Question 1

The stratospheric ozone layer is important to ecosystems because it ______________.
A)provides the air we breathe
B)keeps atmospheric gases balanced
C)absorbs and scatters UV light
D)ensures lakes and oceans do not lose water
E)keeps the temperature of Earth stable

Accepted Answer

The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs and scatters ultraviolet (UV) light, protecting living organisms from harmful UV radiation.

Question 2

In industrialized nations, the two most deadly sources of indoor pollution are ____________.
A)pesticides and cleaning agents
B)pesticides and cigarette smoke
C)radiation from electronic equipment and pesticides
D)radon and cigarette smoke
E)synthetic furniture materials and radiation from electronic equipment

Accepted Answer

Radon and cigarette smoke are the two most deadly sources of indoor pollution in industrialized nations. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors, and cigarette smoke contains numerous harmful chemicals.

Question 3

Weather patterns are largely determined in the _______________.
A)stratosphere
B)lithosphere
C)mesosphere
D)biosphere
E)troposphere

Accepted Answer

Weather patterns are largely determined in the troposphere, which is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where most weather phenomena occur.

Question 4

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-Which of the following is a consequence of acid deposition?
A)It is increasing the rate of global warming.
B)It increases the likelihood of low- lying ground fogs.
C)It leaches important minerals from soils.
D)It results in offshore eutrophication, damaging coral reefs.
E)It creates rainwater that can damage skin cells or cause cancers.

Accepted Answer

Acid deposition can leach important minerals from soils, which can harm plant life and disrupt ecosystems.

Question 5

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-One key to the puzzle of Los Angeles smog is the fact that _______________
A)incoming tides in the harbor push air pollution ahead of them
B)the offshore breezes carry inland pollution to coastal Los Angeles
C)there are so many rainy days, increasing the acidic deposition
D)the Hadley cell for that area drops cool air, and pollution, right over Los Angeles
E)Los Angeles and its suburbs are all ringed by mountains

Accepted Answer

The mountains surrounding Los Angeles trap air pollution, preventing it from dispersing and contributing to the smog problem.

Question 6

Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called _______________.
A)Coriolis cells
B)Ferrel cells
C)Hadley cells
D)high- pressure cells
E)El Niño events

Accepted Answer

Hadley cells are the convection currents that occur near the equator, where warm air rises and moves towards the poles before cooling and sinking.

Question 7

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it ______________.
A)is an unhealthy mixture of pollutants
B)is formed only in the presence of sunlight
C)consists of primary pollutants
D)is primarily composed of carbon monoxide
E)has large quantities of soot

Accepted Answer

Photochemical smog is formed when sunlight reacts with pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, leading to the formation of secondary pollutants such as ozone.

Question 8

One problem that occurs as a consequence of CFC pollution is _______________
A)respiratory irritation and lung cancer
B)movement of toxins into lakes and rivers, which poisons fish
C)increasing skin cancer in humans
D)eutrophication
E)damage to human red blood cells

Accepted Answer

CFC pollution leads to the depletion of the ozone layer, which increases the amount of harmful UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface, thereby increasing the risk of skin cancer in humans.

Question 9

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-In the mid- 1950s, a researcher in Los Angeles was able to create smog by setting up a large, clear chamber and using it to expose auto exhaust to sunlight. He was demonstrating _______________
A)the cause of acidic deposition
B)non- point source pollution
C)the cause of ozone depletion
D)point source pollution
E)photochemical reactions

Accepted Answer

The researcher demonstrated photochemical reactions, which occur when sunlight interacts with pollutants like auto exhaust, leading to the formation of smog.

Question 10

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-In the 1950s, Los Angeles became famous for its smog. One part of the problem was _______________.
A)heavy industry along the coastline
B)the increase in the number of automobiles
C)natural gas leaks from wells
D)dust from inland farms
E)pollution from the dams on the Colorado River

Accepted Answer

The increase in the number of automobiles contributed significantly to the smog problem in Los Angeles during the 1950s, as car emissions were a major source of air pollution.

Question 11

The huge dust storms that took place in the United States in the 1930s _______________
A)were the result of glacier melt
B)were the result of polar cells
C)were the result of ozone depletion
D)were the result of poor farming techniques
E)were triggered by tornados, worsened by global climate change

Accepted Answer

The dust storms, known as the Dust Bowl, were primarily caused by poor farming techniques that led to soil erosion, combined with severe drought conditions.

Question 12

Residence time is the _______________
A)chemical change that occurs with time, when substances are altered by the sun or metabolized by microorganisms
B)length of time it takes to produce toxic chemicals in the environment
C)average length of time a molecule of a substance spends in the environment
D)chemical change that occurs with time, when substances alter the growth and development of humans
E)length of time it takes for chemicals to be stored in the tissues of living organisms

Accepted Answer

Residence time refers to the average length of time a molecule of a substance remains in a particular location or environment before being removed or transformed.

Question 13

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-_______________ is a device designed to remove airborne pollutants from smokestack emissions.
A)A tall stack
B)A scrubber
C)A coal washer
D)A boiler
E)An air filter

Accepted Answer

A scrubber is a device designed to remove airborne pollutants from smokestack emissions.

Question 14

Radon _______________.
A)contributes to the breakdown of the ozone layer
B)in the atmosphere limits the availability of sunlight for plants
C)is caused by the breakdown of the ozone layer
D)binds with hemoglobin, preventing binding with oxygen
E)may cause lung cancer when inhaled

Accepted Answer

Radon is a radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and buildings, and prolonged exposure to high levels of radon can increase the risk of lung cancer.

Question 15

Seasons are a result of _______________
A)differences in the amount and intensity of sunlight brought about by the tilt of Earth's axis
B)alterations in Hadley cells
C)differences in the distance between Earth and the sun
D)changes in day length
E)the phases of the moon

Accepted Answer

Seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis, which affects the intensity and distribution of sunlight received at different times of the year.

Question 16

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Thousands of young families moved "over the hills" and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun- filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. "Wet" garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
-The Los Angeles smog problem is made much worse by _______________
A)nearby mountains and the warm sunshine, which cause inversion layers
B)the high cloud levels, which deplete the local ozone layer
C)the foggy climate, which leads to acidic deposition
D)the onshore breezes, which prevent pollution from dispersing
E)the convection cells, which bring pollutants from other cities

Accepted Answer

The nearby mountains and warm sunshine contribute to temperature inversion layers, trapping pollutants and exacerbating the smog problem in Los Angeles.

Question 17

The Earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of _______________
A)oxygen and carbon dioxide
B)nitrogen and carbon dioxide
C)water and oxygen
D)water and carbon dioxide
E)nitrogen and oxygen

Accepted Answer

The Earth's atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%).

Question 18

The Coriolis effect _______________
A)is caused by the moon
B)is caused by earth's rotational forces
C)results in ice and dark at the poles in winter
D)keeps Earth from spinning too fast
E)keeps the wind circulating at constant speed around the planet

Accepted Answer

The Coriolis effect is caused by the Earth's rotation, which causes moving air and water to turn and twist relative to the Earth's surface.

Question 19

The primary causes of acid deposition are _______________
A)soil dust and sand
B)carbon monoxide and formaldehyde
C)sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
D)radon gas and fuelwood smoke
E)tropospheric ozone

Accepted Answer

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are the primary pollutants that lead to acid deposition, as they react with water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acids.

Question 20

The Coriolis effect contributes to _______________
A)global wind patterns
B)increased acidic deposition
C)global warming
D)an increase in eutrophication
E)a reduction in eutrophication

Accepted Answer

The Coriolis effect influences the direction of wind patterns by causing moving air to turn and twist, which is essential in the formation of global wind patterns.

Quiz 17: Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

The stratospheric ozone layer is important to ecosystems because it ______________.

In industrialized nations, the two most deadly sources of indoor pollution are ____________.

Weather patterns are largely determined in the _______________.

Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called _______________.

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it ______________.

One problem that occurs as a consequence of CFC pollution is _______________

The huge dust storms that took place in the United States in the 1930s _______________

Residence time is the _______________

Radon _______________.

Seasons are a result of _______________

The Earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of _______________

The Coriolis effect _______________

The primary causes of acid deposition are _______________

The Coriolis effect contributes to _______________