Unit Test Answers

It is best to say that the protection to properties offered by sea walls along coasts _______.a.decreases the present and future risk to human propertiesb.increases both the present and future risk to human propertiesc.decreases the present but increases the future riskd.increases the present but decreases the future risk

Which of the following is true concerning natural resources?a.Natural resources are not recycled.b.Natural resources are only inorganic.c.They are part of natural processes.d.They only incorporate one form of matter.

Which of the following statements about resource use is true?a.The use of renewable resources has no inherent costs.b.Resource use, whether renewable or nonrenewable, must be carefully managed to reduce the impact on the environment.c.Nonrenewable resources are used for energy, because there are no renewable resources that can be used as a source of energy.d.The overuse of nonrenewable resources is less environmentally damaging than the overuse of renewable resources.

Which of the following is not a technology that can be used to conserve resources?a.hydropowerb.volcanic powerc.natural gasd.geothermal

The operation of nuclear power plants in the United States is closely monitored and regulated.

Which of the following best describes the role of scientific knowledge in society?a.Advances in scientific knowledge have predictable consequences.b.Advances in scientific knowledge can be beneficial to society if applied responsibly.c.Advances in scientific knowledge lead to few changes in society.d.Society is uninfluenced by advances in scientific knowledge.

Renewable resources can be used without worry about consequences to the environment.

Which of the following statements about nuclear energy is true?a.Nuclear energy cannot be contained nor controlled.b.Nuclear energy is contained in nuclear bonds.c.Nuclear energy is less efficient than other energy forms.d.All of the above are true.

Which human activity is correctly paired with the greenhouse gas that it increases?

How is an ecological footprint determined?a.An ecological footprint is determined by measuring the average amount of land and water that a person in a region uses.b.An ecological footprint is determined by measuring carbon dioxide emissions for a given region.c.An ecological footprint is determined by measuring the rate of water use.d.An ecological footprint is determined by measuring the amount of waste generated in a given region.

Which sustainable practice is paired correctly with its impact on the environment?

Cyanobacteria have been engineered to produce isobutanol directly. What advantage does this have over other alternative biofuels?a.It is an inherently renewable fuel source.b.Multiple processing steps can be avoided.c.They produce chemical energy through photosynthesis.d.They make a biofuel alternative to gasoline.

How do natural disasters weaken a community’s social infrastructure?a.Social systems are unbalanced by the damage caused by natural disasters.b.Natural disasters tend to target the poorest members of a community.c.The number of natural disasters is increasing across the globe.d.Natural disasters can cause billions of dollars in property damage.

What is the main function of environmental policy?a.prevent the use of natural resourcesb.reduce human impact on the environmentc.prevent nature from having a harmful effect on humansd.reduce the use of natural resources

Which of the following statements about the use of nuclear energy is true?a.Nuclear energy cannot be used safely.b.Nuclear fusion has no known useful applications.c.Nuclear fission is currently more useful for producing energy than nuclear fusion.d.Nuclear fusion has fewer safety risks than nuclear fission.

Rainforests around the world are being cleared at an alarming rate to make room for new communities, agriculture, mining, and roads, and to provide lumber for construction and furniture. How might the destruction of rainforests affect the balance of gases in Earth's atmosphere?

How can reduced precipitation lead to limited water availability?a.Reduced precipitation leads to overuse.b.Precipitation is a nonrenewable resource.c.Reduced precipitation is a global event.d.Reduced precipitation may lead to drought.

Monitoring environmental parameters can help policy makers determine _______.a.the level of impact a human activity has on an environmentb.how society feels about the proposed policy changesc.how frequently a specific environment is used for human activityd.all of the above

How is the world population projected to change in the next few decades?a.It is projected to level off.b.It is projected to decrease steadily.c.It is projected to increase steadily.d.It is projected to double within 5 years.

Control rods are used to slow down the reaction in the reactor core when the core becomes too hot.

Why are invasive species dangerous to the environment?

Environmental degradation is a consequence of previous technological advances.

Environmental policy addresses all of the following issues except _______.a.air pollutionb.water pollutionc.natural disastersd.overfishing

Waste management is an environmental issue that has been addressed by environmental policy.

What happens to the heat that is produced from fission reactions that occur in nuclear power plants?a.It is used to turn water into steam.b.It is used to heat local buildings.c.It is a waste product and is not used.d.It is used to power nuclear fusion reactions.