APES Unit 7 and Unit 8 Test with
Complete Solutions
Which air pollutants does coal combustion release? - ANS-carbon dioxide, sulfur
dioxide, toxic metals, and particulates
What does the combustion of fossil fuels release into the atmosphere? - ANS-Nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide
What can the release of nitrogen oxides as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels
produce? - ANS-Ozone, photochemical smog, convert nitric acid in the atmosphere to
cause acid rain
Which organization and through which act was the use of lead, particularly in fuels,
dramatically decreased? - ANS-EPA, Clean Air Act
Are air pollutants primary or secondary pollutants? - ANS-BOTH
What are primary pollutants? - ANS-pollutants that are put directly into the air by human
or natural activity.
What are secondary pollutants? - ANS-Refers to harmful chemicals formed in the
atmosphere when a primary air pollutant reacts with normal air components or other air
pollutants
How is photochemical smog formed? - ANS-When nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
hydrocarbons react with heat and sunlight to produce a variety of pollutants.
Why are ozone concentrations higher in the summer and in the peak afternoon? - ANS-
Because ozone is produced by chemical reaction between oxygen and sunlight and
during these times the sunlight is the most extreme.
What are VOCs? - ANS-Volatile Organic Compounds
What are examples of VOCs? - ANS-Formaldehyde and gasoline
What do VOCs do? - ANS-Compounds that evaporate or sublimate at room
temperature
What is a natural source of VOCs? - ANS-Trees
, Why does photochemical smog often form in urban areas? - ANS-Because there is a
large number of motor vehicles there
What is hypoxic? - ANS-low oxygen
Compare eutrophic waterways and oligotrophic waterways. - ANS-Oligotrophic
waterways have very low amounts of nutrients, stable algae populations and high
dissolved oxygen
What is a oligotrophic lake? - ANS-very little nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
What are some anthropogenic causes of eutrophication? - ANS-Agricultural runoff and
wastewater release
What is thermal pollution? - ANS-When heat released into the water produced negative
effects to the organisms in that ecosystem
How do variations in water temperature caused by thermal pollution affect aquatic
ecosystems? - ANS-Variations in water temperature affect the concentration of
dissolved oxygen. Thermal pollution is when the aquatic ecosystem is heated and
therefore there is less oxygen.
Why does hotter water have less oxygen? - ANS-Warm water holds less oxygen than
cold water because the molecules are moving faster than in cold water and thereby
allow oxygen to escape
What are POPs? - ANS-Persistent organic pollutants
Why don't POPs easily break down in the environment? - ANS-They do not easily break
down in the environment because they are synthetic, carbon based molecules
What are some examples of POPs? - ANS-DDT and PCBs
Why are POPs toxic to organisms? - ANS-Because they are fat soluble which allows
them to accumulate in organisms' fatty tissues
What is the difference between bioaccumlation and biomagnification? - ANS-
Bioaccumulation is the concentration of elements or compounds by cells in a living
organism and biomagnification is the increase in concentration of substances in
successively higher trophic levels
What are some negative effects of biomagnification? - ANS-Eggshell thinning and
development deformities in top carnivores
What are some anthropogenic effects of biomagnification? - ANS-Issues with
reproductive, nervous and circulatory systems
Complete Solutions
Which air pollutants does coal combustion release? - ANS-carbon dioxide, sulfur
dioxide, toxic metals, and particulates
What does the combustion of fossil fuels release into the atmosphere? - ANS-Nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide
What can the release of nitrogen oxides as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels
produce? - ANS-Ozone, photochemical smog, convert nitric acid in the atmosphere to
cause acid rain
Which organization and through which act was the use of lead, particularly in fuels,
dramatically decreased? - ANS-EPA, Clean Air Act
Are air pollutants primary or secondary pollutants? - ANS-BOTH
What are primary pollutants? - ANS-pollutants that are put directly into the air by human
or natural activity.
What are secondary pollutants? - ANS-Refers to harmful chemicals formed in the
atmosphere when a primary air pollutant reacts with normal air components or other air
pollutants
How is photochemical smog formed? - ANS-When nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
hydrocarbons react with heat and sunlight to produce a variety of pollutants.
Why are ozone concentrations higher in the summer and in the peak afternoon? - ANS-
Because ozone is produced by chemical reaction between oxygen and sunlight and
during these times the sunlight is the most extreme.
What are VOCs? - ANS-Volatile Organic Compounds
What are examples of VOCs? - ANS-Formaldehyde and gasoline
What do VOCs do? - ANS-Compounds that evaporate or sublimate at room
temperature
What is a natural source of VOCs? - ANS-Trees
, Why does photochemical smog often form in urban areas? - ANS-Because there is a
large number of motor vehicles there
What is hypoxic? - ANS-low oxygen
Compare eutrophic waterways and oligotrophic waterways. - ANS-Oligotrophic
waterways have very low amounts of nutrients, stable algae populations and high
dissolved oxygen
What is a oligotrophic lake? - ANS-very little nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
What are some anthropogenic causes of eutrophication? - ANS-Agricultural runoff and
wastewater release
What is thermal pollution? - ANS-When heat released into the water produced negative
effects to the organisms in that ecosystem
How do variations in water temperature caused by thermal pollution affect aquatic
ecosystems? - ANS-Variations in water temperature affect the concentration of
dissolved oxygen. Thermal pollution is when the aquatic ecosystem is heated and
therefore there is less oxygen.
Why does hotter water have less oxygen? - ANS-Warm water holds less oxygen than
cold water because the molecules are moving faster than in cold water and thereby
allow oxygen to escape
What are POPs? - ANS-Persistent organic pollutants
Why don't POPs easily break down in the environment? - ANS-They do not easily break
down in the environment because they are synthetic, carbon based molecules
What are some examples of POPs? - ANS-DDT and PCBs
Why are POPs toxic to organisms? - ANS-Because they are fat soluble which allows
them to accumulate in organisms' fatty tissues
What is the difference between bioaccumlation and biomagnification? - ANS-
Bioaccumulation is the concentration of elements or compounds by cells in a living
organism and biomagnification is the increase in concentration of substances in
successively higher trophic levels
What are some negative effects of biomagnification? - ANS-Eggshell thinning and
development deformities in top carnivores
What are some anthropogenic effects of biomagnification? - ANS-Issues with
reproductive, nervous and circulatory systems
