Earth and Environmental Science Exam Practice Tests
Course Introduction
Earth and Environmental Science explores the dynamic systems that shape our planet, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. The course examines geological processes such as plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanism, as well as the impact of human activities on Earth's natural resources and climate. Students gain an understanding of environmental challenges like pollution, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, and investigate sustainable solutions to promote planetary health. Through laboratory experiments and field studies, the course fosters scientific inquiry and critical thinking about the interconnectedness of Earth's systems and the importance of environmental stewardship.
Recommended Textbook
Visualizing Environmental Science 4th Edition by Linda R. Berg
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
18 Chapters
985 Verified Questions
985 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/780 Page 2
Chapter 1: The Environmental Challenges We Face
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
53 Verified Questions
53 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15352
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following DOES NOT describe a less developed country?
A)Countries where hunger,illiteracy,and poverty are common.
B)Countries such as Mali,Bangladesh,and Ethiopia where the economies of the nation are primarily agriculturally based.
C)Countries with low levels of industrialization,very high rates of population growth,very high infant mortality rates,and very low per person incomes.
D)Countries with abundant capital for investment but with limited unskilled labor.
Answer: D
Q2) Examples of non-sustainable human activities or behaviors include:
A)recycling
B)attempts to limit human population growth
C)using technology to improve car mileage
D)use of non-renewable fossil fuels
Answer: D
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: Sustainability and Human Values
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15353
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is the BEST example of sustainable consumption?
A)Constructing a small house on farmland on the edge of town and carpooling to work.
B)Flying to the Bahamas for a weekend getaway.
C)Preparing a meal at home with food bought at the local farmers market.
D)Purchasing five pairs of shoes at a local minority owned business.
Answer: C
Q2) A deep ecology worldview would support all of the following EXCEPT:
A)Nonhuman life forms have value that is independent of the usefulness they may have for narrow human purposes.
B)The richness and diversity of life contribute to the flourishing of life on Earth and humans have no right to reduce this richness and diversity except to satisfy vital needs.
C)The inherent responsibility of individuals to implement changes in society so that humans can flourish.
D)A spiritual respect for life reflected in appreciating quality of life rather than adhering to a high standard of living.
Answer: C
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 3: Environmental History, Politics, and Economics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15354
Sample Questions
Q1) What type of pollution control strategy does the Clean Air Act mainly depend on?
A)command-and-control regulation.
B)incentive-based regulation.
C)relative control regulation.
D)environmental impact statements.
Answer: A
Q2) Who was the founder of the Sierra Club and a force behind the establishment of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks?
A)John Muir
B)Henry David Thoreau
C)John James Audubon
D)Aldo Leopold
Answer: A
Q3) In 2000,"Clean Energy Now!" was:
A)the main reason for the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act
B)the theme for Earth Day celebrations
C)the reason for the American Dust Bowl
D)the new motto for the Sierra Club
Answer: B
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 5
Chapter 4: Risk Analysis and Environmental Health Hazards
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
54 Verified Questions
54 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15355
Sample Questions
Q1) The study of the effects of chemical,biological,and physical agents on the health of human populations is called:
A)toxicology
B)ecology
C)epidemiology
D)chronic toxicity
Q2) Currently,toxicologists use to assign risk to mixtures of chemicals in risk assessment studies.
A)additivity
B)synergy
C)antagonism
D)Persistence
Q3) A toxicologist is most likely to study which of the following?
A)The impact of acid precipitation
B)DDT exposure in golf course workers
C)Risk of heart disease in relation to obesity
D)Types of malaria in Africa
Q4) Define acute toxicity and explain how it is different from chronic toxicity?Use the example of pesticides to highlight the differences between the forms of toxicity.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: How Ecosystems Work
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
68 Verified Questions
68 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15356
Sample Questions
Q1) What is coevolution?
A)The interdependent evolution of two interacting species.
B)The interdependent evolution of similar organisms whose members freely interbreed in the wild.
C)The evolution of a single species producing more offspring than will survive.
D)Species that lack a nuclear membrane and other internal cell membranes.
Q2) Keystone species:
A)are only found in aquatic habitats.
B)are always found at the top of the food chain.
C)are vital to the soil balance of an entire ecosystem.
D)are usually not the most abundant species in the ecosystem.
Q3) In order for a parasite to be successful,it must?
A)live outside its host's body
B)live inside its host's body
C)do no harm to the host organism
D)keep its host alive
Q4) Explain the meaning and importance of "nitrogen fixation." Give a specific example of an organism capable of this process and discuss the relationship this organism has with plants.
Q5) Define coevolution and list two examples.
Page 7
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 6: Ecosystems and Evolution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
71 Verified Questions
71 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15357
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the main difference between short and tall grass prairies ?
A)One is dominated by grasses and the other is dominated by forbs.
B)Tall grass prairies receive more rainfall than short grass prairies.
C)Short grass prairies occur in warmer latitudes than tall grass prairies.
D)Tall grass prairies typically have colder winters than short grass prairies
Q2) The mechanism of natural selection involves all of the following EXCEPT:
A)overproduction within a species.
B)limits on population growth.
C)genetic variation.
D)a stable community structure.
Q3) Which biome is characterized by hot summers and cold winters,topsoil rich in organic material,annual precipitation of 75 to 125 cm (30-50 in),and many hardwood trees ?
A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)temperate grassland.
C)temperate rain forest.
D)boreal forest.
Q4) Compare and contrast the zonation and ecology of freshwater lakes.Identify relevant processes,and incorporate specific examples where appropriate using the following terminology: littoral,limnetic,and profundal.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 8
Chapter 7: Human Population Change and the Environment
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
59 Verified Questions
59 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15358
Sample Questions
Q1) The total fertility rate is the number of children born:
A)to the average woman per year.
B)to the average woman during her lifetime.
C)in the world during a single year.
D)in a population during a single year.
Q2) Which of the following factors has the LEAST effect on the death rates of a population
A)Availability of health care
B)Provision of adequate sanitation systems
C)Age structure of the population
D)Availability of good nutrition
Q3) Which of the following is an example of environmental resistance
A)Unlimited resources
B)Predation
C)Ideal conditions
D)High growth rate
Q4) Why is it impossible to precisely determine the Earth's carrying capacity for the human population
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: Air and Air Pollution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15359
Sample Questions
Q1) An analysis of air pollutants in an urban area resulted in the detection of NO2,SO2,CO,and particulates.How are all these chemicals related
A)All of them are classified as primary pollutants.
B)All of them are classified as secondary pollutants.
C)All of them contribute to acid precipitation.
D)All are components of photochemical smog.
Q2) Ozone in the ___ is essential as it protects the Earth's surface form UV radiation but ozone in the ___ is a human-made air pollutant that contributes to global warming.
A)troposphere; stratosphere
B)stratosphere; troposphere
C)troposphere; thermosphere
D)mesosphere; stratosphere
Q3) Why is radon more of a problem today than in the past
What specific health concerns are related to exposure to radon
Be sure to include a discussion of the source of this gas in your answer.
Q4) Explain how people like the Inuit,who live in remote pristine areas,are exposed to air pollution.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Global Atmospheric Changes
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
49 Verified Questions
49 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15360
Sample Questions
Q1) Describe the difference between mitigation and adaptation as strategies that can be used to deal with global climate change.Discuss the strengths of each strategy and give two examples of each strategy can be implemented.
Q2) Which of the following statements about sea level rise is false
A)As the Antarctic ice cap melts the amount of water in the oceans increases.
B)As ocean water heats up,it expands causing sea levels to rise.
C)The melting of continental glaciers does not contribute to changes in sea levels as this melt water is contained in river systems.
D)Sea levels have already risen 10-20 cms putting island nations like the Maldives at risk.
Q3) Although global climate change,ozone depletion,and acid deposition are often treated as three separate issues there are many links between these three problems.Describe three of these links.
Q4) Identify four potential effects of global climate change.Briefly discuss the ramifications of each of the effects that you have identified.
Q5) Describe the difference between tropospheric ozone and stratospheric ozone.Explain the significance of each for humans and other forms of life on Earth.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
11
Chapter 10: Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
66 Verified Questions
66 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15361
Sample Questions
Q1) What causes salinization
A)Overuse of road salts in urbanized areas.
B)Leaking of ocean water into overused aquifers in coastal areas.
C)Accumulation of salts in agricultural soils due to repeated irrigation.
D)Increased evaporation and transpiration in urbanized areas.
Q2) Which of the following is an example of surface water
A)saturated soil
B)an unconfined aquifer
C)a pond
D)groundwater
Q3) Compare the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act.Briefly discuss the effectiveness of each act and highlight any areas in which pollution is still "escaping" regulation.
Q4) Which of the following statements about the Safe Drinking Water Act is TRUE
A)The law was passed in 1965.
B)It allowed states to set their own standards for drinking water.
C)It required the EPA to determine the maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.
D)This law established the Environmental Protection Agency.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 12
Chapter 11: The Ocean and Fisheries
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
46 Verified Questions
46 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15362
Sample Questions
Q1) A 2004 report by the US Commission on Ocean Policy recommended what 3 changes to improve oceans and coasts
Why were these changes recommended
Q2) What unique problem is related to photodegradation of plastics
A)They break down into highly toxic chemicals.
B)Photodegradation of plastics is the cause of coral bleaching
C)Plastics break down,but into tiny bits that persist for an indefinite period.
D)Fish starve when they feed on degraded plastics.
Q3) The difference(s)between fishing and aquaculture is/are:
A)Fish populations in aquaculture operations are more genetically homogenous than wild ones that are caught by fishing fleets.
B)Highly developed nations harvest more fishes from the ocean while developing nations produce much more seafood by aquaculture.
C)The limit on the size of a catch in fishing is the size of the natural population,whereas the limit on aquacultural production is primarily the size of the area in which organisms can be grown.
D)All of the above are differences between fishing and aquaculture
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 13
Chapter 12: Mineral and Soil Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
70 Verified Questions
70 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15363
Sample Questions
Q1) When small fragments of eroded rocks or marine organisms are compacted together it forms:
A)igneous rock
B)metamorphic rock
C)sedimentary rock
D)mineral ores
Q2) What is the MAIN requirement of reclaiming land degraded by any type of mining operation
A)To restore them to the same type of ecosystem that existed before mining began on that site.
B)To stabilize the soil so that further degradation does not occur.
C)To create areas for housing subdivisions.
D)To comply with federal law.
Q3) How is soil different from crushed rock
A)Soil forms through leaching whereas crushed rock forms due to erosion.
B)Only soil holds water,only crushed rock holds air.
C)Soil contains humus whereas crushed rock does not.
D)Soil is composed of weathered parent material whereas crushed rock is not.
Q4) Identify the major components of soil and discuss the role of each in the support of living organisms.
Page 14
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 13: Land Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
47 Verified Questions
47 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15364
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements about forests in the U.S.is FALSE
A)The majority (well over 50%)of U.S.forests are owned and managed by private individuals.
B)Forests in the eastern U.S.are holding steady or even expanding due to secondary succession on abandoned farmland.
C)One of the biggest threats to forests in the U.S.is their potential subdivision and conversion to suburban development like housing and shopping malls.
D)Projected conversion of forests to agriculture,urban,and suburban lands over the next 40 years will have the greatest potential impact in the south.
Q2) Which of the following statements about clear-cutting is FALSE
A)Timber companies prefer clear-cutting because it is the most cost-effective way to harvest trees.
B)Wood from clear-cut forest would bear the FSC certification.
C)Clear-cutting is ecologically unsound because it destroys biological habitats and increases soil erosion,particularly on sloping land.
D)With clear-cutting,most recreational benefits of forests are lost.
Q3) Describe three reasons why government owned lands are important.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 15
Chapter 14: Agriculture and Food Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
49 Verified Questions
49 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15365
Sample Questions
Q1) Subsistence agricultural practices are characterized by all of the following attributes except
A)use of manure as fertilizer.
B)use of draft animals for labor source.
C)water and fossil fuel energy conservation.
D)high crop yield per acre.
E)limited use of agrochemicals.
Q2) Industrialized agriculture in highly developed countries requires
A)very little capital input because it relies on solar energy and precipitation.
B)no inorganic fertilizers or pesticides.
C)small inputs of energy from fossil fuels that produce very high crop yields.
D)a large amount of land and large inputs of energy from humans and animals.
E)large capital inputs,small tracts of land,and less manual labor.
Q3) What does the term "green revolution" mean
Discuss the pros and cons associated with the green revolution in agriculture.
Q4) Define sustainable agriculture and list three changes that would need to be incorporated into industrialized agriculture to make it more sustainable.
Q5) Why is world population control the most fundamental solution to world food problems
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 16
Chapter 15: Biodiversity and Conservation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
51 Verified Questions
51 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15366
Sample Questions
Q1) Why don't scientists know the exact number of species on Earth
A)because about 10,000 new species are identified each year.
B)because species are becoming extinct at a rate that is too fast to count
C)because the system used to define what constitutes a species keeps changing
D)because historical records are inaccurate
E)Scientists do know.There are 1.8 million existing species on Earth
Q2) What are the four human causes of species endangerment and extinction
Which one is the single greatest threat
Give an example of a specific organism that has been harmed by each human activity.
Q3) A plan designed to conserve biological diversity worldwide,formulated in 1980 by the international environmental agencies is the ___.
A)World Conservation Strategy
B)International Biological Diversity Scheme
C)US Endangered Species Act
D)Global Restoration Proposal
E)Comprehensive Preservation Design
Q4) What is conservation biology
Devise an in situ and an ex situ conservation plan for the preservation of the White Rhinoceros.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 17
Chapter 16: Solid and Hazardous Waste
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
40 Verified Questions
40 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15367
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of green chemistry
A)use bacteria to treat contaminated soil
B)use plants to absorb and accumulate toxic materials from the soil
C)develop a water-based solvent to substitute for a chlorinated solvent for industrial cleaning
D)use high-temperature incineration to detoxify pesticides
E)prevent chemical accidents through the principle of inherent safety
Q2) Today's solid waste contains more ___ than in the past,whereas the amounts of glass and steel have declined.
A)paper and plastics
B)food wastes
C)yard wastes
D)copper and aluminum
E)rubber and wood
Q3) Distinguish between municipal and nonmunicipal solid waste.
Q4) What is the goal of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,Compensation,and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Describe one strength and weakness of the Superfund program.
Q5) What are dioxins and PBCs
How are they produced and what harm do they cause
Page 18
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 17: Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
44 Verified Questions
44 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15368
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of high-level radioactive waste
A)glassware giving off small amounts of ionizing radiation
B)paper contaminated by radioactivity
C)reactor coolant fluid
D)lab coat used in an area where radioactive material is present
E)filters from sampling devices that test for radioactive contamination
Q2) A device that initiates and maintains a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction to produce energy for electricity is a
A)geothermal nuclear apparatus.
B)nuclear combustion chamber.
C)nuclear reactor.
D)nuclear electric engine.
E)electrical fusion device.
Q3) At oil refineries,heated crude oil is separated into different products based on ___.
A)water solubility
B)density
C)boiling points
D)sulfur content
E)energy potential
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 19
Chapter 18: Renewable Energy Resources
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
43 Verified Questions
43 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/15369
Sample Questions
Q1) All of the following are options to conserve energy at home except A)improve insulation.
B)install double paned windows.
C)keep a beverage refrigerator in the garage.
D)use thermal lined curtains.
E)caulk cracks on exterior of home.
Q2) Biomass is composed of
A)nonrenewable materials.
B)liquid chemicals.
C)greenhouse gases.
D)soil and water.
E)organic material from plants and animals.
Q3) Solar technologies can provide many services for homes.Define four consumer solar technologies and discuss their applications in improving a home's energy efficiency.Discuss the advantages and the drawbacks for each technologies implementation.
Q4) The electric company approaches you with a proposition to allow a wind farm installation on your available property in the Great Plains.Identify one advantage and one disadvantage of agreeing to a "wind farm" on your property.Suggest three alternative geographic places suitable for wind farm development.
Page 20
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.