AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE REVIEW UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. First Law of Thermodynamics
Answer:
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to
another.
Question:
2. El Niño (ENSO)
Answer:
prevailing winds in the Pacific weaken and change direction every few years which
results in above average warming of eastern Pacific waters, which changes
distribution of plant nutrients and alters earth's weather for 2-3 years
Question:
3. Reason for seasons on Earth
Answer:
Tilt of the axis ~23.5°
Question:
4. Second Law of Thermodynamics
Answer:
When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always
degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat).
Question:
5. Nuclear Fission
Answer:
nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons.
Question:
6. Leaching
Answer:
removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil.
,Question:
7. Soil Conservation Methods
Answer:
conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers.
Question:
8. Soil Salinization
Answer:
in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent,
southwestern US)
Question:
9. Hydrologic Cycle Components
Answer:
evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.
Question:
10. Watershed
Answer:
all of the land that drains into a body of water
Question:
11. Aquifer
Answer:
any water-bearing layer in the ground.
Question:
12. Salt Water Intrusion
Answer:
near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the
aquifer.
Question:
13. La Nina
Answer:
"Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the
western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of
South America.
, Question:
14. Nitrogen Fixation
Answer:
because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be
converted into ammonia by bacteria.
Question:
15. Ammonification
Answer:
decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia.
Question:
16. Nitrification
Answer:
ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO -).
Question:
17. Assimilation
Answer:
inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids &
proteins.
Question:
18. Denitrification
Answer:
bacteria convert ammonia back into N.
Question:
19. Phosphorus
Answer:
does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of phosphate rocks, it is a major
limiting factor for plant growth. Phosphorus cycle is slow, and not atmospheric.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. First Law of Thermodynamics
Answer:
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but may be converted from one form to
another.
Question:
2. El Niño (ENSO)
Answer:
prevailing winds in the Pacific weaken and change direction every few years which
results in above average warming of eastern Pacific waters, which changes
distribution of plant nutrients and alters earth's weather for 2-3 years
Question:
3. Reason for seasons on Earth
Answer:
Tilt of the axis ~23.5°
Question:
4. Second Law of Thermodynamics
Answer:
When energy is changed from one form to another, some useful energy is always
degraded into lower quality energy (usually heat).
Question:
5. Nuclear Fission
Answer:
nuclei of isotopes split apart when struck by neutrons.
Question:
6. Leaching
Answer:
removal of dissolved materials from soil by water moving downwards through soil.
,Question:
7. Soil Conservation Methods
Answer:
conservation tillage, crop rotation, contour plowing, organic fertilizers.
Question:
8. Soil Salinization
Answer:
in arid regions, water evaporates leaving salts behind. (ex. Fertile crescent,
southwestern US)
Question:
9. Hydrologic Cycle Components
Answer:
evaporation, transpiration, runoff, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.
Question:
10. Watershed
Answer:
all of the land that drains into a body of water
Question:
11. Aquifer
Answer:
any water-bearing layer in the ground.
Question:
12. Salt Water Intrusion
Answer:
near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the
aquifer.
Question:
13. La Nina
Answer:
"Normal" year, easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the
western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of
South America.
, Question:
14. Nitrogen Fixation
Answer:
because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants, it must first be
converted into ammonia by bacteria.
Question:
15. Ammonification
Answer:
decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia.
Question:
16. Nitrification
Answer:
ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO -).
Question:
17. Assimilation
Answer:
inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids &
proteins.
Question:
18. Denitrification
Answer:
bacteria convert ammonia back into N.
Question:
19. Phosphorus
Answer:
does not exist as a gas; released by weathering of phosphate rocks, it is a major
limiting factor for plant growth. Phosphorus cycle is slow, and not atmospheric.
