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1) How many citizens of Haiti does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the average citizen of the United States?
A) They are essentially equal.
B) Ten citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of one average U.S. citizen.
C) Six citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen.
D) Twelve citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen.
E) It takes over 100 Haitian citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen.
D) Twelve citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen.
2) Nearly 50% of the land on our planet is currently used for agriculture, with very little more agriculturally usable land available. If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of the United States, then ________.
A) we would have 50% more food to go around
B) we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty, using the other 50% of the land currently not being used
C) we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone
D) we could support 50% more people on our planet
E) about 50% of the people would starve
C) we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone
3) The U.S. average footprint is ________ times larger than the world average footprint.
A) 2
B) 2.7
C) 3.3
D) 5
E) 6.7
B) 2.7
4) The global average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.7 hectares since 2008, including the footprints of many developing nations such as India and China. This means that ________.
A) our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before
B) our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before
C) the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased
D) some nations no longer have a measurable footprint
E) the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008
A) our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before
1) Which of the following discoveries would be most likely to cause a scientific paradigm shift?
A) the discovery that excess heat is radiating from the center of the earth and causing global climate change
B) the discovery of a new species of salamander in the Amazon rainforest
C) the discovery of more rings around Uranus
D) the discovery of a new pathogenic virus transmitted by mosquitoes
E) the discovery that a dormant volcano is showing signs of activity
A) the discovery that excess heat is radiating from the center of the earth and causing global climate change
2) Global population is projected to be about ________ in 2050.
A) 7 billion
B) 8 billion
C) 9 billion
D) 11 billion
E) 13 billion
C) 9 billion
3) The scientific method ________.
A) results in conclusions based on speculation
B) cannot prove a hypothesis to be true
C) results in the proving of a theory
D) now has been replaced by a widely accepted shortcut that is less time-consuming and less expensive
E) involves testing observations to derive a working hypothesis
B) cannot prove a hypothesis to be true
4) To determine your specific impacts on the environment, you can ________.
A) measure local air pollution and its impacts on your health
B) calculate the biodiversity of your local community
C) determine your community's impact on water quality in a nearby river
D) calculate your ecological footprint
E) determine your environmental handprint
D) calculate your ecological footprint
5) A hypothesis is ________.
A) a prediction about something that has not yet been observed
B) a statement that explains an observed phenomenon or answers a question
C) an instrument that is used to examine environmental conditions
D) the design of an experiment that can be used in scientific enquiry
E) a proven scientific fact
B) a statement that explains an observed phenomenon or answers a question
) Roberto lives near a wind farm and is wondering about the environmental effects of the wind turbines. He ________ that the turbines make a sound like faint airplane engines and also that there are far fewer meadowlarks living near the windfarm than lived there before the windfarm was built.
A) hypothesizes
B) predicts
C) observes
D) theorizes
E) guesses
C) observes
7) Roberto lives near a wind farm and is wondering about the environmental effects of the wind turbines. He ________ that the turbines, which sound like faint airplane engines, are scaring off meadowlarks that used to nest in the area.
A) hypothesizes
B) predicts
C) observes
D) theorizes
E) hopes
A) hypothesizes
8) In a manipulative experiment ________.
A) researchers manipulate the independent variable
B) researchers manipulate as many variables as possible
C) replication of the experiment is not necessary
D) a scientist has been caught manipulating the data for economic gain
E) the peer review process is bypassed
A) researchers manipulate the independent variable
9) An environmental scientist is least likely to be involved with which of the following?
A) determining the best fuel to generate electricity for a growing city in Arizona
B) helping a rancher determine the best ways to rotate herds of cattle to reduce erosion
C) studying X-ray emissions for evidence of black holes
D) launching NASA satellites that monitor changes in carbon dioxide production on Earth
E) studying the relationship between soil fungi and aspen trees in areas that are being restored after oil sand mining
C) studying X-ray emissions for evidence of black holes
10) Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science?
A) highly specialized and focused
B) integrative and interdisciplinary
C) abstract and theoretical
D) theoretical and controversial
E) elitist and unnecessary
B) integrative and interdisciplinary
11) Natural resources are ________.
A) resources provided by the Earth that are renewable and inexhaustible
B) the substances and energy sources that we take from the environment
C) nonrenewable materials provided by the Earth that are formed slowly over millions of years
D) resources provided by the Earth that are rapidly depleted by human societies
E) services provided by humans to help maintain ecosystems and their vital processes
B) the substances and energy sources that we take from the environment
12) Solutions to environmental problems ________.
A) can be implemented only by scientists
B) should be designed with the goal of sustaining Earth's natural capital
C) must work on a global scale
D) must focus on short-term fixes because long-term solutions are generally unattainable
E) must always be designed and discussed in the political arena before implementation
B) should be designed with the goal of sustaining Earth's natural capital
13) Ruben has a new puppy named Paddington and wants to feed him the best possible food. He decides on an experiment where he will feed Paddington the very best canned food plus a dietary supplement of vitamins recommended by a veterinarian. Which of the following best describes Ruben's project?
A) This is an example of an excellent, controlled experiment as it is written.
B) Ruben needs to take careful measurements of Paddington's weight and height at least once a week for it to be a good experiment.
C) Ruben needs to control for the amount of exercise, sunshine, water, and care that Paddington gets each week, so that they are equal from week to week.
D) Ruben needs to feed his mother's 6-year-old chocolate Shar-Pei named SallyJo a standard diet so that he can compare Paddington to a control.
E) This is a poorly designed experiment, because there are no control dogs and no treatment replicates.
E) This is a poorly designed experiment, because there are no control dogs and no treatment replicates.
14) The process by which several researchers review another researcher's manuscript prior to publication to ensure research quality is referred to as ________.
A) overkill
B) investigative inquiry
C) peer review
D) quality control
E) critical analysis
C) peer review
15) Geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar radiation are all examples of ________.
A) nonrenewable resources
B) renewable environmental resources
C) biotic environmental factors
D) biodiversity
E) biodegradable materials
B) renewable environmental resources
16) Which of the following BEST embodies the qualities of a scientific theory?
A) Squirrels in central Illinois prefer to build their nests in oak trees instead of hickory trees.
B) All gases, liquids, and solids consist of atoms.
C) Prairies that have larges herds of bison show greater plant diversity than prairies without bison.
D) Dangerous wildfires in California could be avoided by better fire prevention strategies.
E) Students who study for their environmental science exams will perform better on those exams than those who do not.
B) All gases, liquids, and solids consist of atoms.
17) Ecosystem services ________.
A) contribute to keeping ecosystems productive
B) are actions humans must take in order to protect and serve ecological systems
C) are economically valuable services provided by natural systems
D) are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems
E) are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed
C) are economically valuable services provided by natural systems
18) The concept of sustainable development includes ________.
A) the needs of future generations
B) growth in profits from international trade
C) the importance of developing the arts
D) each nation being sovereign over its own resources, to be used as its citizens deem appropriate
E) convenience and global economic improvements
A) the needs of future generations
19) You have read about the mistakes made on Easter Island. On Tikopia, a small island in the Solomon Islands, the people acted in other ways. When they realized that the pigs they had imported were damaging the environment, they killed them all. They had to have permission from a chief to fish, which prevented overfishing. They also practiced contraception. These actions all indicate that ________.
A) they believed in full resource utilization
B) they felt that everything was a nonrenewable resource
C) they felt that everything was a renewable resource
D) they were concerned with only one year at a time
E) they were attempting to enact sustainability
E) they were attempting to enact sustainability
20) Which of the following actions would increase the size of a person's ecological footprint?
A) taking public transportation instead of driving
B) planting a vegetable garden
C) moving out of mom and dad's basement into one's own house
D) installing a photovoltaic solar panel on one's roof
E) turning down the thermostat in the winter
C) moving out of mom and dad's basement into one's own house
21) What type of graph would be best for showing the relationship between two quantitative variables?
A) pie chart
B) bar graph
C) scatter plot
D) data table
E) statistics table
C) scatter plot
22) In a controlled experiment, ________.
A) the researcher has several hypotheses, one of which will be proven correct
B) the researcher knows the outcome before beginning the experiment
C) the researcher controls for the effects of all variables except one
D) the researcher controls for the effects of only one variable
E) you need only a single experimental organism which is tested again and again
C) the researcher controls for the effects of all variables except one
23) All of the following are examples of quantitative data EXCEPT ________.
A) the number of siblings that students have
B) the gender of the students in a class
C) the cholesterol levels of the students in a class
D) the amount of sleep normally gotten by the students in a class
E) the exam scores for the students in a class
B) the gender of the students in a class
24) When does peer review occur during the scientific process?
A) during the research phase of a project
B) during the statistical analysis of the data collected
C) after the research is complete and before the paper (manuscript) is written
D) after the paper (manuscript) is written and before it is published
E) after the paper (manuscript) is published
D) after the paper (manuscript) is written and before it is published
25) A study's results are deemed worthy of acceptance into the body of scientific knowledge if they are published in journals which ________.
A) use the peer review process
B) charge a high fee for acceptance
C) are funded by corporations financing the research
D) meet guidelines advocated by environmentalists or consumer groups
E) conform to current political and religious views
A) use the peer review process
26) What type of graph would be best for showing means for several different treatments?
A) pie chart
B) bar graph
C) scatter plot
D) data table
E) line graph
B) bar graph
27) Which of the following lists the steps of the scientific method in correct order?
A) Hypothesis → Prediction → Questions → Test → Observations → Results
B) Questions → Prediction → Hypothesis → Observations → Test → Results
C) Hypothesis → Prediction → Questions → Observations → Test → Results
D) Observations → Questions → Hypothesis → Prediction → Test → Results
E) Questions → Observations → Prediction → Hypothesis → Test → Results
D) Observations → Questions → Hypothesis → Prediction → Test → Results
28) What is a key "take-home message" about Easter Island?
A) Making and placing large stone statues is a waste of time.
B) Tropical soils are insufficient for growing enough crops for a population to be self-sustaining.
C) An island population must live as responsible stewards of its resources.
D) Humans that live in tropical areas will not die of exposure to extremely low temperatures.
E) The invasive brown tree snake can wipe out an entire population of humans in a short amount of time.
C) An island population must live as responsible stewards of its resources.
Pablo and Johanna have to do a yearlong study for their biology course. After some discussion, they decide to try comparing their dogs and the diet that they feed them to test their hypothesis that the local veterinarian's special dog food mix will enhance growth and development. Each student adopts a puppy from the local pound. Pablo plans to feed his goldendoodle the special diet, while Johanna plans to use generic dry kibble from the supermarket for her bulldog.
1) The independent variable in this study will be ________.
A) the age of the dogs
B) the sex of the dogs
C) the type of food the dogs receive
D) how much the dogs grow
E) the breed of the dogs
C) the type of food the dogs receive
2) One dependent variable in this study will be ________.
A) the age of the dogs
B) the sex of the dogs
C) the type of food the dogs receive
D) how much the dogs grow
E) the breed of the dogs
D) how much the dogs grow
3) When they write up their initial proposal, the instructor will probably ________.
A) give them an A for thoroughness and allow them to proceed with the experiment
B) tell them that they need at least 100 dogs to do the study
C) tell them that the proposal is impossible and that such a study cannot be done at all
D) give them an F and tell them to start over—it would take many years to do such a study
E) tell them they have some serious problems with the proposal, but it is fixable if they are willing to find more dogs for their study
E) tell them they have some serious problems with the proposal, but it is fixable if they are willing to find more dogs for their study
4) Pablo and Johanna have too many ________.
A) variables that they didn't control and not enough replicates
B) replicates and not enough variables
C) controlled variables and not enough uncontrolled variables
D) dependent variables and not enough independent variables
E) independent variables and not enough dependent variables
A) variables that they didn't control and not enough replicates
Bloom's Taxonomy: Application/Analysis
5) Pablo and Johanna appear not to have given consideration to the importance of controlling for ________.
A) the age of the dogs
B) the food that the dogs are being fed
C) possible differences resulting from using two different breeds of dog
D) the possibility that one dog food is healthier than the other dog food
E) the source of the dog food
C) possible differences resulting from using two different breeds of dog
After meeting with their instructor, Pablo and Johanna know that they need to change their experimental design. They contact a local puppy farm and arrange to do their study with 3-month-old litters of pups from four Irish setters, for a total of 24 puppies consisting of 12 females and 12 males.
6) In order to have two groups of puppies (control and experimental), Pablo and Johanna should ________.
A) put the 12 females in one group and the 12 males in the other group
B) flip a coin for each dog to see which group it will be in
C) randomly choose one dog for the control group and use the other 23 in the experimental group
D) put 6 males and 6 females in each group, with some from each litter in each group
E) put all the puppies from two of the litters in one group and all of the puppies from the other two litters in the other group
D) put 6 males and 6 females in each group, with some from each litter in each group
7) Pablo and Johanna should probably run the experiment ________.
A) for one month, weighing and measuring the pups before and after
B) for several months, weighing and measuring the pups before and after
C) for several months, weighing and measuring the pups twice every day
D) for several months, weighing and measuring the pups every week
E) for at least three years, weighing and measuring the pups every week
D) for several months, weighing and measuring the pups every week
8) If the puppies in the experimental group gain, on average, 3 pounds more than those in the control group over a 4-month period and seem healthier and more energetic, then ________.
A) they have proven the veterinary diet is best for all dogs
B) there is a high probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for puppies
C) there is a high probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for all dogs
D) there is a high probability that the kibble is better for puppies
E) they have proven that the kibble diet is best for female dogs
B) there is a high probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for puppies
1) Within each water molecule, ________ connect(s) two hydrogens to every oxygen.
A) covalent bonds
B) magnetic force
C) hydrogen bonds
D) isotopes
E) ionic bonds
A) covalent bonds
2) Why are both ends of each water molecule positive and the middle negative?
A) Electrons are more attracted to oxygen than they are to hydrogen.
B) Protons are more attracted to oxygen than they are to hydrogen.
C) Electrons are more attracted to hydrogen than they are to oxygen.
D) Protons are more attracted to hydrogen than they are to oxygen.
E) Hydrogen bonds create a charge difference.
A) Electrons are more attracted to oxygen than they are to hydrogen.
3) Hydrogen bonds give water which of the following properties?
A) high pH
B) low pH
C) the ability to resist temperature changes
D) the ability to dissolve lipids
E) the ability to freeze into ice, which is denser than liquid water
C) the ability to resist temperature changes
4) A hydrogen bond connects ________.
A) a hydrogen atom to an oxygen atom within a water molecule
B) an oxygen atom in one water molecule to an oxygen atom in another water molecule
C) a positive region of one water molecule to a negative region of another water molecule
D) a hydrogen atom to another hydrogen atom
E) the nuclei of adjacent water molecules
C) a positive region of one water molecule to a negative region of another water molecule
1) ________ is defined as the number of protons plus the number of neutrons.
A) Mass number
B) Ionic number
C) Atomic number
D) Isotopic number
E) Nuclear number
A) Mass number
2) An atom has 2 electrons, 3 protons, and 3 neutrons. What is the atom's mass number?
A) 3
B) 5
C) 6
D) 8
E) Cannot be determined from the information given
C) 6
3) An atom has 2 electrons, 3 protons, and 3 neutrons. What is the atom's charge?
A) +1
B) ˗1
C) +3
D) ˗2
E) +8
A) +1
4) ________ are composed of amino acids.
A) Proteins
B) Nucleic acids
C) Carbohydrates
D) Lipids
E) Bases
A) Proteins
5) ________ are the main water-insoluble components of cell membranes.
A) Proteins
B) Nucleic acids
C) Carbohydrates
D) Acids
E) Phospholipids
E) Phospholipids
6) Reddish hair in children is often a sign of malnourishment in developing nations such as Haiti. What biomolecule is needed for hair growth and is probably lacking in the diets of these children?
A) nucleic acids
B) proteins
C) carbohydrates
D) lipids
E) DNA
B) proteins
7) Plastics are ________.
A) naturally occurring macromolecules
B) unstable and break down easily
C) moldable, petroleum-based hydrocarbons
D) assembled by enzymes in cells
E) synthetic proteins
C) moldable, petroleum-based hydrocarbons
8) Which of the following reactions represents cellular respiration?
A) water + carbon dioxide + energy → sugar + oxygen + water
B) sugar + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + energy
C) water + carbon dioxide → sugar + oxygen + water + energy
D) sugar + carbon dioxide + energy → water + oxygen
E) nitrogen + oxygen + sugar → methane + carbon dioxide
B) sugar + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide + energy
9) Which of the following describes a property of pure water?
A) changes temperature rapidly
B) molecules are noncohesive
C) more dense as a solid
D) acidic pH
E) can hold many molecules in solution
E) can hold many molecules in solution
10) Many organisms that undergo chemosynthesis use ________ instead of ________ to fuel the processes that convert carbon dioxide into sugars.
A) sunlight; water
B) hydrogen sulfide (H2S); sunlight
C) sunlight; carbohydrates
D) energy; sunlight
E) sunlight; sulfuric acid
B) hydrogen sulfide (H2S); sunlight
11) We use ________ to catalyze the chemical reactions of digestion.
A) nucleic acids
B) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
C) isotopes
D) enzymes
E) alcohol molecules
D) enzymes
12) What compound is the primary structural constituent of plant tissue, forming the cell walls of stems, leaves, and roots?
A) chlorophyll
B) starch
C) cellulose
D) enzymes
E) protein
C) cellulose
13) Which of the following describes mass wasting?
A) deterioration of an atom because of radioactivity
B) the destruction of sedimentary rock by earthquakes
C) blockage of sunlight by volcanic ash
D) downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity
E) flood damage resulting from a tsunami
D) downslope movement of soil and rock due to gravity
14) River water stored behind a dam is best described as a form of ________.
A) kinetic energy
B) potential energy
C) chemical energy
D) entropy
E) thermodynamics
B) potential energy
15) During photosynthesis within plants, ________.
A) the high-quality energy from sugar is converted to heat and light
B) sugars and carbon dioxide are produced
C) carbon dioxide and oxygen are produced
D) oxygen and carbon dioxide are consumed
E) water and carbon dioxide are consumed
E) water and carbon dioxide are consumed
16) Cellular respiration ________.
A) releases carbon dioxide and water
B) results in a net consumption of energy
C) represents a decrease in entropy
D) requires the green pigment chlorophyll
E) involves a net consumption of water
A) releases carbon dioxide and water
17) Undersea earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may produce ________.
A) mudslides
B) pyroclastic flow
C) tsunamis
D) hurricanes
E) lahars
C) tsunamis
18) Earthquakes result from ________.
A) energy released from movement at plate boundaries and faults
B) surges of magma from the earth's core
C) global climate change
D) separation of layers within sedimentary rock
E) release of gases from the underlying mantle
A) energy released from movement at plate boundaries and faults
19) What is the type of rock formed when magma or lava cools?
A) igneous
B) sedimentary
C) lithospheric
D) metamorphic
E) geothermal
A) igneous
20) Which of the following statements about the rock cycle is TRUE?
A) Sedimentary rock forms metamorphic and igneous rock via the process of lithification.
B) The cooling of magma forms metamorphic rock.
C) Weathering and erosion can cause all three rock types to become sediments.
D) Sediments form igneous rock via lithification.
E) Sedimentary rock forms metamorphic rock as it erodes.
C) Weathering and erosion can cause all three rock types to become sediments.
21) The force driving plate tectonics is ________.
A) solar radiation
B) freezing and thawing of water in the earth's crust
C) gravity
D) nuclear reactions in magma
E) heat in the inner layers of the earth
E) heat in the inner layers of the earth
22) Consider the following processes: respiration, chemosynthesis, combustion of firewood, and photosynthesis. How many of these result in the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?
A) none
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) all 4
B) 1
23) When you burn a log in your fireplace you are converting ________.
A) chemical to thermal energy
B) thermal to electromagnetic energy
C) electromagnetic to chemical
D) chemical to nuclear energy
E) proteins to amino acids
A) chemical to thermal energy
24) ________ rock has undergone heat or pressure, causing it to change form.
A) Conglomerate
B) Igneous
C) Sedimentary
D) Metamorphic
E) Deformative
D) Metamorphic
25) Geologists have divided the geologic time scale using evidence compiled using stratigraphy, which is the study of ________.
A) layers of igneous rock
B) layers of sedimentary rock
C) tree rings
D) ancient cave drawings
E) plate tectonics
B) layers of sedimentary rock
26) What are the three distinct layers of the earth?
A) core, mantle, crust
B) mantle, magma, crust
C) core, mantle, lithosphere
D) mantle, crust, lithosphere
E) oceanic crust, continental crust, mantle
A) core, mantle, crust
27) At a ________, tectonic plates push apart from one another as magma rises upward to the surface.
A) subduction fault
B) transform boundary
C) strike-slip fault
D) divergent boundary
E) convergent boundary
D) divergent boundary
28) A solution of pH 5 has ________ times ________ hydrogen ions than a solution of pH 7.
A) 20; more
B) 20; fewer
C) 100; more
D) 100; fewer
E) Cannot be determined from the information given
C) 100; more
29) The "ring of fire" is ________.
A) the underground layer of the earth's crust that is most prone to volcanic activity
B) the "wing" of the supervolcano found in Yellowstone National Park
C) the region around the Pacific Ocean most prone to catastrophic wildfires
D) the most visible, major ring of Saturn
E) a belt of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur around the Pacific Ocean
E) a belt of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur around the Pacific Ocean
30) Why was the earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 so much more deadly than the earthquake that struck Tohoku, Japan, in 2011?
A) The Tohoku earthquake struck a rural area, whereas the Haiti earthquake centered on the capital city.
B) The Haiti earthquake was much more powerful than the Tohoku quake.
C) Japan has a stricter building code.
D) Buildings in Japan are more rigidly built and less flexible than those in Haiti.
E) The Haiti earthquake created a tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people.
C) Japan has a stricter building code.
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge/Comprehension
31) You live in the Pacific Northwest and hear a news story about the dangers associated with pyroclastic flow. Which of the following is the news story about?
A) geysers
B) mudslides
C) tsunamis
D) volcanic eruptions
E) floods
D) volcanic eruptions
32) Approximately 40 grams of the radioisotope iodine-131 were accidentally released into the atmosphere during the Fukushima nuclear accident. The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days. How long would it take for there to be 10 grams of iodine-131 left in the environment?
A) 8 days
B) 12 days
C) 14 days
D) 16 days
E) 23.7 days
D) 16 days
33) All of the following are compounds EXCEPT ________.
A) water
B) methane
C) oxygen gas
D) glucose
E) table salt
C) oxygen gas
Many geologists have proposed naming the current time period of Earth's history the Anthropocene epoch. The rationale for doing so includes the fact that erosion rates and greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere have increased rapidly over the past 300 years. Almost all environmental scientists agree that increases in greenhouse gases contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor are the main culprits. Human activities, chief among them the extraction and burning of fossil fuels for energy, have significantly increased these "greenhouse gases" in our atmosphere in the last 300 years. With rising standards of living in developing countries, emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are expected to continue to rise. If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels will reach twice preindustrial levels by midcentury and double again by the end of the century. Computer models have shown that this rise alone could raise Earth's temperatures by 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
1) Which of the following is the most logical explanation for water being a greenhouse gas?
A) The ionic bonds holding water vapor together help it trap heat.
B) Hydrogen-containing compounds trap the most heat, and water contains hydrogen.
C) Water is a good conductor of electricity, and electricity contains heat.
D) The hydrogen bonds holding molecules of water vapor together help it trap heat.
E) Water is acidic, and acids retain heat.
D) The hydrogen bonds holding molecules of water vapor together help it trap heat.
2) Besides contributing to global warming, nitrous oxide contributes indirectly to acid precipitation because of ________.
A) its ability to form compounds that raise the pH of rainwater
B) its ability to form compounds that lower the pH of rainwater
C) the ability of acids to raise the temperature of the substances which dissolve them
D) the airborne nature of all compounds containing nitrogen
E) the hydrogen bonds connecting the nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the molecule
B) its ability to form compounds that lower the pH of rainwater
3) Overpopulation contributes to global warming when ________.
A) most of the population is vegetarian
B) it leads to deforestation, increased agriculture, and increased use of fossil fuels
C) we compromise our living standards in order to protect the environment
D) most people use public transportation
E) solar energy is used as the primary source of energy, since it is a renewable resource
B) it leads to deforestation, increased agriculture, and increased use of fossil fuels
4) The primary source of increased levels of greenhouse gases on Earth is ________.
A) increased photosynthetic activity
B) loss of heterotrophs
C) modern human lifestyles
D) aerosol spray cans
E) asteroids falling to Earth
C) modern human lifestyles
5) Climatic change is a major concern for environmentalists because it can directly lead to ________.
A) an increase in the diameter of the ozone hole
B) more biodiversity on Earth
C) an decrease in the amount of geothermal energy
D) a decrease in the amount of photosynthesis on Earth
E) extinctions
E) extinctions
6) How does burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming?
A) Fossils, if left untouched, cool Earth.
B) New energy is created on Earth when fossil fuels are burned.
C) Burning fossil fuels creates increased plate tectonic movement.
D) Carbon present in coal, oil, and natural gas becomes carbon dioxide when these fuels burn.
E) Burning fossil fuels removes water vapor from the atmosphere.
D) Carbon present in coal, oil, and natural gas becomes carbon dioxide when these fuels burn.
7) Preindustrial levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have been estimated to be approximately 275 ppm (parts per million). If unchecked, carbon dioxide levels are expected to reach ________ ppm by the year 2100.
A) 550
B) 775
C) 1100
D) 2750
E) 825
C) 1100
1) According to the figure, which of the following is TRUE?
A) Lampreys have lungs.
B) Snakes are more closely related to crocodiles than they are to turtles.
C) Reptiles (turtles, snakes, lizards, and crocodiles) are more closely related to each other than they are to any other animals.
D) Amphibians have a skull with two openings.
E) Sharks possess a swim bladder.
B) Snakes are more closely related to crocodiles than they are to turtles.
2) According to the figure, crocodiles are most closely related to ________.
A) snakes and lizards
B) turtles
C) mammals
D) birds
E) lampreys
D) birds
3) Each branch in the figure results from ________.
A) a mutation
B) migration to a new habitat
C) habitat selection
D) a speciation event
E) extinction of a parent species
D) a speciation event
4) Organisms that are closely related have a recent common ancestor. Of the following, which choice lists organisms that are most closely related to each other?
A) lizards and crocodiles
B) lampreys and sharks
C) lungfish and amphibians
D) mammals and turtles
E) bony fish and birds
A) lizards and crocodiles
5) Which of the following can be inferred from the figure?
A) The ancestors of reptiles had hair.
B) The ancestors of snakes had legs.
C) The ancestors of turtles had two openings in their skulls.
D) Turtle eggs are laid in the ocean.
E) The ancestors of crocodiles had feathers.
B) The ancestors of snakes had legs.
1) Extinction is ________.
A) a natural process
B) always caused by human disturbance
C) the loss of communities from the planet
D) proceeding more slowly now than at any other time
E) something that occurs only rarely
A) a natural process
2) Which of the following is an example of an ecosystem?
A) a colony of leafcutter ants living in a forest
B) a colony of leafcutter ants and the leaves they harvest for their fungal garden
C) a colony of leafcutter ants, the leaves they harvest, and the fungi that they cultivate and tend to
D) a colony of leafcutter ants, the leaves they harvest, the fungi that they cultivate and tend to, and the soil nutrients and moisture needed for their garden
E) These are all examples of ecosystems.
D) a colony of leafcutter ants, the leaves they harvest, the fungi that they cultivate and tend to, and the soil nutrients and moisture needed for their garden
3) Which of the following is TRUE?
A) Species on Earth today are just a fraction of all species that ever lived.
B) The number of species existing at one time has decreased throughout history.
C) Until recent history, extinctions have always happened gradually and on a small scale.
D) Most organisms present early in Earth's prehistory were more complex than modern organisms.
E) Natural selection always favors complexity and a larger body size.
A) Species on Earth today are just a fraction of all species that ever lived.
4) At Hakalau Forest in ________, ranchland is being restored to forest, invasive plants are being removed and native ones are being planted, and néné are being protected while new populations of them are being established.
A) Guam
B) Marshall Islands
C) Japan
D) Hawaii
E) Tuvalu
D) Hawaii
5) A niche specialist is ________.
A) more likely to go extinct than a niche generalist
B) more likely to adapt to climate change than a niche generalist
C) more likely to thrive in human-modified environments than a niche generalist
D) more likely to have a large geographic distribution than a niche generalist
E) more likely to use a wide variety of resources than a niche generalist
A) more likely to go extinct than a niche generalist
6) A population is ________.
A) a group of individuals of several interacting species that live in one area
B) a group of individuals of several interacting species that interact in multiple ecosystems
C) a group of individuals of a single species that live and interact in one area
D) the sum of all individuals of a species in all locations
E) a group of cells that have similar function
C) a group of individuals of a single species that live and interact in one area
7) Endemic species ________.
A) are generalist organisms
B) cause disease
C) are invasive species that cause extinction
D) have high rates of mutations that lead to large numbers of offspring species
E) are found only in one place on the planet
E) are found only in one place on the planet
8) Which of the following descriptions of a hummingbird best describes its niche?
A) has a slender bill
B) eats mosquitoes
C) can fly backwards
D) lays two eggs
E) can migrate across the Gulf of Mexico
B) eats mosquitoes
9) High population density can ________.
A) hinder organisms from finding mates
B) decrease biodiversity within a species
C) decrease competition
D) decrease the use of resources
E) increase the incidence of disease transmission
E) increase the incidence of disease transmission
10) Population distribution describes ________.
A) the placement of a species around the globe
B) the placement of a species within a country's boundaries
C) the spatial arrangement of individuals of a single species within a particular area or ecosystem
D) the spatial arrangement of multiple species within a particular area
E) how near or far away individuals in a population are from a resource, such as water
C) the spatial arrangement of individuals of a single species within a particular area or ecosystem
11) Mutation and ________ are the key mechanisms that generate and maintain genetic variation among individuals in most populations.
A) adaptations
B) inbreeding
C) sexual reproduction
D) asexual reproduction
E) natural selection
C) sexual reproduction
Note 
Flashcard (41)