Cumulative Exam Answers

Which of the following is a difficulty associated with environmental protection?a.costb.unpredictabilityc.sustainabilityd.all of the above

The introduction of Caulerpa, also known as killer algae, into California was ultimately the result of _______.a.hull foulingb.the aquarium trade in exotic, nonnative aquatic speciesc.intentional released.an algae farming company

Which of the following statements about pesticides is true? a. Pesticides provide plants with essential nutrients. b. Pesticides prevent the destruction of crops. c. Pesticides are never harmful to plants. d. Pesticides are never harmful to animals. Please select the best answer from the choices provided

Which of the following is not a manmade cause of global warming?a.burning fossil fuelsb.deforestationc.respirationd.population growth

What is the most important consideration for environmental policy makers?a.popular opinionb.environmental healthc.costd.none of the above

Which of the following changes to waterways is only the result of human activity?a.erosionb.temperature fluctuationsc.floodingd.chemical pollution

How can resource conservation benefit the environment?a.Resource conservation can help preserve natural habitats.b.Resource conservation can reduce water pollution.c.Resource conservation can reduce air pollution.d.All of the above

Why does fossil fuel use in the United States make the U.S. vulnerable to the political wishes of foreign countries?a.The US is a net exporter of fossil fuels.b.Fossil fuels lead to global climate change.c.The US imports much of its petroleum from foreign countries which set the prices.d.All of the above.

Which of the following can be reduced by the use of renewable energy sources?a.social costsb.economic costsc.environmental costsd.all of the above

Which of the following aspects of the environmental movement addresses the public’s right to intervene in environmentally damaging activities on private land?a.environmental justiceb.environmental sociologyc.environmental lawd.environmental activism

Which of the following is not released by trees into the atmosphere?a.oxygenb.water vaporc.ozoned.none of the above

Flooding on rivers is caused by human activity rather than natural events.

The principle difference between point source and nonpoint source water pollution is _______.a.whether the pollution is organic or inorganicb.the number of sources of pollutionc.the amount of pollutiond.whether it is from commercial or agricultural sources

Which of the following statements about change in ecosystems is true?a.Ecosystems experience change through human activity only.b.Ecosystems experience change through natural events only.c.Ecosystems experience no change.d.Ecosystems experience change through human activity and natural events.

Deforestation has no direct impact on reptile species.

Which of the following could cause a habitat change?a.introduction of an invasive speciesb.a wildfirec.a mudslided.all of the above

Reclamation restores an environment affected by mining to a state where it can sustain its ecosystem.

Soil compaction results from _______.a.the reduction or elimination of pore space in soilb.the weight of heavy machinery on soilc.livestock walking over soild.all of the above

Which of the following is a possible cost of using renewable resources?a.loss of animal speciesb.land degradationc.lower availability of freshwaterd.all of the above

The largest supply of Earth’s freshwater is stored in _______.a.lakes and riversb.groundwaterc.the atmosphered.glaciers and icecaps

Why are cane toads in Australia considered an invasive species rather than simply nonnative?a.They are destructive to native species and have no natural predators.b.They reproduce more quickly than native species.c.They have venom glands.d.Large adult specimens are able to hunt snakes.

Which of the following is true about ice ages?a.forests are plentiful and commonb.biodiversity is reducedc.ecosystems are createdd.glaciers recede

Which of the following statements about mining is true?a.Mining has no long-term effects on the Earth.b.Mining is unimportant to the economy.c.Mining has no ecological impact.d.Mining allows useful minerals to be extracted from the Earth.

Changes to the global climate could include _______.a.changes to temperatureb.changes to pressurec.changes to precipitationd.all of the above

Study these images.Which image shows a cumulonimbus cloud?

Zoning laws establish _______.a.what types of buildings can be built in an areab.the uses an area of land can be put toc.who can live in an aread.the types of business that can occupy a building

Which of the following is a potential obstacle to the commercial development of brownfields?a.the presence of pollutantsb.environmental cleanup lawsc.the costs of environmental cleanupd.all of the above

The Clean Air Act would be a reason for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate car emissions.

Which of the following is a benefit associated with the use of energy producing technologies excluding the burning of fossil fuels?a.reduced water useb.reduced air pollutionc.reduced habitat lossd.all of the above

In which region would you find the lowest concentration of public land in the United States?a.the Pacific Northwestb.the West coastc.New Englandd.the Midwest

The Kyoto protocol works by _______.a.mandatory involvementb.voluntary involvementc.imposing trade restrictions on nonparticipating countriesd.offering monetary rewards to participating countries

It is important for _______ to participate in conservation efforts.a.governmentb.businessc.citizensd.all of the above

Pollution in the _______ will have the greatest effect on human health.a.troposphereb.stratospherec.mesosphered.thermosphere

Which of the following methods of agriculture is best suited to the use of large plowing and harvesting equipment?a.rangeland grazingb.American agriculturec.traditional rice cultivationd.Dutch agriculture

Wind, solar and geothermal power are called renewable energy sources because _______.a.tax breaks for these sources are renewed every yearb.they are continuously replenishedc.humans can replenish these sources periodicallyd.they produce few toxic byproducts

How does the use of hydroelectric energy compare to the use of coal?a.Hydroelectric energy is more commonly used than coal.b.Hydroelectric energy is associated with less waste production than coal.c.Hydroelectric energy has a larger environmental impact than coal use.d.Hydroelectric energy requires more land space than coal use.

The efforts of governments and businesses toward conservation and preservation have had a positive impact on the environment.

Biological pest control methods supplement but cannot replace chemical pest control methods.

Which of the following statements about turning points in environmental policy is true?a.Environmental policy has changed over time as a result of pressure from industry.b.Turning points in environmental policy were typically the result of urban expansion.c.Turning points in environmental policy have come about through increased public awareness.d.Environmental policy has changed little over the history of the United States.

Why is preventing pollution at its source the first strategy in minimizing environmental risk?a.It is easier and more effective to prevent pollution than to clean up and dispose of waste.b.Remediation of contamination is easier than pollution prevention.c.Habitat restoration cannot be undertaken with modern technologies.d.Safe waste disposal is the easiest was to minimize environmental risk.

Aquatic organisms that lived hundreds of millions of years ago and were buried in silt and sediment resulted in the formation of _______.a.coalb.biomassc.biofuelsd.petroleum

While an important source of freshwater, groundwater is not as widely used as rivers and springs.

Which of the following is not a negative consequence of upward urban growth?a.pollutionb.creation of a “heat island”c.increased use of surrounding landd.waste management issues

Global climate change is a concern to scientists because it_______.a.is a natural process unaffected by humansb.has never changed beforec.can have drastic effects to life on Earthd.can happen overnight

Which of the following most significantly determines a community's access to potable water? a. access to clean raw water sources b. the availability of money c. local drought conditions d. the level of industrial development Please select the best answer from the choices provided

It is important to maintain septic systems in order to _______.a.prevent treated sewage from contaminating groundwaterb.process human waste into fertilizerc.prevent untreated sewage from contaminating groundwaterd.none of the above

Which of the following best explains how a hurricane can increase an area’s susceptibility to future storms?a.Storm surges cause massive damage to buildings along coastlines.b.Hurricanes often flood coastal communities.c.Hurricane strength winds cause large amounts of property damage.d.Erosion caused by hurricanes can leave coasts more exposed to storms.

Which is most likely a source of air pollution?

How does groundwater become polluted?a.Pollutants mixed with water pass through permeable layers above the aquifer.b.Factories dump their waste directly into aquifers.c.Refuse infiltrates the water table when garbage is dumped.d.All of the above

Which statement best describes a characteristic of maritime polar air masses?