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79 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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The fact that organisms are adapted to survive in particular environments helps to explain why
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habitat destruction is the cause for most extinctions.
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habitat destruction is the cause for most extinctions.
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ecosystem diversity.
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Because of the Endangered Species Act, the sale of protected animals or plants is
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punishable by a substantial fine.
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When animals are placed in controlled or restrictive environments, they
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may have difficulty meeting their basic survival needs.
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What groups of organisms are most in danger of extinction?
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those with small populations, those that migrate or need special habitats
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Why is biodiversity important to ecosystems?
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It helps populations adapt to ecological changes.
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The major human causes of extinction today are
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hunting and destroying habitats, polluting and introducing non-native species.
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Which areas of the United States represent ecosystems with high levels of biodiversity?
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coastal California, Hawaiian Islands, Florida Everglades
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Where are many critical biodiversity hotspots located?
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islands, tropical rain forests, and coastal areas
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How can zoos, botanic gardens, and wildlife parks help save species?
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by preserving threatened species from destruction, by participating in captive breeding programs.
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Why are biologists uncertain about how many species are living on Earth today?
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Many species have not been named, or even studied. Many are found in environments that are difficult to get to, such as deep caves, the bottom of the oceans, or tropical forests. It also takes a long time to locate, collect, study, and classify new species because biodiversity is great and more scientific effort is needed to complete the task.
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What are the two main benefits of protecting entire ecosystems rather than individual species of plants or animals?
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Ecosystems may contain species that haven’t been identified yet or that haven’t been studied enough to determine whether or not they are endangered.
By preserving an ecosystem, we preserve all the species in it. In addition, healthy ecosystems are important for the health of the entire planet. |
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Explain how exotic species threaten ecosystems.
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Native species in ecosystems have not evolved ways to compete with or defend themselves against exotic species. Exotic species may quickly use up available resources or wipe out other species by predation.
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Some conservationists feared that a complete ban on ivory sales would cause an increase in the poaching of elephants. However, poaching decreased after the ban. Why do you think that the complete ban was more effective than limiting ivory sales?
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As long as some ivory was allowed to be sold, it was possible to forge documents and pass off illegal ivory as legal. Now, only people willing to break the law buy or sell ivory, and if caught, they cannot argue that they thought the ivory was legal.
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How can the increased use of tropical rain forests for cattle grazing and farming affect the environment? Where is the greatest number of species extinctions taking place?
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From 1700 to 1980, the tropical rain forests of the world showed a great increase in land area converted to cropland. This has a serious effect on biodiversity, and it damages the ecological balance of these very fragile environments.
Most extinctions are occurring in tropical rain forests because farming and cattle grazing require big, open areas free of tropical vegetation. |
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Explain the difference between an endangered species and a threatened species.
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An endangered species is a species whose numbers have fallen so low that it is likely to become extinct in the near future if it is not protected soon. A threatened species is a species that is likely to become endangered if it is not protected soon. Unlike an endangered species, a threatened species’ population has not yet to become so low that the species faces extinction.
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Briefly explain two ways to save individual species.
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One method is through captive-breeding programs, in which animals are bred and their populations managed in zoos and animal parks.
A second way is botanical gardens, which preserve live plant and insect species. A third method is through germ-plasm banks, where the reproductive (germ) cells of species are stored for the future. Here, plants may be stored as seeds, and animals may be stored as frozen sperm and eggs. |
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Is it possible to predict the effect(s) of eliminating a species from an ecosystem? Explain your answer.
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No; we do not fully understand what effects we are having on the environment when we eliminate a species from an ecosystem. However, we have seen many cases where the results have been negative. Such losses have been at least partly responsible for dramatic changes to ecosystems over the last several centuries.
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How can introducing sustainable land-use practices in biodiversity hotspots help preserve ecosystems?
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This strategy involves growing food and trade crops among native trees and plants. For example, coffee plants can be grown in the shade of tropical trees. As a result, the migratory routes of birds, which roost in those trees, can be preserved.
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List and describe the three levels of biodiversity that are observed in nature and studied worldwide.
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ecosystem diversity
species diversity genetic diversity |
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Do you think the Endangered Species Act has been effective in preventing extinctions? Explain.
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Answers may vary. Sample answers: Yes; many of the actions of local and federal governments and private owners taken to protect species resulted from this Act. The banning of the pesticide DDT has helped the bald eagle and peregrine falcon populations recover, as well as many agreements with developers that set apart large areas of land for conservation. No; it has imposed severe controls on the use of private property that may threaten any endangered species and stopped multimillion dollar construction projects in their tracks to save an insignificant species of fish. Still, many listed species go extinct or remain listed as endangered. For instance, mammals and birds are at the top of the list of endangered species because the former require large areas for their habitat, and birds are at high risk when they migrate temporarily between habitats. By not compensating property owners for losses, the act provides little incentive for individuals to protect species from extinction.
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Two-thirds of the sulfur dioxide that pollutes the air is produced by
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electric power plants.
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Which type of building would most likely have poor indoor air quality?
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asbestos.
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Which of the following pH measurements of rainwater would indicate acid precipitation?
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pH 4.1
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Which of the following contributes most to acid precipitation?
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burning of fossil fuels
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Most air pollution is produced by
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fuel burning.
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A true statement about sulfur dioxides is that they are
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involved in the formation of acid precipitation.
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Activities such as construction and agriculture are primary sources of
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particulate matter.
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A true statement about carbon monoxide is that it
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can lower the level of oxygen carried in the blood.
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The automobile’s contribution to air pollution includes
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fumes that escape when the gas tank is filled, nitrogen oxides emitted in exhaust.
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Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?
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smog formed in the presence of sunlight
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Which of the following would cause the smallest increase in smog in an urban area?
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combustion of ethanol in cars
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One way radon and asbestos are similar is that they
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increase the risk of cancer.
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Which air pollutants can aggravate bronchial asthma in humans and cause fish to suffocate?
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acids formed from nitrogen compounds
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Which of the following pollutants is most likely to reach unhealthy levels inside an office building?
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VOCs found in the building’s foam insulation
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Temperature inversions work to trap pollution when
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warm air above keeps cooler air at the surface from moving upward.
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Which of the following activities is the largest producer of primary air pollutants in the United States?
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electricity production
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Light pollution can be decreased by
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directing lighting downward.
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Acid precipitation can be traced back to
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the burning of fossil fuels.
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What steps have been taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the state of California, and the automobile industry to reduce the amount of air pollution from vehicles?
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The EPA has required the reduction of lead in gasoline, which has lowered lead pollution by 50 percent. Installing catalytic converters has reduced the amount of pollutants from tailpipe exhaust. By the year 2016, the California Zero-Emission Vehicle Program requires 16 percent of vehicles sold in California to give off no emissions. Auto manufacturers are building prototype cars that produce fewer emissions (such as hybrids) or no emissions.
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Describe at least three respiratory or other health problems that are caused or aggravated by air pollution.
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Chronic bronchitis—an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, leading to persistent coughing and difficulty in breathing.
Asthma—bronchial passages constrict and fill with mucus. Emphysema—air sacs lose their elasticity, causing difficulty in exhaling. Lung cancer—malignant disease that is linked to air pollution, although smoking cigarettes is the more common cause. Asbestosis—asbestos fibers cut and scar the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. |
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Explain why areas that are densely (thickly) populated and highly industrialized can experience acid precipitation with particularly low pH values.
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The lower the pH value, the more acidic the precipitation. Sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide are released into the air when fossil fuels are burned in electrical industrial plants (sulfur dioxide) and in the engines of automobiles (nitrogen oxide). These compounds produce sulfuric acid and nitric acid, respectively, when combined with rainwater. Thus, areas that are densely populated (more cars) and heavily industrialized will release more sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air, lowering the pH of the acid precipitation.
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You have a friend who lives in a large northeastern city. His doctor told him that his frequent eye irritation is partly caused by acids that form on the moist surface of the eye. Use your knowledge of the types of air pollutants to explain your friend’s problem.
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Just as oxides of sulfur (from power and industrial plants) and nitrogen (from automobile exhaust) combine with water in the atmosphere, these oxides combine with moisture on the eye’s surface to produce sulfuric and nitric acids, which are the source of the friend’s problem. (Depending on weather conditions, suspended droplets of sulfuric and nitric acids could contribute to the problem.)
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Name and describe three effects of air pollution on human health.
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One effect of air pollution on health is chronic bronchitis, a persistent inflammation of the bronchial linings.
A second effect is asthma, a condition in which the bronchial passages constrict and become blocked with mucus. A third effect is emphysema, the loss of elasticity in the lung’s air sacs. |
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How is mass transit in cities a possible solution to urban air pollution?
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Though many cities are compact, people still need to travel fairly long distances to get to work and school, to run errands, and so on. Mass transit, including the use of buses and subways, reduces the amount of fuel burned per passenger. This reduces the amount of pollutants that are released into the air. Therefore, the more people who use mass transit versus private vehicles, the less pollutants enter the air and the cleaner our urban air will be.
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Describe two atmospheric conditions that make air pollution worse.
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Thermal inversion, which occurs when warm air in the atmosphere traps cooler, polluted air beneath it.
Trapped polluted air in valleys. The polluted air does not blow away because it is trapped between hills or mountains. |
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How can acid precipitation endanger a country’s cultural heritage?
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Acid precipitation can dissolve the calcium carbonate in building materials such as limestone and marble. Because of this, acid precipitation can eat away at ancient statues and buildings.
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List ways you could make the air in your home healthier.
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Open windows in house to allow for proper ventilation
clean house without using chemicals clean air ducts. |
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Where does the majority of the air pollution in the United States come from?
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emissions from motor vehicles
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Climate in a region is
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the long-term, weather conditions.
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Rain frequently results whenever
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warm, moist air rises.
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Which of the following correctly states an observation that helps to explain circulation patterns in the atmosphere?
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Warm air rises and cools as it rises.
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Which of the following locations would you expect to have a climate with mild temperatures and frequent rain?
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a coastal region at about 30º latitude
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Which of the following best describes the effect of a mountain range on the climate of a region?
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The coastal side of the range usually has high levels of rain, A desert is often found on the inland side of the range, Average temperatures are lower at high elevations than at the base of the mountains.
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Latitude strongly influences climate because _____ solar energy falls on areas that are closer to the equator than to the poles.
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more
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The thinning of the ozone layer
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occurs over both polar regions, is related to seasonal changes, will take many years to reverse.
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An important property of air circulation is
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cold air is denser than warm air.
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A true statement concerning the physical properties of air is that
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warm air can hold more water vapor than an equal amount of cold air.
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A true statement about greenhouse gases is that they
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trap heat that is radiated upward from Earth.
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The critical difference between today’s global warming and Earth’s previous climate changes is that
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global warming may occur much more rapidly than it did during previous climate changes.
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Chlorofluorocarbon molecules are environmentally significant because
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their chlorine atoms can destroy many stratospheric ozone molecules.
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Ultraviolet radiation is particularly dangerous because
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it can damage genetic material in cells.
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Ozone holes appear in polar regions during springtime when ozone-destroying
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chlorine atoms are released from polar stratospheric clouds.
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La Niña is the _____ phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.
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cold
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The average global temperature has _____ during the 20th century.
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risen some years and fallen others, but has increased overall
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During summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the Northern Hemisphere experiences
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winter.
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As the amount of ozone in the stratosphere decreases,
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more ultraviolet light is able to reach Earth’s surface.
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Explain why the temperature inside a greenhouse is warmer than the temperature outside.
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Sunlight passes through the glass, is absorbed by dark surfaces like soil, and is converted to heat. The heat does not pass easily through glass and builds up inside the greenhouse.
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Explain the effect on sea levels as global warming continues to cause Earth’s average temperature to increase.
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Sea levels would rise as ice in the Arctic and Antarctic melts.
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What type of light from sunlight is absorbed by ozone? List two consequences that may occur if more of this type of light reaches Earth’s surface.
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Ultraviolet light is absorbed by ozone.
Consequences for humans may include an increased incidence of skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, and cataracts. UV light may also cause damage to amphibians, marine life, ocean food chains, and plants on land. |
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Ozone is formed near Earth’s surface from automobile exhaust. Ozone is being depleted in the upper atmosphere. Explain why the first environmental problem is not the solution to the second one.
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Ozone is a very reactive substance.
Ozone from smog breaks down or combines with other substances before it can rise to the stratosphere to replace the ozone being destroyed there. |
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Will recovery of the ozone layer be a rapid or a slow process? Explain your answer.
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The ozone layer will take many years to recover.
CFC molecules remain active in the stratosphere for 60 to 120 years. |
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why are some developed countries willing to pay to help developing countries find substitutes for CFCs?
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If developing countries continue to use CFCs, it will reduce the ozone layer everywhere. When developed countries stop using CFCs, the ozone layer will still be depleted if developing countries are using CFCs.
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What are the most important steps developed countries could take to help reduce levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide?
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One of the most important steps is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for transportation. Another step is to build and encourage people to use mass transit systems such as bus or trains.
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How might global warming cause changes in major ocean currents?
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Major currents like the Gulf Stream may be cut off by the warming of ocean water.
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What are some effects of rising sea levels on coastal beaches and wetlands?
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Wetlands could be flooded and beaches could be lost to erosion.
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Why is it that prevailing winds do not blow directly northward or southward?
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Earth’s rotation
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Briefly explain the nature and effects of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
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The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the name given to a short term (6 to 18-month period) of above-average ocean water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It can cause increased rainfall in southern North America and equatorial South America and drought conditions in Indonesia and Australia.
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Briefly explain the role of the stratospheric ozone layer in the protection of living organisms on Earth’s surface.
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The ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, thus preventing most of it from reaching the planet’s surface. UV radiation is harmful to living organisms because it can damage cellular DNA.
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