AP Environmental Science: Multiple Choice Exam Strategies

AP Environmental Science Exam Overview

  • This video series aims to provide useful information and strategies for the AP Environmental Science exam.

  • Content will include the AP Environmental Science exam format and in-depth review of multiple-choice questions types.

AP Environmental Science Exam Format

  • The exam is divided into two sections: multiple choice and free response.

Section 1: Multiple Choice

  • 80 multiple-choice questions.

  • 90 minutes to complete.

  • Each question has roughly 66-67 seconds to answer.

  • Accounts for 60% of the total exam score.

  • Includes individual standalone questions and set questions.

    • Quantitative sets: Cover practices 3-5, include data tables, graphs, and charts.

    • Qualitative data sets: Models and presentations assessing various practices.

    • Text-based sets: At least two sets requiring reading and answering questions.

Section 2: Free Response

  • Three questions.

  • 70 minutes to complete.

  • Each question has a little over 20 minutes to complete.

  • Accounts for 40% of the total exam score.

  • Question types and order are consistent each year:

    • Question 1: Design and investigation (hypothesis, independent/dependent variables).

    • Question 2: Analyze an environmental problem and propose a solution.

    • Question 3: Analyze a problem, propose a solution, and perform calculations.

  • A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator (with square root function) is allowed.

Helpful Links

  • Information on AP exam dates and times.

  • Specific information about the AP Environmental Science exam.

  • Student-centered information.
    *It's recommended to pause the video to review these links.

Multiple Choice Questions: Types and Strategies

  • Emphasis on multiple choice questions due to their significant weight (60%) in the exam score.

Multiple Choice Question Types (Unofficial List)

The following list is not official from College Board but is based on experience teaching the course:

  • General information type questions.

  • Graph and quantitative data questions.

  • Map questions/qualitative data questions.

  • "Select a choice" questions (word bank).

  • Text set questions (reading comprehension).

  • Diagram questions.

  • Data set questions.

  • Math questions (setup or solve).

General Strategies: Mr. V's Best Practices

  • AP Exams are designed to differentiate students based on their understanding of the material.

Three-Pass Strategy

  1. First Pass:

    • Quickly go through the exam.

    • Answer easy questions.

    • Mark questions requiring more than a minute or two.

    • Cater to individual strengths (e.g., math first if strong in math).

  2. Second Pass:

    • Read marked questions thoroughly with the time gained from the first pass.

  3. Third Pass:

    • Best guess on remaining questions.

    • Bubble in every answer since there's no penalty for wrong answers.

    • Aim to perform better than other students, as scores are relative.

AP Environmental Science Practices

  • Seven science practices assessed on the exam:

    1. Concept Explanation: Demonstrate understanding of concepts.

    2. Visuals: Interpret diagrams and visual information (climate change diagrams, El Nino, etc.).

    3. Text Analysis: Assessed only on multiple choice questions.

    4. Scientific Experiments: Relate to experimental design.

    5. Data Analysis: Analyze data sets.

    6. Math Routines: Perform mathematical calculations.

    7. Environmental Solutions: Identify solutions.

  • Any science practice can be assessed in any unit.

  • Questions may focus on multiple practices or topics.

Multiple Choice Review: Question Examples

General Multiple Choice Questions

  • Example 1: Which of the following is a non-anthropogenic source of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere?

    • A) Respiration

    • B) Photosynthesis

    • C) Coal-fired power plant

    • D) Hydrogen-powered car

  • Correct Answer: A) Respiration (Practice 1, Topic 7.1)

  • Example 2: Which of the following is a disadvantage associated with genetic modification of crops?

    • A) Decreased resistance to drought

    • B) Shorter shelf life

    • C) Decreased genetic diversity of crop species

    • D) Decreased nutritional content in foods

  • Correct Answer: C) Genetic modifications can decrease the genetic diversity of crop species (Practice 7, Topic 5.6)

Graph Type Questions

  • Example 1: (Graph showing the relationship between the induction of cancer in breast cells and the concentration of anastrozole).

    • Question: Based on the data, what is the description of this relationship?

    • A) As concentration of anastrozole increases the induction of breast cancer also increases

    • B) As the concentration of anastrozole increases, the % induction of breast cancer decreases

    • C)There is a direct relationship between the concentration of anastrozole and the induction of breast cancer.

    • D) Anastrozole has no effect on breast cancer induction.
      *Correct Answer: B (Practice 5, Topic 8.13).

  • Example 2: (Graph showing electricity production based on source and year).

    • Question: Which of the following here is the most valid inference regarding electricity production based on the graph below.

    • A) Electricity production from coal began to decrease in 02/2008 because of shortages in coal supplies

    • B) Electricity production from coal began to decrease in 02/2008 because of the increasing use of natural gas and renewable.

    • C) The use of nuclear energy increased from 1970 to 2010 because of the low cost of constructing nuclear power plants.

    • D) The use of nuclear energy increased from 1970 to 2010 because of shortages in coal supplies
      *Correct Answer: B (Practice 5, Topic 6.2).

Map Type Questions

  • Questions use visuals to assess content knowledge.

  • Example 1: (Map of tectonic plates).

    • Question: The area that exhibits a growing non volcanic mountain chain due to uplift is indicates as which of the following letters A, B, C, or D.
      *Correct Answer: C (Practice 2, Topic 4.1).

  • Example 2: (Map of tectonic plates - same map).

    • Question: Where is new crust being created at a divergent plate boundary, indicates as which of the following letters A, B, C, or D.
      *Correct Answer: B (Practice 2, Topic 4.1).

Select a Choice Questions

  • Directions: Select the choice that best fits each statement.

  • These questions are not a word completion type question.
    Processes:

  1. Nitrification

  2. Denitrification

  3. Ammonification

  4. Nitrogen fixation

  • The processes above can be used for multiple questions, they are not eliminated as you continue answering questions.
    - Example 1: Nitrate ions and nitrite ions are converted into nitrous oxide gas and nitrogen gas or N_2
    -Correct Answer: B (Practice 1, Topic 1.5)

  • - Example 2: Ammonia is converted to nitrite and then to nitrate
    -Correct Answer: A (Practice 1, Topic 1.5)

Text Set Questions

  • Example 1: (Text Prompt relating to Green Revolution).

  • Question: Which of the following statement best identifies the author's assumptions in terms of a new green revolution

    • A) The global demand for food has remained constant since the 1940s and has been minimal pressure to change agricultural practices

    • B)Most current farming practices are eliminating mechanization and increasing profits

    • C) That there are new advances for agricultural technology and it's going to need government regulations to become effective for large scale farming.

    • D) That you have current agricultural practices and strategy to be evaluated in order to meet the demand for increased food production
      *Correct Answer: D (Practice 3, Topic 5.3)

*Example 2: (Text Prompt relating to Green Revolution - Same Text)
*Question: Which of the following statements best identifies the author's perspective in terms of government funding for future agricultural research
- A)Funding should be obtained primarily through environmental conservation agencies
- B) there's no need for additional funding because the Ag and Food Research Initiative has already received 25,000,000 since since 02/2008.
- C)That more funding is continually needed because agricultural research programs have never been completely financially supported
- D) Funding should be primarily obtained from the private sector and not from the federal government.
*Correct Answer: C (Practice 3, Unit 5).

Diagram Questions

*Example 1: Showing warm air holding in cold air and it's mixing everything that stays in between(diagram of temperature inversion).
Question: What important phenomenon that often plays a role in air pollution episodes is illustrated in this diagram?

  • - A) albedo - B) greenhouse effect - C) inversion - D) heat island effect *Correct Answer: C (Practice 2, Unit 7.3). *Example 2: Based on the theory of island geography, which of the following explains how the scientists' calculation of the average number of species would change with the inclusion of a new island in their study?

    • A) The average would increase because more species have migrated directly to the further island

    • B) The average would decrease because the fewer species have migrated directly to the farther island

    • C)The average would not change because it's likely the additional island has about the same number of species that migrated to the original

    • D) The average would not change because the island is approximately the same size as in the original group.
      *Correct Answer: B (Practice 2 and 4, Topic 7.3)

Data Set Questions

  • Requires analyzing information and data to draw conclusions. *Example 1: (Table of countries showing total fertility, infant mortality, and life expectancy)

    • Question: Which of the countries listed in the chart is most likely experiencing a population decline.
      *Correct Answer C (Practice 5, Topic 3.1)
      *Example 2: Explanation as a Lab experiment to find D.O content in water and the specific amounts of waste that are added to tanks. The results below show the amount of DO in an each tank. (Data in DO)

    • Question: Why did the DO after one week, decrease as the amount of waste increased

    • A)That the algae can't consume waste fast enough.

    • B)The turbidity is increased and populations increased

    • C)The algae multiplied and then died and decomposed

    • D)The Co_2 increased due to algal respiration.
      *Correct Answer: C (Practice 5, 6.6)

Math Questions

  • Math setup questions: Requires identifying correct mathematical setups

  • Math solve questions: Requires solving mathematical problems. *Math setup questions: Laws of thermodynamics an which of the following is the applied routine to estimate biomass of mice in a pyramid

    • Grass made 18,705 kg/acres/year

    • Grasshopper

    • Mice

    • Snakes
      Question: how do we and find and how has being made by the mice. What set up do we use
      -A) take the number at the bottom 18,705 and multiply it by 10
      -B) divide it by 10 and then multiply by 100
      -C) Multiply it by .1 and .1 again.
      -D) or do you divide it by .1
      Correct Answer: .1 and .1 Rule: 10% rule(Practice 6 and back at Unti one)

*Math setup question
The farmer wishes to switch to trees and vegetables or agroforestry, on several of her land, to reduce erosion and diversify, she needs assess whether her land can produce as much income by growing two crops instead just one. estimates new tree crop would cover 40% of her fields with the vegetables, crops cover the other 60% Which equation can she use to calculate how much total income she would get?
* A) (tree income per hectare multiplied by 0.4 )and then (income for vegetables, or for the vegetables we're growing times 0.6)
B) is it the income tree with the total and added to the vegetable income with the total
C) The income for vegetables and the hectares
D) tree income times 40%and your total hectares for that multiplied or added to your income for vegetables and the heactres times o.6.right
Correct ANSWER: D You didn't actually have to do the math. ( Practice 6)

Population example, 1986 to know the increase from those two years? So let's take a look. And we're looking at the 1986 year.? And that's right there. And we're looking at 1997. So before you even do the math on this, you got to ask yourself, right? '62 to '74, is that a 50% increase
A)10.
B)20%
C) 30%
D)50%
*Need memorized equation =Final number -initail munber/ intial number.
(Practice 6, Energy).

Then Another type of solve question where we actually have to go
What's the population will double in approximately how many years.
Memorize the equation of 70/growth = doubling time. So here, this would be 70 divided by 1.75 and that's going to be a total of 40 years in this case(Practice 6 Unit3 )

Final Points

*Know the exam format.
*Review the links at the being of the video

  • if you are not coufrtuble with the dialy content, over those.

  • Always ,always, always read the prompts of your multiple choice questions.