UW ESRM 100 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The water table is - Answers -the uppermost level at which water fully saturates rock or
soil
A method that has been implemented to reduce water use in dry climates such as
Nevada is to - Answers -pay people to plant native vegetation instead of grass on their
lawns
The effect(s) of dams include - Answers -- reduction of fossil fuel use
- displacement of people
- impediment to fish migration
Which pollutant or pollutants are most likely to create eutrophic areas? - Answers -
Nitrates and phosphates
The material rotating in the North Pacific Gyre can best be described as - Answers -
solid waste composed of mostly plastics
The air pollutant that is a metal and is released primarily from the combustion of coal is -
Answers -mercury
What substance is believed to be responsible for the development of eggs in the testes
of some male fish? - Answers -Reproductive hormones
The class of anthropogenic compounds responsible for the breakdown of stratospheric
ozone are known as - Answers -CFCs
The agreement that allowed for a reduction, and eventual elimination, of CFC
production and use is - Answers -the Montreal Protocol
Which type of pollution control is most difficult? - Answers -Removing pollutants after
they have been dispersed over a wide area
The layer of soil on the surface of the earth is at the top of the - Answers -crust
The rock cycle operates in the following order: - Answers -- sedimentary-metamorphic-
igneous
- metamorphic-igneous-sedimentary
- igneous-metamorphic-sedimentary
The function(s) of soil is/are the following: - Answers -- filter of water and atmospheric
chemical compounds
- anchor for plants
, - habitat for organisms
The crustal abundance of four elements makes up greater than 88% of the Earth's
crust. These elements are - Answers -oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and iron
The theory of plate tectonics states the following: - Answers -Earth's lithosphere is
divided into plates, which move
The tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act out
of self interest for short-term gain is generally referred to as - Answers -the tragedy of
the commons
The nation with the largest percentage of publicly held land is - Answers -the United
State
Currently, most of the U.S. population lives in ____ areas. - Answers -suburban
In order for organic farmers to make a profit (and thus be economically sustainable), -
Answers -consumers must be willing to pay higher costs associated with organic
produce
Acid mine drainage - Answers -lowers the pH of the soil and streams in the area mined
The fossil fuel(s) that pose risks to the environment include - Answers -coal, natural
gas, and petroleum
In the United States, which sector utilizes the most energy? - Answers -Electricity
generation
Reasons for which petroleum is the chosen fuel for transportation in the United States
include:
I. its energy value per unit volume
II. its ability to quickly start or stop providing energy
III. its low amount of pollution produced per Joule - Answers -I and II only
The primary use of petroleum products is for - Answers -gasoline for transportation
The disadvantages of using nuclear energy include all of the following EXCEPT -
Answers -the amount of CO2 released by the reactors
Identify the energy source from the list below that is nonrenewable and does not
contribute significantly to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - Answers -uranium
The water table is - Answers -the uppermost level at which water fully saturates rock or
soil
A method that has been implemented to reduce water use in dry climates such as
Nevada is to - Answers -pay people to plant native vegetation instead of grass on their
lawns
The effect(s) of dams include - Answers -- reduction of fossil fuel use
- displacement of people
- impediment to fish migration
Which pollutant or pollutants are most likely to create eutrophic areas? - Answers -
Nitrates and phosphates
The material rotating in the North Pacific Gyre can best be described as - Answers -
solid waste composed of mostly plastics
The air pollutant that is a metal and is released primarily from the combustion of coal is -
Answers -mercury
What substance is believed to be responsible for the development of eggs in the testes
of some male fish? - Answers -Reproductive hormones
The class of anthropogenic compounds responsible for the breakdown of stratospheric
ozone are known as - Answers -CFCs
The agreement that allowed for a reduction, and eventual elimination, of CFC
production and use is - Answers -the Montreal Protocol
Which type of pollution control is most difficult? - Answers -Removing pollutants after
they have been dispersed over a wide area
The layer of soil on the surface of the earth is at the top of the - Answers -crust
The rock cycle operates in the following order: - Answers -- sedimentary-metamorphic-
igneous
- metamorphic-igneous-sedimentary
- igneous-metamorphic-sedimentary
The function(s) of soil is/are the following: - Answers -- filter of water and atmospheric
chemical compounds
- anchor for plants
, - habitat for organisms
The crustal abundance of four elements makes up greater than 88% of the Earth's
crust. These elements are - Answers -oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and iron
The theory of plate tectonics states the following: - Answers -Earth's lithosphere is
divided into plates, which move
The tendency of a shared, limited resource to become depleted because people act out
of self interest for short-term gain is generally referred to as - Answers -the tragedy of
the commons
The nation with the largest percentage of publicly held land is - Answers -the United
State
Currently, most of the U.S. population lives in ____ areas. - Answers -suburban
In order for organic farmers to make a profit (and thus be economically sustainable), -
Answers -consumers must be willing to pay higher costs associated with organic
produce
Acid mine drainage - Answers -lowers the pH of the soil and streams in the area mined
The fossil fuel(s) that pose risks to the environment include - Answers -coal, natural
gas, and petroleum
In the United States, which sector utilizes the most energy? - Answers -Electricity
generation
Reasons for which petroleum is the chosen fuel for transportation in the United States
include:
I. its energy value per unit volume
II. its ability to quickly start or stop providing energy
III. its low amount of pollution produced per Joule - Answers -I and II only
The primary use of petroleum products is for - Answers -gasoline for transportation
The disadvantages of using nuclear energy include all of the following EXCEPT -
Answers -the amount of CO2 released by the reactors
Identify the energy source from the list below that is nonrenewable and does not
contribute significantly to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - Answers -uranium
