Deck 13: Plastics, Pollution, and Sustainability

Question 1

Which of the following 'benefit' of plastic is also a common drawback to plastics?

A) It can have highly variable properties.
B) It is inexpensive.
C) It is lightweight.
D) It is extremely durable and resists decomposition.
E) All of the above.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The term 'plastic' comes from what trait of expressed in common commercial plastics?

A) It can often be molded and shaped
B) It is inexpensive.
C) It is lightweight.
D) It is extremely durable and resists decomposition.
E) All of the above.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Most common plastic materials are polymers which is/are _____________.

A) Large collections of molecules.
B) Large molecules formed by repeated combination of smaller molecules.
C) Tightly packed small molecules that are packed in a very regular array.
D) Loose collections of molecules that are held together by weak intermolecular forces.
E) All of the above.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Pick the best analogy:
Polymer is to monomer as _____________.

A) protein is to amino acid
B) molecule is to atom
C) base is to acid
D) electron is to nucleus
E) None of the above

Question 5

How are polymers generally different than most other molecules?

A) They do not decompose.
B) They are only man-made
C) They have extremely high molecular masses
D) They do not contain much carbon.
E) All of the above.

Question 6

Typically synthetic polymers are composed of _______________

A) only one monomer
B) only two monomers
C) at most a few different monomers
D) a large number of different monomers.
E) None of the above.

Question 7

Which of the following are biopolymers?

A) DNA
B) RNA
C) cellulose
D) proteins
E) All of the above

Question 8

Biopolymers are types of polymers that are created by _________.

A) biometric polymerization
B) free radical polymerization
C) addition polymerization
D) living organisms
E) All of the above

Question 9

Free radical induced polymerization is a typical method in the formation of _________.

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the typical style of polymerization that utilizes unsaturated compounds as monomers?

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the typical style of polymerization that is used to create copolymers?

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 12

Which of the following would best describe the typical style of polymerization that is used to create nylon?

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 13

Which of the following would best describe the typical style of polymerization that is used to create homopolymers?

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 14

Which of the following would best describe the typical style of polymerization that is utilized to generate biopolymers?

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Both addition and condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 15

Which of the following influence the overall properties of a polymer?

A) structure of the monomer
B) average size and distribution of sizes of the polymer chains
C) the amount of branching of the polymer chain
D) the amount and type of attractive force and/or crosslinks
E) All of the above.

Question 16

What is the underlying cause of the density difference between high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)?

A) HDPE is more highly branched
B) LDPE is more highly branched
C) HDPE chains are longer than LDPE chains
D) LDPE chains are longer than HDPE chains
E) None of the above.

Question 17

The structural differences between high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) result in ____________.

A) HDPE having more disorder in its structure
B) LDPE having greater durability
C) HDPE chains packing more efficiently
D) LDPE chains shortening upon heating
E) None of the above.

Question 18

Thermoset plastics undergo structural changes upon heating that _________.

A) causes the chains to move past one another more easily
B) causes the chains to become locked into place
C) causes the chains to shorten and decreases melting point
D) causes the chains to elongate and increases melting point
E) None of the above.

Question 19

Thermoplastics undergo reversible structural changes upon heating that _________.

A) causes the chains to move past one another more easily
B) causes the chains to become locked into place
C) causes the chains to shorten and decreases melting point
D) causes the chains to elongate and increases melting point
E) None of the above.

Question 20

The first artificial polymers were created _________.

A) by modeling them off of known biopolymers
B) by studying the linkages in tree saps
C) by accident in a lab spill
D) to improve temperature resistance of compounds
E) None of the above.

Question 21

One of the first synthetic polymers was nitrocellulose. What was the initial use of the polymer?

A) as a gunpowder replacement
B) as a synthetic ivory
C) as a heat-resistant metal replacement
D) as a wear-resistant material for the auto industry
E) None of the above.

Question 22

Even though it was utilized heavily by the movie industry, enough that the name became synonymous for motion pictures, what property of celluloid made it difficult to work with in this setting?

A) It was very brittle and broke easily.
B) It would react with air slowly over time.
C) It was fairly flammable and would catch on fire in projectors.
D) It was highly colored and therefore not suitable for 'color' movies.
E) All of the above

Question 23

Some of the heat sensitivity in celluloid came from _________.

A) the nitrocellulose that was used to create it.
B) the sulfur that was used to structurally stabilize it.
C) the presence of unsaturation in the polymer backbone.
D) the regular, crystalline regions within the polymer.
E) All of the above

Question 24

The behavior of celluloid in terms of its ability to be melted and resolidified would allow one to classify it as __________.

A) a biopolymer
B) a thermoset
C) a thermoplastic
D) a homopolymer
E) None of the above

Question 25

Normal rubber does not maintain its elasticity when heated, but vulcanized rubber does. What is the cause of the heat insensitivity?

A) the nitrocellulose that was used to create it.
B) the sulfur that was used to link polymer strands.
C) the presence of unsaturation in the polymer backbone.
D) the regular, crystalline regions within the polymer.
E) All of the above

Question 26

The behavior of vulcanized rubber in terms of its stability towards melting after it has been created would allow one to classify it as __________.

A) a biopolymer
B) a thermoset
C) a thermoplastic
D) a homopolymer
E) None of the above

Question 27

Which of the following materials is not a semisynthetic polymer?

A) celluloid
B) bakelite
C) nitrocellulose
D) vulcanized rubber
E) All of the above are semisynthetic polymers

Question 28

Vulcanization of rubber improve elasticity by _____________.

A) allows slow crystallization of the polymer to create areas of high density that do not flex.
B) creating regions of low density that resist shocks better than high density polymer
C) crosslinking the polymer backbones, preventing them from moving past one another
D) creates regular, but small, crystalline regions within the polymer that pin the elastomer into place.
E) All of the above

Question 29

The first truly synthetic polymer is a formed from phenol and formaldehyde. The name of the oldest synthetic polymer is __________.

A) nylon
B) kevlar
C) celluloid
D) polyvinyl chloride
E) None of the above

Question 30

The first truly synthetic polymer is a formed from phenol and formaldehyde. This would classify it as a __________.

A) a biopolymer
B) a copolymer
C) a monopolymer
D) a homopolymer
E) None of the above

Question 31

The first truly synthetic polymer is a formed from phenol and formaldehyde which would suggest that it is formed via __________.

A) Addition polymerization
B) Condensation polymerization
C) Either addition or condensation polymerization
D) Neither addition nor condensation polymerization
E) It depends on the industrial process

Question 32

What is the estimated amount of plastic waste that is recycled in the United States?

A) 1%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 55%
E) 80%

Question 33

What is the estimated amount of plastic waste that could be recycled, but is placed into a landfill instead?

A) 1%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 55%
E) 80%

Question 34

One alternative to landfills is incineration. What is the difficulty with incinerating plastics?

A) high cost
B) toxic exhaust
C) zoning laws
D) most are non-flammable
E) both a and b

Question 35

Plastic waste in the ocean is a concern because ________.

A) it dissolves in the water to release toxins
B) it persists and gets ground up and eaten by wildlife
C) it settles out on the bottom of the ocean and becomes sediment
D) it creates large oil-slick like areas
E) both b and c

Question 36

One method to attempt to improve recycling of plastics is single-stream recycling which _______.

A) allows consumers to focus on a single resin code
B) consists of centralized waste facilities where the goods can be deposited
C) allows for all wastes, not just plastics, to be combined
D) allows for all plastics to be consolidated regardless of resin code
E) both b and c

Question 37

Another method of reducing plastic waste is to switch to bioplastics. This eliminates some of the issues with traditional plastic because ________.

A) bioplastics have lower melting points
B) bioplastics do not contain as many toxic chemicals
C) bioplastics are more rigid and produce stronger components
D) bioplastics are more biodegradable
E) bioplastics are made from renewable feedstocks

Question 38

One concern in the switch to bioplastics is that ________.

A) bioplastics require specific conditions for decomposition
B) bioplastics do not get sorted properly and contaminate other waste streams
C) only small amounts of bioplastic end up at the commercial composting
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 39

When an excess of a substance is present in the wrong environmental location it is considered to be ________.

A) a gyre
B) a biosolid
C) pollution
D) accretion
E) None of the above.

Question 40

Which of the following statements best describes when something is unpolluted?

A) It is completely free of contaminants.
B) It is made from natural sources.
C) It has no toxic materials in it.
D) It has the right amount of components for the surroundings.
E) None of the above.

Question 41

One of the leading pollutants is sulfur. Where does the majority of the anthropogenic sulfur come from in the air?

A) burning of sulfur for heat
B) trace amounts of sulfur in coal and oil
C) industrial production of sulfuric acid
D) electronics manufacturing
E) None of the above.

Question 42

In the release of sulfur to the atmosphere, which of the following is the primary pollutant that arises in pyrite decomposition?

A) S₈
B) SO₂
C) SO₃
D) H₂SO₄
E) None of the above.

Question 43

Heavy metals such as Mercury are also key pollutants. What is the leading source of anthropogenic mercury contamination in the United States?

A) Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
B) Industrial Lighting
C) Old Thermometers
D) Coal Combustion
E) None of the above.

Question 44

Elemental mercury is relatively stable, but under biological conditions it is converted into ________, a more dangerous material.

A) mercury vapor
B) methylmercury
C) mercurous ozone
D) Mercuric VOC
E) None of the above.

Question 45

Unlike certain pollutants, which have limited exposure issues, heavy metals, like mercury, have increased contamination issues due to multiplication effects from ingestion along the food chain. This process is called ______________.

A) accretion
B) methylation
C) bioaccumulation
D) photochemical harnessing
E) None of the above.

Question 46

What is the major source of the nitrogen in nitrogen based pollution?

A) air
B) gasoline
C) coal
D) animal waste
E) None of the above.

Question 47

While the source of the nitrogen in atmospheric nitrogen based pollution is quite common, what modern technology has made the formation of nitrogen based pollution much more common?

A) electric substations
B) internal combustion engines
C) compact fluorescent lamps
D) industrial farming
E) None of the above.

Question 48

Photochemical smog is a complex mixture formed when ________ and ________ react in sunlight with air to produce a brownish haze

A) nitrogen and ozone
B) ozone and hydrocarbons
C) hydrocarbons and nitrogen dioxide
D) ozone and nitrogen dioxide
E) None of the above.

Question 49

Liquid chemicals that can pose a health risk simply by evaporating and being present in the atmosphere are classified as ___________.

A) ozone depleting chemicals
B) chlorinated fluorocarbons
C) volatile organic compounds
D) fluidized bed combustibles
E) None of the above.

Question 50

Ozone serves a critical role in supporting life on the planet. Which of the following statements best describes that role?

A) It generates oxygen in the atmosphere.
B) It captures solar radiation to warm the earth.
C) It absorbs harmful solar radiation.
D) It reacts with excess nitrogen preventing narcosis.
E) None of the above.

Question 51

Stratospheric ozone is able to absorb some types of solar radiation. What percentage of incoming ultraviolet radiation is absorbed in the upper atmosphere?

A) 1%
B) 3%
C) 25%
D) 83%
E) 99%

Question 52

Chlorofluorocarbons have been implicated in destruction of ozone in the upper atmosphere, even though they are no longer utilized, having been banned completely worldwide since 2000. What property(ies) of CFCs results in them still causing environmental issues today?

A) low toxicity
B) low cost
C) low chemical reactivity
D) low flammability
E) All of the above.

Question 53

What aspect of chlorofluorocarbons is implicated in ozone degradation?

A) Halogen atoms that catalyze the destruction of the ozone.
B) Carbon atoms blocking and scattering the radiation that reforms the ozone.
C) Halogens bonding the oxygen atoms and removing them in precipitation.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 54

Which of the following produces is the largest contributor to air pollution?

A) automobiles
B) industrial production
C) chemical propellants/CFCs
D) volatile organic compounds
E) None of the above

Question 55

The purpose of using newer, fluidized-bed combustion in coal power plants is to ________.

A) increase the amount of usable heat energy from the coal
B) increase the amount of carbon monoxide created in the process
C) increase the amount of carbon dioxide created in the process
D) decrease the amount of sulfur produced per pound of coal
E) None of the above

Question 56

Newer power plants contain 'scrubbers' which work to ________.

A) increase the amount of usable heat energy from the coal
B) increase the amount of carbon monoxide created in the process
C) decrease the amount of carbon dioxide created in the process
D) decrease the amount of sulfur released per pound of coal
E) None of the above

Question 57

Many scrubbers include compounds like magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)₂ . What is the role of these compounds in the scrubbing process?

A) The help to distribute gasses in the fluidized bed.
B) They react with excess CO₂ to produce metal carbonates.
C) They bind with the sulfur compounds to form easily handled solids.
D) They react with acids in the flue gasses to form insoluble salts that can be scrubbed out.
E) None of the above

Question 58

Which of the following descriptions of water pollution represents thermal pollution?

A) soil and suspended matter that blocks sunlight and interferes with photosynthesis
B) excess heat, typically generated by industrial cooling, that depletes oxygen
C) release of undesirable compounds that negatively affect organisms
D) sudden growth of simple plants that ultimately leads to depletion of dissolved oxygen
E) None of the above

Question 59

Which of the following descriptions of water pollution represents sedimentary pollution?

A) soil and suspended matter that blocks sunlight and interferes with photosynthesis
B) excess heat, typically generated by industrial cooling, that depletes oxygen
C) release of undesirable compounds that negatively affect organisms
D) sudden growth of simple plants that ultimately leads to depletion of dissolved oxygen
E) None of the above

Question 60

Which of the following descriptions of water pollution best represents chemical pollution?

A) soil and suspended matter that blocks sunlight and interferes with photosynthesis
B) excess heat, typically generated by industrial cooling, that depletes oxygen
C) release of undesirable compounds that negatively affect organisms
D) sudden growth of simple plants that ultimately leads to depletion of dissolved oxygen
E) None of the above

Question 61

Which of the following descriptions best represents eutrophication?

A) soil and suspended matter that blocks sunlight and interferes with photosynthesis
B) excess heat, typically generated by industrial cooling, that depletes oxygen
C) release of undesirable compounds that negatively affect organisms
D) sudden growth of simple plants that ultimately leads to depletion of dissolved oxygen
E) None of the above

Question 62

On average, what is the amount of solid waste generated by a typical person in the United States?

A) 0.50 kg per day
B) 2.0 kg per day
C) 5.0 kg per day
D) 10.0 kg per day
E) None of the above

Question 63

While most people, as individuals, generate 'municipal solid waste', the largest producer of solid waste in the United States is _____________ .

A) industrial production
B) mining
C) agriculture
D) water treatment sludge
E) None of the above

Question 64

What is the estimated percentage of solid municipal waste that is paper or paper related?

A) 28%
B) 37%
C) 54%
D) 86%
E) None of the above

Question 65

What is the most common fate of municipal solid waste that has not been recycled ?

A) incineration
B) placed in a landfill
C) converted into biogas
D) composted
E) vitrification

Question 66

What is the estimated amount of waste generated in the United States that is classified as 'hazardous' and requires special handling?

A) 1%
B) 3%
C) 25%
D) 83%
E) 99%

Question 67

One of the central tenets of the 'green chemistry' movement that is the most effective at eliminating pollution is ____________.

A) repurposing items that are no longer functional
B) reutilization of waste products
C) source reduction
D) creating superfund sites to improve environmental clean up
E) All of the above