Solved by a verified expert:1)
Environmental Science is:
a)
A mathematical study of the effects of species diversity on human
well-being, as perceived through the scientific method involving observation,
experimentation and documentation.
b)
A holistic approach to social systems and their role in determining the
world view of different cultures as pertains to the support systems provided by
planetary physical and biological conditions.
c)
A comprehensive and integrated investigation of the physical,
biological, and societal conditions through which we, and the rest of the
planetary ecosystem, sustain life.
d)
An easy “A”
2)
Which of the following is NOT a major human perturbation of the
environment?
a)
land use
b)
emissions
c)
whaling
d)
all of the above
3)
The ‘tragedy’ related to the commons is:
a)
the fact that people destroy or consume resources including the
atmosphere, water and oil
b)
that consumption rates exceed current biocapacity
c)
that from the perspective of the individual, the immediate benefit from
exploiting the commons is large compared to the cost, which is distributed
among the entire community
d)
none of the above, the tragedy is a Shakespearian play
4)
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs is a definition of
a)
applicability
b)
transgenerational transferability
c)
superadiabatic generationality
d)
sustainability
5)
The precautionary principle suggests that
a)
the most authority will be given to the most cautious part of government
b)
each should do what needs to be done even when no one else is willing to
try
c)
you should take action to improve environmental conditions (or prevent
them from degrading) just in case it turns out to be important, even if you
don’t know specific consequences
d)
curiosity killed the cat
e)
grade school administrators should caution their school children against
the dangers of environmental hazards
6)
What describes a comprehensive and integrated investigation of the
physical, biological, and societal conditions through which we, and the rest of
the planetary ecosystem, sustains life?
a)
molecular biology
b)
cosmology
c)
accounting
d)
sociology
e)
environmental science
7)
Fundamental environmental issues include
a)
littering
b)
sustainability
c)
wolf predation on sheep in Yellowstone National Park
d)
all of the above
8)
The main human perturbations of the global environment stem from
a)
pollution and hunting
b)
emissions and land use
c)
air travel and railroads
d)
shipping and receiving
9)
Which of the following does NOT describe science?
a)
testable
b)
disprovable
c)
democratic
d)
imperfect
10) There was mud on his shoes.
It rained that night. The murder occurred in the park, where the grass had been
dug up for a construction project. The weapon could only have been wielded by a
strong man. – On the basis of this, what kind of scientific reasoning would
Sherlock Holmes use to crack the case?
a)
inductive reasoning
b)
deductive reasoning
c)
reductionist reasoning
d)
reactionary reasoning
11) What is the best
demonstrated scientific concept?
a)
hypothesis
b)
thesis
c)
inference
d)
theory
12)
Marvin is stressed about waking up and making it on time to his first
day of physics class. He sets the alarm
on his digital watch (reads to 1/100 of a second!) and arrives at 9:00:00.00
a.m. Unfortunately, every other clock on
campus reads about 9:10. Marvin is woefully
late and goes on to become an art history major. Which of the following is a correct statement
about Marvin’s watch?
a)
it is precise, but not accurate
b)
it is accurate, but not precise
c)
it is neither accurate nor precise
d)
it is both accurate and precise
e)
Marvin needs to learn to tell time
13)
One distinction between (A) science and (B) religion, ethics, and morals
is that scientific statements are:
a)
disprovable
b)
universally accepted
c)
inference
d) deductive
e)
numerical
14)
Premise: A straight line is the
shortest distance between two points._Premise:
The line from A to B is the shortest distance between points A and B._Conclusion: Therefore, the line from A
to B is a straight line. The above is an example of _________________
a)
a scientific proof
b)
a hypothesis
c)
inductive reasoning
d) deductive reasoning
e)
a scientific fact
15)
Generalizations based on a number of concrete observations are:
a)
inductive
b)
deductive
c)
persuasive
d)
always true
e)
usually false
16) Accuracy is identical to
precision
a)
True
b)
False
c)
Precisely
17) Which principle holds that
history is dominated by major or sudden events, rather than the normal everyday
processes?
a)
parliamentarian
b)
uniformitarian
c)
catastrophism
d)
Antidisestablishmentarianism
18) If you see the sun rise
everyday and thus infer that it will rise again tomorrow you are using
a)
inductive reasoning
b)
deductive reasoning
c)
productive reasoning
d)
reactive reasoning
19) A Theory is:
a)
a testable explanation for observations
b)
a proven set of hypotheses that has passed rigorous testing by
observations, experiments and applications
c)
very difficult to establish and arrogant to presume
d)
a set of observations
20) Science is
a)
agreeable
b)
democratic
c)
believable
d)
testable
21) In the Daisyworld model:
a)
black daisies thrive in cool temperatures
b)
daisies are an invasive species and out-compete other species
c)
black daisies tend to cool the planetary temperature
d)
white daisies thrive in cool temperatures
22) The stability of the
distribution of black and white daisies in daisyworld is due to
a)
positive feedback
b)
negative feedback
c)
runaway greenhouse effect
d)
energy flow between trophic levels
23) Which is NOT a scientific
principle of the Gaia hypothesis?
a)
life affects its physical environment
b)
life has altered its planetary environment such that it continues to
exist
c)
the history of the Earth is dominated by sudden and sometimes
devastating and catastrophic events
d)
life controls the global environment on purpose
24)
The Gaia Hypothesis states that the dominant force that has shaped the
global environment through time is
a)
The oceans
b)
The atmosphere
c)
Life
d)
The Gaia species from Alpha Centauri
e)
Humans
25)
Considering inputs to a pool and outputs from it, the pool will be in
steady state when:
a)
inputs exceed outputs
b)
outputs cease
c)
inputs equal outputs
d)
outputs exceed inputs
e)
inputs cease
26) A nonlinear system is one
in which
a)
output is zero
b)
output change is proportional to input change
c)
output amplifies or buffers input
d)
none of the above
27) The Gaia hypothesis
supports the idea that:
a)
the earth is not self-sufficient
b)
the environment is deteriorating
c)
the earth is a self regulating system (homeostasis)
d)
the earth is not a self regulating system (no homeostasis)
28) When one person in a room
yawns, many others are likely to yawn as well.
This is an example of :
a)
Positive feedback
b)
Negative feedback
c)
all of above
d)
none of above
29) If the rate of increase is
proportional to present stock, ____ can be observed:
a)
Logistic growth
b)
Exponential growth
c)
Slow growth
d)
Declining growth
30) The rate at which something
enters or leaves a reservoir is a
a)
Stock
b)
Bond
c)
Flood
d)
flux
31) Parks are like islands in
that species diversity is determined by:
a)
distance to other parks or natural areas
b)
amount of food on the island
c)
size of park
d)
longitude of park
e)
a and c
32) If people are part of the
global environment, then
a)
whatever we do is natural
b)
the resources provided by the environment that surrounds us are ours to
use up
c)
nature will adapt to our activities and continue to support the
ecosystem
d)
feedbacks exist between environmental perturbations and impacts on
society and health
33) What is the carrying
capacity of the Earth?
a)
1 billion people
b)
6 billion people
c)
40 billion people
d)
depends on how people want to live
34) Ten percent of all the
people who have ever lived are still alive because of
a)
decreased birth rate
b)
increased incidence of cancer
c)
decrease in the number of people who eventually die
d)
explosive recent population growth
35) If a population grows at
10% per year, what is the doubling time?
a)
1 year
b)
7 years
c)
10 years
d)
18 years
36)
“Carrying capacity” refers to:
a)
the maximum weight that can be put on a vehicle or machine
b)
the nutrient value of a food source
c)
the amount of a mineral resource that can be recovered economically from
a mine
d)
the average life-expectancy of an individual in a population
e)
the maximum number of individuals that can be supported by an ecosystem
37) Which of the following does
not contribute to a person’s ecological footprint?
a)
the food and fiber consumed by that person over a specific time period
b)
the waste produced from the person’s energy consumption
c)
the person’s annual income
d)
the space needed for infrastructure (living space etc)
38) The curve of the history of
human population, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and other environmentally
relevant parameters looks like a
a)
ski pole
b)
pool cue
c)
badminton racquet
d)
baseball bat
e)
hockey stick
39) As the surface ocean warms,
it releases carbon dioxide due to a decrease in solubility. This leads to
a)
uniformitarianism
b)
positive feedback
c)
negative feedback
d)
catastrophism
40) What is a biogeochemical
cycle?
a)
something that organic kids ride while wearing sustainable helmets
b)
the path a chemical takes through the various reservoirs (stocks),
including the biosphere
c)
a series of college courses involving biology, geology, and chemistry
d)
the way carbon interacts with nitrogen in the soil
41) What is the “missing
sink”?
a)
a failure to account for the different between precipitation and
evaporation in the hydrologic cycle
b)
the difference between global atmospheric carbon emissions and known uptake
c)
the difference between anthropogenic and organic nitrogen fixation
d)
the hole in the kitchen counter where mom used to wash the dishes.
42) In the process of
denitrification
a)
nitrate is converted to nitrite
b)
nitrite is converted to ammonium
c)
nitrogen is converted to carbon
d)
nitrate is converted to gaseous nitrogen
43) Who is primarily
responsible for denitrification?
a)
primary producers
b)
bacteria
c)
top predators
d)
the United States Denitrification Agency
44) In the global carbon cycle,
the most carbon is stored in
a)
the atmosphere
b)
vegetation, soil, and detritus
c)
marine biota
d)
the ocean
45) The process of converting
fixed nitrogen to molecular N2 is:
a)
nitrogen fixation
b)
nitrate fixation
c)
denitrification
d)
eutrophication
46) Who is responsible for
nitrogen fixation?
a)
Algae
b)
bacteria
c)
cryptosporidium
d)
nitromechanical engineers
47) What drives the hydrologic
cycle?
a)
tidal power
b)
wind
c)
the sun
d)
nuclear reactors
e)
socioeconomic trends
48) Warm water can dissolve
less CO2 than cold water. SO what is the relation between the marine solubility
pump and climate change?
a)
negative feedback
b)
positive feedback
c)
all of above
d)
none of above; this is not a feedback mechanism
49)
Which of the following organisms is at the lowest trophic level?
a)
Snake
b)
Oak tree
c)
Eagle
d)
Ephydrid flies
50) What are the components of
an ecosystem?
a)
abiotic
b)
biotic
c)
human
d)
all of the above
51) What is a trophic level?
a)
the altitude of a mountain on the equator
b)
a tool for straightening a shelf
on which trophies are displayed
c)
where you are on the food chain
d)
none of the above
52) Which has more trophic
levels?
a)
marine ecosystem
b)
terrestrial ecosystem
c)
high school trophy case
d)
college trophy case
53) If all species in the world
were placed everywhere at once, what is most likely to happen?
a)
global diversity will increase
b)
primary producers will convert to primary consumers
c)
global diversity will decrease
d)
marine trophic levels will decrease
54) If two species look alike,
live in different places, but are not genetically related, it is probably
a case of
a)
convergent evolution
b)
divergent evolution
c)
evolutionary cyclicity
d)
uniformitarianism
55) What does NOT control the
species richness on an island?
a)
island size
b)
distance from the mainland
c)
climate
d)
longitude of the island
56)
Species can be especially vulnerable to extinction when:
a)
the population has high genetic variability
b)
the population is small
c)
the population lives far from human activity
d)
the population is very widely distributed
e)
the population’s ecosystem is productive and fertile
57) When two species are
genetically related, but after some time, find different ecological niches and
look and behave different, it is called
a)
convergent evolution
b)
divergent evolution
c)
parallel evolution
d)
unintelligent design
58) How many biomes are there
on Earth?
a)
1
b)
12
c)
17
d)
it depends on how they are defined
59) In general, where it is
warmer, it is also
a)
wetter
b)
drier
c)
cooler
d)
host to less diverse ecosystem
60) If the climate is very
rainy in one town, and very dry in another just 50 miles away what is most
likely?
a)
they are in different countries
b)
there is a river between them
c)
there is a mountain between them
d)
the price of umbrellas will be higher in the drier town
61) Which biome is most likely
to host a large bird population?
a)
tropical rain forest
b)
desert
c)
hydrothermal vent
d)
tundra
62) Why do you find large
mammals in the Arctic tundra, but not in Alpine tundra?
a)
there is not enough oxygen in the Alpine environment
b)
there is too much precipitation in Alpine environments
c)
Alpine environments are geographically restricted
d)
Santa’s reindeer cannot climb mountains
63) If there were to be life on
Mars, where it is dry with highly variable temperature, what biome would you
expect?
a)
tropical rain forest
b)
tundra
c)
desert
d)
hydrothermal vent
64)
Two components aid in the definition of the term “invasive
species.” The first component is
that the species is exotic. The second
component is:
a)
the species causes damage to economic, environmental, or human health
b)
the species is unusually large
c)
the species is predatory
65) Where would you expect to
see the most productive forest?
a)
polar regions
b)
desert
c)
high elevation (> 15,000′)
d)
equator
e)
deep sea vent
66) The tulips planted around campus
are not from this area, but do not spread or cause damage. What would these
tulips be considered?
a)
an invasive species but not an exotic species
b)
an exotic species but not an invasive species
c)
an invasive species but not a pathogen
d)
both an exotic and an invasive species
67)
What is the main feature of a wetland?
a)
it is wet all year round
b)
it has little variation in water temperature over the course of the year
c)
the water table is at or near the ground surface for much of the growing
season
d)
the duration of inundation depends on the precipitation
e)
the wetland soil is characterized by sufficient oxygen
68) What is the
“energy” in the following chemical equation when going right to left?
C6H12O6
+ 6O2 = 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
a)
kinetic energy
b)
nuclear energy
c)
sunlight
d)
battery power
69)
Autotrophs get their energy from:
a)
sulfur compounds
b)
organic matter
c)
photosynthesis
d)
they don’t need energy
70)
C6H12O6 + 6O2 = 6CO2 + 6H2O + _____
a)
food
b)
energy
c)
production
d)
photosynthesis
71)
Humans are:
a)
Heterotrophs
b)
Autotrophs
c)
Chemoautotrophs
d)
Primary Producers
72)
Gross Primary Productivity- respiration = ___?_____
a)
energy
b)
net primary productivity
c)
carbon emissions
d)
power
73) About what percentage of
energy is lost between each trophic level?
a)
45%
b)
90%
c)
80%
d)
65%
74) What is autotrophy?
a)
what you get for winning the Indy 500
b)
processing of sugars into energy
c)
burning hydrocarbons
d)
using photosynthesis to produce organic molecules from inorganic
75)
The first law of thermodynamics states that:
a)
efficiency of energy conversion is always less than 100%
b)
energy is never created, never destroyed, but always preserved
c)
the present is the key to the past
d)
energy is measured in joules, power in watts
e)
energy can go from higher quality forms to lower, but not in the
opposite direction
76)
The second law of thermodynamics states that:
a)
efficiency of energy conversion is always greater than 100%
b)
energy is never created, never destroyed, but always preserved
c)
the present is the key to the past
d)
energy is measured in joules, power in watts
e)
the net effect of energy use is to reduce the quality of total resulting
energy
77) What are the products of
photosynthesis?
a)
oxygen and nitrogen
b)
oxygen and water
c)
carbon and water
d)
sugar (glucose) and oxygen
78) _______ in animals stores
the most energy:
a)
Muscle
b)
Organs
c)
Fat
d)
bones
79) Who eats autotrophs?
a)
Super carnivores
b)
Carnivores
c)
Herbivores
d)
Primary producers
80) _______ occurs when the
pioneer species stabilize the environment for later, longer-lived species.
a)
Facilitation
b)
Interference
c)
Succession
d)
Precautionary Principle
81) What must one restore when
restoring an ecosystem?
a)
plants
b)
animals
c)
rivers
d)
ecosystem functions
82)
Which of these does NOT have a negative effect on succession within an
ecosystem?
a)
facilitation
b)
interference
c)
chronic patchiness
83) ________ successional
species are quick to germinate and grow while ______ successional species are
slow but live longer:
a)
late, early
b)
early, late
c)
herbivore, autotrophic
d)
pioneer, colonizer
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