Environmental Geology Exam Preparation Guide
Course Introduction
Environmental Geology explores the dynamic interactions between human activities and the geologic environment, focusing on how geological processes such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, and volcanic eruptions impact society. The course examines natural resource management, groundwater and surface water issues, soil degradation, environmental hazards, and sustainable use of earth materials. Emphasis is placed on understanding the geologic factors that influence environmental decision-making, evaluating the risks associated with various geologic phenomena, and developing strategies to mitigate negative environmental impacts. Through real-world case studies and practical applications, students learn to assess environmental problems from a geologic perspective and propose informed solutions.
Recommended Textbook
Visualizing Environmental Science 4th Edition by Linda R. Berg
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Chapter 1: The Environmental Challenges We Face
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Q1) In the scientific method,a hypothesis?
A)is a statement of fact
B)makes a prediction that can be tested
C)is usually proven to be correct
D)can only be tested once
Answer: B
Q2) Poverty is associated with all of the following EXCEPT:
A)low life expectancy
B)balanced nutrition
C)inadequate access to health services
D)illiteracy
Answer: B
Q3) Which of the following stages comes LAST in addressing environmental problems?
A)Risk analysis
B)Political action
C)Long-term management and evaluation
D)Scientific assessment
Answer: C
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Chapter 2: Sustainability and Human Values
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Q1) Which of the following statements about sustainable development is TRUE?
A)Sustainable development can support a high quality of life with continued population growth.
B)Sustainable development is only possible for people living in wealthy countries.
C)Sustainable development can only support levels of consumption within the limits of the environment.
D)Sustainable development will be able to support everyone in the world at the United States level of consumption.
Answer: C
Q2) Environmental sustainability implies:
A)the actions of humans directly impact the wellbeing of the natural environment
B)future generations will have the resources necessary for quality of life
C)the environment can function indefinitely without going into a decline from the stresses imposed by human society on natural systems
D)all of these choices
Answer: D
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Chapter 3: Environmental History, Politics, and Economics
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Q1) Whose name is associated with the concept of the land ethic and in which book did he make this argument?
A)George Perkins Marsh in Man and Nature
B)Henry David Thoreau in Walden
C)John Muir in The Yosemite
D)Aldo Leopold in Sand County Almanac
Answer: D
Q2) Which of the following is TRUE about Environmental Impact Statements?
A)They must be made available to the public.
B)They only address potential impact on endangered or threatened species.
C)They only need to project impact out to two years following the completion of the project.
D)They only affect the 10% of lands owned by the federal government.
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
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Chapter 4: Risk Analysis and Environmental Health Hazards
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Q1) What is the precautionary principle?What are the advantages and potential challenges of such an approach?Identify one way in which this principle has created international controversy.
Q2) Which of the following statements about risk,risk assessment,and risk management is CORRECT?
A)Risk assessment is the quantitative and qualitative characterization of risks so that they can be compared,contrasted and managed.
B)Risk assessment estimates the probability that an event will occur and helps us determine how we can best avoid,reduce,or eliminate a particular risk.
C)Based on risk assessment calculations,to reduce the risk of cancer it is more important to stop smoking than to stop drinking bottled water.
D)All of the above statements about risk,risk assessment,and risk management are correct.
Q3) What is E.coli?
A)bacteria
B)virus
C)protozoa
D)parasitic worm
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Chapter 5: How Ecosystems Work
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Q1) What is stated by the First Law of Thermodynamics?
A)energy can be created or destroyed by physical processes.
B)entropy always increases.
C)energy cannot be created or destroyed.
D)the organization of the universe is steadily increasing.
Q2) Which of the following series is organized in successive steps according to the levels of organization used by ecologists?
A)population -> ecosystem -> community
B)species -> community -> biosphere
C)species -> ecosystem -> population
D)population -> community -> ecosystem
Q3) In relationships that involve predation or herbivory,the organism that is the victim often has various defenses against being consumed.Compare and contrast plant defenses against herbivores and animal prey defenses against predators.
Q4) Which of the following statements about energy is TRUE?
A)It flows in only one direction through an ecosystem.
B)It can be used over and over again.
C)Energy recycles continuously through an ecosystem.
D)It tends to be concentrated by living organisms.
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Chapter 6: Ecosystems and Evolution
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Q1) What are the three main ecological categories of organisms found in aquatic ecosystems ?
A)plankton,nekton,fish
B)plankton,benthos,littoral
C)plankton,nekton,benthos
D)benthos,mangal,littoral
Q2) Which of the following is NOT an ecosystem service supported by the wetland ?
A)They provide biological habitat.
B)They trap pollution.
C)They replenish groundwater supply.
D)They provide fertile agricultural soils.
Q3) Which biome has considerable organic material in the soil,annual precipitation of 10-30 inches,and periodic wildfires to maintain the dominant vegetation ?
A)temperate deciduous forest.
B)chaparral.
C)temperate grassland.
D)boreal forest.
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Chapter 7: Human Population Change and the Environment
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Q1) What change in human population growth is predicted by the United Nation's population models
A)Population will double by 2100.
B)Population will begin to level off by 2100.
C)Population will continue to grow exponentially.
D)Population will level off by 2525.
Q2) What term or phrase do population ecologists use to describe the maximum number of individuals of a given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period,assuming there are no changes in the environment
A)Environmental resistance
B)Intrinsic rate of increase
C)Carrying capacity
D)Sustainability
Q3) What do population ecologists study
A)How animal communities form and interact
B)How groups of animals of the same species respond to their environment
C)The impact of humans on the environment
D)How ecosystems fit into the landscape
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Chapter 8: Air and Air Pollution
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Q1) According to National Academy of Sciences estimates,12% of all lung cancers are related to radioactivity caused by which of the following
A)The burning of coal.
B)Nuclear power plants.
C)Residual atmospheric radiation related to nuclear weapons testing.
D)Natural emissions that occur as uranium breaks down.
Q2) Electrostatic precipitators use electrical charges to attract and track what pollutants
A)a reduction in the combustion temperature of the fuel used.
B)conversion to solar energy as the energy source.
C)the use of a catalytic converter to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.
D)the use of an electrostatic precipitator to remove particulates.
Q3) Why is indoor air pollution a serious health hazard in some developing countries
A)The burning of coal releases significant amounts of particulates into the air.
B)People smoke more in developing countries.
C)Many homes rely on indoor burning of wood or dung without proper ventilation.
D)Most houses in these countries are well insulated,increasing household exposure to radiation.
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Chapter 9: Global Atmospheric Changes
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Q1) Assuming the absence of air pollution control devices,which of the following is a major source of sulfur dioxide
A)refrigeration and air conditioning
B)coal-burning power plants
C)motor vehicles
D)fertilizers
Q2) Which of the following greenhouse gases is produced as a result of fertilizer application
A)methane
B)nitrous oxide
C)tropospheric ozone
D)CFCs
Q3) Why is the layer of stratospheric ozone so important
A)Ozone breaks down greenhouse gases.
B)Ozone shields the earth from infrared radiation.
C)It shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation.
D)Ozone contributes to albedo,which cools the earth.
Q4) List four ways in which solar radiation shapes life on Earth.
Q5) What causes variation in precipitation
List and describe 3 important factors.
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Chapter 10: Freshwater Resources and Water Pollution
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Q1) The human body is made up of approximately percent water by weight.
A)10
B)20
C)40
D)70
Q2) What percentage of global water is available as freshwater for use by terrestrial organisms
A)less 3%
B)about 10%
C)about 40%
D)about 60%
Q3) Why is water sometimes treated with ultraviolet (UV)radiation
A)To improve its color.
B)To improve its taste.
C)To remove sediment.
D)To kill disease-causing agents.
Q4) Compare and contrast point source and nonpoint source pollution.Include the following components in your comparison: sources,impact,prevention,and regulation of each type of pollution.
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Chapter 11: The Ocean and Fisheries
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Q1) Which of the following about coastal development and its impacts on the marine environment is/are FALSE
A)Development of resorts,cities,industries,and agriculture along coasts alters or destroys many coastal ecosystems,including mangrove forests,salt marshes,sea grass beds,and coral reefs.
B)Although only 50 countries have coastal management strategies,their goals are broad as not only do they address issues related to economic development of the thin strips of land that directly border the oceans but they also integrate the management of both land and water.
C)Currently about 3.8 billion people (some 60% of the world's population)live within 150 km of a coastline and demographers project that perhaps as many as 6.0 billion people (about 75% of all humans)will live in coastal area by 2025 making sheer human numbers the main cause of coastal degradation.
D)No false statement,all of the above (a,b,& c)are true.
Q2) Adaptations found in inhabitants of the rocky intertidal zone include:
A)soft bodies.
B)an anchor or some other means of attachment.
C)streamlining.
D)warning coloration.
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Chapter 12: Mineral and Soil Resources
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Q1) Which of the following is NOT an important mineral
A)sulfur
B)water
C)iron
D)aluminum
Q2) Which of the following processes explains how soil is formed from parent material:
A)nutrient cycling.
B)decomposing of organic waste.
C)weathering processes.
D)erosion of steep slopes.
Q3) Formation of sedimentary rock results from which of the following processes
A)There is no such process,as rocks cannot be transformed from one type into another.
B)Igneous or metamorphic rock weathers and erodes and is transported and compacted.
C)Metamorphic rock melts and is heated under great pressure.
D)Magma rises to the surface of the earth and cools and solidifies.
Q4) What is humus
Briefly explain why it is important for the soil.
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Chapter 13: Land Resources
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Q1) While tropical rain forests are largely being cleared for ___,tropical dry forests are being destroyed largely due to ___.
A)commercial logging road construction
B)sourcing pharmaceutical products cattle ranching
C)mining mineral ores charcoal production
D)subsistence agriculture fuelwood harvesting
Q2) According to the Defenders of Wildlife,the top three most endangered ecosystems in the U.S.include:
A)Northwestern grassland,Heartland savanna,and California native grassland
B)South Florida landscape,Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest,and longleaf pine forests and savannas.
C)Alaskan tundra,Hawaii's rainforest,and coastal wetlands
D)Bogs,Arizona's deserts,and Rocky Mountain evergreen forests
Q3) Describe three reasons why government owned lands are important.
Q4) Who manages federal lands in the United States
A)National Park Service.
B)U)S.Forest Service.
C)U)S.Fish and Wildlife Service.
D)All of these agencies help to manage US lands.
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Chapter 14: Agriculture and Food Resources
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Q1) A type of subsistence agriculture in which short periods of cultivation are followed by longer periods of fallow land is called
A)shifting cultivation
B)slash-and-burn agriculture
C)nomadic herding
D)intercropping
E)polyculture
Q2) The natural or human-induced reduction in the potential ability of the land to support crops or livestock is
A)sustainable agriculture.
B)the green revolution.
C)a result of intercropping.
D)harvest deprivation.
E)land degradation.
Q3) Pesticides are effective in
A)decreasing the cost of subsistence farming.
B)increasing the crop damage due to competition with weeds.
C)small concentrations but not in large concentrations.
D)controlling some organisms that cause diseases in humans.
E)attracting particular insects to an area.
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Chapter 15: Biodiversity and Conservation
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Q1) The bottle of water that you are drinking may have been purified for you by a wetland or the root system of an entire forest.This is an example of
A)an ecosystem service.
B)water succession.
C)a biotic resource.
D)resource repurposing.
E)ecosystem repair.
Q2) The establishment of parks and reserves to preserve biological diversity in nature is an example of
A)in situ conservation.
B)ex situ conservation.
C)re situ conservation.
D)a natural setting zoo.
E)a seed bank.
Q3) What is conservation biology
Devise an in situ and an ex situ conservation plan for the preservation of the White Rhinoceros.
Q4) Distinguish between extinct,endangered,and threatened species.Give two characteristics that are common to many endangered species.
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Chapter 16: Solid and Hazardous Waste
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Q1) All of the following are problems associated with sanitary landfills except A)large quantities of potentially toxic fly ash.
B)landfills fill up too quickly so it is not a long-term solution to waste disposal.
C)leachate seeps through lining of landfills and contaminates groundwater.
D)methane gas accumulations create the possibility of explosions.
E)toxic chemicals such as heavy metals and pesticides are found in the leachate.
Q2) In 2010,the Deepwater Horizon oil spill sent millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.To keep the oil slick from polluting the fragile ecosystem of the Gulf coast,detergents and chemical dispersants were applied to the water's surface.The detergents were nutrient rich,being high in phosphorous and nitrogen compounds,and thus acted as fertilizer causing environmental damage on their own.Define green chemistry and consider how this subdiscipline of chemistry might help with the cleanup of the oil spill
Q3) The volume of solid waste generated can be dramatically decreased through A)source reduction.
B)sanitary landfills.
C)incineration.
D)leachate treatment.
E)the Superfund Act.
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Chapter 17: Nonrenewable Energy Resources
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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) Which of the following statements is false
A)The burning of both oil and natural gas produce nitrogen oxides.
B)The burning of both oil and natural gas leads to acid deposition.
C)The burning of both oil and natural gas produce large amounts of sulfur oxides.
D)The burning of both oil and natural gas provide sources of energy.
E)The burning of both oil and natural gas produce CO .
Q3) Per person energy consumption in highly developed nations is
A)increasing as oil prices continue to climb.
B)increasing as alternative energies are introduced into the mainstream.
C)decreasing as technological advances increase the energy efficiency.
D)decreasing as population levels rise.
E)remaining steady over time.
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Chapter 18: Renewable Energy Resources
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Q1) The best example of an energy storage element in a solar energy system is the
A)natural gas in a propane tank that can be used for cooking.
B)structural overhang that blocks sunlight in a passively cooled home.
C)insulated windows in a passively heated solar home.
D)hot water tank of a solar hot water system.
E)sun-tracking mirrors in a power tower system.
Q2) Fuel cells produce electricity 1.that cannot be stored and must be used immediately.
2)indefinitely,as long as they are supplied with fuel (hydrogen).
3)from fossil fuel added to the chemical reaction.
4)from solar energy that has been stored as chemical energy.
A)1 only
B)2 only
C)3 only
D)4 only
E)2 and 4
Q3) 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.
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