Question 1

The presence of chemicals or particles in air that have adverse effects on living organisms is termed

Accepted Answer

Pollution is the term used to describe the presence of chemicals or particles in air that have adverse effects on the health and well-being of living organisms. Acid rain, eutrophication, global warming, and denitrification are all specific types of pollution, but pollution is the general term that encompasses them all.

Question 2

Freshwater is most likely to be polluted

Accepted Answer

Runoff from urban areas and chemicals used in farming in rural areas can carry pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals into freshwater sources. This is a common source of freshwater pollution. Oil spills from ocean water moving inland are less likely to affect freshwater sources, radioactive waste seeping from nuclear reactors is a less common cause of pollution, and aquifers are typically protected from contamination due to the natural filtration process of soil and rock layers. Eutrophication is a process where excess nutrients enter a body of water, leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion, but it is not the most likely cause of pollution in freshwater sources.

Question 3

The main human activities that have raised atmospheric CO₂ levels are

Accepted Answer

Deforestation and burning fossil fuels are the main human activities that have raised atmospheric CO₂ levels. Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis, and burning fossil fuels releases CO₂ that has been stored in the earth for millions of years. While natural processes can also affect atmospheric CO₂ levels, such as volcanic activity or natural carbon sinks, human activity has been the primary driver of the recent increase in CO₂ levels.

Question 4

Eutrophication of a lake most likely is the result of

Accepted Answer

Eutrophication is the process by which excessive nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus enter a body of water, leading to increased growth of algae and other aquatic plants. This increased plant growth leads to a depletion of oxygen in the water as the plants die and decompose, which can lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms. Therefore, excessive concentrations of organic and inorganic nutrients (choice E) are the most likely cause of eutrophication of a lake.

Question 5

Certain gases in the upper atmosphere allow sunlight to pass through to Earth's surface, but prevent heat from escaping. This is known as

Accepted Answer

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon where certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and others) trap heat from the sun, which warms the planet's surface. This effect is necessary to keep the Earth warm enough to support life, but human activities (such as burning fossil fuels) have increased the levels of these greenhouse gases, causing the Earth's temperature to rise and leading to climate change.

Question 6

What percent of Earth's water is fresh water?

Accepted Answer

Only about 2.5-3% of Earth's water is fresh, and less than 1% is accessible for human use, as most of it is trapped in glaciers and ice caps.

Question 7

"Earth's fever" refers to

Accepted Answer

"Earth's fever" is a term commonly used to refer to the observed increase in global temperatures that is believed to result from the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 8

Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding the water on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which one of the following statements is...

Question 9

Which one of the following statements is TRUE regarding rural poverty?

Accepted Answer

In impoverished rural communities, deforestation is common as people may cut down trees for fuel and shelter, which can further contribute to environmental degradation and poverty. A is incorrect because more than 25% of the world's population lives in rural poverty. B is incorrect because land use problems in rural areas are often different from those in urban areas. D is incorrect because communal lands in impoverished rural areas may not be monitored or managed effectively. E is incorrect because many individuals living in rural areas rely on the local environment for their livelihood and sustenance.

Question 10

The largest hole in the ozone layer occurs in the stratospheric layer over

Accepted Answer

The largest hole in the ozone layer is located over Antarctica, specifically over the Antarctic continent and surrounding waters during the Southern Hemisphere's spring season (August to October). This phenomenon is known as the Antarctic ozone hole.

Question 11

Power plants are undergoing a process known as "scrubbing" that is expected to reduce the extent of

Accepted Answer

Scrubbing refers to the installation of equipment in power plants to remove pollutants, particularly sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, from the emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. These pollutants are major contributors to acid rain, so scrubbing is expected to reduce the extent of acid rain.

Question 12

Which of the following pollutants is generally stored in dry locations because they remain a potential problem for thousands of years?

Accepted Answer

Radioactive waste can remain hazardous for thousands of years and must be stored in dry locations to prevent contamination of the environment. PANs, CFCs, heavy metals, gasoline, and oil do not have as long of a potential hazard lifespan.

Question 13

The ozone layer can be destroyed by pollutants such as

Accepted Answer

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) have been found to be the major cause of ozone layer depletion. When CFCs reach the upper atmosphere, they are broken down by ultraviolet radiation, releasing chlorine atoms that react with ozone molecules, causing them to break down. This results in a decrease in the concentration of ozone in the ozone layer.

Question 14

The greenhouse effect is a natural and important phenomenon because it

Accepted Answer

The greenhouse effect refers to the process by which greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, maintaining the Earth's surface temperature at a habitable level. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth's surface temperature would be too low to support life as we know it.

Question 15

All of the following statements accurately describe eutrophication EXCEPT which one?

Accepted Answer

Eutrophication is not beneficial to the diversity of life-forms in a body of water. It actually disrupts the balance of the ecosystem by promoting the growth of certain species, which can lead to the decline of other species.

Question 16

Deep underground reservoirs of water are called

Accepted Answer

Deep underground reservoirs of water are called aquifers.

Question 17

According to public health officials, all of the following may be caused by water pollutants EXCEPT which one?

Accepted Answer

Water pollutants can cause a wide range of health problems, including birth defects, nervous disorders, miscarriages, and skin rashes. However, they do not typically lead to accommodation to allergies. In fact, many pollutants are known to exacerbate allergies and other respiratory conditions.

Question 18

Stopping global warming will require commitment by all nations and will not be easy. One of the most promising strategies involves storing or burying CO₂ deep in the oceans, a process termed

Accepted Answer

Storing or burying CO₂ deep in the oceans is a process termed carbon sequestration, which is one of the most promising strategies to stop global warming. Denitrification, sedimentary cycle, and complement fixation are not related to this process, and carbon dioxide scrubbing involves removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, not storing it in the oceans.

Question 19

Toxicants occurring in aquatic ecosystems are highly subjected to biological magnification, meaning the

Accepted Answer

Biological magnification, also known as biomagnification, is the process by which toxic substances (such as pollutants and heavy metals) become concentrated at higher trophic levels of the food chain. As a result, organisms at the top of the food chain (such as predatory fish and marine mammals) may accumulate extremely high concentrations of toxicants in their tissues, posing a significant health risk to themselves and to their predators (including humans).

Question 20

Gases such as nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are called greenhouse gases because they

Accepted Answer

Greenhouse gases permit sunlight to enter the atmosphere, but trap the heat energy in, leading to an increase in temperature known as the greenhouse effect. Nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are two of the major greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.

Quiz 24: Human Impacts, Biodiversity, and Environmental Issues