enviormental scienece

biodiversity

variety of life in all its forms and combinations and all at levels of organization

endemic

species found only in specific environments or have restricted localities

species richness

total # of plant and animal species in a certain area

bio diversity hotspot

unusually large number of endemic species threatened by humans

genetic diversity

within populations of individual species bio diversity is measured as

habit destruction

single greatest threat to biodiversity

intermediate

Biodiversity is highest at ________ levels of disturbance.

air pollution

gases or particles present in high enough concentrations in the atmosphere to harm humans, other organisms and structures

ozone

secondary air pollution

primary

pollutants are chemicals or particles that are directly emitted from identifiable sources

A temperature inversion can adversely affect air quality and is characterized by _

a layer of warm air forming above colder air

Photochemical smog is formed when primary air pollutants interact with

sunlight

The primary sources of the acidity in acid rain are the gases

SO₂ and NO_x

Acid rain is caused by

Both nitric acid and sulfuric acid from transportation and factories

What is the pH of “pure rain water” in equilibrium with atmospheric gases

5.6

One of the problems that occurs as a consequence of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) pollution is ________.

increasing skin cancer in humans

Mercury is particularly hazardous to human health because

It bioaccumulates high up the food chain

What law created the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for air pollutants?

1970 Clean Air Act Amendmen

When volcanoes erupt, they emit ________ into the atmosphere, resulting in a cooling effect on the planet.

sulfur dioxide

Which of the following is a synthetic greenhouse gas?

chlorofluorocarbons

What is a growing concern related to sea level rise?

eroding shorelines in coastal areas

Which of the following gases has the greatest global warming potential (GWP)?

CFC

Scientists use ________ to forecast climate change.

computer simulation models

the area of land from which rainfall drains into rivers or lakes

water shed

The hydrologic cycle is driven by

gravity and solar energy

Which of the following is an example of a non-point source of pollution?

Correct!

fertilizer-enriched runoff

An important characteristic of aquatic dead zones is a

Correct!

 

low concentration of oxygen

Which Act requires the EPA to regulate the discharge of pollutants into waterways?

clean water act

Eutrophication is caused by ________.

high levels of phosphorus

not considered wastewater?

ground water

Secondary sewage treatment is designed primarily to ________.

For the last 100 years, our primary energy source has been __

fossil fuels

When coal is burned to generate electricity, 70% of the primary energy in the coal is transformed into unused heat. This means that the energy conversion efficiency from chemical to electrical energy is

30%

A measure of the useful energy produced divided by the amount of energy it takes to obtain it, is known as ___

the energy return on investment (EROI

Renewable energy includes all of the following except

natural gas

Keeping energy prices artificially low

encourages waste and rapid depletion of energy resources

Energy consumption can be reduced by all of the following except ________.

using your car instead of mass transit

Proved reserves of a nonrenewable energy source are

quantities of fuel that can be recovered using current technology and prices

Using high pressure liquids to extract oil from rocks such as oil shale is known as ________.

fracturing

Tar sand deposits are examples of

unconventional oil reservoirs

Using the natural built-up pressure in a reservoir to extract crude oil is known as ________ oil recovery.

primary

Renewable primary energy sources include all the following except

natural gas

The primary advantage of hydropower is that it

does not rely on fossil fuel to generate electricity

The fastest growing source of electricity in the world today is from _______

wind power

One limitation of wind power is that it

is intermittent

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is best described as

using sunlight to generate electricity

What part of the United States is best for capturing solar energy?

southwest

Why is biomass energy renewable

Once plants are harvested, they can grow again if proper conditions are provided and rate of harvest does not exceed rate of planting

Concentrating solar power systems

use mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays on a series of pipes, which heats fluid inside the pipes to boiling, producing steam. The steam is then used to spin a turbine and generate electricity

Which of the following types of vehicles would have the lowest tailpipe emissions?

fully electric