AP Environmental Science Exam
Practice Questions
1. Carbon Emissions and Policy
Question: A cap-and-trade policy might be effective in controlling what type of
pollutant?
A. Nitrogen oxides in water
B. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
C. Heavy metals in soil
D. Radioactive waste
Answer: B. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
2. Energy Yield
Question: A fuel's net energy yield is correctly defined as:
A. The total energy stored in the fuel
B. A comparison between the cost of mining, processing, and transporting a fuel and
the amount of useful energy the fuel generates
C. The amount of pollution produced per unit of energy
D. The time required to extract the fuel
Answer: B. A comparison between the cost of mining, processing, and transporting a
fuel and the amount of useful energy the fuel generates
3. Light Bulb Efficiency
Question: A regular light bulb has an efficiency rating of 3 percent. For every 1 joule
of energy that bulb uses, the amount of energy produced is:
A. 0.97 joules of light
B. 0.3 joules of light
C. 0.03 joules of light
D. 3 joules of light
Answer: C. 0.03 joules of light
4. Radioactive Decay
Question: A sample of radioactive material has a half-life of 20 years. It has an
activity of 2 curies. How many years does it take for the material to have an activity
level of 0.25 curies?
,A. 20 years
B. 40 years
C. 60 years
D. 80 years
Answer: C. 60 years
5. Coal Plant Energy Output
Question: A typical coal-burning power plant uses 4,500 tons of coal per day. Each
pound of coal produces 5,000 BTUs of electrical energy. How many BTUs are
produced each day from this plant?
A. 2.25 × 10^10
B. 4.5 × 10^10
C. 9.0 × 10^10
D. 2.25 × 10^9
Answer: B. 4.5 × 10^10
6. Power Plant Operations
Question: All non-renewable resource power plants use heat to:
A. Directly generate electricity through combustion
B. Produce steam to turn electric generators
C. Heat surrounding communities
D. Break down chemical bonds
Answer: B. Produce steam to turn electric generators
7. Water Pollution Indicators
Question: An abundance of what creatures (and a lack of other creatures) would
indicate that water is polluted?
A. Fish, frogs, and insects
B. Algae, plankton, and small fish
C. Sludge worms, anaerobic bacteria, and fungi
D. Crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants
Answer: C. Sludge worms, anaerobic bacteria, and fungi
8. Forest Harvesting
Question: What is clear-cutting?
,A. Selective removal of diseased trees
B. All the commercially usable trees in an area are cut down
C. Cutting trees in a checkerboard pattern
D. Removing only the oldest trees
Answer: B. All the commercially usable trees in an area are cut down
9. Agricultural Practices
Question: Industrialized agriculture is characterized by:
A. Small family farms with diverse crops
B. Organic farming methods only
C. Consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water
D. Manual labor and traditional techniques
Answer: C. Consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water
10. Metal Processing
Question: What is the process of smelting?
A. Mining ore from underground deposits
B. Transporting metal to factories
C. Separating the desired metal from other elements in the ore
D. Recycling scrap metal
Answer: C. Separating the desired metal from other elements in the ore
11. Urban Planning
Question: Greenbelts are useful to:
A. Increase urban density
B. Slow the process of urban growth
C. Create industrial zones
D. Replace agricultural land
Answer: B. Slow the process of urban growth
12. Energy Consumption Calculation
Question: How much energy, in kWh, is used by a 100 watt computer running for 5
hours?
A. 5 kWh
B. 500 kWh
C. 0.5 kWh
, D. 0.05 kWh
Answer: C. 0.5 kWh
13. Hybrid Vehicles
Question: Hybrid car engines have what motor?
A. Diesel and electric powered engines
B. Gasoline and electric powered engines
C. Hydrogen and electric powered engines
D. Natural gas and electric powered engines
Answer: B. Gasoline and electric powered engines
14. Environmental Economics
Question: In a very polluted river it costs $3 per kilogram to remove the first 80% of
the pollution. It costs $25 per kilogram to remove the last 20% of the pollutant. What
is this phenomenon called?
A. Fixed costs
B. Variable costs
C. Marginal costs
D. Opportunity costs
Answer: C. Marginal costs
15. Urban Heat Island Effect
Question: In comparison to the surrounding rural areas, cities are:
A. Cooler than the rural area
B. The same temperature as the rural area
C. Hotter than the rural area
D. More humid than the rural area
Answer: C. Hotter than the rural area
16. Biofuel Production
Question: Methane gas and ethanol are two examples of biogases that are produced
in what process?
A. Photosynthesis
B. The anaerobic digestion of biomass
C. Combustion of fossil fuels
D. Nuclear fission
Practice Questions
1. Carbon Emissions and Policy
Question: A cap-and-trade policy might be effective in controlling what type of
pollutant?
A. Nitrogen oxides in water
B. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
C. Heavy metals in soil
D. Radioactive waste
Answer: B. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
2. Energy Yield
Question: A fuel's net energy yield is correctly defined as:
A. The total energy stored in the fuel
B. A comparison between the cost of mining, processing, and transporting a fuel and
the amount of useful energy the fuel generates
C. The amount of pollution produced per unit of energy
D. The time required to extract the fuel
Answer: B. A comparison between the cost of mining, processing, and transporting a
fuel and the amount of useful energy the fuel generates
3. Light Bulb Efficiency
Question: A regular light bulb has an efficiency rating of 3 percent. For every 1 joule
of energy that bulb uses, the amount of energy produced is:
A. 0.97 joules of light
B. 0.3 joules of light
C. 0.03 joules of light
D. 3 joules of light
Answer: C. 0.03 joules of light
4. Radioactive Decay
Question: A sample of radioactive material has a half-life of 20 years. It has an
activity of 2 curies. How many years does it take for the material to have an activity
level of 0.25 curies?
,A. 20 years
B. 40 years
C. 60 years
D. 80 years
Answer: C. 60 years
5. Coal Plant Energy Output
Question: A typical coal-burning power plant uses 4,500 tons of coal per day. Each
pound of coal produces 5,000 BTUs of electrical energy. How many BTUs are
produced each day from this plant?
A. 2.25 × 10^10
B. 4.5 × 10^10
C. 9.0 × 10^10
D. 2.25 × 10^9
Answer: B. 4.5 × 10^10
6. Power Plant Operations
Question: All non-renewable resource power plants use heat to:
A. Directly generate electricity through combustion
B. Produce steam to turn electric generators
C. Heat surrounding communities
D. Break down chemical bonds
Answer: B. Produce steam to turn electric generators
7. Water Pollution Indicators
Question: An abundance of what creatures (and a lack of other creatures) would
indicate that water is polluted?
A. Fish, frogs, and insects
B. Algae, plankton, and small fish
C. Sludge worms, anaerobic bacteria, and fungi
D. Crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants
Answer: C. Sludge worms, anaerobic bacteria, and fungi
8. Forest Harvesting
Question: What is clear-cutting?
,A. Selective removal of diseased trees
B. All the commercially usable trees in an area are cut down
C. Cutting trees in a checkerboard pattern
D. Removing only the oldest trees
Answer: B. All the commercially usable trees in an area are cut down
9. Agricultural Practices
Question: Industrialized agriculture is characterized by:
A. Small family farms with diverse crops
B. Organic farming methods only
C. Consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water
D. Manual labor and traditional techniques
Answer: C. Consumes large amounts of fossil fuels, pesticides, and water
10. Metal Processing
Question: What is the process of smelting?
A. Mining ore from underground deposits
B. Transporting metal to factories
C. Separating the desired metal from other elements in the ore
D. Recycling scrap metal
Answer: C. Separating the desired metal from other elements in the ore
11. Urban Planning
Question: Greenbelts are useful to:
A. Increase urban density
B. Slow the process of urban growth
C. Create industrial zones
D. Replace agricultural land
Answer: B. Slow the process of urban growth
12. Energy Consumption Calculation
Question: How much energy, in kWh, is used by a 100 watt computer running for 5
hours?
A. 5 kWh
B. 500 kWh
C. 0.5 kWh
, D. 0.05 kWh
Answer: C. 0.5 kWh
13. Hybrid Vehicles
Question: Hybrid car engines have what motor?
A. Diesel and electric powered engines
B. Gasoline and electric powered engines
C. Hydrogen and electric powered engines
D. Natural gas and electric powered engines
Answer: B. Gasoline and electric powered engines
14. Environmental Economics
Question: In a very polluted river it costs $3 per kilogram to remove the first 80% of
the pollution. It costs $25 per kilogram to remove the last 20% of the pollutant. What
is this phenomenon called?
A. Fixed costs
B. Variable costs
C. Marginal costs
D. Opportunity costs
Answer: C. Marginal costs
15. Urban Heat Island Effect
Question: In comparison to the surrounding rural areas, cities are:
A. Cooler than the rural area
B. The same temperature as the rural area
C. Hotter than the rural area
D. More humid than the rural area
Answer: C. Hotter than the rural area
16. Biofuel Production
Question: Methane gas and ethanol are two examples of biogases that are produced
in what process?
A. Photosynthesis
B. The anaerobic digestion of biomass
C. Combustion of fossil fuels
D. Nuclear fission
