TEST BANK
Environmental Science
G. Tyler Miller, Scott E. Spoolman, and Danielle M. Andrews-Brown
17th Edition
,Table of Contents
Chapter 01 The Environment and Sustainability 1
Chapter 02 Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems 22
Chapter 03 Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work 43
Chapter 04 Biodiversity and Evolution 68
Chapter 05 Species Interactions, Ecological Succession, and Population Control 90
Chapter 06 The Human Population and Urbanization 112
Chapter 07 Climate and Ecosystem Biodiversity 135
Chapter 08 Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Species 159
Chapter 09 Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Ecosystems 182
Chapter 10 Food Production and the Environment 205
Chapter 11 Water Resources and Water Pollution 228
Chapter 12 Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources 251
Chapter 13 Energy Resources 273
Chapter 14 Environmental Hazards and Human Health 297
Chapter 15 Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Ozone Depletion 321
Chapter 16 Solid and Hazardous Waste 347
Chapter 17 Environmental Economics, Politics, and Worldviews 370
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
Chapter 01 The Environment and Sustainability
True / False
1. A major argument against environmental laws is that they hinder economic growth.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
2. Ecology is an important component of environmental science.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
3. Sustainability refers to the ability of the earth’s natural system and human cultural systems to survive, thrive, and adapt
to changing environmental conditions well into the future.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: Core Case Study: Learning From the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
4. Ecosystem services have no economic value.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
5. Natural resources are considered natural capital, whereas ecosystem services are not.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
6. Exponential growth occurs when a quantity such as the human population increases at a certain rate over a specified
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
unit of time, such as 0.5% or 2% per year.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.1 - Describe exponential growth in terms of human population growth.
7. Government subsidies can hide the true environmental costs of doing business.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.3 - Give examples of hidden harmful environmental and health costs.
8. In contrast to the life-centered worldview, the human-centered environmental worldview considers all species as having
value as participating members of the biosphere regardless of their potential or actual use to humans.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
9. Biomimicry prioritizes the use of technology to restore natural capital and reduce its degradation and depletion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: Core Case Study: Learning From the Earth
1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.4 - List the cultural changes that impact the human ecological footprint.
10. Resource use per person is higher in the United States than it is in middle-income countries like China.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
11. The book Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, described progress in reducing pollution and showed that pesticides like
DDT were no longer a concern due to effective environmental programs.
a. True
b. False
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
12. An ecosystem that is biologically diverse has a greater chance of surviving a change in the environment, such as a
drought.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
13. Inexhaustible resources exist in a fixed quantity, or stock, in the earth’s crust.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
14. One social science principle of sustainability is that we should leave the planet’s life-support systems in at least as
good a condition as that which we now enjoy, if not better, for future generations.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
15. The tragedy of the commons is a phenomenon that occurs when governments specify a limit for commonly used
resources.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
16. Natural capital degradation is a consequence of living unsustainably.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
17. In nature, chemicals are recycled rather than becoming waste.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
18. The per capita ecological footprint is the total ecological footprint for a given country or area.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
19. The negative effects of affluence primarily come from decreased consumption.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.2 - Explain how affluence can cause environmental problems.
20. Private ownership is likely to be a good solution to prevent the tragedy of the commons.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
Multiple Choice
21. Which term best describes the overall processes provided by healthy ecosystems that support life and human
economies at no monetary cost to us?
a. biodiversity
b. chemical nutrient cycling
c. sustainable principles
d. natural resources
e. ecosystem services
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
22. The field of environmental science is considered interdisciplinary because it ____.
a. involves rigorous study of the environment
b. includes topics that are not explored in other disciplines
c. often assigns responsibility to those who cause environmental degradation
d. is rapidly evolving over time into a different form of science
e. incorporates work from the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, social sciences, and the humanities
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
23. What is one of the three goals of environmental science, as proposed by your text?
a. promote political activism
b. understand how we interact with the environment
c. acquire a life-centered environmental worldview
d. enhance environmental degradation
e. reduce the use of technology
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
24. Which of the following is the term for the social movement dedicated to sustaining the earth’s life-support system for
all forms of life?
a. ecological engineering
b. environmental science
c. environmentalism
d. biodiversity management
e. sustainability studies
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
25. Which of the following terms encompasses all of the others listed?
a. natural capital
b. natural resources
c. ecosystem services
d. renewable resources
e. nonrenewable resources
ANSWER: a
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
26. Which of the following scenarios describe the use of a renewable resource?
a. mining of copper
b. using solar-powered lights
c. harvesting lumber from managed forests
d. using geothermal energy to heat homes
e. refining oil for use in transportation
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
27. You are installing solar collectors on the roof of your home to replace your propane gas heating system. In using solar
energy instead of energy from propane, you are using a(n) ____ resource rather than a(n) ____ resource.
a. renewable; nonrenewable
b. inexhaustible; renewable
c. renewable; inexhaustible
d. nonrenewable; renewable
e. inexhaustible; nonrenewable
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
28. One reason biodiversity is such an important aspect of sustainability is that it ____.
a. maintains a ready supply of new materials for water, soil, and food
b. is the ultimate source of energy for plants
c. provides vital ecosystem services through the interactions among species and keeps any population from
growing too large
d. makes life less susceptible to constant adaptation and changing environmental conditions
e. increases ecotourism in less developed countries
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
29. Which process best illustrates an ecosystem service?
a. natural gas fracking
b. pollution cleanup
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
c. flood control
d. oil mining
e. soil erosion
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
30. The use of which political science principle is important in addressing environmental problems?
a. full-cost pricing
b. long-term planning
c. win–win solutions
d. ethical decision-making
e. environmentalism
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
31. Which of the following best describes the term ecological footprint?
a. total harmful environmental impact of humans
b. net effect of humans on the environment
c. ecological deficits caused by humans
d. human contribution to environmental sustainability
e. effect of an individual’s choices on the environment
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
32. Why is there such little waste in nature?
a. The sun is an inexhaustible resource.
b. Organisms naturally avoid activities that create unnecessary waste.
c. Nutrients must be recycled because Earth is a closed system.
d. Natural waste is highly dispersed throughout the environment and is therefore undetectable.
e. Waste naturally degrades.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
33. Your text refers to the dependence on solar energy, biodiversity, and chemical cycling as three major ____.
a. resource guidelines
b. ecological footprints
c. environmental tenets
d. scientific principles of sustainability
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
e. preservationist goals
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
34. Which of the following is an ecosystem service that requires biodiversity the most?
a. water purification
b. climate control
c. population control
d. waste treatment
e. soil renewal
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
35. Which of the following resources is most susceptible to tragedy of the commons?
a. hydrothermal energy
b. solar energy
c. copper mine
d. natural lake
e. sugar plantation
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
36. According to the ____, all species have value as participating members of the biosphere, regardless of their potential
or actual use to humans.
a. human-centered environmental worldview
b. earth-centered environmental worldview
c. life-centered environmental worldview
d. sun-centered environmental worldview
e. geo-centered environmental worldview
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
37. Oil is a(n) ____.
a. nonrenewable resource because it cannot be formed on human time scales
b. renewable resource because it can be renewed through human processes
c. inexhaustible resource because it is a form of stored solar energy
d. ecosystem service because oil is a valuable commodity
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Environmental Science
G. Tyler Miller, Scott E. Spoolman, and Danielle M. Andrews-Brown
17th Edition
,Table of Contents
Chapter 01 The Environment and Sustainability 1
Chapter 02 Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems 22
Chapter 03 Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work 43
Chapter 04 Biodiversity and Evolution 68
Chapter 05 Species Interactions, Ecological Succession, and Population Control 90
Chapter 06 The Human Population and Urbanization 112
Chapter 07 Climate and Ecosystem Biodiversity 135
Chapter 08 Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Species 159
Chapter 09 Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Ecosystems 182
Chapter 10 Food Production and the Environment 205
Chapter 11 Water Resources and Water Pollution 228
Chapter 12 Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources 251
Chapter 13 Energy Resources 273
Chapter 14 Environmental Hazards and Human Health 297
Chapter 15 Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Ozone Depletion 321
Chapter 16 Solid and Hazardous Waste 347
Chapter 17 Environmental Economics, Politics, and Worldviews 370
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
Chapter 01 The Environment and Sustainability
True / False
1. A major argument against environmental laws is that they hinder economic growth.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
2. Ecology is an important component of environmental science.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
3. Sustainability refers to the ability of the earth’s natural system and human cultural systems to survive, thrive, and adapt
to changing environmental conditions well into the future.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: Core Case Study: Learning From the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
4. Ecosystem services have no economic value.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
5. Natural resources are considered natural capital, whereas ecosystem services are not.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
6. Exponential growth occurs when a quantity such as the human population increases at a certain rate over a specified
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
unit of time, such as 0.5% or 2% per year.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.1 - Describe exponential growth in terms of human population growth.
7. Government subsidies can hide the true environmental costs of doing business.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.3 - Give examples of hidden harmful environmental and health costs.
8. In contrast to the life-centered worldview, the human-centered environmental worldview considers all species as having
value as participating members of the biosphere regardless of their potential or actual use to humans.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
9. Biomimicry prioritizes the use of technology to restore natural capital and reduce its degradation and depletion.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: Core Case Study: Learning From the Earth
1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.4 - List the cultural changes that impact the human ecological footprint.
10. Resource use per person is higher in the United States than it is in middle-income countries like China.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
11. The book Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, described progress in reducing pollution and showed that pesticides like
DDT were no longer a concern due to effective environmental programs.
a. True
b. False
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
12. An ecosystem that is biologically diverse has a greater chance of surviving a change in the environment, such as a
drought.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
13. Inexhaustible resources exist in a fixed quantity, or stock, in the earth’s crust.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
14. One social science principle of sustainability is that we should leave the planet’s life-support systems in at least as
good a condition as that which we now enjoy, if not better, for future generations.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
15. The tragedy of the commons is a phenomenon that occurs when governments specify a limit for commonly used
resources.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
16. Natural capital degradation is a consequence of living unsustainably.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
17. In nature, chemicals are recycled rather than becoming waste.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
18. The per capita ecological footprint is the total ecological footprint for a given country or area.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
19. The negative effects of affluence primarily come from decreased consumption.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.2 - Explain how affluence can cause environmental problems.
20. Private ownership is likely to be a good solution to prevent the tragedy of the commons.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
Multiple Choice
21. Which term best describes the overall processes provided by healthy ecosystems that support life and human
economies at no monetary cost to us?
a. biodiversity
b. chemical nutrient cycling
c. sustainable principles
d. natural resources
e. ecosystem services
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
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,______________________________________________________________________________________________
Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
22. The field of environmental science is considered interdisciplinary because it ____.
a. involves rigorous study of the environment
b. includes topics that are not explored in other disciplines
c. often assigns responsibility to those who cause environmental degradation
d. is rapidly evolving over time into a different form of science
e. incorporates work from the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, social sciences, and the humanities
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
23. What is one of the three goals of environmental science, as proposed by your text?
a. promote political activism
b. understand how we interact with the environment
c. acquire a life-centered environmental worldview
d. enhance environmental degradation
e. reduce the use of technology
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
24. Which of the following is the term for the social movement dedicated to sustaining the earth’s life-support system for
all forms of life?
a. ecological engineering
b. environmental science
c. environmentalism
d. biodiversity management
e. sustainability studies
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.1 - Define environmental science and sustainability.
25. Which of the following terms encompasses all of the others listed?
a. natural capital
b. natural resources
c. ecosystem services
d. renewable resources
e. nonrenewable resources
ANSWER: a
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
26. Which of the following scenarios describe the use of a renewable resource?
a. mining of copper
b. using solar-powered lights
c. harvesting lumber from managed forests
d. using geothermal energy to heat homes
e. refining oil for use in transportation
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
27. You are installing solar collectors on the roof of your home to replace your propane gas heating system. In using solar
energy instead of energy from propane, you are using a(n) ____ resource rather than a(n) ____ resource.
a. renewable; nonrenewable
b. inexhaustible; renewable
c. renewable; inexhaustible
d. nonrenewable; renewable
e. inexhaustible; nonrenewable
ANSWER: e
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.3 - Explain how our lives and economies depend on the sun and on
natural capital.
ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
28. One reason biodiversity is such an important aspect of sustainability is that it ____.
a. maintains a ready supply of new materials for water, soil, and food
b. is the ultimate source of energy for plants
c. provides vital ecosystem services through the interactions among species and keeps any population from
growing too large
d. makes life less susceptible to constant adaptation and changing environmental conditions
e. increases ecotourism in less developed countries
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
29. Which process best illustrates an ecosystem service?
a. natural gas fracking
b. pollution cleanup
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
c. flood control
d. oil mining
e. soil erosion
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Apply
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
30. The use of which political science principle is important in addressing environmental problems?
a. full-cost pricing
b. long-term planning
c. win–win solutions
d. ethical decision-making
e. environmentalism
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
31. Which of the following best describes the term ecological footprint?
a. total harmful environmental impact of humans
b. net effect of humans on the environment
c. ecological deficits caused by humans
d. human contribution to environmental sustainability
e. effect of an individual’s choices on the environment
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.2 Humans Impact the Earth
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.2 - Define ecological footprint and per capita ecological footprint.
32. Why is there such little waste in nature?
a. The sun is an inexhaustible resource.
b. Organisms naturally avoid activities that create unnecessary waste.
c. Nutrients must be recycled because Earth is a closed system.
d. Natural waste is highly dispersed throughout the environment and is therefore undetectable.
e. Waste naturally degrades.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
33. Your text refers to the dependence on solar energy, biodiversity, and chemical cycling as three major ____.
a. resource guidelines
b. ecological footprints
c. environmental tenets
d. scientific principles of sustainability
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Test Bank - Environmental Science, 17th Edition (Miller, 2025)
e. preservationist goals
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.2 - Outline the scientific and nonscientific principles of sustainability.
34. Which of the following is an ecosystem service that requires biodiversity the most?
a. water purification
b. climate control
c. population control
d. waste treatment
e. soil renewal
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Analyze
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.1.4 - List the five key components of sustainability.
35. Which of the following resources is most susceptible to tragedy of the commons?
a. hydrothermal energy
b. solar energy
c. copper mine
d. natural lake
e. sugar plantation
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Understand
REFERENCES: 1.1 Key Principles of Sustainability
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.2.1 - Explain the tragedy of the commons in terms of open-access, shared
resources, and sustainable yield.
36. According to the ____, all species have value as participating members of the biosphere, regardless of their potential
or actual use to humans.
a. human-centered environmental worldview
b. earth-centered environmental worldview
c. life-centered environmental worldview
d. sun-centered environmental worldview
e. geo-centered environmental worldview
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Bloom’s: Remember
REFERENCES: 1.3 Causes of Environmental Problems
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ENSC.MSAB.25.1.3.4 - List the three major categories of environmental worldviews.
37. Oil is a(n) ____.
a. nonrenewable resource because it cannot be formed on human time scales
b. renewable resource because it can be renewed through human processes
c. inexhaustible resource because it is a form of stored solar energy
d. ecosystem service because oil is a valuable commodity
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