Environmental Science Test

In your own words, explain what environmental science focuses on.

Study of human interaction with the environment.

Describe how environmental science differs from environmentalism.

Science refers to research/data while environmentalism refers to activism.

Give one example of a renewable resource and explain how it could become nonrenewable.

Trees being overharvested, leading to nonrenewable resources.

Imagine your neighborhood shares a single water well. Over time, it runs dry because everyone uses it freely. What concept from this unit does this situation represent?

Tragedy of the Commons

List two historical events that contributed to rapid human population growth.

Agricultural Revolution and Industrial Revolution.

Compare ecological footprint and carbon footprint in a sentence or two.

Ecological footprint measures resource use; carbon footprint measures emissions.

Explain why 2050 is an important year in environmental discussions.

Population is projected to peak at approximately 9–10 billion.

Do humans depend on the environment, or is it the other way around? Support your answer

Humans depend on the environment for resources and survival.

Based on what you’ve learned, what does the comparison between American ecological footprints and the global average suggest?

U.S. footprints are larger due to overconsumption.

Example of combining policy and action

Policy + clean energy + personal conservation.

Montreal Protocol

An agreement that successfully phased out CFCs.

Why is climate change awareness challenging?

It's harder for climate change due to its less immediate effects.

What is one lesson from the ozone layer recovery that could be applied to other global environmental problems?

Global cooperation works

Give an example of why environmental policies might need updating even after a problem seems “solved.”

New chemicals and conditions can emerge from human activities.

Why is it important to stay vigilant even after an environmental success?

Problems can return if they are not addressed.

Explain why scientific ideas can never be absolutely proven.

Science is always testable but not absolute.

Why do scientists maintain skepticism?

To avoid bias and error in research.

What is the process of scientific research?

Hypothesis, experiment, analyze data.

What is the role of the scientific community in research?

Peer review and replication

Give an example of when a scientific model would be useful.

Weather/Climate model

Independent vs. dependent variables

Independent variable is changed; dependent variable is measured.

Why is reliability important?

To ensure the results can be trusted.

Difference between experiments and observations

Experiments involve controlled variables; observations are natural studies.

Why is quantitative data valuable in science?

Measurable, comparable evidence.

Correlation vs. causation example

Correlation does not imply causation; e.g., ice cream sales and sunburn.

Why are controlled variables important in experiments?

Keep experiments fair and valid.

How can science help address environmental problems?

Provides evidence-based solutions

Steps of the scientific method

Hypothesis → Experiment → Data → Conclusion → Share results.

How do scientists present data?

Scientists organize data into tables/graphs to make patterns clear and results easier to analyze

Purpose of control groups

To provide a baseline for comparison in experiments.

Inference vs. observation example

Inference: 'The dog is hungry.' Observation: 'The dog is whining.'

Role of a materials list in experiments

Ensures accuracy and repeatability in research.

In the M&M’s lab, what step of the scientific method is making a prediction about the number of each color?

Making a prediction = hypothesis step

Why is it better to test multiple bags of M&Ms instead of just one?

Multiple bags provide a larger sample size for more reliable results.

If your results don’t match your hypothesis, what should you do?

Revise the hypothesis and retest if necessary.

Importance of using percentages in data

Percentages allow for fair comparisons between different sample sizes.

Examples of reducing personal ecological impact

Driving less, eating less meat, reducing energy use.

Why might shopping at a local farmer’s market reduce your ecological footprint?

Local food reduces transportation emissions and packaging.

How does the livestock industry compare to the transportation industry in greenhouse gas emissions?

The livestock industry produces more greenhouse gases than transportation.

Give one example of an action that would not reduce your ecological footprint.

Leaving lights on, buying single-use plastics.

What does it mean when we say humanity is in “ecological overshoot”?

Humans using resources faster than Earth can regenerate.