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127 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Which method of mining is considered to be the most dangerous and have fatal accidents commonly associated with it? A) acid drainage B) open pit mining C) strip mining D) subsurface mining E) ocean mining |
subsurface mining |
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The most commonly mined mineral resources in the U.S. are __________. A) gold B) tantalum C) diamonds D) sand and gravel E) iron |
sand and gravel |
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Acute exposure to an environmental toxin ________. A) involves low levels of exposure over long periods of time B) makes it difficult to associate the symptoms with a cause C) are high exposures over short times and associated with a specific cause D) is usually untreatable and fatal E) is the case with chronic alcohol and nicotine abuse |
are high exposures over short times and associated with a specific cause |
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Subsurface mining is used extensively in the extraction of ________. A) coltan B) coal, phosphate, diamonds, gold C) oil sands D) limestone, natural gas, peat E) organic soils for landscaping |
coal, phosphate, diamonds, gold |
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The lithosphere consists of ________. A) the upper mantle and core B) the uppermost mantle and the continental and oceanic crust C) the upper part of the asthenosphere D) soils and vegetation E) magma and molten metal |
the uppermost mantle and the continental and oceanic crust |
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Many types of mining, such as for coal and copper, produce a specific type of water pollution called ________. A) eutrophication B) acid drainage C) chlorinated pesticides D) radon gas E) suspended limestone particles |
acid drainage |
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Bisphenol-A is ________. A) an estrogen mimic that is used in plastic manufacturing B) produced when fossil fuels are burned C) released from aerosol spray cans D) a currently used herbicide E) a banned insecticide |
an estrogen mimic that is used in plastic manufacturing |
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Pesticides in the United States are registered through the ________. A) FDA B) EPA C) USDA D) BLM E) PRA |
EPA |
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_______ studies are comparisons that track the fate of large groups of people for long periods of time in order to help answer an environmental question. A) Statistical B) Epidemiological C) Animal D) Case E) Nobel |
Epidemiological |
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Natural occurring biological hazards to people are ________. A) crude oil seeps and radon gas B) DDT and DDE C) phthalates and bispnenol-A D) carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas E) viruses and Salmonella |
viruses and Salmonella |
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Recent research that analyzed the content of commercial bottled water indicates that ________. A) bottled water has no contamination from hormone mimic plasticizers B) bottled water is no safer or purer than most samples of tap water C) bottled water is significantly cheaper than tap water D) bottled water consumes less fossil fuels in reaching the consumer than does tap water E) all surveyed brands had information about the source and how it was treated |
bottled water is no safer or purer than most samples of tap water |
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Dams create a _________ from which we can get water for human use. A) dikes and levees B) water mining C) reservoir D) watershed E) river |
reservoir |
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Which ocean pollutant can enter the tissues of marine organisms and make fish and shellfish unsafe for us to eat? A) red tide B) mercury C) algae D) oil E) phytoplankton |
mercury |
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1. A 2003 study reported that ________% of large-bodied fish and sharks were lost in the first decade of industrialized fishing. A) 10 B) 20 C) 40 D) 50 E) 90 |
90 |
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Humans use freshwater primarily for ________. A) drinking and cooking B) washing and home use C) agricultural irrigation D) electrical production E) all of these answers |
agricultural irrigation |
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_________ pollution occurs when human activities raise water temperatures. A) Toxic chemical B) Sediment C) Thermal D) Nutrient E) Wastewater |
Thermal |
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Why was the irrigation of Soviet cotton farming operations a problem? A) There was governmental opposition that limited water access, killing crops. B) Irrigation water came from rivers feeding into one of the largest lakes on Earth and resulted in major contamination of that source. C) It drained the Aral Sea and increased the salt content of soils. D) It angered local resort communities, which did not want farming in the region. E) It was, for the most part, not a problem. |
It drained the Aral Sea and increased the salt content of soils. |
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Which of the following fishing methods involves dragging weighted nets across the ocean floor in an attempt to catch bottommost fish? A) bycatch B) driftnets C) bottom-trawling D) longline fishing E) benthic catching |
bottom-trawling |
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What type of farming has led to the destruction of mangroves? A) sludge B) cod in order to compensate for overfishing in Canada C) shrimp farming D) corn, rice, and wheat, the major grains E) tuna farming |
shrimp farming |
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Data indicate that the present rate of freshwater consumption in most developed countries is ________. A) sustainable for the foreseeable future B) unsustainable C) irrelevant, as water is not currently limiting D) only a problem in areas not on the coast E) increasing groundwater storage and decreasing surface water storage |
unsustainable |
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Which piece of legislation set strict standards for air quality and pollution control? A) the six criteria pollutants from the EPA. B) the Clean Air Act C) the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market or RECLAIM D) the Montreal Protocol E) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act |
the Clean Air Act |
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Which of the following layers of the atmosphere is responsible for providing the air that we breathe on Earth? A) the mesosphere B) the stratosphere C) the ozone layer D) the troposphere E) the lithosphere |
the troposphere |
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Recent evidence suggests that controlling emissions of this gas would reduce both ozone depletion and global warming ________. A) carbon dioxide B) methane C) carbon monoxide D) nitrous oxide E) ammonia |
carbon dioxide |
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The most obvious cause of industrial smog is ________. A) burning trash B) fires for heating food C) indoor air pollution D) burning fossil fuels E) generation of nuclear power |
burning fossil fuels |
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A great deal of indoor air pollution comes from ________. A) outdoor pollution B) carbon monoxide C) cooking with natural gas stoves D) carpets, furniture, paint, and laser printers E) washing dishes |
carpets, furniture, paint, and laser printers |
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Which of the following is a source of natural air pollution? A) volcanic eruptions B) halocarbons C) smoke stacks D) industrial smog E) cigarette smoke |
volcanic eruptions |
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A _____ pollutant interacts with a part of the atmosphere and becomes a _____ pollutant. A) secondary; primary B) secondary; criteria C) primary; secondary D) indoor; outdoor E) small; large |
primary; secondary |
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Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called ________. A) Coriolis cells B) Hadley cells C) high-pressure cells D) El Niño events E) the troposphere |
Hadley cells |
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Weather is best described as ______. A) layers of cool air forming beneath layers of warmer air B) the pattern of atmospheric conditions found across large geographic regions over long periods of time C) atmospheric conditions within small geographic areas over a short period of time D) stratospheric conditions E) changes in temperature regionally |
atmospheric conditions within small geographic areas over a short period of time |
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The Coriolis effect contributes to ________. A) global wind patterns B) global warming C) increased acidic deposition D) a reduction in eutrophication E) an increase in eutrophication |
global wind patterns |
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Growing rice results in the release of ________ into the atmosphere. A) methane B) sulfur oxides C) ozone D) carbon dioxide E) sulfate aerosols |
methane |
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Keeling's reports from Mauna Loa demonstrated ________. A) an increase in tropospheric CO2 from the 1950s to present B) that sediments deposited on the seafloor can yield clues about past climates C) that as distances from cities decreased, CO2 concentrations increased D) that CO2 levels have been stable over the last 40 years E) the presence of El Niño |
an increase in tropospheric CO2 from the 1950s to present |
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ________. A) constructed the Kyoto Protocol B) performed the research included in the climate change findings C) is an international panel that reports on how climate change influences biomes and economies D) fines companies that pollute E) could not achieve its objectives because of lack of popular support |
is an international panel that reports on how climate change influences biomes and economies |
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_________ is a type of indirect evidence that can give clues about environmental conditions of the past. A) climate modeling B) an anemometer C) proxy indicator D) a thermometer E) a clue collector |
proxy indicator |
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Earth's climate ________. A) has been stable over the history of the planet B) is changing as a result of natural and human processes C) will stabilize over the next century, according to the predictions of most scientists D) has changed only once due to the evolution of green photosynthesizing plants E) history is undeterminable because there is no method of studying climatic history of the planet |
is changing as a result of natural and human processes |
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The Kyoto Protocol ________. A) increased federal funding for controlling greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants B) required equal concessions from all countries involved in greenhouse gas emission C) required increases in nuclear power generation D) would have resulted in overall increases in greenhouse emissions E) was intended to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases to levels lower than those of 1990 |
was intended to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases to levels lower than those of 1990 |
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Which factors determine Earth's climate? A) global warming and greenhouse gases B) the sun, the atmosphere, and the ocean C) concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases D) solar radiation and the thermosphere E) all of these answers |
the sun, the atmosphere, and the ocean |
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What is the difference between weather and climate? A) Weather is local and occurs over a short period of time, hours and days, while climate occurs over large geographic areas and longer periods of time such as seasons and years. B) Weather occurs in the northern hemisphere while climate occurs in the southern hemisphere. C) Weather occurs over seasons and years while climate occurs over hours and days. D) Weather and climate are used interchangeably. E) none of these answers |
Weather is local and occurs over a short period of time, hours and days, while climate occurs over large geographic areas and longer periods of time such as seasons and years. |
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The US Senate has so far opposed emissions reductions on the grounds that ________. A) no other nations have pledged reductions B) the US does not emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases C) President Obama rejected the scientific basis of global climate change D) it might hurt the economy E) the US already has reduced its emissions by 68% as agreed in the Copenhagen treaty. |
it might hurt the economy |
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Since the onset of the industrial revolution, global atmospheric concentrations of which of the following gas(es) have shown a great increase? A) methane and nitrous oxide B) ozone C) coal and oil D) aerosols E) all of these answers |
methane and nitrous oxide |
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Which of the following produces the largest amount of hazardous waste? A) industry B) households C) agriculture D) utilities E) building demolitions |
industry |
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Substances that can harm a human when eaten are called _____. A) reactive B) ignitable C) toxic D) corrosive E) all of these answers |
toxic |
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In 2007, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban ________. A) sanitary landfills B) paper from entering their waste stream C) non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags D) e-waste E) composting |
non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags |
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A materials recovery facility (MRF) is responsible for __________. A) tracking trash B) recovering toxic substances C) decomposition D) recycling materials E) preventing materials from entering the waste stream |
recycling materials |
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To safeguard against groundwater contamination, sanitary landfills are ________. A) located on slopes so water runs downhill B) lined with plastic and clay C) lined with cement D) located in unpopulated areas E) located on industrial sites where groundwater is not used for drinking or agriculture |
lined with plastic and clay |
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The current state of e-wastes is that ________. A) only because of the actions of charitable organizations, the recycling rate is 5% B) although recycling is improved, the rate of e-wastes going into landfills and incinerators is rising C) because the EPA has classified e-wastes as toxic, more than 95% are being recycled D) the recycling rate has dropped significantly between 1999 and 2010 E) by EPA mandate, all metals in electronics have been replaced by biodegradable materials |
although recycling is improved, the rate of e-wastes going into landfills and incinerators is rising |
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When we reduce the amount of waste entering the waste stream, it is called __________. A) source reduction B) by having waste diverted to a leachate treatment system C) the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act D) recycling E) being awesome |
source reduction |
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RCRA is a U.S. law enacted in the 1970s to ________. A) reduce environmental levels of the 12 most toxic chemicals, called the "dirty dozen" B) regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants C) protect endangered species D) regulate how hazardous waste is handled E) restrict use of off‑road vehicles in national parks |
regulate how hazardous waste is handled |
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Life‑cycle analysis ________. A) is an environmental movement designed to reduce municipal traffic and encourage alternative forms of transport B) defines how different organisms interact within ecosystems C) examines the cycling of carbon in the environment D) is the study of statistical changes in the human population E) examines the life cycle of products for ecological efficiency |
examines the life cycle of products for ecological efficiency |
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Deep-well injection ________. A) is a method of disposing of hazardous wastes in deep aquifers B) is a pool of strong acids on the land surface used for breaking down e-waste C) injects mostly liquid hazardous wastes into porous rock deep beneath human water supplies D) is the EPA-approved method of disposing of low-level radioactive wastes E) has been banned as unsafe by the Dept. of the Interior |
injects mostly liquid hazardous wastes into porous rock deep beneath human water supplies |
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The world's urban populations are ________. A) shrinking, compared to rural populations B) growing faster than the population as a whole C) growing at about the same rate as the rural populations D) growing most rapidly in the developed nations E) shrinking in developed nations |
growing faster than the population as a whole |
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The urban heat island effect is caused by ________. A) green buildings B) heat-generating buildings and dark, heat-absorbing surfaces C) nuclear power plants venting excess heat into the urban landscape D) street lighting and burning of wastes in landfills E) air warmed over adjacent oceans blowing into urban areas |
heat-generating buildings and dark, heat-absorbing surfaces |
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People who seek to improve resource sustainability of our cities urge us to ________. A) maintain a steady pattern of growth and development B) use zoning and taxation to promote livable cities C) oppose strict limits on growth (UGBs) D) use renewable energy sources and recycle materials E) none of these answers |
use renewable energy sources and recycle materials |
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The greatest general problem with suburbs is ________. A) high population density B) lack of resources C) that they spread environmental impact over a larger area D) decreased water quality E) lack of nearby shopping |
that they spread environmental impact over a larger area |
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The ecological footprint of a large city is ________ than/as the surrounding rural area. A) much lower B) slightly lower C) about the same size D) slightly higher E) much higher |
much higher |
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What does UGB refer to in city planning? A) urban growth boundary B) uncentered vs. scattered development C) the trend to move from cities to farms D) a way to deal with zoning E) the addition of bike paths |
urban growth boundary |
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Throughout history, all cities have ________. A) been self-sustaining in food production B) had disagreements with the rural areas surrounding them C) destroyed the rural areas surrounding them through conquest or politics D) drawn resources from surrounding areas by trade, persuasion, or conquest E) been major sources of labor for the rural areas surrounding them |
drawn resources from surrounding areas by trade, persuasion, or conquest |
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_____ classifies areas for different types of land use. A) Sprawl B) Smart growth C) Zoning D) Urban growth boundaries E) Ecological barriers |
Zoning |
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What is a light rail system? A) LEED-platinum building B) a smaller, public rail system powered by electricity C) a type of green building D) solar powered panels E) a new postal service |
a smaller, public rail system powered by electricity |
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A type of toxicant that can cause cancer is termed _______. A) a carcinogen |
a carcinogen |
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The worldwide drop in sperm counts among men has been attributed to ________. A) DDT |
endocrine disruptors |
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_______ studies are comparisons that track the fate of large groups of people for long periods of time in order to help answer an environmental question. A) Statistical |
Epidemiological |
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Cigarette smoke and radon are two of the most common _______ hazards. A) bioindicators |
indoor |
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How is it that even pristine areas, undisturbed by humans, have been contaminated with human-generated toxicants? A) The toxicants are naturally found in the earth. |
The toxicants are carried by the wind or water. |
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Which is the best approach to sustainable mineral use? A) by encouraging recycling of non-renewable resources |
by encouraging recycling of non-renewable resources |
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The Toxic Substances Control Act regulates ________. A) industrial chemicals |
industrial chemicals |
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The Pacific "ring of fire" is a volcanic area where ________. A) there is a great deal of mass wasting |
there are many earthquakes and active plate boundaries |
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If a mineral is opaque, lustrous, malleable and can conduct heat and electricity, it is a(n) ________. A) element |
metal |
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________ are best defined as substances that cause birth defects. A) allergens |
teratogens |
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Carcinogens may be difficult to identify because ________. A) they are the least common toxicants |
there is a long lag time between exposure to the agent and disease |
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_______ is (are) the quantitative description of the likelihood of a given outcome. A) ED50 |
Probability |
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Risk _______ include(s) decisions and strategies that will minimize risk. A) OSHA |
management |
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The bald eagle, osprey, and peregrine falcon all are ________. A) found only in Florida |
top consumers susceptible to eggshell damage caused by DDT |
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The newest trend for recycling scarce and toxic metals is to recover them from ________. A) car batteries |
e-wastes |
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One-fifth of Earth's total freshwater supply is in ________. A) ponds |
groundwater |
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What percentage of Earth's water is available for drinking and irrigation? A) 100% |
2.5% |
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Overpumping groundwater in coastal areas can cause ________ to move into aquifers, making the water undrinkable. A) VOCs |
salt water |
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Which of the following is one of the major pollutants of groundwater? A) acid rain |
fertilizers from agricultural fields |
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Humans use freshwater primarily for ________. A) drinking and cooking |
agricultural irrigation |
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Currently, the greatest ecological crisis facing marine food webs is ________. A) radiation |
overharvesting |
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What percentage of Earth's surface is ocean? A) 100% |
71% |
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The huge dust storms that took place in the US mid-west in the 1930s ________. A) were triggered by tornadoes, worsened by global climate change |
were the result of poor farming and grazing techniques |
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Which of the following is an unhealthy mixture of pollutants that forms over cities? A) the thermosphere |
smog |
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Reports from the _____ are the most widely accepted information published on climate change. A) U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement |
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) |
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Carbon dioxide is ________. A) the most potent (per molecule of gas) of the greenhouse gases |
the main anthropogenic greenhouse gas produced in the United States |
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Since the onset of the industrial revolution, global atmospheric concentrations of which of the following gas(es) have shown a great increase? A) methane and nitrous oxide |
methane and nitrous oxide |
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ________. A) constructed the Kyoto Protocol |
is an international panel that reports on how climate change influences biomes and economies |
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Keeling's reports from Mauna Loa demonstrated ________. A) an increase in tropospheric CO2 from the 1950s to present |
an increase in tropospheric CO2 from the 1950s to present |
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How long have we been making direct measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere? A) since we developed the ability to read proxy indicators |
since hourly air samples were recorded from a monitoring station in Hawaii in 1958 |
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The process of _____ turns crude oil into the type of gases that can be used for cooking, in cars, and for other human purposes. A) exploratory drilling
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refining |
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Which of the following characterizes U.S. nuclear power plants? A) largely unregulated |
highly subsidized |
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The world's most abundant fossil fuel is ________. A) biodiesel |
coal |
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What is bitumen? A) the term interchangeable with kerogen |
a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand |
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When we burn fossil fuels, ________. A) we liberate carbon back into the carbon cycle, increasing the amount available for plant growth |
the greatest environmental impact is increased greenhouse gases |
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Electricity derived from fossil fuel is a _____ form of energy. A) secondary |
secondary |
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U.S. oil production ________. A) falls far short of U.S. oil consumption |
falls far short of U.S. oil consumption |
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The oil spill resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster ________. A) is considered a minor incident compared to other oil spills |
is the worst oil spill in US history, causing damage to marine and coastal ecosystems |
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Which of the following energy sources is considered nonrenewable? A) fossil fuel energy |
fossil fuel energy |
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Energy conservation in the United States ________. A) can be accomplished only through changes in environmental laws
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can be improved as individuals make conscious choices to reduce personal consumption |
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How did the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) flex their oil muscles to the U.S.? A) by fighting the embargo the U.S. placed on foreign oil. |
by refusing to sell the U.S. oil. |
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The three fossil fuels that we use today to meet our energy needs are __________. A) crude oil, hydropower, and geothermal energy |
coal, natural gas, and crude oil |
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The average miles per gallon rating of U.S. vehicles has ________. A) doubled in the past two decades |
made no improvement the past two decades |
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Nuclear power plants ________. A) were first developed commercially in the early 1990s
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experienced the most growth during the 1970s and 1980s |
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Coal continues to be the main fuel used to generate electricity in the United States. This is partially because ________. A) the country has such large reserves of coal |
the country has such large reserves of coal |
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Biofuels ________. A) can be created by microbial action or burned directly as wood or dung |
can be created by microbial action or burned directly as wood or dung |
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Ground-source heat pumps ________. A) are an increasing source of small-scale electricity generation
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heat and cool houses and buildings more efficiently than conventional methods |
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The rotational energy of the blades of a wind turbine ________. A) drives a generator inside the nacelle compartment to produce electricity |
drives a generator inside the nacelle compartment to produce electricity |
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The run-of-river approach to hydropower describes ________. A) impounding water in reservoirs behind concrete dams |
diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipesdiversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipes |
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________ strongly influences the amount of energy generated from hydropower. A) The temperature of reservoir water
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The volume of water released and the height of the fall |
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What is a "feed-in tariff" system? A) one in which energy companies pay citizens who add power to the grid |
one in which energy companies pay citizens who add power to the grid |
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Solar panels with flat-plate solar collectors are an example of __________. A) active solar power |
active solar power |
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Hydropower uses the _____ energy of water to generate electricity. A) potential |
kinetic |
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More and more wind farms are being located ________ because winds are stronger there. A) in densely populated urban areas |
offshore |
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When biomass is combined with coal and burned in a high efficiency boiler, it is called __________. A) syngas |
co-firing |
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Harnessing energy by designing buildings to maximize or minimize the absorption of incident solar radiation are ________. A) active solar energy collection |
passive solar energy collection |
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Which of the following are documented negative impacts of dams? A) flooding, habitat destruction, alteration of river sediment deposition |
flooding, habitat destruction, alteration of river sediment deposition |
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________ strongly influences the amount of energy generated from hydropower. A) The temperature of reservoir water |
The volume of water released and the height of the fall |
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The best solution to the solid waste problem is to ________. A) increase the number of WTE facilities |
reduce the amount of material that enters the waste stream |
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The average American produces how much trash per day? A) 0 pounds |
4.3 pounds |
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Industrial ecologists ________. A) favor an economy that moves linearly rather than circularly |
redesign industrial systems to minimize physical inefficiency and maximize economic efficiency |
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Heavy metals ________. A) become less hazardous after incineration |
bioaccumulate in animal tissues |
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Recycling aluminum cans saves ________% of the energy needed to make the same amount of aluminum from virgin bauxite. A) 95 |
95 |
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People who live entirely within an urban environment ________. A) have too many luxury goods at too expensive a price
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may become disconnected from nature and from the true costs of their needs and activities |
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A resource sink is ________. A) an area that produces almost none of the things that it needs
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an area that produces almost none of the things that it needs |
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Around the world, most major cities are situated ________. A) at elevations above 500 m. |
along rivers, oceans, roads, or train routes |
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In developing nations, such as India and Nigeria, ________. A) most of the population is moving to the suburbs from the city centers |
rural people are moving to the cities in large numbers |
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American cities in the northern United States, such as Chicago, Illinois, ________. A) have steadily lost population over the past 40 years |
have steadily lost population over the past 40 years |
