examined in a study to determine the impact of a geologic source on levels of CO2 in the atmosphere
Volcanoes Correct. Volcanoes occur over hot spots or at divergent and convergent boundaries. Volcanic eruptions emit CO2CO2 gases into the atmosphere from the geosphere
An air pollution expert set up a monitoring program to determine the amount of particulate matter (PM) leaving a farmer's field after crops were harvested and the soil was bare. She set up high-volume air samplers 10 meters from each edge of the square field and collected samples weekly for two months. When she looked at her data, she was surprised by how much the PM levels varied, both from site to site on a given date and over time at each site. Which of the following parameters would have been best to measure to help explain the variation in her results?
Wind direction and speed Correct. Wind direction and speed would change on different sampling days and account for both types of differences. This is the factor that should have been included in the data monitoring to account for variation.
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?
The coal-burning power plant would not appear to have a large impact because the pH levels of the two lakes would be similar Correct. Acid rain, as a result of pollution from the plant, would increase the acidity of the lake. If the scientists are using a control that also has acidic water, the effect of the plant would appear to be minimal because the difference in pHpH would be lower than if they used a nonacidic lake as a control
Canada has proposed an action plan to address climate change and air pollution. The action plan will reduce the impact of greenhouse gases and pollutants on the environment and human health. Which of the following claims about the Canadian action plan is best supported by the data in the graph?
The plan supports phasing out traditional coal power plants and transitioning to sources like hydroelectricity, wind, and solar power. Correct. The four pollutants in the graph are typically released from the combustion of coal. If a major goal of the action plan is to produce a significant amount of power (but not all power) from nonemitting sources of electricity, it would be projected that the emissions of these four gases would decrease. This is a major goal of the climate change plan and is supported by the data in the graph.
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?
Use of biomass fuel sources such as wood and charcoal for cooking Correct. India and sub-Saharan Africa are areas where solid fuel sources such as wood and charcoal are still burned indoors and used as the primary cooking method. This releases large quantities of harmful indoor pollutants.
