Sophia - Environmental Science - Unit 1 Milestone 1

Which of the following describes an effect of an environmental issue experienced at the global level? • Particulate matter from a coal factory is causing health problems for workers. • Formaldehyde in the new office carpeting is causing a severe allergic reaction. • Consumers experience dizziness and nausea from pollutants in the water supply. • The consumption of fossil fuels contributes to air pollution and rising CO2 levels. CONCEPT Time, Scale, and Impact 2 Which of the following correctly defines an ecosystem? • Living organisms interacting with nonliving components in a specific area • The number and abundance of species living in a certain area • A relationship between humans and nature in which resources can be used indefinitely • Services that humanity benefits from, including water purification and soil formation CONCEPT Biodiversity Sustainability 3 Plant and animal life faced many challenges when moving from water to land. Select the FALSE statement about this transition. • Organisms had to adapt in order to reproduce on land. • Plant and animal life suffered from a lack of consistent sunlight on land. • Organisms tended to dry out upon moving to land. • Plant and animal life experienced increased effects of gravity on land. CONCEPT Early Life 4 Which of the following is the best example of how a government agency can apply environmental science? • Purchase only free-range, organic chicken • Study the decline in honeybee populations around the world • Provide mosquito netting for malaria-stricken areas • Regulate air emissions from a coal factory CONCEPT Applying Environmental Science 5 Select the true statement about human population growth. • Plague and famine caused a decrease in population between 1 AD and 1350. • In 2012, there were 7.5 billion people on Earth. • Global population has been relatively high throughout history. • The world population doubled in the 40 years between 1959 and 1999. CONCEPT Human Arrival and Expansion 6 “All organisms share biological requirements for survival and well-being, and all should be respected equally.” The quotation represents a(n) __________ environmental ethical position. • anthropocentric • biocentric • ecocentric • ethnocentric CONCEPT Ethics and Stewardship 7 Choose the statement that is most likely made by an environmentalist rather than by an environmental scientist. • Coal-powered plants emit 40% of the United States’ total carbon dioxide and 50% of its particle pollution. • Lessening our dependence on fossil fuels is the most important environmental issue facing the world today. • Some renewable energy sources capture their energy from natural processes, such as wind, flowing water and the sun. • The burning of fossil fuels causes more environmental damage than using renewable energy sources. CONCEPT Environmentalism 8 Select the item below that is biotic. • Water • Bacteria • Dirt • Air CONCEPT Environmental Science 9 Choose the statement below that is NOT true about early Earth's atmosphere. • Conditions were favorable for forming chemical bonds. • There was no free oxygen. • The ozone layer was quite thick. • Both ammonia and methane were present.