Environmental Science Cunningham, 7th ed Exam Ch 9 - 12

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The residence time for an average water molecule in the ocean is about ________ years. A) 3000 B) 2 C) 850 D) 12000 E) 60

A) 3000

_________________ are minute particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air that play an important role in the earth's energy budget and rain production. A) Aerosols B) Soot C) Pollutants D) Microfibers E) Seeds

A) Aerosols

Which resource has the highest recycling rate? A) Aluminum B) Iron C) Steel D) Tin

A) Aluminum

Which of the following measures has lead to a reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbon levels in wildlife? A) Banning the use of DDT and PCBs B) Careful handling of oil and petroleum products C) Eliminating lead from gasoline D) Industrial recycling of materials headed for the waste stream. E) Reducing the amount of road deicing salt by 90 percent

A) Banning the use of DDT and PCBs

Which of the following is the weather pattern that is marked by the shifting of a large pool of warm surface water in the Pacific Ocean causing wind and rain patterns to change? A) ENSO B) Milankovitch Cycles C) Gulf Streams D) Monsoons

A) ENSO

Which of the following statements regarding municipal and bottled water is false? A) In blind tasting tests, most adults prefer bottled water. B) It takes 3 to 5 times as much water to make the bottled-water bottles as they hold. C) Municipal water is often safer than bottled water. D) Twenty five percent of bottled water in the U.S. is reprocessed municipal water. E) Water that's been sitting in plastic bottles can leach out toxic chemicals.

A) In blind tasting tests, most adults prefer bottled water.

"Blue-baby syndrome" results when nitrogenous fertilizers contaminate drinking water and the nitrates combine with hemoglobin within an infant's red blood cells. A) True B) False

A) True

Coral have a more difficult time making calcium carbonate skeletons as a result of acidification of the oceans due to dissolution of carbon dioxide in seawater. A) True B) False

A) True

Due to mercury pollution of many waterways, Americans are advised to eat no more than one meal of fish per week. A) True B) False

A) True

Earthquakes in Japan and western North America and the ongoing rising of the Himalayas in India are caused by the movement of the earth's tectonic plates. A) True B) False

A) True

For all practical purposes, groundwater aquifers are nonrenewable resources. A) True B) False

A) True

Halite, gypsum, and potash are mined from evaporates as they are formed by the evaporation of chemical solutions. A) True B) False

A) True

Heat islands and dust domes are primarily problems around large, densely populated urban areas. A) True B) False

A) True

In 1907, the state of Georgia sued Tennessee over air pollution caused by the smelting of sulfur ores. A) True B) False

A) True

Modern agricultural practices result in water pollution as nitrogenous fertilizer runoff into surround freshwater ecosystems can accelerate eutrophication. A) True B) False

A) True

Raw sewage would contribute to the biochemical oxygen demand of a stream and cause fewer organisms to be present. A) True B) False

A) True

Smelting releases metals from ore. A) True B) False

A) True

The biggest economic loss from floods is usually the contamination they cause. A) True B) False

A) True

The cheapest and most effective way to reduce pollution is to avoid producing it or releasing it in the first place. A) True B) False

A) True

The heating of natural waterways by power plants and other industrial facilities is a form of water pollution. A) True B) False

A) True

The term, Nuees ardentes, refers to volcano-produced clouds of deadly gas and ash which are responsible for killing thousands of people. A) True B) False

A) True

Worldwide, air pollution control efforts are least advanced or least successful in major cities of developing countries. A) True B) False

A) True

The United States keeps large stockpiles of bauxite to ensure a supply of aluminum. This is an example of A) a strategic metal. B) a rare metal C) a metamorphic ore D) a rare Earth metal E) an evaporite

A) a strategic metal.

A serious source of groundwater pollution in the U.S. is MTBE which is used as ______________. A) an additive in gasoline to reduce carbon monoxide B) an insecticide C) in cigarette filters to bind smoke particles D) a colorant in many shampoos E) None of the above.

A) an additive in gasoline to reduce carbon monoxide

Most of the excessive carbon dioxide that is expected to cause global warming is generated by A) burning of fossil fuels and production of cement and clearing of forests only. B) green plants. C) burning of fossil fuels. D) production of cement and clearing of forests.

A) burning of fossil fuels and production of cement and clearing of forests only.

Metamorphic rocks are produced when rocks are A) formed by heat and pressure. B) melted in the mantle and emitted as lava. C) chemically weathered. D) physically broken down. E) recrystallized through chemical processes.

A) formed by heat and pressure.

Which of the following minerals has been used in the construction of walls since the time of the ancient Egyptians? A) gypsum B) fibrum C) quartz D) carbon E) None of the above.

A) gypsum

A major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is A) incomplete burning of hydrocarbons. B) CO2 in the atmosphere. C) combustion of sulfur-containing fuel. D) CO in the atmosphere. E) photochemical oxidation.

A) incomplete burning of hydrocarbons.

The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 was the result of A) movement along a strike-slip fault. B) movement along a thrust fault. C) a massive undersea landslide. D) a volcanic eruption. E) All of the choices are correct.

A) movement along a strike-slip fault.

Factories, sewage treatment plants, and oil wells are __________ sources of water pollution. A) point B) tertiary pollutant C) secondary D) nonpoint E) primary

A) point

Primary pollutants are those that are the most threatening to people. A) released directly in dangerous forms. B) the most dangerous. C) classified by the EPA as the most dangerous and abundant. D) produced in the greatest quantities.

A) released directly in dangerous forms.

Which of the following types of rock is formed when loose grains of other rock are consolidated by time and pressure? A) sedimentary B) metamorphic C) igneous D) All of the choices are correct.

A) sedimentary

The total amount of water on the Earth ____________ from year to year and the hydrologic cycle ________________. A) stays about the same; moves it from one place to another place B) decreases; loses water to the atmosphere C) decreases; moves it from one place to another place D) increases; gains water from the Earth's interior E) increases; captures it from the incoming solar radiation

A) stays about the same; moves it from one place to another place

What gas is released in the process of smelting? A) sulfur dioxide B) chlorine C) ammonia D) ozone E) carbon monoxide

A) sulfur dioxide

When El Niño occurs every three to seven years, a mass of warm Pacific water that is usually pushed westward by trade winds A) surges back eastward toward South America B) surges northward toward Japan. C) sinks and therefore cools substantially. D) cools dramatically. E) becomes much warmer than usual, strengthening trade winds.

A) surges back eastward toward South America.

The phenomenon where cool, dense air sits under a layer of lighter warmer air is known as a ____________________. A) temperature inversion B) heat island C) heat sink D) Milankovitch cycle E) thermocline

A) temperature inversion

The correct sequence of soil-water layers beginning from the soil surface is: A) zone of aeration, water table, zone of saturation B) water table, zone of aeration, zone of saturation C) aquifer, recharge zone, water table D) zone of saturation, water table, zone of aeration

A) zone of aeration, water table, zone of saturation

Why have alternative energy and green technology companies that work with miniaturized magnets and wind turbines moved much of their research and production to China? A) The Chinese government have given these companies tremendous tax breaks. B) China has a near monopoly on rare earth element production needed by these technologies. C) Green technology is needed to meet China's strict environmental laws. D) There is a greater demand for alternative energy in China than in the United States and Europe. E) All of the choices are correct.

B) China has a near monopoly on rare earth element production needed by these technologies.

Which of these is true about ways that we might slow climate change, according to climate policy analysts? A) There is no way to slow climate change. B) Developing a variety of existing strategies, such as conservation, reforestation, and alternative energy, could dramatically slow climate change. C) We can use a variety of climate "wedges," but these will cause considerable social disruption. D) Slowing change is impossible without new technologies. E) There is no way to slow climate change without dramatically reducing our quality of life.

B) Developing a variety of existing strategies, such as conservation, reforestation, and alternative energy, could dramatically slow climate change.

Although minimills are more efficient at removing metals from ore, they require almost twice the amount of energy as integrated mill furnaces. A) True B) False

B) False

Earth's earliest atmosphere was breathable by humans. A) True B) False

B) False

Minimills are environmentally safe surface pit mines and quarries used to extract sand and gravel. A) True B) False

B) False

Nuees ardentes are sonic waves associated with earthquakes. A) True B) False

B) False

Point source water pollution is harder to control than nonpoint source water pollution. A) True B) False

B) False

The production of most plastics today can be done without the use of oil. A) True B) False

B) False

The toxic effects of smelting ore to extract metals were not realized until the late 1930's. A) True B) False

B) False

We in the U.S. can be assured of the safety of our branded bottled water supplies. A) True B) False

B) False

Economic development which has resulted in the expansion of an affluent middle class in both _____________ and _____________ is of great concern to environmentalists as it relates to future worldwide global warming gas emissions. A) China and South Africa B) India and China C) Pakistan and India D) South Korea and China

B) India and China

_______ drives the hydrologic cycle as rain and snow are produced from evaporated surface water. A) Lunar tides B) Solar energy C) The Coriolis Effect D) None of the above.

B) Solar energy

___________ ozone is harmful, damaging plants and human health while ozone at the _________ level screens out mutagenic ultraviolet radiation. A) Thermospheric; mesosphere B) Tropospheric; stratosphere C) Mesospheric; thermosphere D) Stratospheric; mesosphere E) Stratospheric; troposphere

B) Tropospheric; stratosphere

The use of natural or artificial wetlands to process wastes is considered _________. A) a tertiary waste treatment B) a low-cost, alternative waste treatment C) a secondary waste treatment D) remediation

B) a low-cost, alternative waste treatment

Plants that take up heavy metals found in water would be an example of A) tertiary sewage treatment. B) bioremediation. C) in vitro extraction techniques. D) containment of pollutants. E) wetland treatment.

B) bioremediation.

Pumping carbon dioxide into geologic formations such as deep briny aquifers is an example of ______________. A) fugitive emissions B) carbon management C) unconventional pollutants D) criteria pollutants

B) carbon management

A giant sea swell known as a tsunami is caused by A) a strong wave during an exceptionally high tide. B) earthquakes. C) typhoons. D) lunar gravity. E) unusual tides combined with seasonal storms.

B) earthquakes.

Which of the following is NOT considered a "Global warming gas?" A) carbon dioxide B) helium C) methane D) nitrous oxide E) None of the above.

B) helium

About half of all wells in Iowa are contaminated with A) heavy metals. B) herbicides. C) MTBE. D) PCBs. E) radionuclides.

B) herbicides.

The most abundant element within the entire earth is ________. A) silicon B) iron C) oxygen D) sulfur E) None of the elements are correct.

B) iron

Which of the following is NOT one of the layers of the earth's atmosphere? A) stratosphere B) megasphere C) thermosphere D) troposphere

B) megasphere

Given what we know about the probability of the greenhouse effect, the best thing to do is A) consider the implication of immediately ceasing all industrial activity. B) severely cut back on production of greenhouse gases. C) wait and see how much temperatures change before we change our habits. D) not worry about greenhouse gas production. E) focus on the development of technological advances to help decrease the effects of climate change.

B) severely cut back on production of greenhouse gases.

Which of the following air pollutants combines with other atmospheric components to form acid rain? A) ozone B) sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides C) Chlorofluorocarbons D) methane and carbon dioxide E) All of the choices are correct.

B) sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

The correct sequence of atmospheric zones upward from the earth's surface is A) stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere. B) troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere. C) troposphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, thermosphere. D) mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere, thermosphere. E) thermosphere, stratosphere, troposphere, mesosphere

B) troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

The amount of CO2 released by human activities per year is approximately ___________. A) 30 million tons B) 300 million tons C) 30 billion tons D) 3 billion tons E) 300 billion tons

C) 30 billion tons

Roughly _________ percent of the coal used in the U.S. comes from strip mines. A) 18 B) 35 C) 50 D) 65 E) 80

C) 50

The United States recycled __________ percent of its iron and steel in 2010. A) 28 B) 64 C) 83 D) 90

C) 83

Which country leads the world in total carbon dioxide emissions? A) Australia B) Brazil C) China D) Qatar E) United States

C) China

Which of the following provides aid for people who cannot afford natural disaster insurance? A) USDA B) EPA C) FEMA D) All of these agencies provide aid.

C) FEMA

The first evidence that humans are increasing atmospheric CO2 came from an observatory in A) Copenhagen, Denmark. B) Kyoto, Japan. C) Mauna Loa, Hawaii. D) Mexico City, Mexico. E) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

C) Mauna Loa, Hawaii.

Which of the following is not a water-poor nation? A) Malta B) Saudi Arabia C) Panama D) Singapore E) Jordan

C) Panama

As far as we are currently aware, who were the first people to notice the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle? A) meteorologists B) scientists studying atmospheric changes C) Peruvian fishermen D) colonial governors in South America from Spain E) indigenous people in South America

C) Peruvian fishermen

Which of the following evaporite minerals is an important component of fertilizer? A) Gypsum B) Halite C) Potash D) Sulfur

C) Potash

____________ is a point source of water pollution; _____________ is a nonpoint source of water pollution. A) Golf course runoff; atmospheric deposition B) Atmospheric deposition; golf course runoff C) Power plant effluent; golf course runoff D) Power plant effluent; factory drains E) Golf course runoff; power plant effluent

C) Power plant effluent; golf course runoff

There are serious signs that ozone depletion may lead to A) UV-caused skin cancers. B) IR-caused sunburn. C) UV-caused skin cancers and UV-caused blindness only. D) UV-caused blindness.

C) UV-caused skin cancers and UV-caused blindness only.

Which of the following statements regarding tectonic plate movement is true? A) Because of tectonic movements, India is moving away from China. B) Because of tectonic movements, Europe and Africa are drifting slowly toward the Americas. C) When oceanic plates collide with continental plates, the continent usually rides up over the seafloor. D) When continental plates collide with continental plates, both plates usually subside. E) When oceanic plates collide with continental plates, the oceanic plate usually rides up over the continental plate.

C) When oceanic plates collide with continental plates, the continent usually rides up over the seafloor.

In general, water use in poor countries is dominated by A) domestic needs. B) industrial activities. C) agricultural use. D) use as drinking water.

C) agricultural use.

When cool, dry air sinks from the upper atmosphere toward the Earth's surface, it is A) compressed and cooled further. B) going to hold more water because there is more water vapor closer to the Earth's surface. C) compressed and becomes warmer. D) forced to release any remaining moisture. E) allowed to expand and become warmer.

C) compressed and becomes warmer.

The type of rock formed by the re-crystallization of preexisting rock is _____________. A) igneous B) sedimentary C) metamorphic D) secondary E) tertiary

C) metamorphic

Most water in the atmosphere has evaporated from the ocean, and ______ rain falls back into the sea. About ________ % of the earth's total rain falls on land. A) less; 70 B) less; 55 C) most; 10 D) most; 20

C) most; 10

The two main gases making up the lower atmosphere are A) oxygen and carbon dioxide. B) carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. C) nitrogen and oxygen. D) helium and hydrogen. E) oxygen and methane.

C) nitrogen and oxygen

The most abundant element within earth's crust is ________. A) silicon B) iron C) oxygen D) sulfur E) None of these elements are correct.

C) oxygen

Which of these is NOT among our most important greenhouse gases? A) nitrous oxide (N2O) B) fluorine gases (such as CFCs) C) sulfur dioxide D) methane (CH4) E) carbon dioxide (CO2)

C) sulfur dioxide

The aurora borealis is the result of radiation exciting charged gases located within the A) ionosphere. B) troposphere. C) thermosphere. D) magnetosphere. E) stratosphere.

C) thermosphere.

Temperature inversions, heat islands, and dust domes are the result of _______. A) El Niño B) ozone depletion C) urban pollution D) acid rain

C) urban pollution

According to the USEPA, ______ hazardous waste sites need to be cleaned up because they pose a threat to human health through water pollution. A) 47 B) 860 C) 6500 D) 26,000 E) half a million

D) 26,000

What percentage of precipitation in tropical rainforests is returned to the atmosphere by plants? A) 10 B) 25 C) 50 D) 75 E) 95

D) 75

The addition of sewage and other organic material into a water supply _______. A) increases oxygen consumption by decomposers B) increases biological oxygen demand C) causes an oxygen sag downstream D) All of the above. E) 2 and 3 are correct.

D) All of the above.

Which of the following would have the highest albedo? A) Soil B) Forest C) Open water D) Fresh snow

D) Fresh snow

The shape of the earth's orbit around the sun and the axis of rotation contribute to periodic changes in sunlight intensity called ______________________. A) the Coriolis effect B) the Ferrell Phenomenon C) hyper-solar periodicity D) Milankovitch cycles E) None of the choices are correct.

D) Milankovitch cycles

Water lost through evaporation, absorption, or contamination is known as _______. A) water withdrawal B) point source water C) eutrophication D) None of the above.

D) None of the above.

A reduction in trout and salmon, loss of spruce-fir forests, and the degradation of monuments and statues are caused by _______. A) ozone depletion B) smog C) thermal pollution D) None of the choices are correct.

D) None of the choices are correct.

________ is/are examples of secondary pollutants. A) Combustion gases B) Aerosols C) Volatile organic compounds D) Photochemical oxidants E) Dust from soil erosion

D) Photochemical oxidants

Who said "Troposphere, whatever, I told you before I'm not a scientist. That's why I don't want to have to deal with global warming, to tell you the truth"? A) President Barack Obama B) Television Host Oprah Winfrey C) U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy D) Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia E) None of the choices are correct.

D) Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Heap-leach extraction involves piling crushed ore into large piles and spraying it with ________________. A) high-pressure steam B) concentrated salt water C) giant sandblasters D) an alkaline-cyanide solution E) none of these are correct.

D) an alkaline-cyanide solution

An increase in albedo would mean there would be A) an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. B) an increase in heat absorption. C) an increase in the amount of ultraviolet light absorbed by the atmosphere. D) an increase in reflectivity.

D) an increase in reflectivity.

The amount of oxygen consumed by microbes within a water sample is known as _________________. A) dissolved oxygen B) chemical oxygen demand C) microbial oxygen demand D) biological oxygen demand E) impulse oxygen demand

D) biological oxygen demand

Evaporites, formed from ___________, are important economically because they are often found at or above 97% purity and are __________. A) igneous rocks; therefore concentrated in economically recoverable levels B) igneous rocks; important due to their strength, lightness, and malleability C) metamorphic rocks; important due to their strength, lightness, and malleability D) evaporation of mineral solutions such as salt water; therefore concentrated in economically recoverable levels E) evaporation of mineral solutions such as salt water; important due to their strength, lightness, and malleability

D) evaporation of mineral solutions such as salt water; therefore concentrated in economically recoverable levels

Which of the following has the highest albedo? A) black soil B) sand C) a forest D) fresh snow

D) fresh snow

The most common human health response to air pollution is A) heart disease. B) blindness caused by deteriorating eye tissues. C) lung cancer. D) inflammatory responses in sensitive tissues. E) skin cancer.

D) inflammatory responses in sensitive tissues.

Currently the most widespread toxic metal contamination in North America is _______ released from incinerators and coal-burning power plants. A) lead B) arsenic C) chlorine D) mercury

D) mercury

The "ozone hole" is a depletion currently most serious A) near the Hadley cells. B) in tropical latitudes. C) over North America. D) near the poles. E) at the most populated latitudes.

D) near the poles.

Which would not be a principal problem that has resulted from the construction of large dams? A) the relocation of people. B) mercury poisoning. C) leakage and weakening of bedrock. D) salinization of water bodies and surrounding soil. E) evaporation and siltation.

D) salinization of water bodies and surrounding soil.

Withdrawal is the total amount of water A) used in manufacturing or agriculture. B) lost in transmission, due to evaporation or leakage. C) altered or polluted in human activities. D) taken from rivers, lakes, or aquifers. E) lost due to chemical transformation because of human use.

D) taken from rivers, lakes, or aquifers.

The phenomenon where cool, dense air sits under a layer of lighter warmer air is known as a ____________________. A) thermocline B) Milankovitch cycle C) heat sink D) temperature inversion E) heat island

D) temperature inversion

The continental crust of the earth is _____________ while the oceanic crust is _____________. A) similar in composition to the outer core; thicker and lighter than the continental crust B) similar in composition to the outer core; similar in composition to the mantle C) similar in composition to the mantle; thicker and lighter than the continental crust D) thicker and lighter than the oceanic crust; similar in composition to the mantle E) thicker and lighter than the oceanic crust; similar in composition to the inner core

D) thicker and lighter than the oceanic crust; similar in composition to the mantle

According to the USEPA, more than _______ different toxic pollutants are released into the air from mines and wells. A) 20 B) 45 C) 60 D) 85 E) 100

E) 100

The EPA estimates that _________ Americans live within 10 miles of a polluted body of water. A) 42,000 B) 750,000 C) 14 million D) 120 million E) 218 million

E) 218 million

Air pollution levels in Mexico City exceed WHO health standards by ______ days per year. A) 90 B) 150 C) 230 D) 300 E) 350

E) 350

The "Keeling curve" showing CO2 measurements at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, shows that concentrations of CO2 have reached approximately what level, in parts per million (PPM)? A) 100 ppm B) 200 ppm C) 1,000 ppm D) 350 ppm E) 400 ppm

E) 400 ppm

On a daily basis you and I could make a conscious effort to conserve freshwater resources by A) drinking tap versus bottled water. B) finishing prescriptions and not pouring them down the toilet. C) installing native plants in landscaping. D) installing low flow shower heads. E) All of the above can conserve water. F) 3 and 4 are correct.

E) All of the above can conserve water.

On a daily basis you and I could make a conscious effort to reduce global warming gas emissions by: A) combining auto errands B) unplugging appliances that bleed power when not in use C) purchasing local, seasonal produce D) riding a bicycle instead of driving E) All of the choices are correct.