APES Unit 1 Test

These can cause problems when inhaled or ingested with food or water, and can cause skin cancers, but cannot penetrate the skin.
Alpha particles
Gamma particles
Theta particles
Beta radiation

Alpha particles

The sun's energy:
is not affected by the earth's tilt.
is the earth's ultimate energy source.
does not impact the winds.
strikes the earth's entire surface evenly.

is the earth's ultimate energy source.

Which of the following is most likely a significant cause of the general trend indicated by this graph?
Increase in evaporation of ocean waters.
Increase in consumption of fossil fuels.
Reduction in the size of the polar ice caps.
Increase in the energy output of the sun.

Increase in consumption of fossil fuels.

In 1962, the Environmental Era was ushered in with the publication of the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, in which she documented the destruction of wildlife by the persistent organic pollutant (POP):
DDT
CFC
Neem
Carbon monoxide

DDT

The US National Parks System was established in 1916, the direct result of the preservationist movement led by:
Aldo Leopold
Henry David Thoreau
John Muir
George Perkins Marsh

John Muir

Which of the following best illustrates the Tragedy of the Commons?
Some levels of pollution are life threatening
Irrigated cropland can be ruined by salinization
Some activities harm the environment, but others do not
A factory pollutes a river as much as the law allows

A factory pollutes a river as much as the law allows

All of the following are examples of a positive feedback loop, except:
Exponential population growth
The greenhouse effect
Compound interest in a savings account
A thermostat

A thermostat

Which of these is a reason why pollution clean-up is problematic?
Removing pollution from one part of the environment only creates pollution in another part
It is only a temporary solution
It may be cost prohibitive
All of the above

All of the above

Which of the following factors can affect human carrying capacity?
Global warming.
Desertification of large tracts of agricultural land.
Technological improvements.
All of these can affect human carrying capacity.

All of these can affect human carrying capacity.

A 'J' shaped curve indicates linear growth.
True
False

False

Refer to the lettered points of the curves plotted on this graph. The curves show two possible patterns of change in population size over time for a certain species of a small mammal in an ecosystem. At which lettered point do you see the population decreasing at greatest rate?

A B C D

D

A paradigm shift:
describes a failure in deductive reasoning
includes data-supported laws and theories by scientists who are experts in their respective fields.
occurs when new breakthroughs re-define the workings of the world significantly alter our understandings of the world.
is a series of logically connected statements

occurs when new breakthroughs re-define the workings of the world significantly alter our understandings of the world.

An entomologist noticed an absence of ants in an area of land that is known to have received applications of a certain group of pesticides. The entomologists collects a quantity of ants and repeats this experiment in the laboratory.
The entomologist sets up a control group of ants in a terrarium with no pesticide, and a group of experimental ants in a terrarium with the pesticides applied to a portion of the space. The experimental ants are observed to avoid the pesticide applied area, and the control group of ants roam their terrarium freely.
In this scenario, what is the dependent variable?
Where in the terrarium the ants roam
The amount of pesticide applied
The number of ants in each terrarium
The location of the pesticide in the terrarium

Where in the terrarium the ants roam

The 1980 federal legislation established to manage hazardous waste disposal is called the:
Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Toxic Substances Control Act
Kyoto Treaty
Montreal Protocol

Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)

Many people believe that with the development of better technology, we can recycle and reuse everything indefinitely. However, according to _____, also called the law of entropy, energy is lost each time it is used and reused.
Enthalpy
The second law of thermodynamics
The first law of thermodynamics
Entropy

The second law of thermodynamics

The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its availability is called the:
Maximum rate of extraction
Sustainable yield
Renewability rate
Available supply limit

Sustainable yield

The true Golden Era of Conservation was marked by the presidency of _______from 1901-1909.
This president made more significant contributions to environmental protection during his time in office than any other American president. This included the preservation and protection of 230 million acres of public land. He persuaded congress to give power to the president to designate public lands as wildlife refuges. He also established the Bureau of Forestry, known today as the US Forest Service, and tripled the size of forest reserves. Gifford Pinchot was the first chief of the US Forest Service. In 1906, this president also signed the legendary Antiquities Act, giving the president power to designate national monuments on Federal Land if they are deemed to be of historical or scientific interest.
Bill Clinton
FDR
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson

Theodore Roosevelt

When forms of matter or information or energy flow out of the system and penetrate some portion of the environment, like the ocean or atmosphere, ground water or soil, these output receivers are called:
Sinks
Collectors
Accumulations
Receivers

Sinks

"This strategy maintains that if an action carries a suspected risk of harm to either people or the environment, even without clear scientific proof, the action should be avoided. This attitude confronts the risks inherent in currently incomplete scientific understanding, and cautiously progresses from there. Examples include space travel, GMOs, nanotechnology and systemic insecticides. The protections put in place are loosened when further scientific studies find sound evidence that no harm will result."
This passage is best described as:
Judicious reasoning
The scientific method
The precautionary measure
The precautionary principle

The precautionary principle

A non-renewable resource is considered to be depleted when _____ has been used.
10%
100%
80%
50%

80%

Which of the following is a tenant of belief held by the anthropogenic world view?
Human growth potential is unlimited
The earth has an unlimited supply of resources
Economic growth benefits all humans
All of the above

All of the above

Which of the following is the best example of a point source water pollutant?
Acid precipitation
Stormwater
All of the above
Factory effluent

Factory effluent

These are not the smallest wavelength radiation, but can penetrate the skin and damage internal organs. Acute radiation sickness can occur after a high dose exposure.
Gamma particles
None of the above
Alpha particles
Beta radiation

Beta radiation

A change that causes a lessening of the original path of change is an example of a:
negative feedback loop
synergistic interaction
environmental threshold
positive feedback loop

negative feedback loop

Natural capital includes which of the following?
Wildlife and fruit-bearing trees
Soil and minerals
Air and oceans
All of these are correct.

All of these are correct.

The term ___________ refers to an increase in the interaction of people worldwide, through the increasing international flow of money, ideas, and culture.
Globalization
Humanitarianism
Economization
Internationalism

Globalization

Carrying capacity is reached for a species in an ecosystem when:
There is a drastic decrease in a population
The rate of population growth levels off due to environmental resistance
The rate of population growth increases over time
Reproduction is too high in a particular season

The rate of population growth levels off due to environmental resistance

Energy can be formally defined as:
The ability to do work and transfer heat
The random motion of molecules
The movement of molecules
A force that is exerted over some distance

The ability to do work and transfer heat

"I am only one person, what I do to deplete a resource can't possibly have an impact on such a huge system."
This statement is in line with a philosophy articulated by Garrett Hardin in 1968, referred to as:
The Conundrum of Shared Space
Individualistic Tendency
The Resource Depletion Quandary
The Tragedy of the Commons

The Tragedy of the Commons

This law states that various elements and compounds may change from one physical or chemical form to another, but that no matter can be created or destroyed:
Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy
The First Law of Thermodynamics
the Law of Conservation of Matter

the Law of Conservation of Matter