Question 1

Which of the following environmental resources is most directly impacted by the following example? A forest is cut down to make room for crops.

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 2

Look at a map of any part of the world, and you'll see that older cities are either next to rivers or next to where rivers used to be. Why?

Accepted Answer

A) The water allowed for the easy transportation of people and goods in and out of the city. 
B) A dense population is only possible with a sufficient supply of fresh water. 
C) The water allowed efficient removal of wastes. 
D) All of the above are true. 
A) The water allowed for the easy transportation of people and goods in and out of the city. 
B) A dense population is only possible with a sufficient supply of fresh water. 
C) The water allowed efficient removal of wastes. 
D) All of the above are true.

Question 3

Would you expect a can of warm soda or other carbonated beverage to foam more or less while flying on a airplane?

Accepted Answer

A) The amount of foam would decrease. 
B) The amount of foam would increase. 
C) The amount of foam would be the same. 
D) Airplanes are pressurized so there is no change in pressure. 
E) none of the above 
A) The amount of foam would decrease. 
B) The amount of foam would increase. 
C) The amount of foam would be the same. 
D) Airplanes are pressurized so there is no change in pressure. 
E) none of the above

Question 4

The depth of the atmosphere is about 30 km. If the diameter of the earth is 13,000 km, what percentage of the earth is atmosphere?

Accepted Answer

A) 0.2 percent 
B) 2 percent 
C) 1 percent 
D) 20 percent 
E) 50 percent 
A) 0.2 percent 
B) 2 percent 
C) 1 percent 
D) 20 percent 
E) 50 percent

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria decay organic matter. 
B) Anaerobic bacteria only function in the presence of oxygen. 
C) Aerobic bacteria produce oxygen as one of their decomposition products. 
D) Aerobic bacteria produce bad smelling compounds. 
E) all of the above 
A) Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria decay organic matter. 
B) Anaerobic bacteria only function in the presence of oxygen. 
C) Aerobic bacteria produce oxygen as one of their decomposition products. 
D) Aerobic bacteria produce bad smelling compounds. 
E) all of the above

Question 6

Over the past 50 years, the global amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased by 158 billion tons, but over 215 billion were released by burning of fossil fuels. Where did the rest go?

Accepted Answer

A) It was absorbed by the oceans. 
B) It was converted into carbohydrates. 
C) It was recycled. 
D) It escaped into space. 
E) It was converted into acid rain. 
A) It was absorbed by the oceans. 
B) It was converted into carbohydrates. 
C) It was recycled. 
D) It escaped into space. 
E) It was converted into acid rain.

Question 7

Humans are pumping more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but the atmospheric concentrations of this gas are not increasing proportionately. Suggest an explanation.

Accepted Answer

A) Instruments used to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide need to be relocated to more remote regions of the planet. 
B) Humans have been cutting back on their use of fossil fuels to a degree greater than predicted by experts. 
C) Most of the carbon dioxide we produce seeps into outer space. 
D) The ocean may be absorbing the excess quantities of carbon dioxide placed into the atmosphere. 
A) Instruments used to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide need to be relocated to more remote regions of the planet. 
B) Humans have been cutting back on their use of fossil fuels to a degree greater than predicted by experts. 
C) Most of the carbon dioxide we produce seeps into outer space. 
D) The ocean may be absorbing the excess quantities of carbon dioxide placed into the atmosphere.

Question 8

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was small and had no atmosphere, 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 9

Why might nitrogen monoxide (NO)concentrations increase in the morning?

Accepted Answer

A) morning rush hour traffic 
B) Plant photosynthesis starts when the sun rises. 
C) Solar energy causes the reaction that produces NO. 
D) The organisms that produce NO are anaerobic and there is less oxygen in the morning. 
E) I don't NO. 
A) morning rush hour traffic 
B) Plant photosynthesis starts when the sun rises. 
C) Solar energy causes the reaction that produces NO. 
D) The organisms that produce NO are anaerobic and there is less oxygen in the morning. 
E) I don't NO.

Question 10

Which of the following locations would you expect to find the highest water table?

Accepted Answer

A) a marsh 
B) a desert 
C) a mountainous area 
D) a pasture 
E) All of the above have same water table. 
A) a marsh 
B) a desert 
C) a mountainous area 
D) a pasture 
E) All of the above have same water table.

Question 11

Which of the following is the greenhouse gas produced by combustion?

Accepted Answer

A) H2O 
B) CO2 
C) O2 
D) both a and b 
E) all of the above 
A) H2O 
B) CO2 
C) O2 
D) both a and b 
E) all of the above

Question 12

What is the source of atmospheric pressure?

Accepted Answer

A) It is the weight of the air above that is pushing down on us. 
B) It is the interatomic attraction between air molecules. 
C) It is the potential energy stored in the gas molecules. 
D) It is the stored solar energy in gas molecules. 
E) none of the above 
A) It is the weight of the air above that is pushing down on us. 
B) It is the interatomic attraction between air molecules. 
C) It is the potential energy stored in the gas molecules. 
D) It is the stored solar energy in gas molecules. 
E) none of the above

Question 13

What is the cause of the following symptom of pollution? The water smells very bad and there are no fish.

Accepted Answer

A) Inorganic fertilizers were released nearby. 
B) Organic matter was released nearby. 
C) The water has undergone eutrophication. 
D) Anaerobic bacteria are consuming most of the nutrients in the water. 
E) none of the above 
A) Inorganic fertilizers were released nearby. 
B) Organic matter was released nearby. 
C) The water has undergone eutrophication. 
D) Anaerobic bacteria are consuming most of the nutrients in the water. 
E) none of the above

Question 14

The oceans are salt water, and yet evaporation over the ocean surface produces clouds that precipitate fresh water. Explain.

Accepted Answer

A) Salt ions are too attracted to the liquid water to evaporate. 
B) Fresh rainwater falls only after the salts have been removed by the action of the clouds. 
C) The salts are too heavy to evaporate with the water. 
D) Two of the above are reasonable answers. 
A) Salt ions are too attracted to the liquid water to evaporate. 
B) Fresh rainwater falls only after the salts have been removed by the action of the clouds. 
C) The salts are too heavy to evaporate with the water. 
D) Two of the above are reasonable answers.

Question 15

Place the following events in most likely chronological order: 1. The oxygen content drops enough to kill most animals but not all of the plants.
2. A bunch of inorganic ions were released upstream of a pond.
3. Anaerobic bacteria start to dominate the population of living creatures.
4. Aerobic bacteria start to dominate the population of living creatures.
5. Algae start to dominate the population of living creatures.

Accepted Answer

A) 2, 5, 1, 4, 3 
B) 3, 2, 1, 4, 5 
C) 5, 1, 2, 4, 3 
D) 2, 4, 1, 5, 3 
E) none of the above 
A) 2, 5, 1, 4, 3 
B) 3, 2, 1, 4, 5 
C) 5, 1, 2, 4, 3 
D) 2, 4, 1, 5, 3 
E) none of the above

Question 16

Geological records indicate that many ice ages were initiated by periods of unusually warm weather. How can warm weather precipitate an ice age?

Accepted Answer

A) Warm weather increases the rate of evaporation of the oceans. 
B) More snow accumulates in higher latitudes. 
C) More sunlight is reflected back into outer space. 
D) all of the above 
A) Warm weather increases the rate of evaporation of the oceans. 
B) More snow accumulates in higher latitudes. 
C) More sunlight is reflected back into outer space. 
D) all of the above

Question 17

What type of smog do catalytic converters help reduce?

Accepted Answer

A) photochemical smog 
B) industrial smog 
C) agricultural smog 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above 
A) photochemical smog 
B) industrial smog 
C) agricultural smog 
D) all of the above 
E) none of the above

Question 18

How do advanced integrated ponds for waste water treatment take advantage of solar energy?

Accepted Answer

A) by letting plants use it to consume waste 
B) by using it to heat solar stills 
C) by using it to power blowers 
D) by using it to power sludge stirring devices 
E) all of the above 
A) by letting plants use it to consume waste 
B) by using it to heat solar stills 
C) by using it to power blowers 
D) by using it to power sludge stirring devices 
E) all of the above

Question 19

Which of the following soil types would you expect to become saturated the quickest?

Accepted Answer

A) loosely packed soil with a large amount of humus in it 
B) tightly packed soil with a large amount of humus in it 
C) loosely packed soil with a large amount of clay in it 
D) tightly packed soil with a large amount of clay in it 
E) All of the above will become saturated at the same rate. 
A) loosely packed soil with a large amount of humus in it 
B) tightly packed soil with a large amount of humus in it 
C) loosely packed soil with a large amount of clay in it 
D) tightly packed soil with a large amount of clay in it 
E) All of the above will become saturated at the same rate.

Question 20

What keeps energetic gas molecules from escaping into space?

Accepted Answer

A) gravity 
B) interatomic forces 
C) nuclear forces 
D) solar radiation 
E) magnetic field 
A) gravity 
B) interatomic forces 
C) nuclear forces 
D) solar radiation 
E) magnetic field

Which of the following environmental resources is most directly impacted by the following example? A forest is cut down to make room for crops.

Look at a map of any part of the world, and you'll see that older cities are either next to rivers or next to where rivers used to be. Why?

Would you expect a can of warm soda or other carbonated beverage to foam more or less while flying on a airplane?

The depth of the atmosphere is about 30 km. If the diameter of the earth is 13,000 km, what percentage of the earth is atmosphere?

Which of the following statements is true?

Over the past 50 years, the global amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased by 158 billion tons, but over 215 billion were released by burning of fossil fuels. Where did the rest go?

Humans are pumping more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but the atmospheric concentrations of this gas are not increasing proportionately. Suggest an explanation.

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was small and had no atmosphere, what might have happened?

Why might nitrogen monoxide (NO)concentrations increase in the morning?

Which of the following locations would you expect to find the highest water table?

Which of the following is the greenhouse gas produced by combustion?

What is the source of atmospheric pressure?

What is the cause of the following symptom of pollution? The water smells very bad and there are no fish.

The oceans are salt water, and yet evaporation over the ocean surface produces clouds that precipitate fresh water. Explain.

Geological records indicate that many ice ages were initiated by periods of unusually warm weather. How can warm weather precipitate an ice age?

What type of smog do catalytic converters help reduce?

How do advanced integrated ponds for waste water treatment take advantage of solar energy?

Which of the following soil types would you expect to become saturated the quickest?

What keeps energetic gas molecules from escaping into space?

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

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Exam 16: Protection Water and Air Resources

Which of the following environmental resources is most directly impacted by the following example? A forest is cut down to make room for crops.

Look at a map of any part of the world, and you'll see that older cities are either next to rivers or next to where rivers used to be. Why?

Would you expect a can of warm soda or other carbonated beverage to foam more or less while flying on a airplane?

The depth of the atmosphere is about 30 km. If the diameter of the earth is 13,000 km, what percentage of the earth is atmosphere?

Which of the following statements is true?

Over the past 50 years, the global amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased by 158 billion tons, but over 215 billion were released by burning of fossil fuels. Where did the rest go?

Humans are pumping more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but the atmospheric concentrations of this gas are not increasing proportionately. Suggest an explanation.

In your travels through space, if you were to encounter a planet that was small and had no atmosphere, what might have happened?

Why might nitrogen monoxide (NO)concentrations increase in the morning?

Which of the following locations would you expect to find the highest water table?

Which of the following is the greenhouse gas produced by combustion?

What is the source of atmospheric pressure?

What is the cause of the following symptom of pollution? The water smells very bad and there are no fish.

The oceans are salt water, and yet evaporation over the ocean surface produces clouds that precipitate fresh water. Explain.

Geological records indicate that many ice ages were initiated by periods of unusually warm weather. How can warm weather precipitate an ice age?

What type of smog do catalytic converters help reduce?

How do advanced integrated ponds for waste water treatment take advantage of solar energy?

Which of the following soil types would you expect to become saturated the quickest?

What keeps energetic gas molecules from escaping into space?

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