NEWEST QUALIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL
PROFESSIONAL (QEP) CERTIFICATION EXAM
OFFERED BY THE BOARD FOR GLOBAL EHS
CREDENTIALING | COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH
RATIONALES
1. According to the QEP exam blueprint, which topic
area comprises the largest percentage of the exam?
A) Environmental Management Systems
B) Area of Specialization (Air, Soil, Water, Waste)
C) Applying Environmental Technical and Related
Skills
D) Communication
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Applying Environmental Technical and
Related Skills accounts for 52% of the QEP exam,
covering critical thinking, evaluation, treatment,
remediation, monitoring, risk assessment, and
statistical analysis.
2. Which of the following best describes the primary
processes governing contaminant transport in
groundwater?
,A) Only affected by air temperature
B) Determined by advection, dispersion, and
chemical reactions
C) Controlled solely by surface runoff
D) Unaffected by geological formations
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Advection (movement with water flow),
dispersion (spreading), and chemical reactions
(sorption, degradation) are primary processes
governing contaminant transport in groundwater.
3. What is the most abundant component of Earth's
atmosphere by volume?
A) Oxygen
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Nitrogen
D) Argon
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of
the Earth's atmosphere by volume, making it the most
abundant component.
,4. Which of the following is classified as a criteria air
pollutant by the U.S. EPA?
A) Mercury
B) Ozone
C) Benzene
D) Radon
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The six criteria pollutants are ozone,
particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, and lead.
5. What is the pH of pure water at 25°C?
A) 5
B) 6
C) 7
D) 8
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Pure water is neutral with a pH of 7 at 25°C
due to equal concentrations of H+ and OH- ions.
6. Which process removes dissolved metals from
water via chemical precipitation?
, A) Coagulation
B) Flocculation
C) Lime softening
D) Filtration
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Lime softening increases pH, causing
dissolved metals to precipitate as insoluble
hydroxides that can be removed by sedimentation.
7. The term for soil's ability to transmit water is
called:
A) Porosity
B) Permeability
C) Cohesion
D) Compaction
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Permeability (hydraulic conductivity)
describes how easily water can move through soil or
rock pore spaces.
8. According to the waste management hierarchy,
which method is most preferred?
A) Landfilling
PROFESSIONAL (QEP) CERTIFICATION EXAM
OFFERED BY THE BOARD FOR GLOBAL EHS
CREDENTIALING | COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH
RATIONALES
1. According to the QEP exam blueprint, which topic
area comprises the largest percentage of the exam?
A) Environmental Management Systems
B) Area of Specialization (Air, Soil, Water, Waste)
C) Applying Environmental Technical and Related
Skills
D) Communication
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Applying Environmental Technical and
Related Skills accounts for 52% of the QEP exam,
covering critical thinking, evaluation, treatment,
remediation, monitoring, risk assessment, and
statistical analysis.
2. Which of the following best describes the primary
processes governing contaminant transport in
groundwater?
,A) Only affected by air temperature
B) Determined by advection, dispersion, and
chemical reactions
C) Controlled solely by surface runoff
D) Unaffected by geological formations
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Advection (movement with water flow),
dispersion (spreading), and chemical reactions
(sorption, degradation) are primary processes
governing contaminant transport in groundwater.
3. What is the most abundant component of Earth's
atmosphere by volume?
A) Oxygen
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Nitrogen
D) Argon
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of
the Earth's atmosphere by volume, making it the most
abundant component.
,4. Which of the following is classified as a criteria air
pollutant by the U.S. EPA?
A) Mercury
B) Ozone
C) Benzene
D) Radon
Correct answer: B
Rationale: The six criteria pollutants are ozone,
particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, and lead.
5. What is the pH of pure water at 25°C?
A) 5
B) 6
C) 7
D) 8
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Pure water is neutral with a pH of 7 at 25°C
due to equal concentrations of H+ and OH- ions.
6. Which process removes dissolved metals from
water via chemical precipitation?
, A) Coagulation
B) Flocculation
C) Lime softening
D) Filtration
Correct answer: C
Rationale: Lime softening increases pH, causing
dissolved metals to precipitate as insoluble
hydroxides that can be removed by sedimentation.
7. The term for soil's ability to transmit water is
called:
A) Porosity
B) Permeability
C) Cohesion
D) Compaction
Correct answer: B
Rationale: Permeability (hydraulic conductivity)
describes how easily water can move through soil or
rock pore spaces.
8. According to the waste management hierarchy,
which method is most preferred?
A) Landfilling
