Deck 1: The Science of Sustainability

Question 1

The Coriolis effect contributes to .

A) the destruction of the ozone layer
B) global wind patterns
C) increased acidic deposition
D) global warming

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The air you breathe is 78% .

A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) hydrogen
D) carbon dioxide

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The Montreal Protocol .

A) resulted in significant reduction in the production of CFCs by signatory nations
B) addressed transnational movement of acid- forming pollutants
C) developed the framework for reduction of carbon dioxide in the United States and Canada
D) is an example of a failed attempt to reduce international air pollution

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What two pollutants are the primary causes of acid precipitation?

A) Ozone and lead
B) SO₂ and NOx
C) NOx and N₂O
D) Ozone and SO₂

Question 5

The ozone layer is in what layer of the atmosphere?

A) Mesosphere
B) Thermosphere
C) Troposphere
D) Stratosphere

Question 6

Which of the following symptoms most closely matches the known physiological effects of carbon monoxide?

A) Inflammation of the eyes, nasal passages, and skin
B) Lung irritation and bronchitis
C) Feeling tired
D) Skin cancer

Question 7

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides .

A) when fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied to farm fields
B) when fuels are burned at high combustion temperatures
C) in a photochemical reaction with ozone
D) by using catalytic converters on automobiles

Question 8

Catalytic converters are used to control emissions of .

A) carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides
B) carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide
C) carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas
D) carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides

Question 9

The Coriolis effect .

A) results in seasonal temperature fluctuations across the globe
B) results in the formation of stratospheric ozone
C) is caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and the Moon
D) is caused by Earth's rotational forces

Question 10

Which one of the following would contribute most to acid precipitation falling in the northeastern United States?

A) Ozone forming during morning rush hour in Buffalo, New York
B) Coal- fired power plants in northeastern Canada
C) Nuclear power plants in the region
D) Coal- fired power plants in the Midwest

Question 11

Winds carry air from .

A) areas of low pressure toward areas of high pressure
B) areas of high temperature toward areas of low temperature
C) areas of low temperature toward areas of high temperature
D) areas of high pressure toward areas of low pressure

Question 12

Which of the following is a secondary pollutant in the troposphere but a beneficial component of the stratosphere?

A) Carbon monoxide
B) Ozone
C) Nitrogen oxides
D) Carbon dioxide

Question 13

Coal mines and coal processing facilities are required to minimize the amount of coal dust emitted during mining, processing, and transporting the coal. The regulations controlling coal dust emissions would mainly prevent .

A) lung damage to those working at the plant and living nearby
B) wasting coal that can be reclaimed and burned to produce electricity
C) coal "fog" that can cause traffic fatalities
D) acid precipitation in the region

Question 14

Within a Hadley cell, _ .

A) warm air rises and cool air falls
B) cool water rises and warm water falls
C) warm water rises and cool water falls
D) cool air rises and warm air falls

Question 15

Tropospheric ozone forms from reactions involving _.

A) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides
B) stratospheric ozone and jet stream winds
C) tropospheric CFCs and stratospheric ozone
D) atmospheric nitrogen and atmospheric oxygen

Question 16

Near the equator, the atmospheric circulation patterns are called .

A) high- pressure cells
B) Ferrel cells
C) Hadley cells
D) Coriolis cells

Question 17

During the 1990s, damaging acid precipitation in the United States occurred predominantly .

A) in western states such as Nevada and California
B) in the Northeast
C) in southern states such as Texas and Louisiana
D) in the Midwest

Question 18

Which of the following health problems is most closely associated with the thinning of Earth's ozone layer?

A) Skin irritations
B) Skin cancer
C) Heart disease
D) Blindness

Question 19

Temperature increases with altitude through most of the stratosphere because _ .

A) sunlight is more intense in the stratosphere
B) of the interaction between ozone and the sun's UV radiation
C) jet stream winds produce frictional heat
D) greenhouse gases in the stratosphere warm the air

Question 20

Inhaling PM 2.5 is most likely to cause _ .

A) damage to alveoli in the lungs
B) hallucinations
C) brain damage
D) depletion of the ozone layer

Question 21

Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted on an area from the weight of the atmosphere above it. Pressure is often measured in pounds per square inch (psi) and in units called millibars (mb). Normal air pressure at sea level is approximately 14.7 psi or 1,013 mb. At the top of Mount Everest, the air is only 33% as dense as it is at sea level, and the air pressure is approximately 333 mb. Denver, Colorado, at an elevation of 5,280 feet, has an average air pressure of 834 mb. The air in Denver is as dense as it is at sea level.

A) 121%
B) 16%
C) 82%
D) 67%

Question 22

Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted on an area from the weight of the atmosphere above it. Pressure is often measured in pounds per square inch (psi) and in units called millibars (mb). Normal air pressure at sea level is approximately 14.7 psi or 1013 mb. At the top of Mount Everest, the air is only 33% as dense as it is at sea level, and the air pressure is approximately 333 mb. Denver, Colorado, at an elevation of 5,280 feet, has an average air pressure of 834 mb. What would Denver's air pressure be in psi?

A) 17.9 psi
B) 12.1 psi
C) 8.34 psi
D) 14.7 psi

Question 23

In the 1970s and 1980s, CFCs were widely used in _ .

A) refrigerators and aerosol cans
B) snowmobiles and motorcycles
C) light bulbs and electronics
D) coal- fired power plants

Question 24

The greatest loss of stratospheric ozone _.

A) occurred after the Montreal Protocol failed to be ratified
B) is expected to occur in the mid- 21st century
C) occurs in urban areas where automobile use is most prevalent
D) has occurred over Antarctica

Question 25

As air descends in a circulation cell, the air , and a - pressure region occurs where the air reaches Earth's surface.

A) cools; high
B) cools; low
C) warms; low
D) warms; high

Question 26

The main pollutants that cause acid precipitation are .

A) carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
B) lead and sulfur dioxide
C) sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
D) tropospheric ozone and carbon monoxide

Question 27

Jet streams are strong _ that flow from _ .

A) ocean currents; the equator toward higher latitudes
B) air currents; the equator toward higher latitudes
C) ocean currents; continent to continent
D) air currents; west to east

Question 28

Much progress in reducing atmospheric levels of lead pollution has resulted from .

A) the elimination of leaded gasoline
B) the switch from lead to graphite in pencils
C) new types of lead scrubbers on smokestacks that removed lead from the power plant emissions
D) the development of new types of batteries that use lithium instead of lead

Question 29

Several members of a family die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Which of the following is the most likely source of the carbon monoxide?

A) A faulty furnace
B) A nearby coal- fired power plant
C) A backyard bonfire
D) A faulty electric space heater

Question 30

Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?

A) Sulfuric acid
B) Carbon monoxide
C) Lead
D) Sulfur dioxide

Question 31

Which of the following statements is most logical?

A) "I like the weather in Iowa. I just don't like the climate."
B) "I just shoveled 12 inches of climate off my driveway."
C) "Climate happens all the time. Weather just happens when you're paying attention."
D) "We can pretty well predict climate ourselves. We need professionals to predict weather."

Question 32

Lead pollution is a problem because lead .

A) will cause the ozone hole to increase
B) causes central nervous system damage in humans
C) is a precious metal, and it is being lost to the atmosphere
D) forms an acid in the atmosphere, resulting in acid precipitation

Question 33

Explain how acid precipitation forms, and describe the impacts of acid precipitation on the environment.

Question 34

In the United States, air quality has _ in the past 40 years. In China, air quality has _ over the same time period.

A) improved; gotten worse
B) gotten worse; improved
C) gotten worse; also gotten worse
D) improved; improved even more

Question 35

Stratospheric ozone destruction involves a complex series of reactions. The first significant reaction involves .

A) UV radiation from sunlight breaking apart O₃ molecules
B) ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight causing Cl atoms to break free from CFCs
C) O₃ reacting with industrial sulfuric acid
D) O₃ reacting directly with CFCs

Question 36

Air at the equator is much warmer than air at the North and South Poles. Which of the following scenarios is most likely to decrease the difference in temperature between the equator and poles?

A) Earth being completely covered with water
B) Earth spinning without a seasonal tilt to its axis
C) Earth being completely covered by land
D) Earth rotating in the opposite direction

Question 37

The huge dust storms that took place in the southern plains of the United States in the 1930s .

A) were the result of ozone depletion and acid precipitation killing off vegetation
B) were caused by abnormally warm waters in the central Pacific Ocean
C) were the result of a prolonged drought and poor farming techniques
D) were triggered by tornados and were worsened by global climate change

Question 38

are used to remove sulfur oxides from the emissions from coal- fired power plants.

A) Scrubbers
B) Catalytic converters
C) Desulfinators
D) CFCs

Question 39

Carbon monoxide _.

A) is consumed by plants for photosynthesis
B) is produced by plants during photosynthesis
C) is a major component of the atmosphere
D) causes ozone depletion
E) blocks oxygen transport in human blood

Question 40

Which of the following is a primary pollutant?

A) Lead
B) Ozone
C) Sulfuric acid
D) Nitric acid

Question 41

Discuss the objective and success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol.

Question 42

Describe the distinction between a primary pollutant and a secondary pollutant. Give an example of a primary pollutant and an example of a secondary pollutant. Explain the source(s) and effect(s) of each of these pollutants, and describe recent U.S. trends in atmospheric concentrations of each.