AP Environmental Science (APES) Exam
abiotic - (ANSWER)Pertaining to factors or things that are nonliving.
acid - (ANSWER)Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water
solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.
A horizon - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)land that's fit to be cultivated.
asthenosphere - (ANSWER)the part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.
atmosphere - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)any weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms.
biotic - (ANSWER)living or derived from living things.
B horizon - (ANSWER)a soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out
of the A horizon.
,AP Environmental Science (APES) Exam
chemical weathering - (ANSWER)the result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the
action of both water and atmospheric gases.
C horizon - (ANSWER)a soil horizon, horizon C is made up of larger pieces of rock that have not
undergone much weathering.
clay - (ANSWER)the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter.
convection - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric
heating and cooling.
convergent boundary - (ANSWER)a plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other.
coral reef - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)a usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river.
divergent boundary - (ANSWER)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.
, AP Environmental Science (APES) Exam
doldrums - (ANSWER)a region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or
squalls.
drip irrigation - (ANSWER)a method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water
onto the soil at the base of each plant.
earthquake - (ANSWER)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.
El Nino - (ANSWER)a climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven
years, for a duration of about one year.
erosion - (ANSWER)the process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water. Erosion moves the
smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser, sandier, stonier texture.
estuary - (ANSWER)the part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.
fault - (ANSWER)the place where two plates abut each other.
Green Revolution - (ANSWER)the development and introduction of new varieties of (mainly) wheat and
rice that has increased yields per acre dramatically in countries since the 1960s.
greenhouse effect - (ANSWER)the phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation,
caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane
that allow incoming sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat radiated back from the Earth's surface.
Hadley cell - (ANSWER)a system of vertical and horizontal air circulation predominating in tropical and
subtropical regions and creating major weather patterns.
Headwaters - (ANSWER)the water from which a river rises; a source.
abiotic - (ANSWER)Pertaining to factors or things that are nonliving.
acid - (ANSWER)Any compound that releases hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Also, a water
solution that contains a surplus of hydrogen ions.
A horizon - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)land that's fit to be cultivated.
asthenosphere - (ANSWER)the part of the mantle that lies just below the lithosphere.
atmosphere - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)any weathering that's caused by the activities of living organisms.
biotic - (ANSWER)living or derived from living things.
B horizon - (ANSWER)a soil horizon; B receives the minerals and organic materials that are leached out
of the A horizon.
,AP Environmental Science (APES) Exam
chemical weathering - (ANSWER)the result of chemical interaction with the bedrock that is typical of the
action of both water and atmospheric gases.
C horizon - (ANSWER)a soil horizon, horizon C is made up of larger pieces of rock that have not
undergone much weathering.
clay - (ANSWER)the finest soil, made up of particles that are less than 0.002 mm in diameter.
convection - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)air currents caused by the vertical movement of air due to atmospheric
heating and cooling.
convergent boundary - (ANSWER)a plate boundary where two plates are moving toward each other.
coral reef - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)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 - (ANSWER)a usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river.
divergent boundary - (ANSWER)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.
, AP Environmental Science (APES) Exam
doldrums - (ANSWER)a region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or
squalls.
drip irrigation - (ANSWER)a method of supplying irrigation water through tubes that literally drip water
onto the soil at the base of each plant.
earthquake - (ANSWER)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.
El Nino - (ANSWER)a climate variation that takes place in the tropical Pacific about every three to seven
years, for a duration of about one year.
erosion - (ANSWER)the process of soil particles being carried away by wind or water. Erosion moves the
smaller particles first and hence degrades the soil to a coarser, sandier, stonier texture.
estuary - (ANSWER)the part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.
fault - (ANSWER)the place where two plates abut each other.
Green Revolution - (ANSWER)the development and introduction of new varieties of (mainly) wheat and
rice that has increased yields per acre dramatically in countries since the 1960s.
greenhouse effect - (ANSWER)the phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation,
caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane
that allow incoming sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat radiated back from the Earth's surface.
Hadley cell - (ANSWER)a system of vertical and horizontal air circulation predominating in tropical and
subtropical regions and creating major weather patterns.
Headwaters - (ANSWER)the water from which a river rises; a source.
