AP Environmental Science Exam Practice Questions with Certified Solutions

AP Environmental Science Exam Practice Questions with Certified Solutions A fuel's net energy yield is correctly defined as a comparison between the cost of mining, processing, and transporting a fuel and the amount of useful energy the fuel generates A regular light bulb has an efficiency rating of 3 percent. For every 1 joule of energy that bulb uses, the amount of energy produced is 0.03 joules of light Methane gas and ethanol are two examples of biogases that are produced in what process? The anaerobic digestion of biomass Hybrid car engines have what motor? Gasoline and electric powered engines What are ways to increase energy efficiency? using low volume shower spray heads; insulating your home thoroughly; switching incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent bulbs; increasing fuel efficiency of vehicles; A typical coal-burning power plant uses 4,500 tons of coal per day. Each pound of coal produces 5,000 BTUs of electrical energy. How many BTUs are produced each day from this plant? 4.5 X 10^10 What produces the least amount of carbon dioxide while generating electricity? Wind turbines How much energy, in kWh, is used by a 100 wat computer running for 5 hours? 0.5 kWh Photovoltaic cells produce electricity by using the sun's energy to create a flow of electrons in a material such as silicon A sample of radioactive material has a half-life of 20 years. It has an activity of 2 curies. How many years does it take for the material to have an activity level of .25 curies? 60 years The term vampire appliances correctly refers to appliances that consume electricity even when they are not operating All non-renewable resource power plants use heat to produce steam to turn electric generators What are some examples of a direct source of groundwater pollution? wastewater lagoons; underground storage tanks; waste injected into deep wells; pesticide sprayed on the land What city has the greatest amount of gray-air smog? Beijing, China What is true about sanitary landfills? have methods of monitoring leaks in the clay and plastic liners; pipe generated methane gas to storage tanks; pump leachate out of the landfill for treatment and disposal; contain clay and plastic liners that prevent leachate from entering the soil What happens to the level of oxygen dissolved in water when organic waste is put in the water? The levels would decrease because of the bacteria feeding off the waste and using the oxygen to live An abundance of what creatures (and a lack of other creatures) would indicate that water is polluted? Sludge worms, anaerobic bacteria, and fungi What is the most common way of disposing of municipal solid waste (MSW)? Placing in landfills What gases involved in global climate change is increasing in the atmosphere at the fastest rate? CO2 What is the correct order of processing sanitary waste in a sewage treatment plant? Solid separation- breakdown of organics by bacteria- disinfection Name a secondary pollutant. PANs The United States was building a nuclear waste disposal site in Yucca Mountain, Nevada Oxides of nitrogen create the pollutant Nitric Acid In comparison to the surrounding rural areas, cities are hotter than the rural area What involves mixing waste with other chemicals to produce less toxic substances? Neutralization What process can cause secondary pollutants in the atmosphere? Incineration What process involves injection into deep wells? Underground burial What is the easiest and cheapest way to manage hazardous waste? Reduce the amount made What process involves living organisms processing the waste and removing it from the ecosystem? Bioremediation Describe the process of smelting. Separating the desired metal from other elements in the ore In a very polluted river it costs $3 per kilogram to remove the first 80% of the pollution. It costs $25 per kilogram to remove the last 20% of the pollutant. What is this phenomenon called? Marginal costs Describe clear-cutting. All the commercially usable trees in an area are cut down Moderate irrigation with groundwater over a long period of time can cause: Salinization What are problems created by the deforestation of rain forests? increased erosion; loss of biodiversity in the area; changes in local rainfall levels; loss of soil fertility; Greenbelts are useful to slow the process of urban growth What government agency is responsible for the management of federal rangeland? The Bureau of Land Management What are some examples of renewable resources? Air; soil; water; biodiversity; Nations have overfished international waters and have depleted many commercially important fish species. What is this a good example of? The Tragedy of the Commons Describe industrialized agriculture. Consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water The international trade in endangered species is regulated by what? CITES What is a problem that has emerged with the overuse of pesticides? Pesticide- resistant pests What is true concerning the use of National Parks? They can be used only for camping, fishing, and boating The acid most commonly found in mine drainage is sulfuric acid The World Trade Organization strives to Establish rules for the free flow of economic goods and services between countries What is it called when a weighted net is dragged across the sea floor? Bottom trawling When marine organisms are raised in a boy or confined area, it's called an aquaculture What floats through the water indiscriminately catching everything in its path? Drift net What method involves baited hooks attached to lines that are dropped off the side and then reeled back on board? long-line fishing The release of CFCs was banned under an international treaty written in what city? Montreal What is a function of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act? Defines which materials are labeled "Hazmat" What policy prevents harassment, capture, injury, or killing of all species of whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, as well as walruses manatees, dugongs, sea otters, and polar bears? The Marine Mammal Protection Act When a large federal project might have a significant impact on the environment, what must be drafted? An Environmental Impact Statement Rachel Carson described what problem to Americans? Pesticide bioaccumulation and poisioning What established the "emissions trading policy"? Clean Air Act What deals with the study of environmental economics? the study of the impact of goods on the ecosystem; understanding the economic cost of pollution; developing policy alternatives to pollution-based industry; the relative environmental costs and benefits of proposed policies; The listing of threatened species and the purchase of land to protect their habitats is legislated by what? Endangered Species Act What philosophy would be held by someone with a holistic viewpoint on the management of the earth's resources? Humans are the most dominant species on the planet, and we can solve any environmental problem What is the goal of environmentally sustainable economic growth? Increasing the quality of goods without depleting the natural resources needed to make the goods A Cap-and-trade policy might be effective in controlling what type of pollutant? Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere What can be classified as an NGO? World Wildlife Fund