Question 1

Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide are true?

Accepted Answer

A) Carbon dioxide is the number one gas emitted by humans. 
B) Carbon dioxide concentration have increased since the Industrial Revolution. 
C) We are currently releasing more carbon dioxide than the oceans can quickly absorb. 
D) Carbon dioxide is not the most abundant greenhouse gas. 
E) All of the above are true. 
A) Carbon dioxide is the number one gas emitted by humans. 
B) Carbon dioxide concentration have increased since the Industrial Revolution. 
C) We are currently releasing more carbon dioxide than the oceans can quickly absorb. 
D) Carbon dioxide is not the most abundant greenhouse gas. 
E) All of the above are true.

Question 2

Why did the amount of fresh water we collectively consume start decreasing after 1980?

Accepted Answer

A) Mandatory water rationing was imposed by the federal government to the individual states. 
B) Water used to produce electricity was dramatically reduced because of the development of new technology. 
C) New and improved irrigation techniques were put into effect in 1980. 
D) Water companies began installing water "governors" on all residential housing in 1980. 
A) Mandatory water rationing was imposed by the federal government to the individual states. 
B) Water used to produce electricity was dramatically reduced because of the development of new technology. 
C) New and improved irrigation techniques were put into effect in 1980. 
D) Water companies began installing water "governors" on all residential housing in 1980.

Question 3

If organic matter is useful in water as a nutrient source, why does excess organic matter lead to a decrease in aquatic life?

Accepted Answer

A) Aerobic bacteria feed on all the organic mater and use up all the oxygen. 
B) Anaerobic bacteria feed on the organic matter and populations increase, leading to consumption of all the food. 
C) Anaerobic bacteria eat all the aerobic bacteria, which leads to loss of oxygen in the water. 
D) The excess organic matter blocks light, which leads to a decrease in photosynthesis and causes a drop in oxygen production. 
E) none of the above 
A) Aerobic bacteria feed on all the organic mater and use up all the oxygen. 
B) Anaerobic bacteria feed on the organic matter and populations increase, leading to consumption of all the food. 
C) Anaerobic bacteria eat all the aerobic bacteria, which leads to loss of oxygen in the water. 
D) The excess organic matter blocks light, which leads to a decrease in photosynthesis and causes a drop in oxygen production. 
E) none of the above

Question 4

Why is flushing a toilet with clean water from a municipal supply about as wasteful as flushing it with bottled water?

Accepted Answer

A) Bottled water is typically made from municipal water. 
B) Municipal water and bottle water have about the same level of purity. 
C) Both the bottled water and municipal water are generally free of pathogens. 
D) all of the above 
A) Bottled water is typically made from municipal water. 
B) Municipal water and bottle water have about the same level of purity. 
C) Both the bottled water and municipal water are generally free of pathogens. 
D) all of the above

Question 5

Humans currently pump about 9.1 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. Of this, about 5.0 billion tons are absorbed by plants, soils, and the oceans. Most of the remaining 4.1 billion tons goes into ________.

Accepted Answer

A) outer space 
B) the polar ice caps 
C) the atmosphere 
D) sedimentary rocks 
A) outer space 
B) the polar ice caps 
C) the atmosphere 
D) sedimentary rocks

Question 6

Which of the following is the most detrimental?

Accepted Answer

A) bacterial sewage flowing through sand 
B) bacterial sewage flowing through loose sediments 
C) bacterial sewage flowing through unsaturated soil 
D) all of the above 
E) only a and b 
A) bacterial sewage flowing through sand 
B) bacterial sewage flowing through loose sediments 
C) bacterial sewage flowing through unsaturated soil 
D) all of the above 
E) only a and b

Question 7

What is the easiest way to eliminate organic components?

Accepted Answer

A) Aerate the solution and let bacteria consume the organics. 
B) Treat the solution with UV radiation. 
C) Filter the solution through activated carbon filters. 
D) reverse osmosis 
E) all of the above 
A) Aerate the solution and let bacteria consume the organics. 
B) Treat the solution with UV radiation. 
C) Filter the solution through activated carbon filters. 
D) reverse osmosis 
E) all of the above

Question 8

Where is most of the water on the earth stored?

Accepted Answer

A) the oceans 
B) the ice caps 
C) in minerals 
D) in lakes and streams 
E) in the atmosphere 
A) the oceans 
B) the ice caps 
C) in minerals 
D) in lakes and streams 
E) in the atmosphere

Question 9

What powers the hydrologic cycle?

Accepted Answer

A) solar energy 
B) wind energy 
C) gravity 
D) nuclear fission 
E) none of the above 
A) solar energy 
B) wind energy 
C) gravity 
D) nuclear fission 
E) none of the above

Question 10

The measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by certain bacteria is the ________, which is also a measure of the dissolved organic material.

Accepted Answer

A) biochemical oxygen demand 
B) osmotic pressure 
C) partial pressure 
D) leachate 
E) water table 
A) biochemical oxygen demand 
B) osmotic pressure 
C) partial pressure 
D) leachate 
E) water table

Question 11

If algae are oxygen-producing aquatic life, why does overproduction lead to a decrease in oxygen content of the water?

Accepted Answer

A) They consume more oxygen than they produce. 
B) They block the absorption of oxygen at the surface of the water. 
C) They block the light needed by photosynthetic aquatic life. 
D) none of the above 
E) both a and b 
A) They consume more oxygen than they produce. 
B) They block the absorption of oxygen at the surface of the water. 
C) They block the light needed by photosynthetic aquatic life. 
D) none of the above 
E) both a and b

Question 12

The surface of the Venus is 450°C. Why?

Accepted Answer

A) There is a lot of reflection of the absorbed radiation back to the surface. 
B) The soil of Venus has a higher heat capacity than the soil of Earth. 
C) There is no temperature inversion taking place. 
D) Venus is closer to the sun and therefore gets more solar radiation. 
E) none of the above 
A) There is a lot of reflection of the absorbed radiation back to the surface. 
B) The soil of Venus has a higher heat capacity than the soil of Earth. 
C) There is no temperature inversion taking place. 
D) Venus is closer to the sun and therefore gets more solar radiation. 
E) none of the above

Question 13

Withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation in the San Joaquin Valley of California caused the water table to drop by 75 meters. Pumping has been greatly reduced, the aquifer is slowly recharging, and water for irrigation is now provided by canals that bring water from the adjacent Sierra Nevada. What else might be done to insure an adequate water supply for the foreseeable future?

Accepted Answer

A) Local governments could establish water conservation ordinances. 
B) Local agriculture could practice water-conserving irrigation techniques. 
C) People dependent on the agriculture of this region could eat less meat. 
D) all of the above 
A) Local governments could establish water conservation ordinances. 
B) Local agriculture could practice water-conserving irrigation techniques. 
C) People dependent on the agriculture of this region could eat less meat. 
D) all of the above

Question 14

Which of the following environmental resources is impacted by the following example? The population of the earth continues to increase.

Accepted Answer

A) the air 
B) the soil 
C) the water 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above 
A) the air 
B) the soil 
C) the water 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above

Question 15

Where is most of the liquid fresh water on the earth stored?

Accepted Answer

A) the oceans 
B) underground 
C) in minerals 
D) in lakes and streams 
E) in the atmosphere 
A) the oceans 
B) underground 
C) in minerals 
D) in lakes and streams 
E) in the atmosphere

Question 16

How is most of the energy required for secondary waste water treatment consumed?

Accepted Answer

A) as electricity to power air pumps for aeration 
B) as electricity to illuminate UV lamps 
C) as heat to run distillation equipment 
D) as electricity to power hydraulic pumps for reverse osmosis 
E) none of the above 
A) as electricity to power air pumps for aeration 
B) as electricity to illuminate UV lamps 
C) as heat to run distillation equipment 
D) as electricity to power hydraulic pumps for reverse osmosis 
E) none of the above

Question 17

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was large but had no atmosphere, only pools of liquid, what might have happened?

Accepted Answer

A) The planet's atmosphere escaped into space because the force of gravity was too low. 
B) The planet's atmosphere escaped because it was heated too hot and boiled into space. 
C) The atmosphere never formed because there was not enough heat energy available. 
D) Only planets with life have an atmosphere. 
E) none of the above 
A) The planet's atmosphere escaped into space because the force of gravity was too low. 
B) The planet's atmosphere escaped because it was heated too hot and boiled into space. 
C) The atmosphere never formed because there was not enough heat energy available. 
D) Only planets with life have an atmosphere. 
E) none of the above

Question 18

Why are solid particles that are too small to be seen often visible as smoke or fog?

Accepted Answer

A) Water clings to them and makes them bigger. 
B) They clump together to form bigger particles. 
C) They absorb oxygen and swell. 
D) They react with carbon dioxide to form dry ice. 
E) none of the above 
A) Water clings to them and makes them bigger. 
B) They clump together to form bigger particles. 
C) They absorb oxygen and swell. 
D) They react with carbon dioxide to form dry ice. 
E) none of the above

Question 19

Phosphates were once a common component of laundry detergents because they soften water. Why has their use been restricted?

Accepted Answer

A) The phosphates are poisonous to plants. 
B) The phosphates are plant nutrients that lead to excess algae growth. 
C) The phosphates were getting into human drinking supplies. 
D) The phosphates diminished the supply of calcium found in cow's milk. 
A) The phosphates are poisonous to plants. 
B) The phosphates are plant nutrients that lead to excess algae growth. 
C) The phosphates were getting into human drinking supplies. 
D) The phosphates diminished the supply of calcium found in cow's milk.

Question 20

If the earth were the size of an apple, which piece would best represent the amount of mass of the atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) the skin 
B) a seed 
C) the meat 
D) the stem 
E) Oops.... I am sorry. I just ate the Pacific Ocean by mistake. 
A) the skin 
B) a seed 
C) the meat 
D) the stem 
E) Oops.... I am sorry. I just ate the Pacific Ocean by mistake.

Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide are true?

Why did the amount of fresh water we collectively consume start decreasing after 1980?

If organic matter is useful in water as a nutrient source, why does excess organic matter lead to a decrease in aquatic life?

Why is flushing a toilet with clean water from a municipal supply about as wasteful as flushing it with bottled water?

Humans currently pump about 9.1 billion tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year. Of this, about 5.0 billion tons are absorbed by plants, soils, and the oceans. Most of the remaining 4.1 billion tons goes into ________.

Which of the following is the most detrimental?

What is the easiest way to eliminate organic components?

Where is most of the water on the earth stored?

What powers the hydrologic cycle?

The measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by certain bacteria is the ________, which is also a measure of the dissolved organic material.

If algae are oxygen-producing aquatic life, why does overproduction lead to a decrease in oxygen content of the water?

The surface of the Venus is 450°C. Why?

Which of the following environmental resources is impacted by the following example? The population of the earth continues to increase.

Where is most of the liquid fresh water on the earth stored?

How is most of the energy required for secondary waste water treatment consumed?

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was large but had no atmosphere, only pools of liquid, what might have happened?

Why are solid particles that are too small to be seen often visible as smoke or fog?

Phosphates were once a common component of laundry detergents because they soften water. Why has their use been restricted?

If the earth were the size of an apple, which piece would best represent the amount of mass of the atmosphere?

About Science

Particles of Matter

Elements of Chemistry

Subatomic Particles

The Atomic Nucleus

How Atoms Bond

How Molecules Mix

How Water Behaves

How Chemicals React

Acids and Bases in Our Environment

Oxidations and Reductions Charge the World

Organic Compounds

Nutrients of Life

Medicinal Chemistry

Optimizing Food Production

Capturing Energy

Filters

Exam 16: Protection Water and Air Resources

Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide are true?

Why did the amount of fresh water we collectively consume start decreasing after 1980?

If organic matter is useful in water as a nutrient source, why does excess organic matter lead to a decrease in aquatic life?

Why is flushing a toilet with clean water from a municipal supply about as wasteful as flushing it with bottled water?

Humans currently pump about 9.1 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. Of this, about 5.0 billion tons are absorbed by plants, soils, and the oceans. Most of the remaining 4.1 billion tons goes into ________.

Which of the following is the most detrimental?

What is the easiest way to eliminate organic components?

Where is most of the water on the earth stored?

What powers the hydrologic cycle?

The measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by certain bacteria is the ________, which is also a measure of the dissolved organic material.

If algae are oxygen-producing aquatic life, why does overproduction lead to a decrease in oxygen content of the water?

The surface of the Venus is 450°C. Why?

Which of the following environmental resources is impacted by the following example? The population of the earth continues to increase.

Where is most of the liquid fresh water on the earth stored?

How is most of the energy required for secondary waste water treatment consumed?

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was large but had no atmosphere, only pools of liquid, what might have happened?

Why are solid particles that are too small to be seen often visible as smoke or fog?

Phosphates were once a common component of laundry detergents because they soften water. Why has their use been restricted?

If the earth were the size of an apple, which piece would best represent the amount of mass of the atmosphere?

About Science

Particles of Matter

Elements of Chemistry

Subatomic Particles

The Atomic Nucleus

How Atoms Bond

How Molecules Mix

How Water Behaves

How Chemicals React

Acids and Bases in Our Environment

Oxidations and Reductions Charge the World

Organic Compounds

Nutrients of Life

Medicinal Chemistry

Optimizing Food Production

Capturing Energy

Filters

Humans currently pump about 9.1 billion tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere each year. Of this, about 5.0 billion tons are absorbed by plants, soils, and the oceans. Most of the remaining 4.1 billion tons goes into ________.