Environmental Studies
Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary course that explores the relationship between humans and their natural environment. The course covers key topics such as ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change, natural resource management, and sustainable development. Students will examine environmental issues from scientific, social, economic, and political perspectives, learning about the causes and consequences of environmental problems as well as strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Through case studies, projects, and discussions, learners will gain the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to understand current environmental challenges and contribute to creating a more sustainable future.
Recommended Textbook
Natural Hazards 4th Edition by Edward A. Keller
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14 Chapters
1033 Verified Questions
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction to Natural Hazards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The wealthiest countries generally have fewer deaths from natural disasters than poorer countries.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Explain the difference between a forecast and a prediction.
Answer: A prediction of a hazardous event such as an earthquake involves specifying the date, time, and size of the event. This is different from predicting where or how often a particular event such as a flood will occur. Flood analysis involves making a forecast, which has ranges of certainty.
Q3) Which of the following is something geologists look for in understanding the history of natural disasters in an area?
A) Landforms
B) Faults in rock
C) Lava flows
D) Organic material in flood deposits
E) All of the above
Answer: E
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3
Chapter 2: Internal Structure of the Earth and Plate
Tectonics
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Sample Questions
Q1) The asthenosphere layer of the Earth is completely liquid.
A)True
B)False Answer: False
Q2) The oldest ocean crust will tend to occur at the greatest distances from the mid-ocean ridge.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) The youngest seafloor rocks are found
A) nearest to the mid-ocean ridges.
B) nearest to the continental shelves.
C) evenly distributed throughout the ocean.
D) underneath the continents.
E) where the ocean is the flattest.
Answer: A
Q4) During subduction, one plate sinks under another tectonic plate.
A)True
B)False Answer: True
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Chapter 3: Earthquakes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain what a blind thrust fault is and why it is dangerous to those who live near them.
Answer: A blind thrust fault does not extend to the surface and that makes it difficult to evaluate the earthquake hazard in some areas.
Q2) Explain how earthquakes may be beneficial to human interests.
Answer: Geologic faults produced by earthquakes strongly influence the underground flow of water, oil, and natural gas. Faulting related to earthquakes may be responsible for the accumulation or exposure of economically valuable minerals.
Q3) Which seismic waves produce the smallest amplitude?
A) P-waves
B) S-waves
C) Surface waves
D) All seismic waves have the same magnitude.
Answer: A
Q4) Earthquakes are only found along tectonic plate boundaries.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 4: Tsunamis
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Sample Questions
Q1) Human activities are making tsunamis more common and larger.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Tsunamis have enough erosional power to alter the landscape of coastlines that they hit.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Why don't boats in the open ocean notice a tsunami approaching?
A) Boats will usually mistake the large waves for tidal waves and not recognize them as tsunamis.
B) Tsunamis are too small in amplitude in the open ocean and the distance between crests is too large for boats to notice their passing.
C) Because tsunamis are produced by earthquakes, the boats are probably still recovering from the initial tremors to notice a change in the water waves.
D) Tsunami waves don't break and therefore won't be noticed by boats.
E) The statement is false. Tsunami waves are always noticed by boats in the open ocean.
Q4) Explain how asteroids and volcanic eruptions are linked with tsunamis.
Q5) What is Structural Control and how does it help to minimize the tsunami hazard?
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Page 6
Chapter 5: Volcanoes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is <b>FALSE</b> about caldera eruptions?
A) Caldera eruptions are extremely violent in nature.
B) Caldera eruptions are very rare.
C) Caldera eruptions erupt enough ash to potentially alter global climate.
D) Caldera eruptions result in towering volcanic mountains.
E) Caldera eruptions have occurred in the United States in geologic history.
Q2) Mauna Loa in Hawaii is an example of which type of volcano?
A) Shield volcano
B) Composite cone
C) Lava dome
D) Cinder cone
E) Stratovolcano
Q3) Which of the following magma types will usually flow the fastest?
A) Basaltic
B) Andesitic
C) Rhyolitic
D) All magma flows at similar speeds.
Q4) Describe the hazards associated with an ash fall.
Q5) Most volcanoes are around the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire." Explain why they are there and what kind of volcanoes form there.
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Flooding
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Sample Questions
Q1) How would the hydrograph of a large rainstorm change after urbanization of an area?
A) The hydrograph would become a straight line.
B) The peak of the hydrograph would become lower and wider.
C) The peak of the hydrograph would become higher and wider.
D) The peak of the hydrograph would become higher and narrower.
E) The peak of the hydrograph would become lower and narrower.
Q2) What two parameters are plotted in a hydrograph?
A) Cross-sectional area vs. stage
B) Stage vs. elevation
C) Discharge vs. time
D) Stage vs. gradient
E) Velocity vs. discharge
Q3) Which of the following loads would make a river appear murky or dirty?
A) Bed load
B) Suspended load
C) Dissolved load
D) Structural load
E) Buoyant load
Q4) Explain the role of rivers in the rock cycle.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Mass Wasting
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Sample Questions
Q1) The type of mass wasting process that occurs depends on many different factors including the steepness of the slope and the type of material involved.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Explain how drains minimize the landslide hazard.
Q3) Which of the following natural disasters is linked in some way with landslides?
A) Earthquakes
B) Floods
C) Volcanoes
D) Tsunamis
E) Earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, and tsunamis all have some connection with landslides.
Q4) If you see a steep cliff with piles of rocks at the bottom, what kind of mass wasting has occurred?
A) Slump
B) Creep
C) Fall
D) Debris flow
Q5) Explain the difference between a loose snow and slab avalanche.
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Chapter 8: Subsidence and Soils
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Sample Questions
Q1) How does land subsidence contribute to water pollution?
A) Using sinkholes as landfills can cause pollutants to seep into groundwater.
B) When rocks are dissolved, dangerous chemicals enter our drinking water.
C) When the land sinks, it pulls water deep into the soil where there are pollutants.
D) Tourists who visit caves add a dangerous amount of pollutants to the water.
E) Caves host diverse species that can be a danger to groundwater.
Q2) Explain the possible cause of subsidence in areas of Texas. Explain how you arrived at your answer.
Q3) Which of the following is the best match between climate and soil hazard?
A) Solution sinkholes and arid climates
B) Collapsible soils and humid climates
C) Solution sinkholes and polar climates
D) Expansive soils with distinct wet and dry seasons
E) Collapsible soils and polar climates
Q4) Explain the basics of how sinkholes are formed in an area.
Q5) Damage from soil volume change in the U.S. commonly costs more annually than all other natural disasters combined.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: Atmosphere and Severe Weather
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain how the Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornados.
Q2) What drives the movement of wind?
A) Coriolis force
B) Pressure differences
C) Friction
D) Earth's internal heat
E) Reactions of ozone molecules
Q3) No mountains on Earth extend above the troposphere.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which type of severe thunderstorm generally spawn the largest tornadoes?
A) Mesoscale convection systems
B) Squall lines
C) Supercell storms
D) Derechos
E) Microbursts
Q5) The Earth intersects most of the Sun's radiation.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Explain how humans can affect the weather.
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Chapter 10: Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones
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Sample Questions
Q1) Cyclones spin in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres due to the Coriolis Effect.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Increasing wind speed will result in a larger storm surge.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Cyclones can dramatically increase the amount of coastal erosion that takes place.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which is <b>NOT</b> an effect of hurricanes?
A) High winds
B) Storm surge
C) Flooding
D) Mudslides
E) Gradual subsidence of land
Q5) What are some human activities that increase the negative effects of hurricanes?
Q6) Describe the development of the extratropical cyclone.
Q7) Explain how and when a hurricane gets its name.
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Coastal Hazards
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Sample Questions
Q1) How would you spot a rip-current from the shore?
A) Look for an area where waves are moving towards the shore
B) Look for an area where longshore are moving quickly parallel to the shore
C) Look for an area of calm surrounded by breaking waves
D) Look for an area of intense breaking waves
E) Rip currents are not visible from the shore.
Q2) Which of the following hard stabilizations is built parallel to shore and is intended to protect homes, cliffs, or bluffs?
A) Jetties
B) Breakwaters
C) Seawalls
D) Beach nourishment
E) Groins
Q3) Swells refer to the trough of the wave.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Plunging breakers are more common on west coast beaches because of the shape of the shoreline.
A)True
B)False
Page 13
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Chapter 12: Climate and Climate Change
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Sample Questions
Q1) Your great-great grandmother may have written on her wedding photos about the weather on the day of her wedding. What type of data would this be?
A) Instrumental record
B) Historical record
C) Paleo-proxy record
D) Paleontological record
Q2) How is the Earth's climate changing?
A) It is warming probably due to increased levels of CO in the atmosphere.
B) It is warming probably due to increased volcanic activity.
C) It is cooling probably due to human interaction.
D) It is cooling probably due to increased volcanic activity.
E) Scientists have not come to a consensus on what the Earth's climate is doing.
Q3) Climate refers to the average weather in a given location over a long period of time. A)True
B)False
Q4) Is the greenhouse effect itself a bad thing? Explain why or why not.
Q5) Explain the limitations of the Paleo-proxy record. Explain why they are used as climate data.
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Chapter 13: Wildfires
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Sample Questions
Q1) Describe the events surrounding the Yellowstone fires of 1988. Based on your understanding of wildfires, do you think that the Yellowstone Natural Burn Policy is an appropriate policy or not? Describe the pros and cons of a natural burn and explain why you chose the side that you did.
Q2) Wildfires are frequent in some areas of Southern California. Explain why wildfires are frequent here. What conditions will cause wildfire activity. Explain what Californians could do to decrease the effects of the fires.
Q3) Describe some of the positive effects of wildfires.
Q4) Which of the following best describes what happens during the preignition process in wildfire development?
A) Fuel is heated, it loses water and is ready to be ignited.
B) Fuel at the front of a fire is ignited.
C) Fuel gains carbon dioxide and is ready to burn.
D) Gases heat and expand into fuel.
E) Gases cool and contract to produce fuel.
Q5) People on hillsides are usually safe from wildfires because the fires cannot climb hills.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 14: Impacts and Extinctions
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Sample Questions
Q1) Mass extinctions are usually caused by some kind of rapid climate change.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Younger Dryas represents a time of an unusual combination of abrupt glacial melting followed by climatic cooling that has been explained by an extraterrestrial impact.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following natural disasters was <b>NOT</b> caused by the asteroid impact at the K-Pg boundary?
A) Tsunamis
B) Volcanoes
C) Earthquakes
D) Wildfires
E) Acid Rain
Q4) Asteroids mostly originate in a belt found between Mars and Jupiter.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Describe how an asteroid impact is capable of causing a mass extinction.
Q6) What is the difference between an asteroids, meteor, and comet?
Page 16
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