Global Environmental Change
Final Exam Questions
Course Introduction
Global Environmental Change explores the scientific, social, and policy dimensions of changes occurring in the Earth's environment, including climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and pollution. The course examines the drivers and impacts of these changes at local, regional, and global scales, integrating perspectives from natural and social sciences. Students will analyze the complex interactions between human activities and Earth systems, assess mitigation and adaptation strategies, and consider the roles of governance, technology, and international cooperation in addressing global environmental challenges.
Recommended Textbook
Principles of Environmental Science 8th Edition by William P Cunningham Prof
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16 Chapters
564 Verified Questions
564 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Understanding Our Environment
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Sample Questions
Q1) Of the following statements and questions, which is the best example of deductive reasoning?
A) If all insects have six legs, then butterflies have six legs.
B) In repeated tosses of a coin, there is a 50/50 chance of each toss resulting in a "head."
C) How many times will the toss of coins turn "heads-up" if 100 people each toss a coin?
D) Since every insect I have examined so far has six legs, I conclude that all insects must have six legs.
E) All of these are examples of deductive reasoning.
Answer: A
Q2) What would be considered to be an area in environmental science where we are seeing progress toward sustainability?
A) Biodiversity loss
B) World hunger
C) Climate change
D) kRenewable energy
Answer: D
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3
Chapter 2: Environmental Systems: Matter and Energy of Life
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43 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Humans alter the sulfur cycle by
A) burning fossil fuels.
B) mining rock.
C) applying too much fertilizer to crop fields.
D) clear cutting tropical forests.
Answer: A
Q2) The damage to an ecosystem caused by a hurricane or flood can be referred to as
A) An open system
B) An emergent property
C) Equilibrium in nature
D) A disturbance
E) Negative feedback loop
Answer: D
Q3) Photosynthesis is the process of converting __________ into __________ energy.
A) chemical bond energy; kinetic
B) solar energy; chemical bond
C) solar energy; kinetic
D) solar electrical energy; heat
E) chemical bond energy; potential
Answer: B
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Chapter 3: Evolution, Species Interactions, and Biological Communities
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Sample Questions
Q1) A climax community is one that
A) is relatively stable and long lasting.
B) lasts forever.
C) contains oaks or white spruce.
D) is impervious to disruption.
E) is adapted to periodic disruption.
Answer: A
Q2) Which of the following does not contribute to limits on population growth?
A) snakes feeding on mice in a cornfield
B) bears having two cubs
C) the amount of light for photosynthesis
D) a disease-causing organism entering a population
E) an increase in the total rainfall in a normally dry environment
Answer: E
Q3) The introduction of a predator onto an island originally free from predators is likely to cause the extinction of a native species.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Page 5
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Chapter 4: Human Populations
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Sample Questions
Q1) The graph indicates that there is
A) a strong relationship between infant mortality and education for women.
B) little relationship between infant mortality and education for women.
C) a relationship between infant mortality and education in general.
D) more importance for female rather than male education.
E) a relationship between birth rate and education for women.
Q2) Technological optimists argue that technological advances have A) led to the increase in human population but whether we can continue is of great concern.
B) proven Marx wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster.
C) proven Malthus wrong in his predictions of famine and disaster.
D) been developed because there are more people, supporting the view that more people are the "ultimate resource."
E) been a neutral factor in the issue of population growth.
Q3) One of the _________ effective ways to stabilize populations is to _________.
A) most; provide free contraceptives
B) least; provide free contraceptives
C) least; decrease child mortality
D) most; decrease child mortality
E) most; expect mandatory sterilization
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Chapter 5: Biomes and Biodiversity
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Sample Questions
Q1) The area marked "A" has a
A) wide precipitation range and narrow temperature range.
B) narrow precipitation and temperature range.
C) wide precipitation and temperature range.
D) wide temperature range and narrow precipitation range.
E) varying temperature and narrow precipitation range.
Q2) The temperature boundary in freshwater lakes is the A) thermocline.
B) epilimnion.
C) benthos.
D) hypolimnion.
Q3) Estuaries are often referred to as nursery areas due to the number of organisms that use them for breeding.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Tuna and great white sharks would be found within the A) benthic zone.
B) littoral zone.
C) pelagic zone.
D) hadal zone.
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Environmental Conservation: Forests,
Grasslands, Parks, and Nature
Preserves
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Sample Questions
Q1) The primary aim of the U.S. Forest Service has historically been to provide ______________ based on Pinchot's philosophy of _________________.
A) the benefits of forests for current and future populations; ecocentric preservation
B) fire patrols to protect ancient forests; biocentric preservation
C) wildlife habitat; biocentric preservation
D) public recreation and education; pragmatic conservation
E) timber to logging companies; pragmatic conservation
Q2) Knowing that there are many endangered species found in the old growth forests of the United States, what might you expect remains today of all the old growth forests that stood in the United States before European settlement?
A) about 90 percent
B) about 35 percent
C) about 50 percent
D) about 25 percent
E) less than 10 percent
Q3) The loss of forests can affect rainfall patterns.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 7: Food and Agriculture
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Sample Questions
Q1) You can participate in sustainable agriculture by A) buying local produce.
B) eating lower on the food chain.
C) participating in CSAs.
D) eating locally lower on the food chain and participating in CSAs.
Q2) The parent material layer of a soil is composed of weathered A) humus.
B) organic detritus and roots.
C) residual aluminum and iron.
D) soil.
E) rock fragments.
Q3) Wind erosion is most likely to cause problems in A) forested grazing lands on high mountains.
B) open, arid regions.
C) fertile river bottoms with annual floods.
D) agricultural regions in the far north.
E) protected, arid region.
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Chapter 8: Environmental Health and Toxicology
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Sample Questions
Q1) An allergen
A) is a toxic substance.
B) is a natural pathogen.
C) over-stimulates the immune system.
D) attacks the nervous system.
Q2) With respect to exposure to toxins which statement is correct?
A) Acute effects are much worse than chronic effects.
B) Acute effects are not as bad as chronic effects.
C) Acute effects are the immediate results of a single exposure, chronic effects are those that are long-lasting.
D) Acute effects are permanent, chronic effects may be short or long term but go away over time.
Q3) Historically, the greatest threats to human health came from
A) carcinogenic or toxic chemicals.
B) psychological stress factors due to crowding.
C) pathogenic organisms.
D) teratogenic chemicals.
E) injuries (intentional and unintentional).
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10
Chapter 9: Climate
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Sample Questions
Q1) Most of the excessive carbon dioxide that is expected to cause global warming is generated by
A) green plants.
B) burning of fossil fuels.
C) production of cement and clearing of forests.
D) All of these are correct.
E) burning of fossil fuels and production of cement and clearing of forests only.
Q2) ________________ stated that signatory nations must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2012.
A) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
B) ENSO
C) U.S. Military Advisory Board
D) Kyoto Protocol
E) United Nations
Q3) There has been an increase in frequency and intensity of storms and hurricanes.
A)True
B)False
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11
Chapter 10: Air Pollution
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Sample Questions
Q1) Cap and trade policies have been successful in lowering the levels of carbon dioxide and CFCs.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The "ozone hole" is a depletion currently most serious
A) at the most populated latitudes.
B) over North America.
C) in tropical latitudes.
D) near the Hadley cells.
E) near the poles.
Q3) ________ is/are examples of secondary pollutants.
A) Aerosols
B) Volatile organic compounds
C) Photochemical oxidants
D) Combustion gases
E) Dust from soil erosion
Q4) Worldwide, air pollution control efforts are least advanced or least successful in major cities of developing countries.
A)True
B)False
Page 12
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Chapter 11: Water: Resources and Pollution
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Sample Questions
Q1) All of the following are example of point source pollution, except
A) Drainpipes
B) Sewer Outfalls
C) Ditches
D) Effluent Pipes
E) Runoff from farms
Q2) Withdrawal is the total amount of water
A) lost in transmission, due to evaporation or leakage.
B) taken from rivers, lakes, or aquifers.
C) used in manufacturing or agriculture.
D) altered or polluted in human activities.
E) lost due to chemical transformation because of human use.
Q3) The residence time for an average water molecule in the ocean is about ________ years.
A) 2
B) 60
C) 850
D) 3000
E) 12000
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Page 13
Chapter 12: Environmental Geology and Earth Resources
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following factors were not in your explanation?
A) Technological inventions can increase the efficiency of gold extraction from the ore.
B) New sources of the gold ore are found through better exploration techniques.
C) Technological inventions can increase efficiency of gold processing out of the ore.
D) As supplies decrease and prices rise it is less rewarding to explore for new sources of the gold.
Q2) Coal would be obtained through
A) drilling a well.
B) mountain-top removal.
C) fracking.
D) heap-leach extraction.
Q3) Which environmental impact would not be a result of placer mining?
A) destroying streambed habitats.
B) clogging streams with silt.
C) introducing toxic compounds to streams.
D) smothering aquatic life.
E) contamination of underground aquifers.
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14
Chapter 13: Energy
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Sample Questions
Q1) The largest oil supply in the Americas comes from tar sands.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The down side of using palm oil as a biofuel is the loss of nutrients being placed back into the soil from decomposition of dead vegetation.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Energy is the capacity to do work.
A)True
B)False
Q4) _________ is an alternative fuel that can be made from any fat or vegetable oil. It can be used in any diesel engine with few or no modifications. Although it does not contain petroleum, it can be blended with diesel at any level or used in its pure form.
A) Coal
B) Biomass
C) Oil
D)Biodiesal
E) Nuclear
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Chapter 14: Solid and Hazardous Waste
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Sample Questions
Q1) The National Priority List is a list of sites that
A) we currently have money to deal with.
B) deserve research for possible cleanup.
C) will probably never be cleaned up.
D) seriously require cleanup to prevent further environmental and health damage.
E) are especially vulnerable to hazardous wastes and are not available for future building permits.
Q2) The questions of ____ and _________ are among the biggest problems in cleaning up hazardous waste sites.
A) liability; degree of purity required
B) appropriate technology; location
C) appropriate technology; liability
D) degree of purity required; appropriate technology
E) location; cost
Q3) In terms of cost and safety, one of the best ways to manage hazardous waste is to produce less hazardous waste.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 15: Economics and Urbanization
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Sample Questions
Q1) The estimated annual value of soil formation by natural systems is more than 10 trillion dollars.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In 2000, what continent had the highest percentage of people living in urban areas?
A) North America
B) Europe
C) Asia
D) South America
E) Africa
Q3) This form of economics assumes that natural resources are finite (such as oil, gold, and water) and exist in fixed amounts. A farmer's marker is a good example.
A) Classical economics
B) Ecological economics
C) Neoclassical economics
D) Capital
E) Environmental economics
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Page 17
Chapter 16: Environmental Policy and Sustainability
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Sample Questions
Q1) Who normally identifies the problem in the policy cycle?
A) The government normally identifies issues for groups who do not recognize problems themselves.
B) The government normally identifies issues for groups who do not have a voice (such as children) in the issue.
C) The public identifies a problem and insists on help in correcting the problem.
D) Either the public or the government identifies issues, depending on the problem.
Q2) The "group of 10" environmental organizations are most useful in A) spearheading truly radical environmental change.
B) inspiring individual direct actions by all members.
C) having strong, respected, and organized influence on national environmental policy setting.
D) initiating student environmental activism on local environmental issues.
E) inspiring individual direct actions by at least half of all members.
Q3) CITES is an international agreement to restrict trade in hazardous chemicals.
A)True
B)False
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