AP Environmental Final Exam Review

The thick forest of this biome tends to be well adapted to short growing seasons.

Taiga

Which soil horizon has little organic matter and accumulates soluble metals and nutrients from other layers?

Answer C (largest one, above rock)

This source of fuel is used in less developed countries because it is easily accessible.

Wood

Which urban design strategy slows water runoff and reduces the risk of flooding?

Preserve vegetation

Which environment has a wide range of salinity?

Estuary

What is an unintended consequence of the use of hydroelectric dams for electricity generation?

There will be more erosion than sediment deposition downstream from the dam.

London and Calgary are at the same latitude. London is warmer than Calgary in December. Why?

Oceanic currents warm the atmosphere in London.

Which of the following solutions can best reduce an anthropogenic cause for ocean acidification?

Switch from coal-burning power plants to nuclear power plants

Which of the following best describes the effect of increased atmospheric CO2 on marine organisms?

Increased CO2 leads to ocean acidification and decreases the availability of carbonate ions. Marine organisms like coral cannot form shells.

How do photovoltaic cells generate electricity?

Photons of light excite electrons that result in a flow of current.

Sunlight is composed of particles of energy called photons. When these photons hit the surface of the cell, the semiconductor material of the cell absorbs the photons. When the material absorbs enough sunlight, electrons are dislodged. An internal electric field then forces these free electrons to flow in a specific direction, creating a usable electrical current.

What are the reactants needed to form tropospheric ozone?

NO2 + VOCs + O2 + sunlight

Which of the following statements best explains why the climate of the West Coast of Africa is drier than that of the East Coast of the United States, even though they are located at similar northern latitudes?

The cold ocean currents off Africa absorb heat from land and therefore cool the atmosphere.

Which of the following changes are most likely to occur in the central and eastern tropical Pacific during El Niño?

The Peruvian current weakens, leading to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures.

This layer of Earth’s atmosphere contains the ozone layer that absorbs the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Stratosphere

This area is most susceptible to erosion, leading to increased suspended solids and turbidity downstream.

Area B (agricultural fields)

This area is likely to have impervious surfaces that increase runoff.

Area S (city)

Which of the following describes the most likely effect that glaciers melting in Greenland and the Arctic would have on the surface currents of the North Atlantic?

The Norwegian current will become cooler and less salty.

A developer intends to use passive solar heating in a new construction project in Minnesota in an effort to reduce electricity costs for the property owners. Which of the following should be employed to maximize the benefit of passive solar heating?

Install south-facing glazed windows in the home and dark surfaces to cover the walls and floors.

What is an issue with nuclear energy generation?

Spent fuel rods must be disposed of properly.

Which of the following is a human health impact associated with exposure to radon gas inside homes or other buildings?

Increased incidence of lung cancer

Which of the following locations would most likely receive acid deposition?

A town downwind from a coal-fired power plant

This area has low water-flow velocities because flowing water forms a reservoir that can be used for hydroelectric power generation or recreation.

Area D (dam)

Which of the following human health issues is linked to exposure to pollutants released during the incineration of plastic waste?

Asthma

Increased use of which of the following technologies would cause the greatest reduction in the primary source of photochemical smog?

Catalytic converters

This biome is characterized by long dry seasons and is dominated by grasses, shrubs, and grazing animals.

Savanna

The underlying subsoil of this biome is permafrost, which prevents both water draining through and deep-rooted plants from growing. Additionally, there is very little precipitation per year

Tundra