Multiple Choice Midterm Review

8/23The monthly average CO2 concentration, in parts per million, as measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

1. According to the graph, the increase in CO2 concentration, in parts per million, between 1970 and 1990 is closest to

(A) 5 ppm(B) 30 ppm(C) 50 ppm(D) 340 ppm(E) 355 ppm

2. Which of the following is most likely a significant cause of the general trend indicated by the graph?

(A) Reduction of ozone concentrations in the upper atmosphere(B) Reduction in size of polar ice caps(C) Increase in energy output of the Sun(D) Increase in evaporation of ocean water(E) Increase in consumption of fossil fuels

The monthly average CO2 concentration, in parts per million, as measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

3. Which of the following most directly explains the periodic fluctuations of the curve?

(A) Daily variations in air temperature(B) Daily variations in sea level(C) Seasonal variations in photosynthetic activity(D) Seasonal variations in ocean water temperature(E) Seasonal variations in human industrial activity

The monthly average CO2 concentration, in parts per million, as measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

4. Overgrazing of public land by privately owned livestock is an example of the

(A)tragedy of the commons(B)right of eminent domain(C)rule of seventy(D)principle of manifest destiny(E) swapping of debt for nature

5. Which of the following correctly orders the methods of solid-waste management in terms of energy required?Least Energy → Most Energy

(A)Reuse Recycle Reduce(B)Recycle Reuse Reduce(C)Recycle Reduce Reuse(D)Reduce Reuse Recycle(E) Reduce Recycle Reuse

1. The current global human population is about 6.1 billion and

is growing at an annual rate of 1.35 percent. If world

population were to grow at this rate for the next year,

approximately how many people would be added?

A. 8 x 105

B. 8 x 106

C. 8 x 107

D. 8 x 108

E. 8 x 109

2. Ozone in the stratosphere is most important to life at

Earth’s surface because it absorbs

A. Gamma rays

B. Microwaves

C. Ultraviolet rays

D. Visible light

E. X-rays

8/29 Multiple Choice Monday

3. Of the following sources, which supplies the most commercial energy in the world today?

A. Solar

B. Oil

C. Biomass

D. Nuclear

E. Hydroelectric

4. If the population of a country grows at a rate of approximately 5 percent per year, the number of years required for the population to double is closest to

A. 5 years

B. 10 years

C. 25 years

D. 35 years

E. 45 years

Multiple Choice Monday

5. Compared to a coal-fired power plant that produces the same amount of energy, a nuclear power plant generates more

A. CO2

B. SO2

C. Fly ash

D. Particulates

E. Thermal pollution

6. If the annual consumption of petroleum in the United States is about 23 barrels per capita, the total annual consumption of petroleum in the United States is closest to

A. 12 million barrels

B. 240 million barrels

C. 2 billion barrels

D. 6 billion barrels

E. 10 billion barrels

Multiple Choice Monday

1. Which of the following best exemplifies global collaboration for a

sustainable environment?

a) The Montreal Protocol

b) The Antarctic Treaty of 1961

c) The Clean Air Act of 1972

d) CERCLA (Superfund)

e) NAFTA

2. A state highway was constructed over wetlands. The state obtained a

permit to fill the existing wetlands in accordance with the provisions of

the Clean Water Act of 1972, and agreed to create another wetland. This

trade-off approach to addressing an environmental issue is known as

a) mitigation

b) restoration

c) preservation

d) remediation

e) sustainability

Multiple Choice Monday 9/12

3. The increase in the size of Earth’s human population in the last century has

been dramatic. Which of the following identifies two major contributors

to this increase?

a) New methods of agriculture and the identification of new food crops

b) The Industrial Revolution and modern medicine

c) Increased emigration/immigration and decreased warfare

d) New methods of birth control and decreased warfare

e) Increased education for women and the development of new pesticides

4. Regulations that deal directly with the disposal of hazardous materials in the

United States include which of the following?

I. RCRA

II. Clean Water Act

III. Clean Air Act•

a) I only

b) II only

c) III only

d) I and II only

e) I, II, and III

Multiple Choice Monday 9/12

5. Which of the following would most likely have the greatest positive impact

on the quality of the natural environment worldwide?

a) Discovery of new reserves of fossil fuel in coastal areas

b) Increased agricultural production on marginal desert lands

c) Increased life expectancy in more developed nations

d) Increased reliance on food from ocean ecosystems

e) Stabilization or reduction of the size of the human population

6. Environmentalists oppose the mining of Antarctic mineral resources because

a) territorial claims to Antarctica are unresolved

b) the existence of valuable mineral deposits in the Antarctic environment

is unlikely

c) the Antarctic environment is fragile and extremely vulnerable to the

disturbance that would accompany development

d) currently known world reserves of important metals and oil are

considered inexhaustible

e) the demand for minerals is expected to decline as the world’s nations

become more industrialized

Multiple Choice Monday 9/12

1. The chart above compares the daily water use per person to the price of water in selected countries. Which of the following conclusions can be correctly drawn using only the data in the chart?

a) Water use and water price are directly proportional.b) Increased water use causes prices to decline.c) Increased prices cause water use to decline.d) Increased water use is generally correlated with lower water prices.e) Water is more plentiful in the United States and Canada than in the other

countries.

9/19

3. The combustion of one gallon of automobile fuel produces about 5 pounds of carbon (in CO2). Two autos are making a trip of 600 miles. The first auto gets 20 miles per gallon, and the second gets 30 miles per gallon. Approximately how much less carbon (in CO2) will be produced by the second auto on this trip?

a) 300 lbsb) 150 lbsc) 100 lbsd) 75 lbse) 50 lbs

2. Which of the following is the best explanation of the fact that agricultural production on floodplains is often relatively high?

a) On floodplains, soils tend to be nutrient-rich and fertile.b) On floodplains, high water tables make irrigation unnecessary.c) Periodic flooding leaches toxic pollutants out of floodplain soils.d) Periodic flooding prevents the pH of floodplain soils from becoming too high.e) Floodplains are usually sparsely settled and thus more acreage is available for

agriculture.

4. Many scientists maintain that a rise in sea level has occurred in the last hundred years as a result of global warming. If this is true, which of the following factors best explains such a rise?

a) Increased precipitationb) Increased cloud coverc) Increased evapotranspirationd) Thermal expansion of the oceane) Melting of permafrost

5. At the current rate of growth, Earth’s human population will double in about 50 years. Which of the following is the LEAST viable strategy for ensuring adequate nutrition for a population of this size?

a) Increasing the number of new food crops from the great diversity of plant species

b) Doubling the area of arable land on a global basisc) Developing systems for making the global distribution of food more equitabled) Increasing the area of land that is currently dedicated to grain production by

reducing the area dedicated to meat productione) Assisting developing countries in using highly efficient crop irrigation systems

6. Which of the following would be the strongest evidence in support of a scientist’s contention that a local area was experiencing acid deposition?

a) A sudden die-off of all the fish in a local streamb) A gradual increase in the temperature of a local lakec) An increase in the rate of photosynthesis of aquatic plants in a local

laked) A long-term increase in the pH of a local ponde) An increase in the concentrations of soluble heavy metals in a local

pond

7. If mean global temperature keeps on increasing as predicted by contemporary scientists, which of the following is most likely?

a) There will be fewer insect pests and disease-carrying organisms.b) Specialist species living in fragile ecosystems will risk extinction.c) There will be an increase in sulfate concentrations in wetlands.d) There will be an increase in the reproductive rate of mammals.e) The geographical range of many plants will move toward the equator.

9/261. A tsunami is caused by

A.The convergence of two large waves.B.A large movement in Earth’s crust, usually underwater.C.Devastation of a coral reef near shore.D.All transform movement on land.E.Movement in the molten part of Earth’s core.

2. Which of the following Richter Scale values represents an earthquake that has 100 times the ground displacement of an earthquake of magnitude 5.2?

A.3.2B.5.4C.7.2D.520E.0.52

Questions 3-6 refer to the following answers. Select the one lettered choice that best fits each statement.

A.ClayB.SiltC.SandD.HumusE.Loam

3.Portion of soil that contains fine particles that experience an ionic attraction to one another to make it impermeable to water.

4.A mixture of equal amounts of sand, clay, silt and humus.

5.Organic material composed of partially decayed plants and animals.

6.Coarse inorganic particles used in glass production.

10/31. The most commonly used measure of the economic growth of a country is

which of the following?A.Gross national productB.Level of exportsC.Level of importsD.Fertility rateE.Externalized costs

2. Which of the following best illustrates the concept of the tragedy of the commons?

A.Destruction of landscape by surface mining on private landB.Selective harvesting of trees by a timber company in a national forestC.Legislation of catch limits to avoid depletion of fish stocks in a shared lakeD.Inadvertent destruction of beneficial species while attempting to control pestsE.Depletion of an aquifer by regional farmers

3. The pH scale is a measurement of the concentration ofA.H3O ions.B.H+ions.C.NaOH.D.HCl.E.OH-ions.

4. Which environment’s soil will be weak in humus?A.Tropical rain forestB.Deciduous forestC.GrasslandD.DesertE.Coniferous forest

5. Which of the following factors does NOT influence a soil’s ability to hold water, nutrients, and air?

A.Soil textureB.Soil compositionC.Soil porosityD.Soil structureE.Soil pH

6. Which of the following is a place where primary succession may occur?

A.New island created by volcanoesB.Forest land cleared for farmingC.Area after forest fireD.Dried up lakeE.Alaskan wilderness

7. What are the first organisms that may appear after a disturbance damages an existing community but leaves the soil intact?

A.LichensB.Autotrophic microorganimsC.ShrubsD.GrassesE.Trees

10/171.Earth’s magnetic field is a result of movement within which layer?

A.Inner coreB.Outer coreC.MantleD.AsthenosphereE.Crust

2.Which of the following is TRUE of divergent plate boundaries?

A.A common feature is an island arc.B.It’s a boundary where two plates slide past each other.C.The density of the plates plays an important role.D.They are where mid-ocean ridges occur.E.They float on the lithosphere.

3. Most deaths in earthquakes occur because of which of the following?A.Poisonous, hot gases released into the atmosphereB.Violent shaking of earthquake wavesC.The speed with which earthquake waves travelD.Giant waves called tsunamisE.Poorly constructed buildings

4. How can a particularly violent volcanic eruption impact global temperature?A.It can’t because volcanoes have very local impacts.B.The lava released from a volcano can spread over a very wide area.C.The ash and dust released from an eruption can bury nearby cities and villages.D.Volcanoes create fertile soil that leads to more agriculture.E.Sulfur released from a volcanic eruption can enter the upper atmosphere where it turns into sulfuric acid.

5. Which of the following elements constitutes the highest percentage of mass in the Earth’s crust?

A.OxygenB.AluminumC.CarbonD.PotassiumE.Nitrogen

6.Which of the following best describes soils in many tropical rain forests?A.They lack soil horizons.B.They are quickly depleted of nutrients when the forest is removed.C.They are similar to soils in grasslands.D.They are well suited for growing a wide variety of crops.E.They are deep and well drained.

10/26Questions 1-4 refer to the following elements.

(A)Oxygen(B)Aluminum(C)Iron(D)Nitrogen(E)Argon

1. The most abundant element in Earth’s crust

2. The most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere

3. The most abundant element in Earth’s core

4. The element commercially extracted from bauxite

Questions 5-8 refer to the following answers. Select the one lettered choice that best fits each statement.

A.Igneous rocksB.Metamorphic rocksC.Sedimentary rocksD.All of the aboveE.None of the above

5.This type of rock is susceptible to chemical and mechanical weathering.

6.This type of rock is created by the cooling of magma within the lithosphere.

7.This type of rock is produced when small particles, transported by erosion, settle on top of each other and become compressed.

8.Marble is an example of this type of rock.

10/31

1. At which type of plate boundary is new crust formed?A. Convergent

B. Transform

C. Divergent

D. Subduction

E. Hot spot

2. Which of the following terms describes the ability of lava to flow?

A. Viscosity

B. Permeability

C. Porosity

D. Texture

E. Composition

3. A rock that has been changed due to heat and pressure is an example of what kind of rock?

A. Igneous

B. Metamorphic

C. Sedimentary

D. Intrusive

E. Extrusive

4. The pH scale is a measurement of the concentration of A. H3O ions.

B. H+ ions.

C. NaOH.

D. HCl.

E. OH- ions.

5. What impact could an influx of agricultural waste or manure have on an aquatic ecosystem?

A. Increase in dissolved oxygen

B. Excessive growth of algae

C. Reduction in photosynthesis

D. Lower BOD (biological oxygen demand)

E. Thermal shock

6. Buildings or statues made of which materials are particularly susceptible to acid rain?

A. Granite

B. Basalt

C. Wood

D. Marble

E. Concrete

7. Sedimentary rocks are a major sink for A. Oxygen.

B. Methane.

C. Sulfur.

D. Carbon.

E. Hydrogen.

11/14

1. Which of the following actions is consistent with sustainable agriculture?

A. Planting one crop only

B. Irrigating the fields

C. Applying heavy loads of fertilizers and pesticides

D. Planting alternating rows of multiple crops

E. Plowing the field under after harvesting

2. Which of the following is a nonrenewable resource?A. Fish

B. Aluminum

C. Hardwood Trees

D. Grasses

E. Agricultural crops

3. Reasons that human populations historically have settled in floodplains include:

I. The soil in floodplains is usually fertile.

II. The terrain in floodplains tends to be flat.

III. Flo0dplains are close to rivers for transportation.

A. I only

B. II only

C. I and II only

D. II and III only

E. I, II, and III

4. According to the information in the graph above, which of the following would most effectively slow the loss of arable land?

A. Increasing the efficiency of desalination processesB. Reducing urban developmentC. Increasing the efficiency of erosion controlD. Using more extensive irrigation systemsE. Discovering cheaper energy sources.

5. The land on a 100-acre farm is equally suited for grazing cattle and growing com. Of the following ways of distributing land use, which would produce the greatest number of calories for human consumption?

Acres for Acres for

Grazing Cattle Growing Corn(A) 100 0(B) 80 20(C) 50 50(D) 20 80(E) 0 100

6. Planting trees and/or shrubs between rows of crops is known asA. Contour farming.B. Planting windbreaks.C. Strip cropping.D. Alley cropping.E. Tillage farming.

7. The one area of the world that is NOT expected to increase food production soon isA. AsiaB. Latin AmericaC. Sub-Saharan AfricaD. ChinaE. India

8. The majority of nutrients and calories in the average human diet come from A. Potatoes, corn and rice.B. Wheat, rice and soybeans.C. Wheat, corn and rice.D. Wheat, corn and oats.E. Wheat, corn and soybeans.

11/21

1. Factors contributing to the rise in world hunger include all of

the following EXCEPT

(A) unequal distribution of available food supplies

(B) loss of or decline in arable land

(C) increasing rate of population growth

(D) increasing poverty in developing countries

(E) increasing consumption of vegetable protein in place of

meat protein

2. Which of the following describes a fundamental characteristic

of the green revolution in food resources?

(A) The application of higher levels of organic fertilizers to

increase rice production

(B) Deforestation to provide field crops with increased

sunlight for photosynthesis

(C) The addition of calorie, fat, and fiber percentages to the

information provided on food package labels

(D) The development of new strains of crops with higher

yields

(E) The discovery that chlorophyll adds nutritional value to

wheat, rice, and sorghum

Questions 3-4 refer to the figure below, which depicts the observed relation

between dietary fat intake and rate of death from breast cancer in different

countries.

3. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data?(A) Increased incidence of breast cancer is related to the average age of a country’s

population.

(B) The number of breast cancer deaths is proportional to the size of a country’s

population.

(C) Increased incidence of breast cancer is related to annual length of exposure to

solar radiation.

(D) Persons who reside in colder climates are more susceptible to breast cancer

than those who live in tropical regions.

(E) There is a positive correlation between breast cancer and dietary fat intake.

Questions 3-4 refer to the figure below, which depicts the observed relation

between dietary fat intake and rate of death from breast cancer in different

countries.

4. United States residents are how many times more likely to die from

breast cancer than residents of Hungary?

(A) 150

(B) 21

(C) 14

(D) 7

(E) 1.5

5. Chronically undernourished people are those who receive

approximately _______ calories or less per day.

A. 500

B. 1,000

C. 1,500

D. 2,000

E. 3,000

6. What percentage of the crops grown in the world today are

transgenic or genetically modified?

A. 0

B. 1% - 15 %

C. 20 % - 35 %

D. 40 % - 60 %

E. > 75 %

7. Chronically undernourished people represent

A. 1 in every 10

B. 1 in every 8

C. 1 in every 5

D. 1 in every 3

E. 1 in every 2

12/5

1. In a pyramid of biomass, there is a ________ reduction of biomass

for each successive trophic level.

A. 10 %

B. 30%

C. 50%

D. 70%

E. 90%

2. Intercropping refers to a growing technique in which

A. two or more crops are grown separately in huge plots.

B. two or more crops are grown at different times of the year so

they do not intersect.

C. two or more crops are alternated in the same field.

D. one single type of crop is grown.

E. contour plowing is used.

3. Methods for preserving genetic biodiversity include

A. releasing domesticated cattle into areas populated by bison.

B. use of inorganic fertilizers.

C. cultivating genetically engineered varieties of plants.

D. better irrigation.

E. farmers planting traditional varieties of crops.

4. The second law of thermodynamics would tend to support

A. people eating more meat than grain.

B. people eating more grain than meat.

C. people eating about the same amount of grain as meat.

D. people being undernourished.

E. People eating a balanced diet from all food groups.

5. Adding more fertilizer does NOT necessarily increase crop

production is an example of

A. law of supply and demand.

B. Leibig’s law of minimum.

C. limiting factors.

D. second law of thermodynamics.

E. Gaia hypothesis.

6. Most grain that is grown in the United States is used

A. for export to countries that need grain.

B. for cereals and baked goods.

C. to feed cattle.

D. for trade with other countries.

E. to create fuel and liquor.

12/121. Most populations in nature

A. show characteristic J-curves.B. show characteristic S-curves.C. show characteristic of dynamic equilibrium.D. show wide fluctuations in population growth.E. cannot be characterized.

2. A population showing a growth rate of 20, 40, 60, 80…would be characteristic of

A. logarithmic growth.B. exponential growth.C. static growth.D. arithmetic (linear) growth.E. power curve growth.

3. If a population doubles in about 70 years, it is showing a _____ %

A. 1B. 5C. 35D. 140E. 200

4. The number of children an average women would have, assuming that she lives her full reproductive lifetime, is known as the

A. birth rate.B. crude birth rate.C. TFR.D. RLF.E. zero population growth rate.

Question 5 &6 refer to an island off the coast of Costa Rica where 500 birds of a particular species live. Population biologists determined that this bird population was isolated with no immigration or emigration. After one year, the scientists were able to count 60 births and 10 deaths.

5. The net growth for this population wasA. 0.5.B. 0.9.C. 1.0.D. 1.1.E. 1.5.

6. The doubling time for this population would beA. 10 years.B. 13.3 years.C. 24.2 years.D. 63.6 years.E. 126 years.