Unit 4 APES

This region contains a layer of O3 that reduces UV radiation from reaching the surface.
a. Troposphere
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

This region contains a layer of O3 that reduces UV radiation from reaching the surface.
a. Troposphere
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

b. Stratosphere

This layer has the greatest temperature decrease as the altitude increases.
a. Troposphere
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

c. Mesosphere

This atmospheric layer has the lowest density of molecules and the highest level of ionization of those atoms.
a. Troposphere
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

d. Thermosphere

This region has the majority of the weather that impacts the Earth's surface.
a. Troposphere
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

a. Troposphere

This island chain was formed at a subduction zone.
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

d. D

This is an area where a divergent boundary occurs.
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

b. B

This island chain was formed by a hotspot in the middle of the Ring of Fire.
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

a. A

This mountain was formed by a subduction zone.
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D

c. C

This layer is commonly called topsoil.
a. O horizon
b. A horizon
c. B horizon
d. C horizon

b. A horizon

This layer of soil has the most parent material.
a. O horizon
b. A horizon
c. B horizon
d. C horizon

d. C horizon

This layer of soil is primarily formed from leaf litter and animal wastes.
a. O horizon
b. A horizon
c. B horizon
d. C horizon

a. O horizon

The leaching of minerals forms an eluviation zone above this layer.
a. O horizon
b. A horizon
c. B horizon
d. C horizon

c. B horizon

Two models of rock and soil formation and movement are shown below.
Which of the following correctly describes the processes shown above?
a. Weathering and erosion both move rock and soil particles, but only erosion involves precipitation.
b. Weathering breaks parent material into smaller particles and erosion moves those particles to a different location.
c. Weathering displaces soil and rocks and erosion deposits it in a body of water.
d. Weathering is dependent on the precipitation and wind only and erosion is solely dependent on the slope of the landscape.

b. Weathering breaks parent material into smaller particles and erosion moves those particles to a different location.

Examine the image below showing an area impacted by deforestation.
Which of the following processes is most likely to increase due to this alteration of the landscape?
a. Erosion of the soil will increase.
b. Transpiration of water vapor into the atmosphere will increase.
c. Geologic uplift of parent material will increase.
d. Habitat availability for larger indicator species will increase.

a. Erosion of the soil will increase.

Read the excerpt from an article in Science News (August 2019)
Based on the article, which of the following best identifies the author's claim?
a. Conditions in the Atlantic rarely predict weather patterns in the Pacific due to geological remoteness and isolation.
b. El Niño and La Niña events occur with predictable frequency, but that may be altered with climate change.
c. El Niño events cause climate change and La Niña events reverse that change.
d. Warming trends will be preceded by cooling trends in the Pacific Ocean.

b. El Niño and La Niña events occur with predictable frequency, but that may be altered with climate change.

Based on the article, which evidence supports the claim that El Niño events could be changing?
a. There has not been an El Niño event since 1998.
b. There have been slower ocean currents since the early 2000s.
c. La Niña events will no longer affect the South Pacific oceanic areas nor the coasts associated with this region.
d. Computer simulations predict that warmer atmospheric conditions will change the frequency and intensity of El Niños.

d. Computer simulations predict that warmer atmospheric conditions will change the frequency and intensity of El Niños.

How can climate change impact an El Niño event?
a. Warmer air currents can transfer thermal energy to the ocean, changing ocean currents.
b. Warmer atmospheric air can alter the salinity of the oceans in the Atlantic.
c. Cooler air currents can reverse La Niña events in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.
d. Cooler air can result in increased tropical storms during tropical storm seasons.

a. Warmer air currents can transfer thermal energy to the ocean, changing ocean currents.

In the research described in the article, what would be the most likely independent and dependent variables in the experimental design?
a. The independent variable is the El Niño event and the dependent variable is the La Niña event.
b. The independent variable is the hurricane intensity and the dependent variable is the likelihood of an El Niño event.
c. The independent variable is the Atlantic Niño events and the dependent variable is the likelihood of a Pacific El Niño event.
d. The independent variable is the wind speed and the dependent variable is the severity of an El Niño event.

c. The independent variable is the Atlantic Niño events and the dependent variable is the likelihood of a Pacific El Niño event.

The country of New Zealand, composed of two islands, is located along the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. These plates are on a divergent boundary. A city located on the North Island of New Zealand is moving away from a city on the South Island at a rate of 40 mm per year. Which of the following indicates the time it will take for these two cities to be 250 km farther away from each other than they are now?
a. 625,000 years
b. 6,250,000 years
c. 6250 years
d. 62,500,000 years

b. 6,250,000 years

The carbon and nitrogen content for soil profiles from two watersheds (Cadillac and Hadlock) is shown in the graphs above.
In which watershed and soil horizon was the carbon content the greatest?
a. The O horizon of the Cadillac watershed
b. The B horizon of the Cadillac watershed
c. The O horizon of the Hadlock watershed
d. The B horizon of the Hadlock watershed

d. The B horizon of the Hadlock watershed

According to the data from the Hadlock watershed, what is the percent increase in nitrogen content moving from the O horizon to the B horizon?
a. 133%
b. 233%
c. 2800%
d. -33%

b. 233%

Using the soil texture triangle as a tool, determine the soil texture for a sample that has 25% silt, 45% clay, and 30% sand.
a. silty clay loam
b. silt loam
c. loamy sand
d. clay

d. clay

Which of these soil types would have the greatest permeability?
a. Silt
b. Sand
c. Loam
d. Humus

b. Sand

Which of the following best describes an event that occurs during an El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle?
a. Cold water high in nutrients upwells to the surface in the South Pacific.
b. The east-west Pacific trade winds weaken and reverse direction.
c. Warm, nutrient-rich water undergoes an upwelling off the coast of Ecuador.
d. North-south Arctic winds reverse direction.

b. The east-west Pacific trade winds weaken and reverse direction.

Which of the following best describes factors that most contribute to the seasons experienced on Earth?
a. The tilt of the Earth in its axis and the rotation of the Earth around its axis
b. The tilt of the Earth in its axis and the gravitational pull of the Moon on the Earth.
c. The rotation of the Earth around its axis and the revolution of the Earth around the sun.
d. The tilt of the Earth in its axis and the revolution of the Earth around the sun.

d. The tilt of the Earth in its axis and the revolution of the Earth around the sun.

Examine the model below.
The diagram best illustrates what effect?
a. The Coriolis effect impacting the wind direction
b. The equatorial latitudes receiving greater rainfall than temperate latitudes
c. The rain shadow due to altitude and geography on the leeward side
d. The seasonality of precipitation as spring and summer advance to fall and winter

c. The rain shadow due to altitude and geography on the leeward side

According to the previous model, what is the most likely biome that exists on the right of the image?
a. Desert
b. Tropical rain forest
c. Temperate forest
d. Mangrove forest

a. Desert

According to the model, which of the following best explains the global wind patterns as shown above?
a. The gravitational pull by the moon
b. The revolution of the Earth
c. The distribution of vegetation across the surface.
d. The unequal heating of the earth

d. The unequal heating of the earth

Which of the following best identifies the cause of the deflection of the trade winds near the equator?
a. The Coriolis effect
b. The rain shadow
c. Geologic uplift
d. Intense solar radiation

a. The Coriolis effect

Which of the following best characterizes the air that deposits at the surface of the Earth 30 degrees north and south of the equator by Hadley cells?
a. Cool, moist air deposits here, which is why taiga biomes are often found here.
b. Cool, dry air deposits here, which is why tundra biomes are often found here.
c. Warm, moist air deposits here, which is why tropical rain forests are often found here.
d. Warm dry air deposits here, which is why desert biomes are often found here.

d. Warm dry air deposits here, which is why desert biomes are often found here.

A model of a watershed is shown here.
Which characteristic of the watershed most likely influences the speed at which the runoff in the tributaries moves to the basin?
a. The soil type
b. The slope of the land
c. The distance from the equator
d. The presence of Hadley cells

b. The slope of the land

How can vegetation type on the landscape impact the watershed?
a. Higher levels of ground vegetation can reduce erosion.
b. Lower levels of ground vegetation can increase biodiversity.
c. Removal of ground vegetation can improve water quality.
d. Removal of large trees can decrease the temperature of the watershed.

a. Higher levels of ground vegetation can reduce erosion.

If a soil sample finds that there is a majority of clay in the upper levels of the soil, what best describes the impact on the watershed?
a. Infiltration of surface water into the ground will be faster.
b. Infiltration of surface water into the ground will be slower.
c. Contamination of surface water with nitrogen will be higher.
d. Erosion of soil around the tree roots will be increased.

b. Infiltration of surface water into the ground will be slower.

Examine the model of the San Andreas fault shown here.
Which of the following is the most likely prediction for residents of Los Angeles, located near the fault?
a. These residents will experience an increase of hurricane activity.
b. These residents will experience an increase of volcanic activity.
c. These residents will experience an increased tsunami activity.
d. These residents will experience increase earthquake activity.

d. These residents will experience increase earthquake activity.

According to the model, which of the following describes the San Andreas fault?
a. It is a transform boundary.
b. It is a divergent boundary.
c. It is a convergent boundary with a subduction zone.
d. It is a hotspot.

a. It is a transform boundary.

Students are setting up an experiment to test the impact of having a layer of leaves and compost on the soil moisture and plant growth of their school garden.
The addition of compost and mulch most resembles with layer of soil described above?
a. O horizon
b. A horizon
c. E horizon
d. B horizon

a. O horizon

Which of these best describes the experimental setup, as described by the students?
a. The students have no independent variable and two dependent variables described in the scenario.
b. The students have one independent variable and two dependent variables but no control described in the scenario.
c. The students have an independent variable and a control, but no dependent variable described in the scenario.
d. The students have a control, but no variables described in the scenario.

b. The students have one independent variable and two dependent variables but no control described in the scenario.

If the students found that the soil drained poorly of excess water even before the experiment had begun, what hypothesis might support this observation?
a. The soil has a high percentage of clay.
b. The soil has a high percentage of sand.
c. The soil has a high percentage of silt.
d. The soil has a high organic layer.

a. The soil has a high percentage of clay.

Soil degradation is a growing problem around the world, decreasing the amount of arable land available for growing food. Two of the main reasons for loss of quality soil are
a. deforestation and agriculture
b. industrialization and desertification
c. fossil fuel combustion and carbon dioxide emissions
d. overgrazing and water diversion

a. deforestation and agriculture

The Hawaiian Islands, shown here, are a chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Which of these describes how the Hawaiian Islands were formed?
a. Earthquake activity increased beneath the ocean plate.
b. Two oceanic plates diverged, creating an island chain.
c. An oceanic plate underwent subduction at a continental boundary.
d. An oceanic plate moved over a hotspot.

d. An oceanic plate moved over a hotspot.

Which of these phenomena most directly explains why Haiti has experienced high earthquake activity?
a. The sedimentary rock upon which the island sits is unstable.
b. The island is on the border of a continental plate.
c. The country is located on a fault line.
d. The volcanoes in the area increase the likelihood of earthquakes.

c. The country is located on a fault line.

Soils comprised of large particles and large pore spaces allow water to move more quickly through it. This is because these soils tend to have
a. high soil porosity,
b. high soil permeability.
c. increased waterlogging.
d. higher likelihood of leaching.

b. high soil permeability.

Which of these describes how El Niño events can cause economic losses to countries on the Pacific Coast of the Americas?
a. Fewer upwellings bring fewer nutrients to the surface, which limits phytoplankton growth and fisheries productivity.
b. There is an increase in tropical storm systems in these areas, which bring economic damage and monetary loss.
c. Ocean waters are warmed in these areas, killing temperature sensitive marine organisms in these areas.
d. Increased upwellings bring more nutrients to the surface where fisheries are located, which depletes the nutrients in the benthic zone.

a. Fewer upwellings bring fewer nutrients to the surface, which limits phytoplankton growth and fisheries productivity.

How does soil compaction affect the productivity of the soil?
a. Compacted soils decrease the likelihood of invasive grasses taking root.
b. Compacted soils decrease the permeability to water but increase the oxygen content of the soil.
c. Soil compaction decreases the opportunity for soil erosion.
d. Soil compaction reduces space between soil particles, which decreases water, nutrient, and oxygen availability to plant roots.

d. Soil compaction reduces space between soil particles, which decreases water, nutrient, and oxygen availability to plant roots.

Soil deterioration as a consequence of human activity is typically considered which type of feedback loop?
a. This is a positive feedback loop because degraded soils often continue to show a decline in quantity and quality, further decreasing the soil productivity.
b. This is a positive feedback loop because once soils have been degraded, they tend to stabilize and return to the original status.
c. This is a negative feedback loop because damaged soils will continue to lose soil quality, which increases erosion probability.
d. This is a negative feedback loop because soils that have been damaged will stabilize and return to the original state.

a. This is a positive feedback loop because degraded soils often continue to show a decline in quantity and quality, further decreasing the soil productivity.

What is the percentage of sand, silt, and clay at point A?
a. 40 percent sand, 20 percent silt, 40 percent clay
b. 40 percent sand, 30 percent silt, 10 percent clay
c. 30 percent sand, 40 percent silt, 30 percent clay
d. 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, 20 percent clay
e. 35 percent sand, 35 percent silt, 30 percent clay

d. 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, 20 percent clay

What best describes the temperature of the atmosphere?
a. It decreases with an increase in altitude in the troposphere.
b. It increases with an increase in altitude.
c. It maintains a constant level throughout the atmosphere.
d. It fluctuates up and down randomly through the layers of the atmosphere.

a. It decreases with an increase in altitude in the troposphere.

Air moving from polar regions southward is shown here with straight lines. A student proposes that the wind moves directly southward. How should this model be refined to reflect the accurate movement of the air masses at points A-D?
a. Air at points A and B should be deflected westward while air at points C and D should be deflected eastward.
b. All four points should be deflected westward due to the Coriolis effect.
c. All four points should be deflected eastward due to the presence of Hadley cells.
d. All four points should be deflected westward until they reach the Southern hemisphere, when they will be deflected eastward.

b. All four points should be deflected westward due to the Coriolis effect.

The rain shadow effect can have a large effect on local climate. When a rain shadow effect occurs, which side of the mountain tends to receive more rain?
a. Windward side
b. Leeward side
c. Top of the mountain
d. Foot of the mountain

a. Windward side

Which of these describes what happens to air as it rises in the atmosphere?
a. The pressure decreases and it expands in volume
b. The pressure increases and it expands in volume
c. The pressure decreases and it decreases in volume
d. The pressure increases and it decreases in volume

a. The pressure decreases and it expands in volume