Question 1

River water stored behind a dam is best described as a form of .

Accepted Answer

A)  chemical energy 
B)  kinetic energy 
C)  thermodynamics 
D)  potential energy 
E)  entropy 
A)  chemical energy 
B)  kinetic energy 
C)  thermodynamics 
D)  potential energy 
E)  entropy D

Question 2

What compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissue, forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots?

Accepted Answer

A)  starch 
B)  chlorophyll 
C)  cellulose 
D)  protein 
E)  enzymes 
A)  starch 
B)  chlorophyll 
C)  cellulose 
D)  protein 
E)  enzymes C

Question 3

Cellular respiration _.

Accepted Answer

A)  results in a net consumption of energy 
B)  represents a decrease in entropy 
C)  requires the green pigment chlorophyll 
D)  releases carbon dioxide and water 
E)  involves a net consumption of water 
A)  results in a net consumption of energy 
B)  represents a decrease in entropy 
C)  requires the green pigment chlorophyll 
D)  releases carbon dioxide and water 
E)  involves a net consumption of water D

Question 4

Which of the following describes mass wasting?

Accepted Answer

A)  the destruction of sedimentary rock by earthquakes 
B)  deterioration of an atom because of radioactivity 
C)  blockage of sunlight by volcanic ash 
D)  flood damage resulting from a tsunami 
E)  downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity 
A)  the destruction of sedimentary rock by earthquakes 
B)  deterioration of an atom because of radioactivity 
C)  blockage of sunlight by volcanic ash 
D)  flood damage resulting from a tsunami 
E)  downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity

Question 5

The "ring of fire" is _ .

Accepted Answer

A)  a belt of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur around the Pacific Ocean 
B)  the underground layer of the earth's crust that is most prone to volcanic activity 
C)  the region around the Pacific Ocean most prone to catastrophic wildfires 
D)  the most visible, major ring of Saturn 
E)  the "wing" of the supervolcano found in Yellowstone National Park 
A)  a belt of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur around the Pacific Ocean 
B)  the underground layer of the earth's crust that is most prone to volcanic activity 
C)  the region around the Pacific Ocean most prone to catastrophic wildfires 
D)  the most visible, major ring of Saturn 
E)  the "wing" of the supervolcano found in Yellowstone National Park

Question 6

Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce _.

Accepted Answer

A)  tsunamis 
B)  lahars 
C)  hurricanes 
D)  pyroclastic flow 
E)  mudslides 
A)  tsunamis 
B)  lahars 
C)  hurricanes 
D)  pyroclastic flow 
E)  mudslides

Question 7

Reddish hair in children is often a sign of malnourishment in developing nations such as Haiti. What biomolecule is needed for hair growth and is probably lacking in the diets of these children?

Accepted Answer

A)  proteins 
B)  DNA 
C)  carbohydrates 
D)  lipids 
E)  nucleic acids 
A)  proteins 
B)  DNA 
C)  carbohydrates 
D)  lipids 
E)  nucleic acids

Question 8

We use to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.

Accepted Answer

A)  alcohol molecules 
B)  polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 
C)  nucleic acids 
D)  isotopes 
E)  enzymes 
A)  alcohol molecules 
B)  polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 
C)  nucleic acids 
D)  isotopes 
E)  enzymes

Question 9

When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting .

Accepted Answer

A)  proteins to amino acids 
B)  chemical to thermal energy 
C)  thermal to electromagnetic energy 
D)  electromagnetic to chemical 
E)  chemical to nuclear energy 
A)  proteins to amino acids 
B)  chemical to thermal energy 
C)  thermal to electromagnetic energy 
D)  electromagnetic to chemical 
E)  chemical to nuclear energy

Question 10

Why was the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 so much more deadly than the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan, in 2011?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Tohoku earthquake struck a rural area, whereas the Haiti earthquake centered on the capital city. 
B)  The Haiti earthquake was much more powerful than the Tohoku quake. 
C)  Japan has a stricter building code. 
D)  The Haiti earthquake created a tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people. 
E)  Buildings in Japan are more rigidly built and less flexible than those in Haiti. 
A)  The Tohoku earthquake struck a rural area, whereas the Haiti earthquake centered on the capital city. 
B)  The Haiti earthquake was much more powerful than the Tohoku quake. 
C)  Japan has a stricter building code. 
D)  The Haiti earthquake created a tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people. 
E)  Buildings in Japan are more rigidly built and less flexible than those in Haiti.

Question 11

are the main water -insoluble components of cell membranes.

Accepted Answer

A)  Acids 
B)  Nucleic acids 
C)  Phospholipids 
D)  Proteins 
E)  Carbohydrates 
A)  Acids 
B)  Nucleic acids 
C)  Phospholipids 
D)  Proteins 
E)  Carbohydrates

Question 12

At a , tectonic plates push apart from one another as magma rises upward to the surface.

Accepted Answer

A)  transform boundary 
B)  strike -slip fault 
C)  divergent boundary 
D)  subduction fault 
E)  convergent boundary 
A)  transform boundary 
B)  strike -slip fault 
C)  divergent boundary 
D)  subduction fault 
E)  convergent boundary

Question 13

The force driving plate tectonics is .

Accepted Answer

A)  solar radiation 
B)  nuclear reactions in magma 
C)  freezing and thawing of water in the earth's crust 
D)  heat in the inner layers of the earth 
E)  gravity 
A)  solar radiation 
B)  nuclear reactions in magma 
C)  freezing and thawing of water in the earth's crust 
D)  heat in the inner layers of the earth 
E)  gravity

Question 14

Approximately 40 grams of the radioisotope iodine -131 were accidentally released into the atmosphere during the Fukushima nuclear accident. The half -life of iodine -131 is 8 days. How long would it take for there to be 10 grams of iodine -131 left in the environment?

Accepted Answer

A)  8 days 
B)  12 days 
C)  14 days 
D)  16 days 
E)  23.7 days 
A)  8 days 
B)  12 days 
C)  14 days 
D)  16 days 
E)  23.7 days

Question 15

Geologists have divided the geologic time scale using evidence compiled using stratigraphy, which is the study of .

Accepted Answer

A)  tree rings 
B)  layers of sedimentary rock 
C)  plate tectonics 
D)  ancient cave drawings 
E)  layers of igneous rock 
A)  tree rings 
B)  layers of sedimentary rock 
C)  plate tectonics 
D)  ancient cave drawings 
E)  layers of igneous rock

Question 16

A solution of pH 5 has

Accepted Answer

A)  20; more 
B)  100; more 
C)  20; fewer 
D)  100; fewer
_ times
_ hydrogen ions than a solution of pH 7. 
E)  Cannot be determined from the information given 
A)  20; more 
B)  100; more 
C)  20; fewer 
D)  100; fewer
_ times
_ hydrogen ions than a solution of pH 7. 
E)  Cannot be determined from the information given

Question 17

An atom has 2 electrons, 3 protons, and 3 neutrons. What is the atom's charge?

Accepted Answer

A)  -1 
B)  +8 
C)  -2 
D)  +1 
E)  +3 
A)  -1 
B)  +8 
C)  -2 
D)  +1 
E)  +3

Question 18

What are the three distinct layers of the earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  oceanic crust, continental crust, mantle 
B)  mantle, magma, crust 
C)  mantle, crust, lithosphere 
D)  core, mantle, crust 
E)  core, mantle, lithosphere 
A)  oceanic crust, continental crust, mantle 
B)  mantle, magma, crust 
C)  mantle, crust, lithosphere 
D)  core, mantle, crust 
E)  core, mantle, lithosphere

Question 19

Overpopulation contributes to global warming when .

Accepted Answer

A)  solar energy is used as the primary source of energy, since it is a renewable resource 
B)  most of the population is vegetarian 
C)  it leads to deforestation, increased agriculture, and increased use of fossil fuels 
D)  we compromise our living standards in order to protect the environment 
E)  most people use public transportation 
A)  solar energy is used as the primary source of energy, since it is a renewable resource 
B)  most of the population is vegetarian 
C)  it leads to deforestation, increased agriculture, and increased use of fossil fuels 
D)  we compromise our living standards in order to protect the environment 
E)  most people use public transportation

Question 20

Preindustrial levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been estimated to be approximately 275 ppm (parts per million). If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels are expected to reach by the year 2100.
Ppm

Accepted Answer

A)  825 
B)  775 
C)  550 
D)  2750 
E)  1100 
A)  825 
B)  775 
C)  550 
D)  2750 
E)  1100

Exam 2: Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Ecosystems

River water stored behind a dam is best described as a form of .

What compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissue, forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots?

Cellular respiration _.

Which of the following describes mass wasting?

The "ring of fire" is _ .

Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce _.

Reddish hair in children is often a sign of malnourishment in developing nations such as Haiti. What biomolecule is needed for hair growth and is probably lacking in the diets of these children?

We use to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.

When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting .

Why was the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 so much more deadly than the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan, in 2011?

are the main water -insoluble components of cell membranes.

At a , tectonic plates push apart from one another as magma rises upward to the surface.

The force driving plate tectonics is .

Approximately 40 grams of the radioisotope iodine -131 were accidentally released into the atmosphere during the Fukushima nuclear accident. The half -life of iodine -131 is 8 days. How long would it take for there to be 10 grams of iodine -131 left in the environment?

Geologists have divided the geologic time scale using evidence compiled using stratigraphy, which is the study of .

A solution of pH 5 has

An atom has 2 electrons, 3 protons, and 3 neutrons. What is the atom's charge?

What are the three distinct layers of the earth?

Overpopulation contributes to global warming when .

Preindustrial levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been estimated to be approximately 275 ppm (parts per million). If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels are expected to reach by the year 2100. Ppm

Science and Sustainability: an Introduction to Environmental Science

Evolution, Biodiversity, and Population Ecology

Species Interactions and Community Ecology

Economics, Policy, and Sustainable Development

Human Population

Soil, Agriculture, and the Future of Food

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Forests, Forest Management, and Protected Areas

Environmental Health and Toxicology

Geology, Minerals, and Mining

Fresh Water, Oceans, and Coasts

Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

Global Climate Change

Nonrenewable Energy Sources, Their Impacts, and Energy Conservation

Renewable Energy Alternatives

Managing Our Waste

The Urban Environment: Creating Sustainable Cities

Sustainable Solutions

Answers to Data Analysis Questions

How to Interpret Graphs

Metric System

Periodic Table of the Elements

Geologic Time Scale Glossary Credits Index

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