AP Environmental Science Exam Review Questions with solutions 2024

AP Environmental Science Exam Review Questions with solutions 2024 abiotic Pertaining to factors or things that are nonliving. acid Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions. A horizon a soil horizon; the layer below the O layer is called the A layer. The A layer is formed of weathered rock, with some organic material; often referred to as topsoil. alkaline a basic substance; chemically, a substance that absorbs hydrogen ions or releases hydroxyl ions; in reference to natural water, a measure of the base content of the water. aquifer an underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or clay. Aquifers are frequently tapped for wells. arable land that's fit to be cultivated. asthenosphere the part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere. atmosphere the gaseous mass or envelope surrounding a celestial body, especially the one surrounding the Earth, which is retained by the celestial body's gravitational field. barrier island a long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland-built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges. biological weathering any weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms. biotic living or derived from living things. B horizon a soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out of the A horizon. chemical weathering the result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the action of both water and atmospheric gases. C horizon a soil horizon, horizon C is made up of larger pieces of rock that have not undergone much weathering. clay the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter. convection the vertical movement of a mass of matter due to heating and cooling; this can happen in both the atmosphere and Earth's mantle. convection currents air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric heating and cooling. convergent boundary a plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other. coral reef an erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium carbonates. Coriolis effect The observed effect of the Coriolis force, especially the deflection of an object moving above the Earth, rightward in the Northern Hemisphere, and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere. crop rotation the practice of alternating the crops grown on a piece of land - for example, corn one year, legumes for two years, and then back to corn. delta a usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river. divergent boundary a plate boundary at which plates are moving away from each other. This causes an upwelling of magma from the mantle to cool and form new crust. doldrums a region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls. drip irrigation a method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water onto the soil at the base of each plant. earthquake the result of vibrations (often due to plate movements) deep in the Earth that release energy. They often occur as two plates slide past one another at a transform boundary.