ENVS 1126 – 30+ Exam Questions on Energy, Water Safety & Biomes – Louisiana State University

This document contains 30+ solved exam questions and accurate answers from Week 2 of ENVS 1126 (Environmental Science) at Louisiana State University, based on the 2025/2026 academic syllabus. It provides concise and exam-ready explanations on critical environmental topics including thermodynamics, energy types and transformations, water purification, and the ecological and human implications of environmental mismanagement. Key topics covered include the first and second laws of thermodynamics, distinctions between kinetic and potential energy, and specific energy forms like chemical, electromagnetic, and electrical energy. Students will also learn about ATP as a biological energy currency, the discount rate problem, and intergenerational equity—emphasizing the tension between short-term economic gain and long-term sustainability. Real-world examples reinforce learning, such as the Agriculture Street Landfill case in New Orleans, the clear-cutting of the Amazon rainforest, and cholera outbreaks linked to unsafe water in developing countries. The second half of the document introduces an in-depth overview of Earth's major biomes, including tundra, deserts, grasslands, forests, savannas, and chaparral, with a special focus on their environmental characteristics, biodiversity, and geographic distribution. This study resource is suitable for: – Undergraduate students in environmental science, ecology, public health, natural resource management, or climate science – Learners preparing for exams or quizzes in introductory environmental or earth science courses – Anyone seeking to understand the energy-environment nexus and the global diversity of ecosystems Keywords: ENVS 1126, environmental science, thermodynamics, first law, second law, kinetic energy, potential energy, energy transformations, ATP, water purification, chlorine, fluorine, intergenerational equity, discount rate, biomes, tundra, rainforest, desert, grasslands, savanna, chaparral, deciduous forest, boreal forest, Louisiana biome, biodiversity, deforestation, Amazon, Agriculture Street Landfill, cholera, ecosystem services