Environmental Final - Reyes
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?
The Industrial Revolution and modern medicine
Of the following, the greatest threat to populations of migratory North American songbirds is
Clearing of tropical forests
Which of the following is an unintended environmental consequence of aquaculture?
Contamination of surrounding water by organic waste
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an effect of global warming.
Decreased rate of photosynthesis in vegetation
Which of the following identifies the two factors thought to be the most harmful to biodiversity?
Destruction of habitat and invasion by nonnative species
Which of the following human activities is most closely associated with depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer?
Disposal of refrigerators and air conditioners
Many communities experience the tragedy of the commons
Divide the resources into parcels and assign them to individuals
Which of the following environmental problems is most often linked to the combustion of fossil fuels?
Photochemical smog formation in the troposphere
In general which of the following is the best long term method of preventing extinctions?
Protecting the habitats of endangered species
Which of the following explains why some energy sources are renewable?
Renewable energy sources can be replenished naturally, at or near the rate of consumption.
Based on the diagrams above, which of the following best explains how urban runoff could be decreased?
Replace traditional pavement with more porous pavement to increase ground infiltration.
Of the following which example of reclamation of disturbed lands?
Restoring vegetation to an area that has been mined
Factors contributing to the rise in world hunger include all of the following EXCEPT
increasing consumption of vegetable protein in place of meat protein
In 1950, a country had a total fertility rate of 5.9. In 2010, the total fertility rate of the country was 2.3. Which of the following is most likely the reason for the change I'm total fertility rate?
Women had increased educational opportunities and had children later in life.
All of the following are commonly used to deal with the side effects of eutrophication in lakes EXCEPT
adding nitrates
Which of the following is the human health impact most closely associated with atmospheric particulates?
asthma
Overuse of groundwater in coastal areas would most likely result in which of the following?
saltwater intrusion
Which of the following is the best example of cogeneration?
A coal-fired power plant captures waste heat and uses it to heat adjacent buildings
Which of the following would most likely neutralize the effect of acid rain on bodies of water, based on the compost it ion of soils and bedrock in the region?
A forest underlain by limestone
Smoke form forest fires is most likely to affect air quality over larger areas for many days when
A persistent atmospheric inversion exists in the region
Which of the following is an environmental problem associated with abandoned coal mines?
Acid drainage due to leaching of spoil heaps by rainwater
By the year 2050, world population is expected to approach 10 billion. If the current population trends continue, which region of the world will most likely experience the majority of the growth?
Africa and Asia
Which of the following is a direct economic advantage associated with aquaculture?
Aquaculture produces large amounts of seafood for human purchase and consumption year-round.
Compared with people in developing countries, people in industrialized countries countries are more likely to eat
Beef
Which of the following best describes the energy resource used most often for heating and cooking in less developed countries?
Biomass is the predominant fuel source because it is easily obtained locally.
Which soil horizon has very little organic matter and accumulates soluble metals and nutrients that are transported from other soil layers?
C
Which of the curves on the graph depicts the concentration of ozone, which requires sunlight to form?
C (will be labeled on a graph)
Which of the following best describes a natural process that adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide is released from the interior of Earth during volcanic eruptions.
Catalytic converters reduce which of the following pairs of pollutants in car exhaust?
Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
Which of the following countries has the largest coal reserves?
China
The supply of Earth's fresh water is fixed and is being depleted at a rapid rate. Which of the following best describes the effects of a limited freshwater supply on human populations?
Conservation measures will increase per capita water consumption, leading to an improved global economy.
The primary cause of Earth's seasons is the
Constant tilt of the Earth's rotational axis with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun
Which of the following best describes an advantage of constructing habitat corridors?
Corridors connect habitats separated by fragmentation and connect wildlife populations.
Which of the following is a natural source of atmospheric carbon dioxide?
Decomposition of organic matter
Which of the following would most likely reduce the concentration of ground level ozone un the air of a city?
Decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides
One way that consumers can help prevent a decrease in the number of fish species that are experiencing population declines to
Eat fish that are caught using sustainable harvesting methods, therefore ensuring fish populations remain stable and reducing the amount bycatch harvested
Which of the following best describes how an anthropogenic activity can increase ocean acidification?
Emissions from power plants that burn fossil fuels increase atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by the ocean.
Which of the following changes to the local hydrologic cycle will result if large areas of land experienced clear cutting?
Evaporation of water from the soil will increase.
Based on the diagram, which processes would provide the energy used to generate electricity at the power plant?
Fission in radioactive fuel
Farmers use various methods of irrigation on crops. Which of the following statements correctly pairs an irrigation method with an advantage or disadvantage?
Flood irrigation is often used in agricultural fields, however, it increases surface erosion and salinization of the soil.
Which of the following best describes an environmental problem associated with hydrologic fracturing, or fracking?
Fracking fluids can escape from the drill hole and contaminate surface water and groundwater.
Which of the following accurately describes a fuel cell vehicle?
Fuel cell vehicles use hydrogen to generate electricity that runs the motor.
Which of the following statements about genetic diversity is true?
Genetic resistance to pests and diseases can be increased by crossing a crop plant with ancestral varieties
Economic benefits of building large dams include which of the following?
I and III only
Characteristics that tend to increase the risk of a species becoming endangered include which of the following?
I, II, and III
Which of the following describes an aspect of urbanization that would most increase the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere compared to rural and suburban areas?
Increased amounts of waste per unit area in urban areas that leads to higher rates of decay and decomposition
Which of the following events would most likely lead to a decrease in the pH in the oceans?
Increased burning of fossil fuels in power plants
Which of the following best describes the primary cause of global ocean warming?
Increased global temperature from an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Which of the following best describes an environmental advantage of urbanization?
Individuals living in cities usually have a lower transportation carbon footprint than individuals living in rural areas.
Which of the following is an example of an external cost?
Individuals pay for medical treatment of lung disease aggravated by pollution from a coal-fired power plant
Which of the following types of releases of greenhouse gases from an anthropogenic source is shown in the diagram.
Industrial and agricultural practices releasing CH4CH4 into the atmosphere
Found in old plumbing pipes and fixtures and some ceramic glazes
Lead
Implicated in human neurological damage
Lead
Was once widely used in the United States as a gasoline additive
Lead
This pathogen is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes and is found most often in sub-Sharan Africa
Malaria
The most abundant element in Earth's atmosphere
Nitrogen
The arrow represents the approximate pH of which of the following?
Normal rainfall
All of the following gases have been implicated in contributing to the increase in global temperature via the greenhouse effect EXCEPT
O2
Which of the following best describes a benefit of increasing the number of offshore wind farms rather than onshore
Offshore winds farms will produce up to three times as much electricity as wind farms on land bc of increased wind speeds offshore
Of the following sources, which supplies the most supplies the most commercial energy in the world today?
Oil
Hen a rain forest is slashed and burned, the local concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases. This is primarily due to
Oxidation of carbon compounds
Which of the following best describes the importance of ozone in the stratosphere to life on earth.
Ozone absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
Which of the following best explains the impact of climate change on polar regions?
Polar regions are warming more quickly than other regions because warming decreases the coverage of high-albedo ground cover like ice and snow.
Rapid runoff following a heavy rainfall may cause flooding downstream from urban areas. Which urban design strategy will most likely slow water runoff though an urban area and decrease the risk of downstream flooding?
Preserve open areas with intact vegetation
An advantage of recycling aluminum rather that disposing of it in landfills is that aluminum can be
Produced from recycled metal using much less energy than is required for its production from aluminum ore
Which of the following practices would have the biggest impact on achieving global sustainability?
Reducing human population size
Which of the following would be most likely explanation for the changes shown in scenario 3?
Roads and electric power lines subdivided the landscape into smaller pieces and decreased the amount of available habitat.
Of the following, which has that greatest permeability?
Sand
Corn is a crop that grows best in soil that drains well. Which of the following soils is best suited to grow corn?
Sandy loam because it has large amounts of sand and less than 20% clay.
Which of the following problems is best addresses with contour plowing?
Soil erosion
_____ is renewable
Solar
Which of the following describes a negative effect of substituting hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in an effort to reduce ozone depletion.
Some type of hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using nuclear energy as a source of electricity?
Spent fuel rods must be disposed of properly.
Which of the following is most likely to reduce the United States contribution to the increase in concentration of atmospheric CO2
Switching from cars and trucks to rail for mass transit and freight movement
Farmers need to make many decisions about how they grow their crops. One of these decisions is whether to use synthetic fertilizer or organic fertilizer, such as manure.
Synthetic fertilizer can provide more targeted macronutrients to the crops
Based on the diagram, which of the following changes are most likely to occur in the central and eastern tropical pacific during El Niño?
The Peruvian current weakens, leading to warmer-than-average sea-surface temperatures.
Which statement best describes the approximate global distribution of coal supplies?
The United States, the former Soviet Union, and China together contain 50% of proven reserves
Which of the following water quality indicators should be measures to best determine if the wastewater is increasing the acidity of the River?
The amount of hydrogen ions
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 statements correct explains the role of fossil fuels in the production of energy?
The combustion of fossil fuels heats water to produce steam, which then turns a turbine.
Which of the following is the most likely unintended consequence of using pesticides in agriculture?
The continual use of pesticides can cause organisms to build a resistance through genetic mutation that then requires more or stronger pesticides.
Which of the following is the best example of an economic approach to reduce overfishing for a fish species with a declining population?
The federal government sets a catch limit (per person or per boat) for the species and imposes a tax on any extra fish that are caught.
Which of the following is a negative consequence associated with photovoltaic solar cells?
The manufacture of photovoltaic solar cells involves toxic metals that can be released into the environment.
Between 1960 and 1970, world oil consumption approximately doubled. Which of the following explanations is consistent with this increase?
The number of cars on the road increased
Which of the following best describes the process known as "mountaintop removal"?
The use of heavy equipment to move overburden downhill during the strip mining of coal
Which of the following is a drawback to using biofuels, such as ethanol, as a fuel source?
There is high energy investment in producing and processing the crops needed for ethanol production.
Which of the following is an unintended consequence of the use of hydroelectric dams for electricity generation?
There will be more erosion than sediment deposition downstream from the hydroelectric dam.
Many scientists maintain that a rise in sea level has occurred 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?
Thermal expansion of the ocean
Which of the following is true of farm-raised salmon?
They are often infected with parasites and sea lice
In which of the following atmospheric layers does most weather occur?
Troposphere
One example of the tragedy of the commons occurs when trees are harvested from tropical rain forests without any regulations. Which of the following best describes why this is an example of the tragedy of the commons?
Timber producers remove as much timber as possible as cheaply as possible.
Which of the following is the most practical solution to maximizing energy production at wind farms while minimizing the risk to wildlife?
Turn off turbines during periods of maximum migration.
Ozone in the stratosphere is most important to organisms at Earth's surface because ozone molecules are very strong absorbers of
Ultraviolet rays
Which of the following agricultural practices would most likely lead to improved water quality in nearby streams and rivers?
Using crop rotation in fields
a sustainable society would emphasize
Using energy efficiently and reusing and recycling matter
Which of the following solutions would help decrease flood frequencies and flood sizes that are caused by urbanization?
Using new, more permeable materials for roads and sidewalks
High of the following scenarios is an example of cogeneration
Using the steam given off from a coal-fired electrical generation plant to heat nearby buildings
Which of the following sources should be examined in a study to determine the impact of geolocation source on levels of CO2 in the atmosphere?
Volcanoes
Which of the following is a primary cause of El Niño climate variations?
Warmer surface waters in the Pacific Ocean
Which of the following greenhouse gases dose not contribute significantly to global climate change because it has a short residence time in the atmosphere?
Water Vapor
Which of the following is the best example of gray water?
Water that has been used for bathing and for washing clothes
The danger from radon gas would most likely be greatest in
Well-insulated homes
Which of the following is a reason why hybrid electric vehicles use less fossil fuel per mile traveled than a typical international combustion engine vehicle uses?
When the brakes are applied in hybrid electric vehicles, kinetic energy is converted into electric energy to charge the batteries that assist the electric motor.
Which of the following is a problem that is associated with a thermal inversion?
an increase in pollutants trapped at Earth's surface, which increases the number of cases of human respiratory problems
Which of the following describes a source of methane in the atmosphere?
anaerobic breakdown of organic material
Composed of fibers known to cause lung disease
asbestos
Acid rain is associated with which of the following?
burning fossil fuels
Which of the following compounds is NOT involved in the depletion of stratospheric ozone?
carbon dioxide
Has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen has
carbon monoxide
an advantage of using natural gas, rather than oil, as a fuel is that natural gas is
cleaner because it burns more completely
The majority of atmospheric mercury is produced by
coal-burning power plants
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
One solution for reducing the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide would be to
decrease the use of fossil fuels
Which of the following is a biome found at 30° N and 30° S as seen in the diagram?
deserts
Which of the following is the primary environmental problem associated with the use of nuclear power to generate electricity?
disposal of radioactive waste
A farmer grows several crops on a farm that has mostly shallow, sandy soil. Which of the following irrigation methods would be the best suited for this farm?
drip irrigation
overgrazing of grasslands can lead to reduced range quality. two of the major effects of overgrazing are
erosion and desertification
Many homeowners are unaware that their garbage may contain hazardous waste, which should be taken to a designated hazardous waste dump site instead of being placed in their regular trash. All of the following are considered household hazardous waste EXCEPT
food scraps
Emitted from most manufactured building materials and furniture
formaldehyde
The increase in mean global temperature is likely to result in all of the following EXCEPT
increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation
Which of the following is a common characteristic of lakes undergoing cultural eutrophication?
increased levels of plant nutrients
The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States are
industry, transportation, and energy production
Which of the following correctly pairs a greenhouse gas with its primary anthropogenic source?
nitrous oxide and agricultural practices
The major cause for the decline in the worldwide catch of fish since 1990 is
overfishing
Most volcanism in the world is associated with
plate boundaries
Which of the following is most likely the source of the radon found in a house?
radon gas found in bedrock and soil leaked into the home through cracks in the foundation
Which of the following strategies could be used to reduce soil erosion during surface mining of coal?
replanting vegetation
Of the following, which is true of noise pollution
sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss
Which of the following air pollutants is correctly paired with one of its major effects?
sulfur oxides — acid precipitation
All of the following are likely consequences of indoor air pollution EXCEPT an increase in
the risk of developing skin cancer
STUDY BREAK (you deserve it) Go get some fresh air for a few minutes and then come back!
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